Uganda was once described by Winston Churchil as the ‘Pearl of Africa’ - thanks to its terrific biodiversity, colour, life and beauty. For decades, 19th century explorers were obsessed with this part of the world, frantically searching for the source of the Nile. Livingstone, Stanley and Speke became celebrities for their continued and relentless pursuit of it.

 

Although it is land-locked, one fifth of the country is made up of water, with roughly 165 lakes and a major section of its border flanking the great Lake Victoria. A proportion of these lakes, as well as the many mountains and forests, make up the headwaters of the Nile River before it flows up to north Africa. Flying over Lake Albert, in the top left corner, one can enjoy the sight of thousands of fishing boats, in a constant hive of productivity. 

 

To this day, one feels one is on a geographic expedition of old while scrabbling through the dense undergrowth of the Ruwenzoris or the Virunga Mountain Range searching for gorillas. Here too live the Batwa, one of the oldest indigenous tribes in Africa. The entire landscape is incredibly lush, with dense farmland snugly packed between imposing mountains and volcanoes. Names such as ‘The Impenetrable Forest’ and ‘Mountains of the Moon’ cannot but inspire a genuine sense of discovery and delight.