White Water Rafting in Uganda
White Water Rafting in Uganda is one of the adventurous tour activities that travelers engage in as they face the fears of rafting on the waterfalls. As the River-Nile meanders through the rocks in Lake Victoria, a thrilling activity can take place on different River intervals where there are strong rapids; the further, the more the rapids called grades. There is a lot to expect here like the rollicking strings of the most intense grades such as grade five and six, you can also expect a lot of thrills garnished with spills of water and splashes. White water rafting at lake Victoria is the best way for you to go out of your comfort zone and venture into something adventurous and life changing. White water rafting is one of the most adventurous activities in Uganda and it is not meant of faint hearts.
The white water rafting in Uganda at Lake Victoria is done at the point where the Nile River separates with the lake. Adrift Uganda is one of the companies that organize white water rafting at lake Victoria and the source of the Nile in jinja. And other rafting companies include; the Nile River explores, Nalubale rafting, among others. The source of the Nile is renowned among the most spectacular destination where you can go for white water rafting; actually, most of the visitors to Uganda take white water rafting at the Nile as a highlight for the Uganda safari.
The white water rafting experience is as memorable as each rafting trip is filmed and kept in the record or even you can take a video back home for remembrance. The raft are stretched about 30 kilometers with different grades of rapids. The higher the grade, the fast the rapids become, however, the lower rapids will help you gain confidence until you reach grade twelve, the most turbulent grade along the rafting route on lake Victoria. Despite, the white water rafting at Lake Victoria is an activity for both the young and the adult; the young adults are allowed to enjoy the first 1s and 2s grades. And the other grades from five are for the adventurous type.
How is white water rafting done?
White water rafting is done in paddle rafts and each person that what’s to participate in the activity, has to join as a team member, and a team of rafters is led by a professional guide called the captain. The team captain is the one that gives instructions on how to paddle in order to enjoy the white splashy waters of the Nile. When you follow, well, the instructions of the captain; that’s the only way to enjoy white water rafting in Uganda.
The water rafting trips on the Nile or lake Victoria are started from the slowly moving water of the first grade and second; this is also where the family boat floating is conducted. The first slow waters offer an opportunity for you to learn from the captain and also to gain enough confidence about the water rafting; most of the rafters to Lake Victoria are new to the experience so the training is very vital. Then after, the turn comes for the faint heart to join the adventurers around the bujagali falls; here, the water starts to move fastest.
The intensity of the rafts increases as you approach the wild waters reserve; the wild waters reserve was designated for the protection of unique flora and fauna that inhabits the mid-stream islands of the Nile. Here the water becomes so rough and the rafters have to get stronger in order to stay on the paddle raft boat. However, itanda is the most intense place also known as the bad place; here the Nile gets really powerful and you can feel the raging waters taking over. At itanda, most of the rafters are turned over and defeated by the forces of Mother Nature.
You should be cautious about the different companies; others might be frauds, so it is best if you ask your tour operator to book for you a white water rafting trip at lake Victoria or the source of the Nile. All the rafting companies in Uganda are equal in professionalism and also the prices for rafting is almost similar to all the rafting companies in Uganda such as Nalubale rafting, Nile explorers, and adrift.
For safety reasons, all the boats that set on to rafting the Nile from the starting pier, are accompanied by another fleet of the rescue teams of kayaks and a safety boat. A lot of rafters might get weary and fall off especially when rafting the fast rapids of grades four and five. There is nothing to worry about because the rescue team follows every fleet of rafters that goes into the water.
The white water rafting at the Victoria Nile is done along the 30kkm stretch of rapids along the Nile River in Jinja. The rapids along the rafting route at the Nile have different rafting grades numbered from 1 to 12 or from 1 to 6. However, the rafting trips here are mainly done to the hardest grad five or 5. Alone the white water rafting route on the Nile, you can see a lot of wild animals on the Riverbanks and many bird species in the different islands. You can also spot the monitor lizards on the rocks mainly during the starting grades 1 and 2.
What to carry for water rafting
For safety reasons, do not enter the water without the helmet; all the rafters are given helmets and life jackets before embarking on white water rafting. The life jacket is the only savior you have if at all you fall off the boat; it will bring you back up and helps you to swim to safety.
Also, remember to carry sun cream to help you from the scorching of the sun. You can also carry a few medical assistance items, just in case. Also, carry some swim gaggles to help you prevent the water from entering your eyes. Also, wear very tight clothes to feel light.
In the first grades of 1 and two, you can also call them the warm upgrades because the water is moving but at a moderate rate. The first grades of 1 and two are meant to help you get confidence and get used to the running water sailing. The first grades help to make you confident before the fastest River rapids on the Victoria Nile.
In a synopsis, water rafting will give you a chance to get close to the moat beautiful sceneries long the Nile. The beautiful scenery along the 30 km stretch of the white waters of the Nile offers the most magnificent visitors to lake Victoria. The different grades of rafting, offer you a different experience. The thrilling experience of white water rafting along the Nile will raise your adrenaline and make you scream with excitement all through the grades.
