Monday, March 14, 2016

Where can you find hairy lemons? - Camping on the Nile

After a long day of white water rafting down waterfalls we washed up on shore of Hairy Lemon Island Lodge. Hairy Lemon is situated on a forested island in the middle of the Nile River in Uganda. This small island hosts an eco-friendly camping, cabins, glamping and hostels. With a fully stocked bar, board games, and volleyball court in the middle of the river, its a perfect place to relax and have fun with friends.

The island is very quiet and quite small but has lots of hidden treasures. If you love being active, play a round of Nile River volleyball or go for a kayak outing. If you want to sit back and relax, have a drink at the bar or recline in the hidden natural Jacuzzi. Its the best of both worlds.

Within the cost of lodging you receive three meals and chai (tea). For dinner we had soup with home-cooked warm bread, tender beef stew over rice, cooked cabbage, mixed veggies and baked butternut squash. For lunch we were packed veggie pizza, cookies and mango juice, breakfast was eggs, warm bread, bacon, fresh fruit and muffins. Fresh cookies and chai are served at 4pm each day.

We arrived to the island straight from white water rafting and received a quick tour of the island. We got settled into the dorm room and then headed to the volley ball court in the middle of a small river going through the resort. We played a competitive game of volleyball.

After dinner inhabitants of the island gathered around a bonfire and roasted marshmallows on long skewers. I have not had a marshmallow for over a year. They are so hard to find in Kenya, but sure enough Hairy Lemon had them. We were given complimentary Hairy Lemon signature shots to get the mood started. We joined in deep conversations and played board games on the large family tables.

The next morning I woke for the sunrise. As I sat on the beach watching the sun rise over the green forested sides of the Nile I heard monkeys swinging from the trees over my head. Red tailed monkeys play through the trees day and night at the resort. That's why its important to clean up all your food remnants before you go to bed.

After breakfast we put on our bathing suits and headed to the natural Jacuzzi for a swim. To get there you must either ask the owner for directions or have someone show you. To find it you must hike from the beach around the far side of the island, under a mangrove tunnel, along a shallow stream up to a shaded area with a small waterfall. Here you can sit in the pool as the waterfall creates a vortex in the pool. Its a bit dangerous. If you get swept by the current it can carry you down the small waterfall and over some dangerous looking rocks.

At the end of our stay we took a short boat ride back to shore to meet up with our driver to head back to Kenya. Overall Hairy Lemon was wonderful. It seemed like a hidden piece of paradise. The island has poor cell reception, no internet, compost toilets and natural cold showers. Its vegetarian and vegan friendly and great for any age. With many things to do around the island you can spend days here escaping the hustle and bustle of Kenya's and Uganda's big cities.

PS: There are no hairy lemons on the island its names after where the couple who owns the resort met. 


  1. Around the late spring the one thing you know for beyond any doubt that offspring of any age love to do is swim. Endeavor to camp near a decent lake or lake that all of you can swim in. Camping Games For Kids

  2. Well to me this sounds like a dream. I have always dreamt of spending a night on the bank of river Nile. Glad to see the breath taking beauty of the river .

    Please keep up sharing.