Photo Essay: The Best Boat Ride of My Entire Life

The glaciated ceiling of the Rwenzori mountains feeds multitudinous trickles down slopes gentle and precipitous, most of which gathers in the mostly shallow Lake Katunguru - which in turn drains into the much deeper and more expansive Mwitanzige. British explorers naturally renamed both bodies of water: the former is now known as Lake George, the latter Lake Edward. The natural drainage channel between the two lakes is the 32km long Kazinga Channel; the idyllic setting of today's post.

We boarded a very comfortable boat (with snacks and cold drinks) commandeered by the very affable Captain Peter who calmly cruised through the waters of the southwestern end of the channel amidst a density of wildlife I simply was not prepared for. This journey left such an indelible mark on my psyche, it has further cemented Uganda as a destination I will be returning to in the near future. I'll not bore you with words here, please enjoy the images (and this video, if you wish).

En route to Kazinga Channel, we passed by Lake Nyamunuka, a crater lake within Queen Elizabeth National Park. The smell of sulphur dominates, and many animals wade through the waters when they are injured. Standing motionless near the shoreline is a waterbuck.

As we pushed off from the dock, we found ourselves in a mixed flock of swallows cruising low over the water. This one is a very familiar species with a near global distribution: Barn Swallow

White-headed Sawwing

A hulking figure in the distance was indeed an elephant! Behind it, you can barely make out a Cape Buffalo that is laying in the water. On the left is another tourist boat, similar to ours.

As we got closer, the boulders on the bank became elephants!

I'll never tire of being in the presence of these magnificent creatures. Kazinga Channel has one of the largest concentrations of hippopotamus in the world, and they often photobombed my frames. Also guilty of this infraction are an African Sacred Ibis and an African Jacana.

If the mammals weren't enough, there were more than enough birds to keep binoculars busy. A Saddle-billed Stork towers over a flock of Great Cormorants and (another) African Sacred Ibis.

Gazing out of the channel, its waters emptying into Lake Edward - continuing in a straight line will land one in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. An invisible line across the lake marks the international boundary between the two countries just about 15km away from this point.

The inescapable human fingerprint - Great White Pelicans obsess over a plastic bottle.

The small fishing village was permitted to stay within the national park boundaries providing they do not practice agriculture or otherwise alter the landscape. My eyes kept falling on the lone elephant at the shoreline, however.

I was still keeping possibilities open to do some more traditional bird photography. There were many opportunities with Great Cormorants.

One may be forgiven for thinking that this was posted in error, as the elephants are all blurry. All but one!

Pachyderms were everywhere, they dotted the hillside as well.

Feisty young bulls jostle in and out of the water.

The chief troublemaker is very easy to spot.

Both species of East African pelicans were abundant here. Pink-backed Pelican on the left, and the considerably larger Great White Pelican on the right.

Usually temperamental Cape Buffalo were quite relaxed here.

Adult Cape Buffalo are large and intimidating creatures, but referenced to an elephant things take on a slightly different hue.

We made multiple passes next to this trio - Little Egret, Great Egret, and Grey Heron.

Did I mention the concentration of hippos?

This baby kept very close to its mother.

As we drifted along, we came upon more elephants in the water - these were adult bulls.

It is difficult to imagine the feeling one gets when in the presence of the largest land animal on earth. But if you can fathom that, multiply it by at least ten to have an idea of what it feels like to experience these behemoths jostling in the water next to you.

I would've taken more pictures, but dangling off a boat over waters that are teeming with hippos and crocs is not something your insurance agent wishes to hear.

By the time we passed this group again, the Little Egret had found greener pastures. Great Egret and Grey Heron remained; on the shore to the far right are a Yellow-billed Stork and an African Jacana.

A body of water without a kingfisher is surely a depressing pit of doom. One of Africa's tiniest fish impalers is the exceedingly beautiful Malachite Kingfisher.

Behind the wry smile of a crocodile is an assortment of daggers.

Cape Buffalo remain one of my favourite animals in Africa.

Familiar shapes but a new species: African Skimmer

Nile Crocodile facing the setting sun.

All babies are cute, but hippo babies are in a league of their own. Especially because they have irate relatives who seem to enjoy chasing boats.

The African Skimmers made several flights as we floated by.

The grand finale was this eruption of Gull-billed Terns and African Skimmers with roseate tones just beginning to creep in on the horizon - and a photobombing hippo to seal the deal.

#KazingaChannel #Uganda #visitUganda #safari