Western Uganda is dotted with dozens of extinct volcanoes of a particularly violent type known as ‘explosion craters.’ The main concentrations are the Katwe Explosion Craters in Queen Elizabeth National Park, the Bunyaraguru crater field on the Kichwamba escarpment, the Ndali-Kasenda field near Kibale National Park, and a smaller cluster around Fort Portal. It is misleading to compare the size of these craters with larger, more famous volcanoes. Explosion craters did not pile debris around their vents to build impressive cones but instead hurled vast quantities of ash and rock far and wide. The Katwe craters buried an area far larger than that inundated by Vesuvius around Pompeii in AD79, reducing Lake Edward to a soup of toxic ash.
The craters are now extinct, though some lakes still emit sulphurous smells. It is hard to look into their scenic depths, variously softened by grass, woodland, forest, swamp, farmland and open water and imagine that, geologically speaking, they were dangerous spots to be until very recently indeed. This is unusual since (inevitably given our planet’s 4,550 million year history) most exciting geological events occurred during distant epochs when our ancestors had far more back hair (and sometimes more gills) than we consider attractive today. It is difficult enough for us to grasp ‘140,000 years ago’ when Mt. Sabinyo last poured lava over Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and quite impossible to comprehend ’10-20 million years ago’ when the nearest known things to human witnesses of Mt. Elgon’s eruptions in eastern Uganda were unfamiliar creatures called Proconsul and Morotopithecus.1 Yet our craters were active just 8-10 thousand years ago, with some still raining fire and brimstone upon local residents as recently as 20006C, some centuries after Egypt’s Giza pyramids were built. This recent activity is remembered in local folklore; tales relate the eruptions of the Katwe craters while the name for one Fort Portal crater tells its own story – Kasesankaranga translates as `spewerof roasted material’ (or something like that, since
1 Morotopithecus lived in Karomoja and Proconsul south of Mt. Elgon near present day Lake Victoria. One of these (or something similar) was our distant ancestor. Suffice to say that our antecedants at the time had plenty of back hair.
In modern Rutoro, kusesa means urinating). Mwitampungu’ , a small but extremely deep crater
Pipe near Ndali means Rills birds’ – perhaps a reference to poisonous gases given off in the past.
Though the Explosion Craters are extinct, Nyamuragira and Nyiragongo, 160km south of Katwe, remain very active. Moreover, with the molten mantle just 10-15km beneath us, volcanic activity might occur again, anywhere along the rift.
Bunyanguru Craters
In addition to the famous craters of Queen Elizabeth National Park, a glance at the map shows dozens more a few kilometers south on the Kichwamba escarpment Only the lovely Lake Nkugu-te is obvious from the main Mbarara-Kasese highway, but if you turn off to either side you can find at least -twenty more lakes and thirty dry craters. You may encounter barely motot-able -tracks (4WD may be required) and you must sometimes be prepared to park up and walk a short distance to see what you can find. Just one hint; the turning lust north of kubirizi village leads to a worthwhile detour for craters and QENP/ rift valley views. The turning is signposted for St Michael’s High School and Rugezi VHF Station but you need to find your way further uphill towards the newels MTN mast, The new Kookaburra Camp at Bunyaraguru stands beside its own crater lake and provides a perfect base for exploring the crater fieicl, the Kichwamba rift valley viewpoints, and nearby QEN P.
Kaselicla Craters
To totally overdose on crater lakes, visit the extensive Nchii (a.k.a. Kasencia) field west of Kibale National Park. Numerous flooded craters lie beside the main roacts or within a short walk, but there are many more to be found if you look. In fact scenic appeal notwithstanding, the real attraction is the opportunity to wander around and make your own discoveries. Take maps ifyou can. Sheets 66/2 (Kuhenge) and 56/4 (Fort Portal) (1:50,000) are available from the Dept. of Lands and Surveys in Entebbe or the National Forest Authority’s Mapping Unit in Kampala, The area contains plenty of decent accommodation ranging from community campgrounds to the upmarket Nciali Lodge, while day-trips are possible from bases in Kibale National Park and Fort Portal.
Getting to the Nciali-Kasencla Craters
The crater area lies about 25km south of Fort Portal. Follow the Kamwenge road towards Kibale National Park and Mpatiga Falls to visit Lakes Nyamirama (campsite and furnished tents: 0782 532533), Lakes Nyinabulita and Nyabikere (Chimpanzee Guesthouse and CVK Resort), To reach the main cluster around Nciali Locige, you must fork right 12km from Fort Portal at Ka515i. This road leads towards numerous craters including Lakes Nkuruba (Campsite and simple cottages), Nyinambuga and Rukwanzi (below the excellent Naali Lodge) and Lyantonde (Campsite), Travelers approaching from QENP can reach the Nddli area using a 16km route (frequently in rotten condition) off the Kasese-Fort Portal highway 0.7km north of Rwimi. Then turn left after. 6km at Rwatikenzi, and left again after- 4km at a T-unction. Nctali Lodge is 6km further- on.
Ndali – Kasenda viewpoints
Between the Kibale/ Kamwenge and Nciali roads, an elevated area known as the ‘Top of the World’ provides tremendous views of the crater area, the Rwenzori, tea plantations, Kibale forest, and Lake George and Kichwarnba escarpment in the rift valley. Two tracks (suitable for driving or walking) connect the two roads. One route turns east off the Ndali road, just south of the Lake Nkuruba campsite, reaching the Kibale road just north of the old Rweetera tea factory. The second leaves the Ndali road at Rwathamba -trading centre and follows a roundabout east-to the Kibale NP headquarters near Isunga. If walking it’s worth turning. Town a shorter footpath to Rweteera when you sight Lake Nyabikere with tea and forest beyond to emerge directly opposite the old factory. If following the motor able route west –from the Park HQ, fork right at isunga village on the hilltop, otherwise it’s a very long way -around to Rwaihamba, A magnificent panorama can also been toyed more passively with one of Aubrey’s suitably expensive gin and tonics from the lawn of Ndali Lodge
Fort Portal Craters
The Fort Portal crater field is the smallest and least dramatic but it contains one gem; the cliff and forest lined Lake Kyaninga with its superb Rwenzori backdrop is among the loveliest crater lakes of all. Lake Kyaninga is about 8km from Fort Portal. Follow the Kampala road out of town for 2km and turn onto the Kijura road at Mpanga Bridge. 21km up this murram road a signpost in a smell trading centre will direct you to the left Tong the 4km track to ‘Lake Kyaninga Lodge’
Hot springs
Hot springs occur at several places along the rift valley, the -lost dramatic being at Sempaya in the Semliki National Park. Other springs rise on the Congo slopes of the Rwenzori and near the Ugandan Rwenzori trailhead at lbanda, feed Lake Kitagata in QENP, and bubble up into a pool near Kitagata village (the name means ‘boiling water’) on the Ishaka¬Ntungamo road and at Kibero Salt Gardens beside Lake Albert. Hot springs are caused by cracks extending down towards the fierce temperatures of the mantle. Water seeping downwards is heated and forced back upwards under pressure to bubble Jut of the ground, typically with sulphurous smells from salts Dissolved at depth. These additions often convey healing properties making such springs important cultural sites as well as useful natural cooking pots.
Makuzu Pits of death
Altogether more sinister than boiling eggs in hot springs is the eerie phenomenon of the `makuzu: You won’t actually see Them; firstly because they are found in Congo near Mt. Nyamuragira, and secondly because they are invisible. Makuzu – or ‘evil winds’ – are hollows in the ground that trap Carbon Dioxide seeping through the rift valley floor. CO2 is colourless, odourless, tasteless and when it exists in sufficient concentration a displace the oxygen we breathe is absolutely deadly
