People & Culture

A journey to save the sheer butter tree: Gerima walks to Kenya

He is not new to it, Gerima Mustafa, has in fact walked top Arua before. His passion for the pertinent cause that is saving the shea butter tree remains unmatched. An article by Kenya’s The Star upon his arrival in Kenya caught the eye. A write-up into what transpired, dubbed, Ugandan activist for shea tree finishes walk to Nairobi, told of these strides. The environmental walker’s encounter the writer insists ended thusly:

Striding the last kilometres of his 644 km walk from northwest Uganda, Gerima Mustafa emerged out of the rain like a dream. The ex-teacher now campaigning to save the shea tree was greeted by ululations at the gates of World Agroforestry and Karura Forest in Gigiri. Senior staff of the UN Environment Programme also joined in.

He was greeted by Tony Simons, Director General of the World Agroforestry Centre, and Dr Musonda Mumba, head of the Global Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

Gerima describes himself as an environmental walker, using walking to raise awareness. The shea tree is a vital source of cooking, skin cream, medicine and fruit in northern Uganda. Despite many attempts including bye-laws to protect it, the indigenous tree is dense, burns slowly, and so is being aggressively cut for charcoal.

HERO’S WELCOME 

Gerima Mustafa, right, was welcomed by Tony Simons, centre, Director-General of the World Agroforestry Centre, and Dr Musonda Mumba, left, head of the Global Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

In Kenya, shea is best known under its Sudanese name ‘lulu’ and is sold in supermarkets. Its butter is used for traditional cooking, can be blended into a mosquito repellent, or made into a sunscreen for albinos. It has become popular in beauty products across the world over the last ten years.

The shea tree, vitellaria paradox, starts bearing fruit after it is 10 years old and then produces nuts for up to 200 years. It grows in the dry belt across Africa from Somalia to Senegal.

Women tend to harvest the shea nuts but it is young men who burn it for charcoal. Gerima wants to raise US$650,000 for a massive shea tree planting campaign in Uganda and Sudan.

“Shea is very important. I am worried about its extinction,” said Gerima as he greeted the crowd. “We had white rhino in our place. But people did not pay attention to it and now white rhinos are not there anymore. We do not need to lose these things.”

Gerima relied on the kindness of strangers in his epic march. He was never mugged. While in Nairobi, he attended Wangari Maathai Day and will meet teams at the UN.

“I am just a message,” said the environmental activist as he called for action on the tree. “It will be an ecological disaster if it goes extinct.”

Got Ngetta: Lira’s beautiful treasure

Nestled on a rocky outer edge of Lira town, Got Ngetta is quite the sight. A magnificent solid rock standing at whole 4,500ft above sea level. Imagine that! Legend has it that in the 16th century, the present-day tribes of Teso, Karamojong, Acholi, Langi, Kumam, and Japhadola all belonged to the Langi tribe. A legend many will beg to differ but does in fact hold some water. Because well, Ngetta zone was their home. And who wouldn’t want to have hailed from such beauty?

It is said that on one historic morning, this community awoke to the sight of a fear-provoking Rock that had imposed its self in the heart of their village. It had various fragments with faces that had striking resemblances with beastly creatures, dinosaurs to be exact. Even more confusing was the fact that where it had come from was a mystery.

Interestingly, no herbs, herbalists, or witch doctors could cast a spell that could move it. And, get this, neither could they give a satisfactory account of why it had landed in their community in particular. Many couldn’t help it conclude it was a fragment of the biggest rock in the skies which had broken off. It was that they named it the Got Ngetta; a Luo word to mean ‘the rock which had broken off. Interesting right!

Convinced that the falling of this feature was a bad omen to their land, they split and went separate ways. In the new settings where they settled, they met different tribes with whom they intermarried and gave birth to new ethnic groups.

Shelve its historical significance for a minute, did you also know that the hill is also home to over 100 vervet monkeys, different bird species, butterflies, and well, snakes? It also offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the Lango, Acholi and Teso areas. It is the place to be if you are into rock climbing.

Timothy Omara, a guide at the hill says that during the LRA insurgency, the hill’s spacious caves offered refuge/hideout to hundreds of refugees in its neighborhood. This helped in saving lots of lives that would have otherwise fallen victim to the brutality of the rebels. For this reason, it is revered by many Langi as a safe haven.

 How to get there

For a minimum of Shs100.000, one can safely travel to and fro Lira, and also get to see this rock, and even book modest accommodation. To get to the Hill, boda-boda rides go for 3000shs and so does the u-turn back to the heart of the town. Budget accommodation in Lira ranges between 20,000shs-100,000shs.

Got Ngetta: Lira’s beautiful treasure in Uganda

Nestled on the rocky outer edge of Lira town, Got Ngetta is quite the site. A magnificent solid rock standing at whole 4,500ft above sea level. Imagine that! Legend has it that in the 16th century, the present-day tribes of Teso, Karamojong, Acholi, Langi, Kumam, and Japhadola all belonged to the Langi tribe. A legend many will beg to differ but does in fact hold some water. Because well, Ngetta zone was their home. And who wouldn’t want to have hailed from such beauty?

It is said that on one historic morning, this community awoke to the sight of a fear-provoking Rock that had imposed its self in the heart of their village. It had various fragments with faces that had striking resemblances with beastly creatures, dinosaurs to be exact. Even more confusing was the fact that where it had come from was a mystery.

Interestingly, no herbs, herbalists, or witch doctors could cast a spell that could move it. And, get this, neither could they give a satisfactory account of why it had landed in their community in particular. Many couldn’t help it conclude it was a fragment of the biggest rock in the skies which had broken off. It was that they named it the Got Ngetta; a Luo word to mean ‘the rock which had broken off. Interesting right!

Convinced that the falling of this feature was a bad omen to their land, they split and went separate ways. In the new settings where they settled, they met different tribes with whom they intermarried and gave birth to new ethnic groups.

Shelve its historical significance for a minute, did you also know that the hill is also home to over 100 vervet monkeys, different bird species, butterflies, and well, snakes? It also offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the Lango, Acholi and Teso areas. It is the place to be if you are into rock climbing.

Timothy Omara, a guide at the hill says that during the LRA insurgency, the hill’s spacious caves offered refuge/hideout to hundreds of refugees in its neighborhood. This helped in saving lots of lives that would have otherwise fallen victim to the brutality of the rebels. For this reason, it is revered by many Langi as a safe haven.

 How to get there

For a minimum of Shs100.000, one can safely travel to and fro Lira, and also get to see this rock, and even book modest accommodation. To get to the Hill, boda-boda rides go for 3000shs and so does the u-turn back to the heart of the town. Budget accommodation in Lira ranges between 20,000shs-100,000shs.

The dead Bunyoro kings are not ‘dead ‘

A story is told of a king, a very gutsy king. He remains the greatest king of the Bunyoro Kingdom. Omukama Kabalega, what a king. A man remembered for his incomparable attempts at protecting his people from the British colonialists who had then taken over the Buganda Kingdom.

So when he died in 1923, imagine what his burial ground looked like. Indeed, this is not a story about The Great Kabalega, this is a story about Mparo Royal Tombs, where the Bunyoro-Kitara royalty is laid to rest. A place where the South-Western Kingdom’s culture is preserved and the leaders celebrated in the most authentic of ways.

Mparo Royal Tombs

Baking with an intriguing insight into the culture and traditions of previous Kings of the Bunyoro Dynasty, a kingdom that birthed the Bantu tribes in Uganda, Mparo Royal Tombs is a place to visit. Sitting on an expansive land along Hoima-Masindi Road that used to host the palace of Kabalega, it remains as peaceful, beautiful, and serene as ever.

The tombs, a treasure to the kingdom’s people have designed, befitting cultural royalty. A look at Kabalega’s dome-shaped tomb made up of grass and reeds will affirm this. Boasting of a fairly complex design its decoration is a tale of a culture well-preserved. A step in will reveal regalia that tells of a man whose strength saw the kingdom resist the British rule in the late 1880s. Interestingly, some of these he used while still alive. His spears, drums, baskets, stools, and wooden troughs, you name it, and Mparo would have it.

It’s not just the Kabalega’s regalia that graces the tombs, other fallen kings are well represented too. Each tomb is shielded with barkcloth, a cultural cloth made from cultural trees. The thing about the tombs is that each tomb allows for a different experience. King Sir Winyi IV’s tomb, for example, has a calming effect to it. Towering trees provide all the tranquil there is and of course lots of fresh air. Important to note is that these trees are as old as time and like the kingdom, have stood the test of time.

Forget the type of royal graves you have seen, the Mparo Royal Tombs have found a way to bask in rich history and remain modest. The art, however, the artifacts really and the story behind each piece make Mparo worth the drive.

Well maintained and authentic, these tombs capture the feel of true African royalty. A foot into the dimly lit thatched tombs is nothing short of magical. The history therein oozes through the atmosphere and nothing but culture matters.  Besides the trees that stand guard outside, the tombs also allow for more royalty as showcased by a gently fenced off fenced graveyard where other royal members were buried. Not to forget the monument where Kabalega met Emin Pasha in 1871. Amazing!

Going deeper

Hard to miss though would be the consistency with which the number nine is subtly featured. See, the Banyoro consider this a number of luck. Yes, nine! That quickly reminded me of the time I visited the kingdom’s royal regalia chamber at Karuziika.  Nafutal Balyemera, a caretaker, explained that almost everything at the palace is in numbers of nine. Some rituals are performed nine times or at times that coincide with nine.

The Banyoro associate this number with luck, prosperity, and positivity. “It is against this background that the king sounded the drum at exactly 3:00 pm, since it is the ninth hour of the day. In other words, the monarch was bidding luck to his kingdom,” Balyemera explains.

And indeed, on exploring the tomb further, you would notice nine traditional hoes holding the cowhide in place. Upon a raised platform in the room sits a legendary nine-legged royal stool covered with bark cloth and leopard skins. It is estimated to have been used for over two centuries now (over 200 years).

Forget the count for a minute and talk about the sin-free atmosphere Mparo maintains. The caretakers will quickly remind you that adultery is not allowed on the grounds. So before you set foot, you must repent, confess first, then repent, or the spirits will know what you did the previous night.

No doubt, marriage is taken quite seriously in the Bunyoro Kingdom. Did you know that even in death, the king remains married? Oh yes, and besides his remains should be his wife, who must cater to his every ‘needs’. It is believed that though dead, the kings that rest at Mparo tombs are never really gone. No Sir!

Should she die, the kingdom must find the king another wife. But also, get this, should a king marry, he marries her entire clan. And just like that, a bond is kick-started between him and this clan. Should be said wife die, a wife will be chosen for him from the same lineage. Yes, even if the king dies and his widows dies years later, the Bunyoro-Kitara people believe their king shouldn’t be left wifeless, not even in death.  Therefore, seek out Mparo not just for the artifacts, go and see how the dead kings of Bunyoro are ‘alive’.

Gipir and Labongo: A journey into the Acholi and Alur story

Gipir and Labongo, what a time-old legend! Dating far back into the 15^th Century, its climax sits atop a spot on the Albert Nile called Wang-Lei. With a genesis almost dismissable, this story is so pertinent. See, back then, each Luo family had an ancestral spear it held a very strong attachment to. It was a symbol of leadership and authority.

As culture demanded, it used to be passed on by the family head from one generation to another. The practice signified the continuation of the lineage. In most cases, the recipient would be the firstborn son of the family. On the other hand, the second-born would be given royal beads, a symbol of grace.

When it dawned on Gipir and Labongo’s father that he would be dying soon, he called his two sons to his death bed for the last blessing. The biggest highlight of the event was the handover of the family spear to Labongo as he was the elder son. Gipir on the other hand was given beads as he was a junior.

One chilly morning, an elephant invaded a backyard garden belonging to Labong, who at the time had gone on a hunting spree. The garden had pigeon peas, a favorite delicacy to the giant mammals.

Upon seeing the elephant, Labongo’s wife made an alarm crying for help. Gipir who happened to be at home dashed into the house of Labongo randomly picked the nearest spear, and enthusiastically stabbed the elephant. The sharp-tipped spear sank so deep into the elephant’s body.

Startled, the elephant fled out of sight into a distant forest in agony. It turned out that he had been struck using the legendary spear. Dr. Edwin Wathum Jalusiga, former Prime Minister Alur Kingdom and a lecturer at Kyambogo University say that this is when all hell begun to break loose.

He insists that it is the disappearance of said elephant that birthed this story really. See, it didn’t go well with Labong who was greeted with the news upon return from the hunt, not one bit! “His blood boiled with fury,” Dr. Jalusiga says.

He says that without the slightest consideration of to fact that the move was done with good intentions, Gipir ordered his brother to follow the elephant and recover the regalia. He was to never return in the event that his pursuit ended in vain. Gipir’s pleas to replace the spear with another one fell on deaf ears.

Left with no choice, he eventually submitted to the request and left for the forest amidst despair that he wouldn’t make it back alive. See, the forest was a habitat for various beastly predators. Venomous snakes, forest leopards, buffaloes, and lots more.

Plot thickens

This plot, like gravy, thickens. See, the further into the forest he went, the more sore his legs got, he couldn’t walk anymore. Soon the sores would get infected, leaving him I’ll and alone in a forest. He was stuck in there for weeks with no one to help him.

Then a miracle happened; an old kind woman to whom the forest was home came to his rescue. Day after day, she nursed him till he was able to get up on his own. Thanks to the reinforcement by this Samaritan, he was able to arise on his feet and track the elephant with guidance from the Samaritan woman.

He eventually found it lying dead in the middle of the forest. Upon return, Labongo awaited a ripe opportunity for revenge. His wait wasn’t in vain. One day, one of his royal beads was picked and swallowed by one of Labongo’s daughters.

“He couldn’t be happier demanding for the bead-like his whole life depended on it.” Gipir’s cry to make it up to him didn’t yield fruit. There was only one way out. He was to slit his child’s stomach open, killing her, after which he was to pick bead. It was a painful sacrifice as the victim was his favorite child.

Wang-Lei is born

A defeated Gipir, afraid that the worst awaited if he stayed with his brother, decided it was time to go their separate ways. To cement the decision, they buried an axe at the spot where the present-day Wang-Lei is; just a few meters from Pakwach bridge opposite the former railway quarters. Wang lei is basically the axe

Gipir would go on to migrate with his family to the present day Great West Nile region and some parts of Congo, Labongo headed to Northern Uganda. Gipir’s group went on to form the Alur tribe while Labongo’s formed the Acholi. “Since the split, never in history has anyone from the Labong lineage successfully crossed this bridge. To be specific, anyone with ill motives against the people of West Nile,” Jalobo Omulemezi, a spiritualist at the site who has lived in Pakwach for the last 48years says.

He explains that when the warrior priestess Alice Lakwena and her troops attempted to cross over it in the Mid-1980s-so as to terrorize the West Nile fraternity, over 30 of her troops mysteriously fell off the bridge and drowned, never for their bodies to be recovered.

Similarly, when the Lord’s Resistance Army Rebels followed suit in the late 1980s, they also lost several of their troops mysteriously, never to be found again.

Hardly has a year ever gone by without someone drowning at the bridge. Though no convincing answer has been found to this question, Omulemezi suspects that these victims were possibly up to mischief when crossing the bridge, no more!

The pot dance: A pride and elegant pot affair

A dance with pots. Herein the ladies rave with several pots lined up vertically atop their heads. But that’s a basic description; there is more. Hands out, waist in, and neck held high, this is a dance of pride!

It is a showcase of skill and then some more pride. The long yet elegant strides, waist jiggle here and there, the giggle, it is quite something, this dance. The Acholi pot dance is one to watch.

See, it almost never starts right away. First comes the tease, as if a reminder to the audience that the ladies come from the land of Acholi. A beautiful Ugandan people based in the Northern part of the country. It’s a dive into almost all the Acholi dances as if to tell of the many skills abreast. But experts will argue this is because it has evolved.

The gist

In fact, whilst speaking to a local daily, Stephen Rwangyenzi, the founder and executive director of Ntinda-based, Ndere Troupe, says that there are areas where they have made deliberate changes and simple additions to attract the audience to the dance. “The carrying of pots in the Laraka-raka dance and telling of stories around the dances was my addition to make the dances attractive,” he begins. “But I endeavor to perform the first part authentically and then make the additions later.”

It should just be a tune and the straight into the pot dance, but a lot has changed. In most cases, it begins with the Laraka-raka dance, a different dance, a more vigorous one. Also called Lamokowang, this dance’s signature call comes from the cries of a wire-stricken calabash. But this for another day; back to the dance of pots. Quickly yet gently, the ladies will withdraw to the back as the men make way and fade off into just providing the sound for this showcase. Soon the elegant damsels each return with a pot in hand. First is one, just the one. Then they dance, boast even, as if to say, “…look, I can dance and carry a pot at the same time.”

But they dance, they making some sort of line and occasionally break away to explore the different angles of the stage. As if to get the audience wondering what is next, they giggle and sometimes share a laugh among themselves. They break into twos or threes and tease the audience. Look at their pots and smile, then gyrate their waists a little bit and walk around some more. This is a warm-up!

At this point, first-time watchers are wondering what the pot in hand is for. They slowly bring it to the center, around their abdomen, and shake their waists. It’s a tease, they know it’s working, so they smile. Then slowly, smiles getting brighter by the second, the pots are uniformly put on each girl’s head. That’s the moment it makes sense. The men have all faded at this point and the womenfolk, looking like gazelles, begin to boast. Woo them; dance to their tunes, literally!

The tease

The Acholi girl mostly boasts glowing skin and long legs. She is the master of her waist. The art of waist wiggling, therefore, comes easy. So even as the pot goes to the head, she must find a balance, a way to still wiggle and keep the pot atop. Note, however, as the pot goes on the head, the true dancer is one who also makes subtle jumps, yet still manages to keep the pot in place without holding it.

Then one by one they start running off the stage, and back to where more pots await. They must return with two pots each and this times move even firster as the instruments get louder. Looking like queens, they keep going, testing and pushing themselves further. One-pot will soon become two and three and four and five and more, all piled atop each other.

Get this: it is done while musically walking around with their newfound ‘crowns’. Sometimes the music goes lower, slower maybe and then firster and this girl leave the crowd fascinated and also curious as how one can walk around carrying not one but several pots.

At this point, the sound of the calabash has been replaced with a more melodic instrument, sometimes the Adungu from West Nile is borrowed. Also called the African guitar, the Adungu provides for a melodic atmosphere, more relaxed and elegant. A flute could be used sometimes! See, everything must feel Ugandan once the Acholi take to the pot dance. And the girl will walk, sway, suave, boast to the tune of this music, all the while carrying their pots.

The more skilled the girl, the more pots she carries, and the more vigorously she dances. Quickly she can be seen returning to have the men put another pot on the already long crown of pots. At one point, their helpers have to get on higher ground, or a table to add a pot on their heads. But these girls love the tease. They like to keep the audience wondering how many more they can take.

The tall girls look even taller and the shorter girls find that they must carry more pots if they are going to outcompete the other girls. Also, know what to do when it looks like a pot my drop. In fact, it is not rare that you see once staggering about trying to keep the pots in order. “When it is about to fall, I reduce the speed and then pretend like I am spreading my hands out,” Clara Achen, a folk dancer with the Gulu-based Dhako dance group says. “Then I breathe slowly, try not to mover my head until it is stable.”

Clara maintains that it takes time to learn this skill, and for the naturally talented, it could take them just a month to get very good. “But other people, especially the ones who have never carried anything on their head can take even years,” she adds as a matter of fact. “So they carry maybe one or two while others carry even 10.”

The story here

Note though, that though widely danced by the Acholi, researchers argue that the pot dance originated from Teso. They also argue that since it is popular among the Langi, a tribe sandwiched between the Acholi and Iteso, this makes sense. Asked if this was true, Gabriel Komagum, a traditional dance trainer and student of Music Dance and Drama himself, says he doubts that but then thinks anything is possible.

“I don’t think so, but since the Iteso is just about a little over 100kms away from the north, anything is possible,” he says. He however goes on to explain how the dance found its baring among the Acholi people, a tribe from which he hails. “First of all, this is a courtship dance,” he states. “As they danced, the men would look for the young lady who could carry the most pots on her head.”

One thing is for sure, this dance is a symbol of culture; a showcase of love, skill and pride. In fact, the choice of the pot; a two-mouthed pot, has been known to be used for other rituals like, the welcoming of twins into a family. Many call it the ballet of Uganda. And indeed, like ballet, it exudes elegance and balance!

Take A Seat In Karamojong Style in Uganda .

Since its inception, the chair has morphed into shapes, fascinating shapes. But as you sit on your comfy couch in your sitting room today after a long day at work, in Karamoja, people swiftly sit on wooden stools after, well, a long day in the field. It’s the way of life. And the Karamajong has an attachment to these

wooden stools. To them the T-shaped masterpiece curved off tamarind trees, they are all they have.

No, they are not complaining, why would they? They are not. They are contented with them, because these wooden stools, old-fashioned as they are, perform diverse duties. Traditionally called Ameto, these wooden stools are viewed as historical tools in Karamoja. They are symbols of history. That’s why, like the rest of the world races to buy those fancy couches with cushions, the Karamojong don’t join the queue. With these wooden stools which can last as long as 15 years if kept well, they are covered. In them, they find comfort.

Talking to people in Karamoja, they will tell you heartfelt stories about these wooden stools. Each one of them has a story, a good story about the stools. Me? I use it as a pillow. For me, I use it when I am grazing my cattle. For us, we use these stools at parties. And many more stories. They could be wooden and hard in the eyes of other people, but not to the Karamojong. For them, they look at them as pillows to sleep on.

As the rest of the world rests their heads on cotton-made pillows to sleep, people in Karamoja rest their heads on these wooden stools. And all is fine with them. No one will complain about a backache or an ache in the neck. No one will complain of being an insomniac either. To them, it is a normal routine. The Karamajong are renowned cattle keepers.

As they herd their cattle for pasture, they use these wooden stools for resting on them. It’s a good sight to capture; as they sit on these stools and watch over their cattle, their hands across their stubble, wrapped in their traditional attire. It’s spectacular, the sight. Also, as they go milking; they put the stools on the ground, sit on them as they pull the cows’ udders for milk.

Even as they hold parties and different ceremonies around the region, these stools help them. They have no plastic chairs, like the rest of the world. These stools aid them to accommodate guests. To them, these stools are part of them. Yes, they could be wooden, but nothing beats history. Having it is a symbol of maturity and a ticket to mingling with elders as they discuss fundamental issues of the tribe.  As they sit on them, unbeknownst to the rest of the world, the Karamajong are seated on history.

Kagulu hill: The Icing on Busoga’s cakey tourism

The memory of climbing Kagulu hill stays arched in our brains. See, just like the Great Wall of China, climbing the rocky Kagulu Hill might look easy on the eye but quite the opposite. Standing at 3,600ft above sea level, Kagulu Hill is found in Buyende District (Busoga Kingdom) about 30kms from Kamuli Town in Eastern Uganda.

It is said to be at the center of Busoga’s cultural heritage because the hill is believed to be the first migration and settlement center in the Busoga sub-region. It is said Bunyoro kings sought sanctuary and spent their leisure time on Kagulu hill. The hill also comprises caves, small crater lakes which are said to have formed the first settlement of the earlier traditional rulers of the Babiito clan, which governed Busoga. Word also has it that Prince Mukama was among the first Bunyoro traditional rulers to conquer Busoga and to settle in the caves of Kagulu hill.

The hill, with gigantic rocks, offers adventurers a challenging climbing experience. In fact for the last two years, Busoga Tourism Initiative has been organizing the ‘Kagulu Rock climbing challenge’ where people from different walks of life take part in climbing the hill to the top. The challenge is indeed a test of one’s patience and resilience because 30metres uphill, one begins to feel the intensity of the climb. Most at this point begin walking 17 View Uganda Apr-Jun 2014 on all fours and the breathing gets heavy. Some are saved by small rocks bundled together which act as a source of support on which they clutch as they climb. It is at this point that climbers are sieved. Those determined to climb to the top go ahead whereas to some this marks the end of their experience.

The steep climb eases as one approaches about 100 meters to the top. Here you can stop crouching and move on your feet although with great caution because you are almost halfway through your journey and it gets tricky stopping to look behind where you have come from.

The best news is that at this point man-made stairs come in handy to the climber’s rescue. These help you to move close to 200 meters to the top.

Considering how steep the stretch of bare rock on which the stairs are, the person who had them constructed clearly had tired climbers at the back of former president Iddi Amin who ordered the construction of the stairs in 1975. From this point onward, climbing to the top of the hill is a walkover of sorts.

The only shortcoming at this point is the one set of stairs because those making their way downhill always scramble for space with those fighting their way up. But at the end of the day, everybody is sorted either way.

Finally, at the end of the stairs stands a monument building, this signifies the end of the challenge. This is after approximately one and half hours! Many may say, one and a half hours is a short period but unless somebody has participated in the challenge or otherwise climbed Kagulu hill, they will not know how long one hour can get.

At the peak of the hill is a monument that all climbers anticipate reaching. Although ideally, the monument should mark the end of the adventure, a keen climber will notice that about 200 meters from the peak are another attraction. There are rocks beautifully piled in a way you could think gigantic men arranged them.

Aside from this, those who reach the peak can view the beautiful waterfalls that flow from the top of the rocks, the ancient historic caves, and Lake Kyoga as it joins with the River Nile. A view of the Soroti District is also clear at the peak.

All in all, climbing this rock is an experience of a lifetime. It tests your stamina and endurance but more exciting and memorable is the way one is soaked in sweat by the time they descend to the foot of the hill.

The Kagulu adventure has become an excellent experience even for those who have been taken on the challenge several times. In fact, one should not rest until they have reached the summit of Kagulu to experience the splendor of nature at its best. Whereas it is not a must to get to the top, it is a worthy try and all tourists should endeavor to reach.