Tag Archives: Camping

Luwazi Rock Climbing

It’s time for another Luwazi trip! Come and try the real thing! Test the skills you’ve honed on indoor climbing walls. Luwazi offers a good selection of top rope and lead climbing routes for climbers of different skills and experience levels. So, all are welcome.

How to sign up?
Please enter your details in this Google spreadsheet and I’ll contact you:
SIGN UP SHEET

These trips fill up really quickly! If you don’t manage to get in you can put your name on the waiting list.

Departure
Date: Saturday, February
Time: 7:00am (sharp)
Location: Kisementi (near Que Pasa!)

Climbing site
The Luwazi crag is located in Kijjo village, near Kalagi. One hour drive East of Kampala. See Google maps:
LUWAZI LOCATION
Return
Depending on your driver.

Food and drinks
Remember to bring a lunch for Saturday and at least 5 litres of water.

Costs
To cover unforeseen trip expenses the club charges a participation fee.

Participation fee: 10,000 UGX

Membership: 50,000UGX per annum
(You must be a MCU member to participate to this trip)

Rentals
You can rent climbing equipment through the club at the site. You must provide an ID card or 100,000 UGX deposit in order to rent equipment which will be returned to you once the equipment is handed back.

Rope: 10,000UGX
Harness + belay device: 10,000UGX
Shoes: 10,000UGX

For any further question don’t hesitate to contact Hugo at hotte.hugo@gmail.com

Mpanga Forest Halloween Camping

UPCOMING TRIP FOR ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE (Saturday 29th October to Sunday 30th October)!!… with an eerie twist……

An affordable weekend of camping, options to walk/run through a serene forest combined with some Halloween festivities?…. Sounds fun? Then read on……

We are planning a MCU trip for a night in the beautiful Mpanga Forest, with a fancy dress Halloween BBQ planned under the spooky forest canopy on the Saturday night…..

Mpanga Forest Reserve is about 1 hour west of Kampala, near Mpigi town, along the Masaka Road. Mpanga is recorded to have over 500 tree species and shrubs, with some trees estimated to be 100-years old. There are over 200 bird species recorded in this reserve. The common birds to watch include, hornbill, spotted greenbul, black and white casqued, African pied hornbills, Uganda woodland warbler, great blue turaco and the ross turaco. Mammals found in Mpanga include; bushbuck, red-tailed monkey and flying squirrels. Several butterfly species can also be observed throughout the reserve.

Walking and running trails of various lengths can be enjoyed throughout the forest, and on the Saturday night, a fancy dress Halloween BBQ party will be organised in the spooky forest…. (don’t forget your fancy dress costume!)

The trip will run from Saturday 29th October to Sunday 30th October, which gives ample time to explore the tranquil forest and surrounds.

Accommodation and costs:

We will stay at the basic, but serene, Mpanga Eco-Tourism Centre camp. As part of the MCU, we have been fortunate to be able to negotiate some great rates, and for a total of just UGX50k per person, you will enjoy:

  • Entrance fee to the forest
  • Camping (bring your own tent)
  • Forest walk (short, or long- as you wish)
  • Saturday or Sunday lunch (local meal)
  • Entry to Halloween BBQ party (please bring own meat/ vegetables to throw on the BBQ).
  • Sunday breakfast.

There are also options to upgrade to a dorm bed, or a twin banda (for UGX10-20k per person, depending on accommodation choice)

Cold showers are available, and there are eco-friendly toilets. And if you ask nicely, they will heat a bucket of water for you to enjoy a warm shower under the forest canopy.

Beers and sodas are available for purchase at the camp, although there are no refrigeration facilities, so if you are partial to a cold drink, a cool box/ esky might be a good idea J

Points to Note:

  • If you would like to bike, the camp does not have bikes for rent, so please bring your own.
  • Don’t forget your fancy dress costume for the Halloween BBQ Party!!!
  • And please also remember bug spray/ insect repellent and a torch J

Directions: The camp can be found on google maps, and is signposted off the main Masaka road on the right after Mpigi, when heading from Kampala.

Contact: Any questions, please contact Sally Holbrook at madsally@hotmail.com or on 0752 184057.

Please follow the link to book (please only complete if you are 100% sure you will be attending): https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeV2zQy_au348Xm9Rw-2YiOWmGv7p6UW-8XT73BSmJJhcr23w/viewform

Hope to see you there!

Inisita (Luwazi) Rockclimbing!

MCU is heading rock climbing once again at Luwazi. Climbers of any level of experience are welcome.

The trip is roughly one hour outside of Kampala in a village near Gayaza, called Kijjo. All gear is rentable through the club at the rock; just remember to bring lunch, sunscreen and about 5 litres of water. Prices for the trip and gear are as follows:

Rope: 10,000UGX
Harness + belay device: 10,000UGX
Shoes: 10,000UGX
Fuel: approximately 10,000 (return) unless you make your own way
MCU membership card (annual): 50,000 (necessary for all MCU trips and available for purchase in the parking area)

Sign up here https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/1/d/1FjMwTWA8uZCBBNQc_CVkff8b9H80nWxn2o836hvHfo8/edit?usp=sharing and email Laura for any questions!

Mabira Forest

Are you looking to join a trip that is a little different and offers options for people of all levels of fitness and ability who like to get outdoors in beautiful surrounds?

If so….. then this is the trip you have been waiting for!!!!!

We are planning on heading to Mabira Forest, about 1.5 hours drive east of Kampala. The Mabira Forest is a rainforest area covering about 300 square kilometres (120 sq mi) (30,000 hectares (74,000 acres)) in Uganda, located in Buikwe District, between Lugazi and Jinja. It has been protected as Mabira Forest Reserve since 1932. There are options to bird watch, trek to see Mangabey monkeys, hike (both relaxing and long and adventurous options available) and bike through the forest and nearby sugar cane and tea plantations, or just simply come to relax with the sounds of the forest…

The trip will run from Saturday 27th August to Sunday 28th August, which gives ample time to explore the serene forest and surrounds.

Accommodation:

We will stay at the basic, but peaceful, Griffin Falls camp (also known as Mabira Forest Camp). As part of the MCU, we have been fortunate to be able to negotiate some great savings off their normal prices and rates, and we have all been offered a FREE 2-hour forest walk! (Normal price UGX15k). Longer hikes are also available (UGX10k per person).

The accommodation options are:

  • 3 x Self-contained eco-nests (twin) (UGX80k per night (normal price UGX100k)),
  • 1 x Modest banda (twin) (UGX40k per night (normal price UGX60k)),
  • 1 x Quadruple banda (four beds) (UGX20k per person, per night (normal price UGX30k)) or
  • Unlimited: Bring your own tent and camp under the stars (UGX10k per person, per night).

Please mention that you are part of the MCU when booking to take advantage of these discounted rates. To get in touch with the camp, please contact them on 0754 031 769, 0751 949 368, 0712 955 671 or 0752 920 515. Alternatively, you can email them on griffinfalls@yahoo.com.

Cold showers are available, and there are eco-friendly toilets. And if you ask nicely, they will heat a bucket of water for you to enjoy a warm shower under the forest canopy.

Food:

Catering wise, the staff at the camp can prepare local meals (UGX10k a plate), and we are also planning on cooking a BBQ on the Saturday night. Please bring your own meat/ vegetables to put on the BBQ, and we will bring some staples (sauces, bread etc). There will be a nominal charge for the BBQ, to cover these costs in addition to the charcoal, UGX5k – UGX10k per person, depending on numbers.

The staff will also prepare a campfire for us in the campsite area. If you have musical talent, feel free to bring along instruments/ voices for us to enjoy whilst we sit around the campfire etc…

Breakfast (eggs/ fruit/ bread/ coffee and tea) can be purchased from the camp for UGX7-10k per person.

Beers and sodas are available for purchase at the camp, although there are no refrigeration facilities, so if you are partial to a cold drink, a cool box/ esky might be a good idea.

Points to Note:

There is a park fee of UGX30k per person for the weekend.

If you would like to bike, the camp does not have bikes for rent, so please bring your own.

And please also remember bug spray/ insect repellent

Directions: The camp can be found on google maps- however, we recommend do not take the “recommended route”, which basically takes you almost through people’s houses… Instead, continue past the recommended turn off the road to Jinja, and in Lugazi, turn left just before the Minnah/ Minah restaurant on a corner on the left in the town. This road is MUCH better than the other one, especially if it has been raining, and there are various signs to the camp along the way to assist- but do keep a watch on google maps, as not every turn is signposted.

Please note: there are options for zip lining in the forest for USD$50 a person. Should you wish to do this, please note that this activity is not supported by the MCU, as we are not able to guarantee the safety of the activity.

Contact: Any questions or if you would like to come but are struggling to find transport, please contact Sally Holbrook at madsally@hotmail.com or on 0752 184057.

Please follow the link to book (please only complete if you are 100% sure you will be attending): Mabira Forest Trip 27th– 28th August 2016: Sign Up Sheet

Hope to see you there!

 

 

Luwazi Rock Climbing

The MCU is running another overnight climbing/camping trip to Luwazi this weekend July 23-24. Luwazi (actually called Insita) is a rock near Gayaza, in a village called Kijjo ( I think thats the spelling :P). It is roughly an hours drive outside of Kampala. We will meet up at Oasis mall near Centenary park at 7.30 on Saturday morning and we will climb until Sun afternoon.

The rock has a number of different sport routes of varying abilities. If you do not have your own climbing gear then gear can be rented from the Club for the trip. Email Nicky Young at stuckin1984(AT)hotmail(DOT)com

Luwazi Overnight Rock Climbing

The MCU is running another overnight climbing/camping trip to Luwazi. We will meet on Saturday at the Oasis Mall around 7am and climb most of Saturday.  In the afternoon/evening, we will setup camp and cook on the top.  Climbing again on Sunday.

Luwazi Rock is a rock roughly 45mins drive from Kampala where the Club climbs regularly. The rock has a number of different sport routes of varying abilities. If you do not have your own climbing gear then gear can be rented from the Club for the trip. Email matt.battani(AT)gmail(DOT)com to register or if you have any questions.

Gear hire is:
Shoes – 10,000
Harness + belay device – 10,000
Rope – 40,000 (shared)