Welcome to Enchanting Journeys

Tryst with the Family of Man….. experience it now……

Raw & refined, complex & simple, inspiring & troubling - Africa always has the power to confound. More than ever, intrepid travellers are making their way to Uganda & there is little wonder why. A new dawn has risen in Uganda, polishing a glint back into the ‘pearl of Africa’ and it alone would make a dozen visits worthwhile - where else on earth can you fall asleep to the sound of lions roaring. Come, the Gorillas are waiting……let us make the introduction………

How do you capture the essence of Africa on paper without using up every cliche in the book? No other continent comes close to it for scale, variety and pure, raw impact.

Bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, by the Red Sea to the northeast, and by the Indian Ocean to the southeast, it contains a wide array of peoples, skin colours, religions & cultures

Something special about Africa touches the soul; it is the second largest continent in terms of both land area & population with 54 immensely diverse sovereign countries - the most on any continent - that is both deeply troubled & profoundly uplifting. A very diverse continent, with each country, or even each part of a country having its own unique culture. Tragically misunderstood by many people simply as a land of suffering - a misconception only bolstered by the media & the numerous NGOs on the continent - Africa today is a vast continent with many bustling metropolises, friendly people, and amazingly diverse & beautiful landscapes and most of the continent is peaceful, well-fed & working class.

Africa’s natural history alone would make a dozen visits worthwhile - where else on earth can you fall asleep to the sound of lions roaring, or watch a million flamingos take off from the waters of a remote soda lake? Parts of Africa boast scenery so spectacular they will damn near blow your mind, but the essence of this incredible continent isn’t in any desert, mountain or lake.

Whether you are a wide-eyed first-timer or a frequent visitor, Africa cannot fail to get under your skin. The canvas upon which the continent's epic story is written is itself astonishing & reason enough to visit. From the tropical rain forests of Central Africa to the endless rippling dunes & waterless tracts of the Sahara, from the signature savannah of the east to jagged mountains & green-tinged highlands all across the continent, Africa has few peers when it comes to natural beauty.

It is the spirit of the people - pushing, shoving, sweating, dancing, singing & laughing - that infects so many visitors with a travel bug so powerful they will never stop coming back, sometimes against all sense or reason. Even as the past retains its hold over the lives of many Africans, just as many have embraced the future, bringing creativity & sophistication to the continent's cities & urban centres.  Modern Africans are taking all that is new & fusing it onto the best of the old.

Debate with venerable merchants among the cool, narrow streets of an Arabic medina, dance to the thumping reggae beats coming from a West African market stall, or shoot the breeze with fishermen under Indian Ocean palm trees, and you’ll be struck more than anything else by the honesty, warm-heartedness and vitality of the African people.

While the first activity most people associate with Africa is safaris, there are endless possibilities for adventure. You can purchase crafts in markets, venture into the Sahara with a Tuareg caravan, visit pygmy villages, hike through jungle to watch gorillas, relax on tropical islands in the Indian Ocean, snack on exotic treats, travel down a river in a dugout "pirogue", travel across savannah on a colonial-era railway, and much more.

Whether climbing to remote rock-hewn churches, studying the behaviour of its iconic wildlife or spending time with diverse African communities, our affections for the continent that spawned humanity grow deeper, as does the knowledge that there is even more we have yet to discover. Much like its horizons, the opportunities in Africa are endless. And that is the reason it keeps pulling us back over & over again.

A Noah's Ark of wildlife brings these landscapes to life, with a tangible & sometimes profoundly mysterious presence that adds so much personality to the African wild. So many of the great beasts, including elephants, hippos & lions, call Africa home. Going on safari may be something of a travel cliché, but we are yet to find a traveller who has watched the wildlife world in motion in the Masai Mara, stumbled upon the paradise that is the Ngorongoro Crater, or communed with gorillas in Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, and has not been reduced to an ecstatic state of childlike wonder.

But there is so much more to Africa than nature's considerable bounty. On this continent where human beings first came into existence, customs, traditions & ancient rites tie Africans to generations past and to the collective memory of myriad people. In many rural areas, it can feel as though the modern world might never have happened, and old ways of doing things - with a certain grace & civility, hospitality & a community spirit - survive.

And now, let us talk about the magic of Uganda emerging from the shadows of its dark history.

African Landscapes | Wildlife Bonanza | Cultural Experiences  

With a tapestry of landscapes, excellent wildlife watching & welcoming locals, Uganda packs a lot into one small country. It is home to Africa's tallest mountain range (the Rwenzoris), the source of the Nile, the world's longest river & the continent's largest lake. Rafting the Nile offers a world-class adrenaline adventure, but the country's most iconic experience is tracking mountain gorillas in their misty habitat.

A new dawn of tourism has risen in Uganda, polishing a glint back into the ‘pearl of Africa’. A landlocked country in East Africa whose diverse landscape encompasses the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains & immense Lake Victoria.

For a relatively small country, there is a lot that’s big about the place. Its abundant wildlife includes chimpanzees as well as rare birds. Remote Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a renowned mountain gorilla sanctuary with half the remaining mountain gorillas residing here, as well as the Big Five to be ticked off, wildlife watching is huge & you will see that nature – diverse & resplendent – looms large here.

Uganda is Africa condensed, with the best of everything the continent has to offer packed into one small but stunning destination. Uganda is home to the highest mountain range in Africa, the Mountains of the Moon in the Rwenzori National Park. It is the source of the mighty Nile, and around Jinia, offers the best white-water rafting in the world. It has the highest concentration of primates on earth, including the majestic mountain gorilla, one of the rarest animals on the planet. Head to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for a chance to get close to these great apes.

On top of all this, the scenery is so striking that it looks like an oil painting, the beautiful national parks see far fewer visitors than in neighbouring Kenya & Tanzania and the capital, Kampala, is safer & friendlier than most in Africa. In 1907, pioneering tourist Winston Churchill called it the ‘Pearl of Africa’. Other than watching out for the odd hippo at your campsite, there is no more to worry about here than in most other countries.

Africa. There is nowhere like it on the planet for wildlife, wild lands & rich traditions that endure. Prepare to fall in love.

Guests are welcomed with open arms. Despite the trials & tribulations of the past, Ugandans have weathered the storm remarkably well. The people offer heart-warming hospitality up & down the country, their ever-present smile accompanied by ‘Hello Mzungu!’ and are truly some of the finest folk on the continent.

How do you capture the essence of Africa on paper without using up every cliché in the book? No other continent comes close to it for scale, variety and pure, raw impact. A unique experience is just the beginning. Take the plunge now and Yep…. the Man…. (oops! the Apes) are waiting in Uganda and  The Journeys is ready to take you on well, a journey (or journeys) of discovery.

  Come……be inspired & discover the World 

We are in the process of updating our Offerings of experiential journeys to Uganda. Please contact us in the interim if you want to explore options & we will be happy to offer suggestions based on your personal preferences………