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by Cam McLeay More than four thousand miles in
length, the mighty Nile is the longest river on
earth. The great waterway has played a monumental
role in history. It traverses an incredible variety
of landscapes, a colorful medley of cultures and
since the beginning of time has enthralled
civilizations with its power and mystery. Ancient
Egyptian kings sent armies in search of the source
of the great river and explorers from Herodotus to
Speke have sought to chart its course. Until very
recently no one dared challenge the White Nile at
its source - some of the most powerful and
sustained rapids on earth. However, today Adrift have
diversified into much 'softer' options to cater for
the wide range of tourists the country now
attracts. The company cater for rafters from ages
2-72 years and there is certainly no prerequisite
regarding swimming. On average, several dozen
non-swimmers raft the river every month and the
wonderful thing about the Nile in Uganda is that it
can meet the a variety of needs, desires and
expectations. For those who want to challenge some
of the biggest rapids on the planet then towering
waves rise to meet the highest expectations. For
72-year old grandfathers who want to share the
experience with their grandchildren then the Nile
in Uganda offers a wonderful experience. There are
no hippos and very few crocodiles in this section
of river so swimming in the calm pools between the
rapids is safe. Young children delight in leaping
from the rafts to ride on safety kayaks who
accompany every trip down the river, they marvel at
the fish lying in the bottom of the dugout canoes
the fishermen use and watch eagerly as troops of
red-tailed monkeys fly through the trees alongside
the river. For the older children, the surf waves
at Nile Perhaps most importantly, the
Adrift presence in Uganda has created employment in
an area where there was relatively little before.
Over forty families from villages in the area are
supported directly from a wage from the company.
The volume of tourist traffic in the area has grown
substantially and looks set to expand with the
attraction of Uganda as a tourist destination. The
Adrift presence in the area is attracting other
investors and the goal of the company now is to
increase the visitor nights to the area or increase
the amount of time visitors spend in Kayunga
District. In no small part this is only possible
with the support and cooperation of the local
community. Adrift recognizes that the future of
tourism in Uganda and in Kayunga in particular is
dependent on the the continued partnership between
the company and the communities with which it comes
into contact. Cam McLeay Adrift Adventure Co. Photos
courtesy of Adrift Adventure Co., Kampala,
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Downstream,
the river raced swiftly out of sight and another
huge rapid thundered a warning to our vulnerable
rafts. Wisps of spray sparkled with the colors of
the rainbow where the river disappeared and a
menacing crocodile charged our rafts from the far
bank. Sanctuary was a small eddy on the south bank
of the river where hippos jumped on top of each
other wary of the strange intruders. I shivered at
the idea of running a rapid we had never seen,
didn't fancy the idea of facing a crocodile longer
than our raft and so opted to upset the hippos. A
large bull rose out of the water, opened his huge
mouth in warning and then crashed into the pool and
disappeared. Seconds later, I pulled hard on the
oars and spun the heavily laden raft into the eddy
hoping he would not surface beneath me. We hit the
bank, tied off the raft and watched the croc hold
his ground behind a little rock island midstream.
No-one had ever rafted these rapids
before.
Adrift
made an historic first descent of the Victoria Nile
(the first section of the White Nile) in July 1996.
BBC news featured this incredible 10-day descent at
prime time viewing. Both the Royal Geographic
Society and the National Geographic Society have
recognized this as one of the most challenging
river descents ever. The 80 km section of river
between Karuma Falls and Murchison Falls in the
Murchison Falls National Park is the steepest
section of the entire Nile and provided the biggest
challenges. The Adrift team were charged eight
times by large crocodiles, drifted through pools
holding hundreds of hippos and were watched over on
one portage by a pride of lions. In over 20 years
of rafting worldwide, for the Adrift guides, this
river is the ultimate challenge.
Special
and Malalu provide huge excitement. Using boogie
boards and fins the expert guides from Adrift
instruct the children in the use of the foam boards
to ride the waves. Incredibly these boards race
down the face of waves and give the ride a thrill
that brings a smile to both the kids and anyone who
can see how much fun they are having. The waves
behave much the same as an ocean wave and break
every day of the year in much the same way. This is
part of the reason the Nile is unique among rivers
throughout the world. Lake Victoria and the dam at
Owen Falls mean that the river level of the Nile
remains relatively constant year-round so
regardless of the time of the year, the Nile offers
the ride of one's life.
Neither
Adrift or Uganda as a whole have to market Uganda
as probably the most exciting destination in
Africa. Those who come here marvel at the
friendliness of the people, the beaming smiles and
the warmth of the reception. Despite the reputation
of the country and the tyranny of the past, today a
visitor can expect one the warmest receptions they
could find anywhere in the world. Couple this with
a diverse range of exciting activities and a
wonderful climate and you have a country that
should be at the top of your 'to visit'
list.