In the shadow of the Rwenzori Mountains, the Rift Valley spreads out like a carpet across the western Ugandan countryside. Brown, waist-high grass, speckled with twisted Acacia trees, simmers beneath the equatorial sun. This is Uganda’s famous Queen Elizabeth National Park, home to herds of elephants, the elegant kob and prides of tree-climbing lions.
The Nyamasingiri Lake, Uganda’s largest crater lake, sleeps quietly in the park beneath the Rwenzoris. Combined in its deep blue waters are five craters, formed when the earth’s plates crashed together. Today there is no trace of the volcanoes that once flamed here, and the lake itself is now lined with the lush Maramagambo Forest; a cool green oasis shaded from the heat of the African sun. Overlooking the quiet water, facing the Blue Mountains of the Congo, rests Jacana Safari Lodge. Serene and woody, the lodge blends into the trees’ natural beauty.
In Pictures: Jacana Safari Lodge
Arriving into the lodge’s cobblestone parking area, visitors are greeted by friendly, well-dressed staff. Fresh fruit juice is served alongside cool and refreshing washcloths. Monkeys lounge and play in the trees above, both the curious Vervets and the shy Black-and-White Colobus.
A short walk through the forest on Jacana’s pathways lie the dining room and lounge area, together forming an open balcony over the lake. The balcony is rimmed with round wooden railings woven together in geometric patterns, lending an artful African touch to every meal. Unique wooden hammocks, one big enough for two, provide excellent spots for after-dinner reading and afternoon naps.
Just below the dining balcony is a lower veranda, housing the Sundowner Bar. The bar features anything one could ask for, including cigars, and a cheerful bartender who is happy to accommodate each guest. A pontoon boat and its dock wait next to the bar to take visitors out onto the lake for a sunrise breakfast or evening meal, or simply an afternoon swim under the sun.
Jacana’s eight bandas, including a larger cabin with beds for the entire family, are well-spaced throughout the site. Each has a high, vaulted ceiling and spacious windows, pulling the forest’s pure atmosphere into the rooms. The wooden walls of the bedrooms open onto a soothing screened veranda with a view over the lake. Africa’s array of savannah fauna are the themes in every room, adding a subtle touch of wildlife to the indoors.
In the bandas, bathrooms are roomy and creative. Each shower and soap dish is lined on the bottom with smooth round stones and a larger, flat slab. The stones and the slatted wooden curtains on the windows, make the bathrooms feel like a forest paradise.
During the heat of the day at Jacana, the lodge’s pool provides the perfect cool down. In the middle of its stone deck, the pool is made of sky blue tiles with small zebra print stools nestled in the shallow end. Just lounging by the pool is beautiful – it is situated directly on the lake with a spectacular view of all Queen Elizabeth Park’s birds and water life.
Jacana Safari Lodge’s meals can be prepared to suit nearly anyone’s schedule, including boxed lunches for long days on safari. Each meal is made to order, without the long wait that one can become accustomed to in Uganda. Creamy pumpkin soup, avocado salads and superb beef brochette please the pallet on a typical day. Coffee and hot chocolate can accompany wake-up calls, if desired.
Until recently, water at the Jacana Lodge was heated with a wood fire. In an effort to help preserve the nearly magical forest surrounding the lodge, its owners decided to make a switch to gas heated water. On top of keeping unnecessary smoke from the atmosphere around Jacana, the gas heat is easier to regulate, allowing visitors to avoid extra-hot water in the mornings.
Like its sister camp, Nile Safari Lodge, Jacana is doing its best to become part of its environment. It was constructed using local wood; even the stones in the bathrooms and lining the pathways of the camp were collected by local farmers. The Inns of Uganda company, soon to be known as GeoLodges, owns both lodges: beginning with these two camps, it will take advantage of all earth’s elements to allow for the complete safari.
Filling Your Days at Jacana Safari Lodge
Activities of all types are available at Jacana. An hour-long nature walk guides visitors through the Maramagambo Forest, highlighting not only loner creatures like the red-tailed monkey but a hidden bat cave. The cave is home to many of the small, flying night creatures and also a fully grown python. Quite a treat for the brave traveler!
Fishing and bird walks are provided by Jacana to fill a relaxing afternoon. The lodge’s bird guide is a professional, with his own recordings of bird songs to attract wildlife. Twitchers don’t have to walk far before encountering many new birding sights.
Game drives are also on the menu for an adventurous day. Jacana’s drivers can show off Uganda’s elephants and the incredible views to be found on Crater Drive, a road through the park about a half hour from the lodge.
The human being’s closest relative, the chimpanzee, is also nearby. Listening closely in the mornings, one can hear them from across the lake, calling to each other through the trees. During the day, one of Jacana’s guides can take guests through the forest to get a close look at a habituated troop.
For a quick diversion, many of the lodge’s resident Vervet monkeys are friendly enough to climb down from the trees for a close look at humans. Staying quiet is the key to getting a better look at these clever creatures.
After an eventful day in Queen Elizabeth National Park, guests can sign up for a massage in a cozy room by the pool. The massage table and room are arranged so that the lake is in full view during the massages. Next door is a sauna, very helpful during the cool nights.
Finally, no one should go to sleep without witnessing the fine performances of the local Kinyaruguru dancers who come to entertain during weekends and busy weeknights. The dancers, some only 9 years old, dance by the lodge’s campfire for hours to the deep beat of African drums.
The Banyaruguru are a small tribe living on the escarpment near Jacana, so their dances are exceptionally rare. With animal-skin waist bands and belled anklets, the Kinyaruguru perform dances that are more intricate and acrobatic than many other African dances. And, of course, visitors are warmly encouraged to participate by a very supportive staff.
GeoLodges and Community Involvement
Jacana Safari Lodge and the Nile Safari Lodge are taking steps beyond many of their competitors by becoming involved with the Earthworks Foundation. Earthworks was founded in June of 2004 and seeks to use tourism as a tool for eliminating poverty. By listening to the needs of local communities, Earthworks partners with GeoLodges to establish schools, encourage conservation and provide micro-economic incentives for Ugandans who wish to start small businesses.
The project was begun at the Nile Safari Lodge with Beads for Life and honeybee workers, and will continue at Jacana Safari Lodge with a new school and cultural outings that spread familiarity of the rich cultures, like that of the Banyaruguru, that border Jacana.
Jacana’s owners hope that the new school, for primary students, will be a new experiment in ecological education. They plan to enrich the national curriculum with environmental appreciation, emphasizing Uganda’s natural wonders through mathematics and science.
Washing Away the Worries
The atmosphere of Jacana Safari Lodge is permeated with relaxation. The lake, the lodge and its staff fill guests with an unmistakable sense of calm. Worries fall away with each minute spent in this comfortable, natural place. It is a cup overflowing with Uganda’s peaceful beauty.
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