From the truth or dare game, I was dared to go rafting on the White Nile.

“How hard could it be?” I said to myself then. That weekend my friend and I set off from the suburbs of Kampala city by bus to Jinja.

We got to Jinja by mid-morning. There were different kinds of people. You could tell the nervousness in folks that were going to go rafting for the first time. For folks that had done it before, they were thrilled to be at it again. I was a little bit of both; thrilled yet nervous at the same time.

After picking up the life jackets, paddles, and helmets provided; a crash course on safety precautions was laid out for us. We formed teams and with our captain assigned, we set off to size up with our first rapid. The rapids were of different levels, that’s to say the higher the number the meaner the rapid.

Over time we bounced and shimmed a lot, we spent more time in the air than sitting on inflatable rubber. A level three rapid which was high for us the unprofessional rafters caught us swiftly; trying as hard as we could to adhere to our captain’s instructions, the raft eventually overturned and we were all submerged by roaring white water.

Luckily our life jackets pushed us afloat and the stationed kayaks that paddled fast to our rescue were good at their jobs. We were soon reunited with our raft.

With the scenery of beautiful green forest, it felt like being alone in the wilderness. We paddled further across the White Nile to a designated location where we had lunch and talked about our white water rush experience felt a few moments ago.

If you are searching for a sense of excitement and adventure, adrenaline push experiences to share, Jinja is certainly a good start.

By Bridget Namaganda

The interesting difference between Sipi and Murchison Falls, in my opinion, is that of the two, Sipi is more accurately named. The thing about Murchison Falls is that the water there just doesn’t fall. It fights, froths, and foams its way through the rocks.

At Sipi, however, the water really does fall. The flow never touches the cliff at all, but simply drops, in a lacy, diaphanous veil, to crash into the pool at the bottom, creating a constant fine mist in the process. It’s a beautiful, elegant ballerina, stretching the top to toe a slender 100 meters; Murchison Falls by comparison is a stocky, meaty beast, more awe-inspiring than mesmerizing.

And should you decide to visit this delicate aquatic ballerina, you could do worse than stay at the quaint and comfortable Lacam Lodge, along the road, from Mbale to Kapchorwa. The Lodge, constructed on the sloping cliff, is moderately priced, with a relaxed wooden bar, and lots and lots of steps (which is good for the knees, but very bad if you need the toilet at 3:00 am)

There are two main reasons why this place is so good, the first of which is the food. The quality is pretty good- I particularly enjoyed my honey pancake, though it would have gone down better hot- but the quantity is the real bonus, if eating is what you like to do. It’s the sort of place one would got to if one had just wandered out of the Sahara, where you could walk in on Monday rake-thin, and walk out on Tuesday heavy as a hippo.

On Sunday morning for breakfast, I was served up pineapple and banana for starters, then toast as a second course, and finally bacon, eggs, and sausage as the grand finale. I could quite happily have shared the meal between another two people and still left the table feeling satisfied.

The second reason for choosing Lacam is that it’s very convenient for abseiling, the location of which is only a five-minute walk from the lodge. Organized by a company inexplicably known as “Rob’s Rolling Rock”, I never saw Rob, or any rolling rocks – this is a must-do for those visiting the falls. You lower yourself rather scarily backwards over the 100-meter drop, suspended by a couple of ropes, and then basically lower yourself down by feeding one of your ropes through the harness.

The feeling about halfway to the bottom, when you look all around you and are basically hanging in mid-air, is particularly memorable. Intelligently, the site for the abseiling is also quite close to the falls themselves; not quite close enough for them to make you wet, but close enough. If you’re feeling energetic, you can also, from the base of Sipi, go on a three-hour or so tour of two other falls upstream – similar in appearance to Sipi- and “the cave”.

This last is a big fat cavern in the mountain, which is apparently filled with bats; however, you need to take your torch in there to see them and do take one yourself. Guides, mine included, sometimes forget to bring a light themselves, which can be a bit of a pain.

Just the same, this place is still one of the best experiences I have had in Uganda, mainly because the abseiling and three-hour country trek appealed to my energetic side. Be warned of a couple of things though: the abseiling co, have not, as yet, got gloves as part of their kit, which can result in nasty burns as the rope zips through your palms. Second, don’t expect to be able to watch the falls as you eat your dinner, they are only visible from one point at the lodge, so they are usually heard, rather than seen.

Bahai temple is the dawning place of the praise of God. From miles away, a green pasture and majestic pillars can be seen on the hill, iconic against the western horizon of Kampala. It is the mother, Temple of the Bahai faith in Africa, out of only seven in the World. And just like the faith it represents, the Bahai temple is no ordinary house of worship.

There are eight Bahia Temples in the world with the Mother Temple of Africa located in Uganda. During the rule of President Idi Amin, the Bahai Faith was banned and the Bahai Hand of the Cause Enoch Olinga, and his family were murdered.

Bahai Temple sitting on 52 acres of land, the temple is a unique architectural masterpiece. It was designed by Charles Mason Remey, who was a prominent and controversial American Bahai and its foundation stone was laid in January 1958. A few meters from the Temple is the dormitory of the mausoleums which are themselves marvels of design.

Thousands of tourists from all corners of the world visit the Bahai Temple every year to gaze at and admire the beauty of this building with its breathtaking view.

Built between 1958 and 1961 on Kikaaya Hill, three miles North of Kampala the building is 130ft. Its dome is 44ft in diameter. It is a nine-sided structure that represents oneness and unity.

The temple has a sitting capacity of over 600 people. The green dome is decorated with tiny mosaic tiles that were imported from Italy, while the roof tiles were imported from Belgium. The walls were built with locally sourced pre-cast stones while reinforcing steel, window frames, and fittings were imported from the UK.

The colored glass came from Germany. Inside the temple are woolen carpets imported from Turkey and the interior will leave anyone in awe.

Community activities
The Bahai community of Uganda has sponsored a number of social and economic development programmes in Uganda aimed at promoting the welfare of the local communities.

The picturesque site.
The ambiance here in serene. The sprawling gardens sitting on several acres are covered with beautiful flowers and trees. They are clean and well-mowed, just a perfect site for a family.
Young people from the neighborhood sometimes come here to revise their books in a quite environment. Some of the trees in the gardens include Musizi, Mvule, Mahogany, Pine, and Eucalyptus.

According to George Olinga, the Director of external affairs of the Bahai faith in Uganda, most of the trees were planted by the Bahai faithful in the 1950s. Also in the gardens are the Tombs where the Bahai faithful who die in Kampala are buried. Olinga says the law of the faith states that one should be buried within an hour after death.

One dies in Kampala and transporting the corpse to their ancestral home would take more than an hour, we bury them here, Olinga says. The graves come in all shapes and designs, the most notable being of Enoch Olinga, which is shaped like the map of Africa.
Massive Tourist Attraction.
On the day we visited Bahai Temple. The massive flow of tourists, most of the foreigners, left us speechless. For two hours we spent there, over 40 tourists visited the place, many coming from as far as India, Slovakia, the USA, Sweden, and the UK. John, one of the Guides at the temple, says they receive over 80 tourists a day. Unfortunately, although the administration employs several Guides and laborers to maintain the place, tourists do not pay any coin to tour the place, hence missing out on some good money.

Not even the locals have been keen to tap into the opportunities as there are no artifacts or souvenirs sold near or around the Place. Olinga said the reason they do not charge any coin is that the Bahai house of worship should be free to all people at all times regardless of race, background, and religion.
History of The Baha’i Faith in Uganda

The Baha’i Faith was introduced in Uganda in August 1951 by the arrival of Baha’is from Iran and the United Kingdom, which included Mr. Musa and Mrs. Samiyye Banani, Mr. Phillip Hainsworth, Mr.Ali, and Mrs.Violette Nakhjavani and their daughter, Bahiyyih Nakhjavani. The first Local Spiritual Assembly, which is the local administrative council in the Baha’i Faith was formed in April 1952 and consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Banani, Mr.Ali and Mrs. Violette Nakhjavani, Mr. Phillip Hainsworth, Mr.Crispian Kajubbi who was the first Ugandan Baha’i, Mr.Fred Bigarwa, Mr.Peter Musoke, and Mr. Enoch Olinga.By October 1952, there were well over 100 Baha’is in Uganda from 15 different tribes and from Protestant, Catholic, and other backgrounds.

By May 1954 the number had risen to well over 670 for the whole of Uganda, comprising of more than 20 different tribes. In 1953, pioneers from Uganda went on to spread the Baha’i Faith to other parts of Central Africa including the British Cameroons (Mr. Enoch Olinga), Belgian Congo (Current DRC) (Mr.Sam Mungono), and Congo Brazzaville (Mr.Max Kanyerezi). The Intercontinental Conference for Africa was held in 1958 This conference also marked the laying of the foundation stone for the Mother Temple of Africa on 26th January 1958 by Ruhiyyih Khanum and Musa Banani.

How Bahai Faith Began

The Baha’i Faith began in Persia. On May 23, 1844, a young man known as the Bab proclaimed Himself to be a Messenger of God. He told of one greater than Himself, a great world Teacher and revealer of the word of God who would come to bring in an age of peace for mankind. After five years of persecution, the Bab was martyred on July 9, 1850, in Tabriz, Persia. He was 31 years old. In 1863, Baha’u’llah was declared to be the one foretold by the Bab and all the previous Prophets.

Like every Messenger of God, Baha’u’llah was bitterly opposed and persecuted. Like Abraham, He was exiled, like Moses, He was stoned, like Jesus, He was scourged. After nearly forty years of suffering and imprisonment, Baha’u’llah passed away in exile on May 29, 1892, at the age of seventy-five in the prison city of Akka. It was Akka which Isaiah had foretold would be a place of refuge for God’s creatures. Hosea too spoke of this valley as a ‘door of hope’ for humanity. By Kabagambe Gerald

Kibenge hot springs in the base camp zone of Kyanjoki ward in the central division of Kasese municipality are one of the unique natural and cultural resources that Kasese district and Uganda as a whole is gifted with and proud of.

This hot spring locally known as Ekitagata is said to be having its sources from the invisible banks of Nile waters sources that flows through Semuliki in the mountains of the Rwenzori.

The Kitagata in Kasese attracts over 1000 visitors per week of which some of them are tourists while others are for purposes of bathing in hot water to get healed of different diseases.

The existence of Kibenge hot springs which was invented in 2006 by a herdsman has reduced the number of patients at Kilembe Hospital and the work of traditional healers who claim ceasing powers.

People who have been visiting the Kilembe Mines Hospital for pains like the head ache, backache, paining legs, the barren and those who have been going to traditional healers after long illnesses resorted to this healing water of the hot spring and confess having been healed completely.

When this reporter visited this hot spring a number of people confirmed having been healed of disease that failed both health experts and traditional healers.

The uniqueness at this hot spring is that the water rejects the drunkards from access and also detects any sort of fornication i.e. anything related to sex.

The spirits in this water will attack and warn anybody attempting to have sex near the source and if drunk the water will turn to be cold or you develop fever before jumping into the bathing basin.

It has also showcased its uniqueness by rejecting any person claiming to own it for those who attempt to collect money from the visitors and if any attempt strange voices are heard from deep the waters.

In 2010 the Rwenzururu Kingdom wanted t gazette it as one of its heritage cultural sites and make it modern to be able to collect revenue from their but he water got cold from a months and night only strange voices were heard from there.

Up-to-date maintenance is done by the users on gentlemen agreement to have smooth hygiene around the water source.

How was it discovered? A herdsman who was grazing around the swamps of base camp was organizing a small pond for his cows’ drinking water and after the first cow that tested it became crazy to tell that the water was too hot for cows to drink.

To confirm what the heck that had entered the cow’s mouth pushed is hand into the water and felt it hot and went on announcing to the whole village that there is hot water in the area.

For those who doubted carried tea (amajani) and mixed to make real hot tea and worked out.

Those who had heard of the hot springs in Semuliki in Bundibugyo and Marembo in Bushenyi started using the water to bathe and drink for healing.

People who are hungry after bathing do mix the hot water from the boiling point known as the heart of the hot spring and make tea.

On September 9, 2016 the spring water fans were shocked after witnessing a man that stubbornly Urinated in this water and died instantly as yeaned.

BY Simon Kagame