Hot Rock Climbing Expedition 4: Uganda

Uganda is that lazy-paced, sunny, reggae-filled African country, with that old Bob Marley/Caribbean vibe. The people are super-friendly, laidback, and always smiling and helpful. This is the most relaxed place we have visited so far.

Our first stop was at Jinja, an adventure seekers' paradise, with its world’s tallest bangi-jump and some of the planet’s gnarliest kayaking, and even rafting on class 5 rapids. The fact that you surge down the Nile out of its source at Lake Victoria only adds another spark to the excitement. Therefore, many of us dropped in to test our white-water skills, some of us even without any “vessel” at all…

After thoroughly washing off the dust of our travels, we headed off to our climbing destination at Wajalla, north of Jinja. The place consist of scattered granite domes of various sizes, offering options from two-pitch crags, to bolted sport routes (put up by previous Hot Rock visits), to the most phenomenal bouldering.

We put up a few new multi- and single-pitch routes following some cracks, and mostly faces with slightly run-out natural pro, and afterwards submerged in the bouldering fantasy, not unlike mini Buttermilks. We were able to find everything from delicate finger- and “nail”-cracks, to slabs, to steep powerful traverses with intense heel-hooking, to the most bizarre technical moves thrown into the mix.

On the trip, we were permanently reminded that we are in the heart of Africa, with its abundant wildlife, ranging from fearsome “dragon” caterpillars to herds of galloping zebras and graceful giraffes.

Next stop: Hell’s Gate & Lukenya, Kenya

To find out more, please visit climbhotrock.com