21/06/2026
I almost didn't go to the Ssese Islands.
The corporate palm oil plantations have cut deep into the land, destroying the habitats of helpless wildlife on Bugala. It pi**ed me off enough that I wanted to boycott the place entirely.
But staying away doesn't save it. Witnessing what is left, and supporting what is still wild, does.
Step away from the monoculture plantations and you find the real Ssese: 84 islands in the middle of Lake Victoria where life still moves at a decades-old pace. No crowds, no tourist traps. Just white sand beaches, dense forests, kingfishers, and the wind. It’s a place for slow travel, thick coffee, and doing absolutely nothing on a secluded porch.
Despite the scars from the palm oil industry, this place is resilient. It's still a raw, necessary piece of Uganda.
We’re heading out there. If you want to see it before the corporations push any further, come with us.
