Maramagambo Forest

Day number 2 of exploring Queen Elizabeth National Park, and this time we paid to go in! Out first activity of the day was a hike around Lake Kyasandula in Maramagambo Forest. They must be worried about tourists being eaten by animals, because we were required to take a guide along for our hike. There weren't any guides available when we arrived, so we were told that we could hang out at the super fancy lodge along the lake while we waited. After about 1/2 an hour, we drove back to the gate and met our guide. He seemed surprised that we wanted to go for a hike with two kids (wearing plastic shoes), but agreed to take us. There was another couple there also waiting, all decked out in safari gear with binoculars around their necks - they seemed relieved to discover that they had a different guide who took them in a different direction than us! There are supposed to be numerous monkeys and birds in this area, but with the 5 of us stomping through the forest (not very quietly), most things were long gone by the time we got there! We managed to see a few colobus monkeys and hippo trails and the hike was great. Our guide was super friendly (I don't think we ever met a Ugandan who wasn't friendly) and the kids loved to walk along side him. Of course, they always seemed to go for the gun side, but he gently moved them over to his other side ... so they didn't have a rifle pointed at their heads!

After hiking around the lake, we asked him how far it was to the bat cave. We understood his answer as 150 m ... it ended up being another 90 minute hike through the woods! The cave was amazing and worth the walk - filled with thousands of bats. We didn't get to see the snake that lives there, though.

Back in the car, we headed to the town of Mweya where we went through the visitor centre and had lunch. I finally got to try matoke! It was a lot like sticky potatoes, not that great ... but it fills you up (until you pee, so they say). And we finally got a close-up look at some warthogs, including a baby close to the restaurant!

We spent the rest of the afternoon game driving, with T driving, and G and I hanging out the car, sitting on the doors. We saw a sleeping hippo, a lot more warthogs, and a herd of elephants with a baby! G also spotted the bones of a hippo which we then reassembled. Probably not the smartest thing to do in a game park, but an interesting experience!

It got dark by the time we left the park, and getting onto the highway we almost ran over a bush pig! (Our final bit of wildlife for the day) Back at the lodge, we ordered food, took showers, then STILL had to wait for our food to come! Who knew that it took 1 1/2 hours to make spaghetti?