Discovering Uganda's Cuisine

Uganda's Cuisine 

What do you know Uganda for? Is it for its wild game such as the Mountain Gorillas, Chimpanzees, Golden monkeys, tree climbing lions, Leopards, herds of Elephants and Buffaloes, the giant Nile crocodiles or for being a spot where the Great Nile River starts its long journey all the way to the Mediterranean Sea? Well, Uganda is not only about these, it's also about local foods. Most visitors to Uganda come and experience the country's unique nature especially in national parks and miss out the opportunity of tasting the local dishes prepared by the neighboring communities of these national parks. When visiting these parks and probably taking a city tour around the Uganda capital Kampala city do not hesitate to taste the charming food that will really make you feel the experience of the Pearl of Africa.

Game parks such as Kidepo Valley National Park offers an exciting experience of the wilderness. It is prominent for species that are rare from other Ugandan protected areas such as Cheetah, striped Hyena and Ostrich. Near this game park is the Nilotic cattle herding community called the Karamojong. This ethnic group has a unique untamed culture and what is interesting is the food they eat: blood and milk. The blood is drawn from the neck of the cattle without killing them and mixed with milk to form the most popularly eaten meal in Karamojong known as Ekyalakanu. The milk and blood are mainly stored in curdled form. Try milk and blood!!

Are you planning to go on a hiking holiday? Mountain Elgon National Park offers you one of the interesting hiking experience in Uganda. Mountain Elgon is surrounded by forests, inhabited by birds and mammals. It also offers numerous caves, cascading waterfalls that enchant you as you climb up the Wagagai peak. While there, the Bamasaba community offers you their local dish called Malewa which is the most prominent dish among the Bagisu. It is simply young bamboo shoots harvested from the top of Elgon Mountain. The bamboo shoots are dried over a fire place, soaked overnight in water and boiled for half an hour. Water is poured out, the shoots are cut into pieces, pasted with ground nuts and rock salt is added. The sauce is boiled for 30 minutes after which it's served together with Matooke. It is a sauce you should taste while in Bugisu land. Sipi falls in Kapchorwa offers you a memorable experience to do sightseeing as you proceed to tour Sebei land where Uganda's golden athletes originate from and do the training. Kiprotich, Kipsiro who are iconic athletes dwell here.

The rushing waters of the Nile River being forced through a narrow gorge has marveled the world for centuries. Do you really want to see this with your own eyes? Visit Murchison falls national park and you will have this amazing experience. Murchison can't wait to give you many offers. Just before reaching the park is Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary where you will view the White Rhinos, have a glimpse of the majestic herds of Giraffes and families of elephants. In the southern part of Murchison falls national park lies the Bagungu community which offers you yet another appetizing local dish, pasted fish with cassava or millet bread. Why fish and not meat? It is because the Bagungu are near Lake Albert and it is very convenient to catch the fish. Have a full taste of Tilapia and Nile perch in this area and continue with your way to Fort Portal a land of unique geographical features like stalagmites. You can also proceed to the northern part of Murchison falls national park where you will meet the Madi community. They predominantly feed on cassava bread plainly or mixed with millet and any other sauce, so you can give a try to taste this.

You might have visited Uganda several times and even had city tour around the capital Kampala but have you ever asked yourself how the city got its name? It sounds interesting and amazing that the city got its name from wild animal called an Impala. The impalas used to feed around the hills of Buganda kingdom and thus the city was given the name. While in Kampala take time to taste the Buganda local dish, Luwombo. You could be wondering what this is. It is simply a stew of either chicken, beef, mushrooms or fish steamed in banana leaves. It is served together with steamed bananas known as matooke. You must really try this!

Are you interested in birding? Queen Elizabeth national park provides you this experience with several bird species that are eye catching such as skimmers, kingfishers, fish eagles, saddle bill storks among others. These birds are attracted by the many fish in Kazinga channel that connects Lake Edward to Lake George. Queen Elizabeth national park also offers game drives, hot air ballooning and boat cruise on Kazinga channel. While in this park you can taste the traditional cuisine of the Bakonjo community. It consists of cassava bread mainly and Sombe sauce mainly it’s a combination of cassava leaves, g-nuts and either with pieces of smoked meat or fish.

If you are interested in peak climbing or mountaineering then Rwenzori mountains national park is a place to have a real experience. Come and climb the snow capped peak, Margherita and discover life at higher altitudes, 5,109 metres. You can also do trekking and nature walks. The park has some unique and rare animal species like the three horned chameleon, the Rwenzori turaco and the purple breasted sun birds provide you a birding experience so don't forget your binoculars. While there, you can taste the dish of the Bakonjo and Bamba which consists of yams, cassava and beans. Fish from lakes Edward and George are supplement to the dish eaten by this local community.

Uganda is well known for Mountain Gorilla Tracking and Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park offers you this great and memorable experience. Being a rich and thick forest it's a habitat to impressive bird species such as the cinnamon chested Bee eaters, White tailed Crested Fly catcher among others so your birding experience cannot be left out. Outside Bwindi forest are community walks that provide an insight into the livelihood of the Bakiga and Batwa (pygmies) people who live beside the forest. This area being so cold favor’s the growing of Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes which is the staple food for this community and you can probably taste this while there.

The Golden monkey is a unique species of primates and in the pearl of Africa you can track it at Mgahinga national park. You can add this to your gorilla experience to have it all!! Alpine Chat, Malachite sun bird, Handsome Francolin and other bird species are there for your birding experience. While there you taste the sweet potatoes and Irish potatoes eaten by the Batwa and Bakiga community who live near this game park.

Semuliki national park is one of the interesting game park you can visit. With Sempaya hot springs you will definitely have a memorable geographical experience .With temperatures reaching 106 degrees Celsius, Sempaya hot springs were formed by the same thrust fault responsible for formation of the nearby Rwenzori Mountains. The Semuliki River provides another of the Park's micro habitats, with Vervet monkeys playing along the river banks and large animals coming to drink water like elephants, buffaloes, hippos and crocodiles. The park is a home to 441 recorded bird species of which some them include Blue kingfisher, Black Dwarf Horn bill, Yellow throated Nicator among others that are suitable for your birding experience. When you are at this area you can taste the Bakonjo dish of cassava bread, yams and bean sauce or fish.

Are you a Chimpanzee tracker? Kibale national park is the right park for you to have a real experience of primate tracking. Most of Uganda's chimpanzee population is found here. But it is not all the park has to offer, you can also see the uncommon L’hoest’s monkey, Red Colobus monkey, Blue monkey, Grey cheeked Mangabey, Red tailed monkey and white Colobus monkey. Bird species such as Grey throated Flycatcher, Chestnut winged Starling, Red winged Francolin and many others add a birding experience to Chimpanzee tracking. The sweet potatoes and Irish potatoes grown by the Bakiga community near this park can be what you can really taste while there.

Lake Mburo national park conveniently located close to Kampala city is a beautiful park that offers you a great way to view the Impala, Buffalo, Topi and the largest herd of Zebras. The park also has a vast variety of bird life such as African Fin-foot, Papyrus yellow warbler, Brown chested plover, Southern Ground Horn bill among others for your birding safari. The people in the area bordering the park are the traditional, pastoral Bahima people known for their long horned Ankole cattle. Enshabwe and matooke is the food eaten by the Bahima in this area, you could probably have a taste of this.