We travelled to Uganda and Rwanda with an Icelandic travel agent, Afríka ævintýraferðir. 

This is a selection of our very best pictures from the trip.  The travelogue can be found here.

These pictures were taken in Entebbe and on the Kazinga Channel between Lake George and Lake Edward in Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda.

The hippos are nocturnal grazers and spend most of the day submerged in cool waters which both serves as a temperature controller and a safety zone.  In the night the leave the water but they are very wary of their safety zone. Anyone who goes between a hippo and his path to his water may find himself downtrodden by a panicked hippo.

Never underestimate a nasty disposition and a neurotic personality.

In Queen Elizabeth National park you can find a spot of paradise called Mweya Lodge. The patio is overlooking the Kazinga Channel where you see the elephants, hippos and buffaloes bathing. In the morning the elephants are spraying water right under the morning sun.

In the afternoon when the sun is hot and the animals are hiding in the shade a quick dip into this enless horizon swimming pool is just divine. And the chefs whip out meals that could be served on any Michelin starred restaurant (just ask Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh). 

Above - the morning sun from the patio of Mweya Lodge.

Hjalli is really worried that MD may be obsessed by rumps but this fine elephants rump certainly deserved a shot.

Moisturizer anyone?

The Lions of Ishasha in Queen Elizabeth National Park have a behave differently than most other lions: They climb trees.  The well known escape strategy for lions to climb trees thus does not apply here.

These lions were enjoying the late afternoon, just after the heat, just before the hunt. Fortunately they didn't look at us as late afternoon snacks.

A lion that tastes human blood realizes that there is no other delicacy better. There is a certain combination of salts in our blood that makes us very tasty for the lions. Such a lion thus has to be put down, otherwise it will continue feasting on humans.

The landscape in south-west Uganda, north-east Rwanda is stunningly beautiful. The hills roll to the horizon cultivated to the top. No wonder Rwanda is known as the land of a thousand hills.  Though this picture doesn't do it justice it makes me want to go back and admire those hills.

This is the Amahoro family of mountain Gorillas in the slopes of Mt. Visoke in Rwanda. It is a family of 17 individuals, 2 silverbacks, 4 females and young ones, the youngest only 1 month old.

There are only 700 individuals left of mountain gorillas. Around 400 here in the Virungas that straddle the borders of Uganda, Rwanda and DRCongo.  Some 300 more are in Bwindi National Park, Uganda.

The countries of Uganda and Rwanda are quite magical. We enjoyed excellent service, excellent food and breathtaking safaris.  These are struggling countries with a lot of baggage from conflicts in the past. They are desperately struggling to put them behind them and so invite us to come enjoy their lands of plenty.

Travel to Africa, you will be amazed.

(c) Hjálmar Gíslason og Margrét Dóra Ragnarsdóttir 2008