Kabale, the land of many hills

Kabale is located in southwest Uganda, approximately 420 km (260 mi) from Kampala (by road), and sits at 2,000 m (6,600 ft) above sea level. It was the destination of our visit mid this month. The visit was very special -- to witness the wedding ceremony of a dear friend, a friendship that goes way back to our college days (boy, that last part sounds ancient!). Being the road warriors that we are (personally, I'd take a good road trip any day!), we set off on this trip at 1:00 AM on a Friday, aboard a Rwanda-bound bus. The tiring events of the previous day (Thursday to be precise) saw to it that sleep beckoned as soon as the bus pulled out of the terminal.

Kabale town (in the far distance) nestled among hills.

The first part of the trip from Kampala to Mbarara was uneventful, but quite a smooth ride owing to the good state of the road. The bus made a small stop-over in Mbarara for "interested" passengers to perform their respective bodies's biological functions. The second part of the trip (from Mbarara to Kabale) resumed shortly thereafter. I must have fallen asleep somewhere when the trip resumed because I was awoken by a gust of very cold air at around 4:00 AM. I peered out the bus windows, but there was nothing to see except a thick blanket of fog. The winding climb to Kabale had begun! The bus engine hummed as it made a steady climb up the hills. The higher we climbed the colder it got! When we finally got to the summit of the highest hill, we began the final leg of our trip -- descending to Kabale town.

Animals graze on a hillside.

A church and a homestead on a slope. The communities here live in harmony with the environment.

On arrival we took a cab (driven by Steven, a jovial fellow) to our hotel, checked-in, and had breakfast. After our rest, we sought out Steven to give us a quick tour of Kabale. One of the many spectacular things about Kabala is the breathtaking scenery. It has so many hills, each with its unique picturesque features. In fact, the landscape looks as if it was taken out of a postcard! Because the hills are so many, Kabale is locally referred to as the Switzerland of Africa!

Mist as seen here is an integral part of the morning.

A site worth visiting while in Kabale (if one has time, that is) is Lake Bunyonyi, about 7 km (4.3 mi) from Kabale town. This lake is nestled among hills and sits above Kabale town. This lake is so calm and peaceful, but it has neither fish nor other waters of any kind - quite interesting! (I'm sure there is a why question somewhere there, but the answer to that is for another day!).

Beauty and the tranquil!

Enjoying the breeze on a diving plank on Lake Bunyonyi

Following our tour, we prepared for our main objective of the trip, the wedding ceremony, which took place the following day (Saturday afternoon). It was a good and well-attended one (Congratulations and happy trails to the couple!).

Excited about the lake!

L-R: Alfred, Robert (the groom) and Patrick (the bestman).
All three were college classmates back in the day.

We set off on our return trip to Kampala on a Sunday morning, so we could get more of the scenery and catch sights we missed during the night travel.

Heading home, leaving the mist behind.

One little point to note is that to people not accustomed to Kabale, the place is very cold especially early in the morning (the mornings are often covered in mist and fog, particularly during the rainy season) and at night mainly due to its elevation. So, if you are planning a trip there, travel warm!