EnterUganda

. Kampala, Uganda.

By Timothy Bukumunhe

Did you see the chap who wrote to the Editor in last week's Sunday Vision complaining about your column?
We all make mistakes. Anyway, we are here to talk about Ivan Batuma's Overland Camp in Lake Bunyonyi. Overland Camp is what paradise and laziness is all about. Located in Kabale, about a fifteen-minute drive off the Kisoro road and round the rolling hills of this region. As you drive down the hills on the other side, there it nestles, with sedate Lake Bunyonyi glistening in the background.

Where do you think the place gets its appeal?
When you actually get there, it is possible to think there is nothing much to the place, but after a drink or two in the stilt built bar, with a good book in tow, you begin to feel all your troubles are over. The chirpy birds are on hand to keep you company, and the sight of the otters swimming in the early evening will make your day.

I presume they have accommodation as well?
Yes indeed, and that is where the place excels. Ivan has done a grand job of building a place that fits in with the environment of Lake Bunyonyi, as opposed to the man up the road who is in the process of putting up a huge and ugly concrete eyesore. They have four furnished tents at sh16,000 per night and four double-roomed cottages at sh20,000 per night. Should you decide to stay the night, I urge you to go for the tents. One just gets this feeling of home comfort and a sense of adventure. The huge tents, like the bar, are built on stilts and tucked away in the trees with ample spacing between them for privacy.

If I do stay there, how can I indulge myself?
There is a range of activities to do during your stay. Let me roll through it for you. Swimming, canoeing, motorboat hire, volleyball, badminton, bird watching......the list is endless -- just make your pick.

And the expense, will it break my wallet?
No it won't. As I mentioned earlier on, accommodation there will cost you no more than sh16,000 for a furnished double tent and sh20,000 for a cottage. If you are running on a budget account, you can pitch your own tent for sh2,500 or rent one of their mobile tents for sh4,000 per night. And the beauty about Overland Camp, is you won't be trekking down to the lake for a bath because they have hot running water and flushing toilets.

Does the service leave anything to be desired?
The service, though slow in some areas nevertheless fires on all four cylinders. The all-male staff must have degrees in politeness, because I lost track of the amount of times I was referred to as, "Mr. Timothy." Food is relatively cheap too; the most expensive dish there, if memory servers me correct is the Crayfish at sh5,000.

THE TOILETS: For a camp, exceptionally clean and no lingering smells.
THE CROWD: Backpackers and locals. Notables who have been there include, Nicola Brown, UBL's Marion Adengo, Jack Bagaire and WBS Television to name a few.
THE GOOD POINTS: Tranquil and sedate. A good hideaway - no irritating chimes from mobile phones. Worth spending money making the trip down there.
THE BAD POINTS: Having to share this paradise with other people.
OVERLAND CAMP, is owned by Ivan Batuma and is located just off the Kisoro Road in Kabale. It is open throughout the year. For reservations, 0486-23741 and E-mail, highland@imul.com

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