Dominic Tugume : THE GREAT TREK - A 42Kms WALK FROM KAMPALA TO ENTEBBE

There’s a famous saying that goes “Curiosity Killed a Cat”. But not this time round😂.

So on 10^th September 2021, while at work I thought of doing something crazy over the weekend, which would occupy me but cost friendly since I had not planned it or budgeted for it, just around of the Kampala Metropolitan area, so an idea of going to Entebbe dropped in my mind. So there and then I posted something on my WhatsApp status “I feel like a weekend gateway in Entebbe. My Ebb friends anyone willing to host me” The status read. I updated another status “If no one I will take myself” –😂😂😂- Laughing emojis.

At that particular moment another idea dropped, “Can’t you trek from Kampala to Entebbe”? In my mind again, I was like “Okay” That was a Friday 10^th September 2021 at around 3pm. So I settled everything there and prepared to leave office at 4pm back home. So immediately I stepped out of office I received a call from a colleague “Hi Dominic, are you around Office” She asked. “Yes I am” I responded, in affirmation. “Okay we’re here at the office door” She added. “Let me come” I replied. Luckily I was still around the office premises, just moved out of the Building gate.

So I returned back to office, to meet them. Little did I know they had scheduled a meeting with one of the Directors of UIA and we sat in the meeting which I had to attend till 6:30 pm, so after the meeting I linked up with a friend so that we go home, So on our way home we agree to trek from town to Masanafu which he also agreed with. So I told him how I was going to trek to Entebbe the following morning and I asked him to join me. “Oh I need to prepare” he replied. “But next time I will join you” he added. We continued till we reached home and I told him this was a warm up for my next day trek.

Saturday dawning cold, not the usual weekends, I woke up thinking about this journey, not that I was scared of it but just looking forward to it, so I woke up as early as 5am to prepare myself packed a few things in my bag, drinking water and by 5:50am was set to begin the 42Kms journey a trek from Kampala to Entebbe. So I started the journey from Masanfu through Sentema Road to Mengo, Royal Mile before I knew it, I was in Kibuye, which took me around 1hr15mins. By 7:30am was in Zana and by 8:50am was in Kanjjansi, Good speed right? But I was famishing. My plan was to have a snack, preferably a rolex at 10 O’clock, but I couldn’t keep going, so I decided to stopover at a rolex stall at Kajjansi trading centre before to re-energize before I could trek further. I did a two by two Rolex, with a 500ml of Oner Apple Juice perfect match, isn’t it?

Re-energizing with a Rolex and my Oner Juice

While seated enjoying my Rolex I see a dark cloud a head of me and cars that were coming from Entebbe wet, I could tell by the windscreen, I fretted a bit, thinking it could rain nonstop and interfere with my walk. Thank God it didn’t and my walk was uninterrupted. Within a few minutes I was done and rejuvenated to continue. Meanwhile one of my former course mates (Busingye Cissy) was waiting for me in Namulanda, she had learnt about my trek on my WhatsApp status and eagerly requested to join me, which I Okayed. We kept communicating until I reached them with her friend Jane whom I was meeting for the first time. That was around 11:30 am, the distance there was around 20Kms to UWEC which was our final destination. They gave me good company because we went bantering all through to our final destination.

L-R Dominic, Cissy and Jane taking a Selfie at Abaita

WHY ACTUALLY DID I TREK?

I have been to Entebbe a couple of times, but I wanted something unusual and test my fitness levels as well

. I love adventuring and trying out new things to challenge myself. Morgan Freeman once said “Challenge yourself; it’s the only path that leads to your growth” I needed to try out something new but within my means and something doable. When I told one of my friends that I’m going to trek 42kms He said “That’s madness, don’t put me in your madness” “I’m serious by the way” I replied on a WhatsApp Chat.

HOW THE JOURNEY WAS LIKE?

The journey was awesome but quite tiresome as well. It was the longest journey I had ever walked in my life we reached UWEC at 1:15pm a distance of 7hrs15mins walk 42kms. I could updating part of my journey on my WhatsApp status but some couldn’t actually believe that I trekked quite surprising, why do you people love usual things?

Excited after I reached UWEC

A selfie Moment when we had just arrived at Uganda Wildlife Education Center - UWEC aka Entebbe Zoo

Upon reaching Uganda Wildlife Education Centre-UWEC, I relaxed a bit at the #Rhino Restaurant ordered my lunch and ate. Lunch here ranges from Ugx 15,000/- – 45,000/- Junk food, but they do have local means a well. They accept Visa, Debit and Credit Card payments as well as Airtel Money payments if you don’t want to travel with cash. Their food is nice by the way and highly recommend it. After my lunch I embarked on a tour around the Zoo and I was fascinated by the Chimpanzees, Tigers and Rhinos. Entrance at UWEC for Domestic tourists is Ugx 10,000/- Adults and 5,000/- Children. There’re a lot of games for children at UWEC, however they’re paid separately from the entrance fees. UWEC is a perfect weekend gateway for kids and adults to relax from and have fun at the same time. The place is easily accessible and affordable. From Kampala its 1-2hrs drive depending on traffic on the road. But you can use the Kampala Express Highway that should take you only 30mins drive to reach UWEC.

At Rhino Restaurant enjoying my Lunch

Chips and Liver was my dish. This goes for only Uganda 25,000/- with a glass of Passion Juice

Left UWEC at 5pm for Kampala but I didn’t trek back

, used public means and now home safely

. No body pain, no nothing just feeling great

. The whole expenditure of this trip was only Ugx 50,000/- the least amount you can spend on an excursion to Entebbe. This catered for a Meal, Snack, entrance fee at UWEC and my transportation back to Kampala. Don't wait to have much to travel. You can still travel and have fun on a low budget. Get in touch in the comment section to advice you on some low budget palce you can visit in Kampala and Outside Kampala