Road Trip Uganda - Part 3 (Hoima to Red Chilli, Murchison Nationall Park)

We had a lie in at Hoima hotel as we didn't want to arrive too early at the entrance of the national park because you pay for 24 hours - if you go over your time I'm led to believe you have to pay for another 24 hours even if you have just gone over by 30 mins... so, be warned should you ever visit this place.

Around 1100 we were back on dirt tracks and headed for the town of Masindi. Halfway along the road split in two and we were lost - we picked o e and kept going until the road split in two again and then a few miles it did the same.. geez.. we hadn't a clue as numerous trucks pushed us into the side ... see below...

..... we spotted a chap riding what looked like an old butchers bike from the 1960's and waved him across where he told us to reverse and take another road that would take us direct to Masindi. So we duly followed his instructions but it shortly became clear he was at the ham. The road was even narrower and eventually brought us to a main road about 5 miles west of Masindi. However, can't complain to much but Im sure the original road would have got us there quicker.

We stopped for lunch at the 'New Court Hotel' where I had the obligatory ham and cheese toastie and a fanta - btw the Fanta here is bright orange and tastes nothing like the Fanta back home.

As petrol gauge was showing half fuel we stopped at a Shell garage and got the lady to fill it - you don't get out of your car, you just tell the attendant how much fuel you want and they do it for you and you hand them the cash. Hslf a tank cost us around 100,000 Ugandan shillings, around £24 I think but not sure.

40 mins up another dirt track we reached tje entrance to the park and paid the necessary monies and were asked to give a lift to one of the gamekeepers which we duly obliged - good call because by tbis time it was torrential rain and I got him to remove part of a tree blocking tbe road.

We carried on and the weather cleared up - saw this sign which I thought was amusing...

As we kept going we saw more baboons blocking the road and appeared to be offering free grooming sessions which we declined gracefully and pushed on....

After driving through the park for about an hour we arrived at Red Chilli camp. It was our intention to put our tent up but as it had started to chuck it down with heavy rain we paid tbe extra $10 and got ourzelves a lovely ready made tent with 2 single beds in it - more like Glamping than camping but it was on a plate and we accepted.