Uganda – A Forgotten Paradise
Uganda has long been a dream destination, with warm water, big volume, and a plethora of good waves. The news of the Bujagali and Isimba dams was devastating. But despite the changes, Uganda still deserves a place at the top of your bucket list. Bartosz Czauderna gives us an inside look at how the river has evolved, what is firing now, and why you should go experience it for yourself!
« A place with 10 world-class waves working at different water levels, with always something to surf. »
Imagine a place that always has good water levels to paddle. A place where you can wear short sleeves or go skin to surf. A place where you can do pretty much everything park-and-play. A place that offers every level of difficulty, from amazing Class I–II sections through Class III–IV rapids to serious big water Class V that makes the Zambezi feel small in comparison. A place where you can eat fresh, sweet bananas with that magical taste found only there, avocados as big as your helmet, and the sweetest, juiciest pineapples you can imagine. A place with 10 world-class waves working at different water levels, with always something to surf. Now, wrap it all in legendary Rolex, a chapati rolled with egg, a local signature move, and you have the recipe for a kayaker’s dream land!
This and much more is waiting for you in Uganda. A forgotten paradise, waiting to be rediscovered by the kayaking community. Oh, and did I mention you can fly there for a couple of hundred bucks return, rent all your equipment on arrival, and live well for very little?
But wasn’t the Nile dammed?
It was. Sadly, more than once. In 2011, the Bujagali Dam came, and in 2018, the Isimba Dam followed. Together, they took a great deal from the river, including the famous Nile Special. But they also contributed to something else, something new.
« If you know someone who went to Uganda before the 2018 dam, flows typically ranged from 400 to 800 m³/s. This means we were pretty much given a new river! »
When COVID hit, Lake Victoria’s water levels surged. Reservoir levels were held high to store power that was meant to be sold. Yet, as no buyers were interested, the water stayed. Then, in the dry season, a new phenomenon arrived: intense rainfall systems from the east that flooded the lake. What was once a clear division between dry and wet seasons has shifted into a long, mixed stretch where it may rain a bit almost every day.
What does that mean for us kayakers? Well, this is where it gets interesting. For reasons that deserve their own conversation, water levels in Uganda are now running at 1500 to 2000 m³/s. If you know someone who went to Uganda before the 2018 dam, flows typically ranged from 400 to 800 m³/s. This means we were pretty much given a new river!
Some rapids like Overtime and Kalagala are now flooded, and people don’t even dare to look at them. Others have transformed into wonderful play features. The famous Bad Place has become a Good Place. The symbolic big hole that once marked the finish line of the Nile River Festival is now a rowdy, fun wave, perfect for surfing and throwing tricks.
Looking from the top of the river, there are waves you have probably never heard of. Covid Wave sits at the end of the Day 1 section, where Eagle Wave used to be. Moving to Busoka (the Dead Dutchman set of rapids), you find Retrospect 1 and 2 at the top. Both have eddy service, and you can surf them both in a single ride.
Next come the Bobugo rapids, starting with Żubrówka, a medium-sized wave with the speed of Garb and eddy service. Just to the side are AAA and BBB. One is fully green, steep, and intimidating because of its size, yet it allows for some of the most aerial tricks you have ever thought of. The other lurks behind it, with a foam pile that challenges your speed and reactions if you want to throw big moves.
And finally, the famous Superhole, now a great beginner-friendly wave where you can learn to surf and throw every trick without worry, thanks to the massive lake downstream.
As part of Itanda, Bad Place is now a Good Place, which we introduced earlier, and sits just above Croissant Wave, a slightly diagonal but big wave delivering massive passes.
« Massive tricks, endless surfs, friendly for its size, just amazing! »
Moving downstream, you reach what is probably the best wave on the river. Once part of Vengeance, it is now called Phoenix, a beautiful, powerful wave with eddy service and a foam pile at the top. Massive tricks, endless surfs, friendly for its size, just amazing!
And finally, something for the Class V paddlers who have turned their backs on this place: Dead Dutchman, Hypoxia, and Itanda. Ranked from the easiest, in my opinion, to the most challenging, they offer countless lines to rerun and rediscover, and they look more accessible than ever. Maybe not Itanda, but they certainly have some incredible lines waiting to be done.
So what are you waiting for?
Fresh from a recent trip, Bartosz Czauderna and Jasmin Stangl-Brachnik tell us both their perspective on how Uganda feels as a paddling destination at the moment:
Bartosz Czauderna: « I have been privileged to see a lot of it. To see the change of the river. To see freshly flooded areas. To see new features emerge. To experience the impact on local tourism and the community.
This year, we came back with one goal: to spend our 10-day trip surfing and making the most of every feature we found. We chose to stay at Nile River Explorers, which offers a range of accommodations from tents and dorms to safari tents and more luxurious options next door at Nile Porch. We ate at the local NRE restaurant, Black Lantern, and at my favorite curry spot in the world, Moti Mahal. We also experienced local cuisine by visiting one of our friends’ houses, where a real feast was prepared: matoke (local bananas), groundnut sauce, beef, Irish potatoes, local greens, and relishes.
« What a great time it was! »
We ate very well and kayaked all the time, focusing on technical training and freestyle development. We moved between easy, slower waves to learn technique and faster, more challenging ones to improve control and send big tricks. What a great time it was! I hope we make more trips like this, full of progression and making the most of what that amazing place has to offer! »
Jasmin Stangl-Brachnik: « Uganda had been a childhood dream of mine for as long as I can remember. I grew up watching countless videos of the Nile before the second dam—clips of legendary rapids, vibrant local communities, and wild, untouched nature. For years, that river lived in my imagination.
« It’s easy to build confidence without pressure, and all of this happens in warm conditions, making long sessions comfortable and enjoyable. »
I arrived a couple of years after the damming, curious and a little unsure of what to expect. But I wasn’t disappointed for a second. I got to experience the Nile in all its beauty: endless, playful waves stacked all the way down the river, powerful rapids to charge, and wildlife appearing in the most unexpected moments. Long days on the water passed quickly, with each section offering a different character and plenty of opportunities to work on lines, markers, and control. There I saw the biggest and most intimidating, but at the same time beautiful, rapids of my life. With so many different lines and characteristics, the river never felt repetitive.
What makes the Nile special isn’t just the size or the power, it’s the progression. You can ease into it, starting with friendlier waves and using them to dial in basics, then slowly stepping up to harder, more demanding rapids. It’s easy to build confidence without pressure, and all of this happens in warm conditions, making long sessions comfortable and enjoyable, while soaking up plenty of Vitamin D under the African sun.
Some of my favorite features were the Retrospect waves. You get two waves back to back, each with a completely different character. The upper wave is a bit less powerful and demands a lot of flair and movement to stay on it, while the second wave is stronger and a little rowdier. Right next to the foamy middle, it gives you solid, retentive passes that keep you working and fully engaged.
Off the water, staying in beautiful Bujagali at NRE felt like being right in the heart of it all. Daily life moved at its own pace—jumping on bodabodas as the local shuttle system, weaving through villages and along dusty roads, always feeling like part of the flow rather than just passing through. Wandering through local villages, grabbing chapati or samosas as snacks, and heading into Jinja for dinner now and then gave the trip a rhythm far beyond kayaking.
And then there was the wildlife. Incredible sunsets framed days filled with birds everywhere, but also geckos and lizards around camp, monkeys watching from the trees, and even otters along the riverbanks.”
Convinced to head to Uganda yet? Why not look at a trip with Love It Live it!
Check out their website to learn more.
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