Tourism ambassadors deliver Uganda to the world

Miss Tourism Uganda contestant Aisha Nagudi is welcomed to Germany. 

Kigali

Mountain Gorillas, the Source of theNile, music, dance, art and the hospitality of Ugandans, are some of the reasons tourists descend upon Uganda every day. Uganda is the Pearl of Africa and generously endowed by nature– the more reason visitors are interested in finding out more about this tourist destination.

The story was, however, different last week. Instead of waiting for foreign tourists here, Uganda was ‘exported’ to the world by nine tourism ambassadors who are also contestants for the MissTourism Uganda 2013. Travelling to Ethiopia, Turkey, Belgium, Rwanda, Tanzania and Kenya, the ambassadors took with them knowledge about Uganda’s tourist attractions as well as products that define Uganda.

Uganda’s products
Visiting Murchison Falls National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park and the Source of the Nile, among other tourism sites weeks earlier, was an opportunity for the ambassadors to ‘take’ these places and more, to the countries they visited.

In Rwanda, for instance, Kellen Nakaye, one of the contestants, took with her coffee from Uganda, cow horn–made items such as bangles and key holders; booklets on tourism in Uganda and wildlife carvings. The ambassadors met various people, including Uganda’s representatives in the countries visited, tourism stakeholders, ordinary people and the media.

The message, delivered by these ambassadors was to promote Uganda as a preferred touristdestination. 
Tourism minister Miria Mutagamba, while speaking to journalists who were to accompany the girls to the different countries, said: “The purpose of the travel is about marketing Uganda as the Pearl of Africa.” 
For the ambassadors, the experience has been fascinating but also key in their quest to make the world know what the country has to offer. “I believe we have so much to offer, but we need to improve our marketing strategies, how we present ourselves out there and making the tourism experience memorable,” says Nakaye.

The ambassadors are also keen on interesting Ugandans to visit tourist sites in the country, instead of leaving it to foreign tourists only. Sandra Akello, one of the contestants, says if she takes the crown, she will advocate for domestic tourism. “…I believe it starts with us as Ugandans to appreciate what we have even before foreign tourists can come in,” she says. Her colleague Nakaye shares her views: “As much as tourism is the second foreign exchange earner to the country, it has to make sense to the ordinary person.”

After nearly 20 years of Miss Tourism Pageant lull, a new tourism ambassador will today be crowned at an evening event at Sheraton Hotel in Kampala. One of the nine contestants will not just take the title - Miss Tourism Uganda 2013 – but represent the country at the Miss Tourism International Pageant on December 31 in Malaysia.

Nature-endowed
Most importantly, the Miss Tourism Uganda will be in-charge of promoting tourism locally and internationally with emphasis on culture, wildlife, weather, fauna and flora, eco-tourism, adventure sports and Uganda’s landscape, among others.

The Ministry of Tourism in conjunction with various partners, hopes that this effort will ensure “Uganda’s tourism industry claims its rightful place at the helm of African tourism” and become “a major driver of employment, investment and foreign exchange,” as minister Mutagamba explains.

Who will be crowned Miss Tourism today?

The Ministry of Tourism today picks the Miss Tourism Uganda 2013, a lady who will be Uganda’s tourism ambassador to the rest of the world. Out of the hundreds of girls who showed interest in the pageant, nine will today make a final show of their potential to take that coveted crown. Below are profiles and aspirations of the finalists.

SANDRA AKELLO, 20.
The student of International Business at Makerere University Business School, hails from Dokolo District. If she is crowned Miss Tourism Uganda 2013, Akello will advocate for domestic tourism, because she believes ‘it starts with us as Ugandans to appreciate what we have before foreign tourists can come in’. Akello is eager to work with Uganda Wildlife Authority in conserving the country’s tourism wealth for the future generation. As a tourism ambassador, Akello also hopes to work with the Ministry of Tourism ensure safe and comfortable transportation and access to tourism sites. She detests poaching and the destruction of natural resources.

SHAMIM NAKAMYUKA, 24.
Shamim hails from Mukono District and holds a bachelor’s degree in Tourism from Makerere University.
If she is crowned Miss Tourism Uganda 2013, Shamim will work towards improving how the country’s tourism industry is marketed. A focus on domestic marketing of Uganda’s tourism potential will be top on her agenda because she believes it is one way foreign tourists can get attracted to visit and invest in the sector.
Reaching out to other sectors and ministries to ensure the Tourism industry stands firm is what Shamin also intends to do if her dream to become Uganda’s tourism ambassador is realized.

KELLEN NAKAYE, 22.
Nakaye hails from Bbira Village in Kampala. The violinist recently completed a degree in telecom engineering from Makerere University and has been undertaking voluntary work for charities. When she wins the crown for Miss Tourism Uganda 2013, Nakaye intends to work with the Tourism Ministry to ensure Uganda’s tourism products are clearly defined on the international market. Drawing inspiration from the country’s diverse tourism varieties such as the mountain gorillas, the source of the Nile, arts and cuisine, Nakaye wishes to work with communities to conserve these potentials for the economic benefit of locals and the country.

Domestic tourism: The way to go this Christmas

Thousands of Ugandans spend a lot of money traveling to foreign tourism destinations like Zanzibar and Mombasa to be at one with nature especially during festive holidays.

But there is plenty of nature and adventure to be experienced inside Uganda.

Domestic tourism has grown a lot in the recent past and more Ugandans need to maximise the opportunities here. The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) in partnership with the Pearl Guide Uganda and Geo Lodges has embarked on a Holidays at Home campaign to promote domestic tourism, especially in this festive season.

The campaign is running largely through social media, getting Ugandans to post pictures of their local tourism visits and viewers will vote for the best.

The winner takes the grand prize of two nights for two at The Rainforest Lodge and the second prize is a fully paid trip to tour any of the Parks managed by UWA.

UWA business development manager, Stephen Masaba noted that there is much more to see in Uganda and for so much less money, but he noted that the country’s beauty has not been marketed to Ugandans.

Vivian Lyazi, the public relations officer of Ministry of Tourism Wildlife and Antiquities says similar offers will be organised regularly, especially during festive seasons.

By Bruce Amp

The virgin that is Kidepo valley

After 12 hours of a safari from Kampala, the Toyota grinds to a halt in the vast KidepoValley National Park. To get to this supreme isolation, a tribute which distinguishes it from other attractions, the odometer had logged 700km.

“I want to shoot the huge herds of buffaloes that featured on CNN,” Martin Sebuyira, a photo journalist, echoes a widely shared dream. “Then there are those famed tree climbing lions.”

We did not expect a quirky Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) Sergeant Philip Akoromwe, 40, to crack our ribs with laughter. Equipped with rosy words, he furnished his attentive audience with a wealth of information.

“This is River Nalusi, a watering hole that never dries up. Animals resort to her when the entire neighbourhood dries up. Somewhere in the park, she joinsRiver Kidepo. Later they join the mightier River Nile for the 6,500 miles journey to the Mediterranean Sea,” Akoromwe says.

Fond of making sudden comical announcements, Akoromwe paints mental pictures of what one cannot see physically.

“Plenty of drama unfolds in this isolated true African wilderness,” Akoromwe says.

“During the lion’s mating season, the female begins by releasing some sweet scent that sexually stimulates the male. She then exposes her behind to the male and he has no choice. The mating can go on for seven hours.”

Slice of Karimojong culture

Being a native of the land, Akoromwe packages the narrative with the history of Kidepo and the Karimojong.

“Life in gritty Karimoja needs the tough ones only. Like us, our ancestors braved droughts, floods and customary cattle rustling. In the past, marriage was a rite of passage into manhood,” Akoromwe recounts, before detailing how a young Karimojong man was required to wrestle down the woman he admired into sexual submission and that marked the engagement.

“If he won the wrestling match against the woman, he was considered a real man and was permitted to marry her. Dowry negotiations could then begin between the family of the bride and the groom.” Akoromwe adds that in the past, a Karimojong man married to a woman from another tribe was automatically regardedunable to wrestle and therefore not man enough.

Kidepo’s wildlife

Akoromwe asks the driver to stop by a group of basking bushbucks. But he does not stray far from the comic streak in him and promptly personifies the poor animals:

“That is a handsome boy attracting so many girls. Unlike the Karimojong girls who are hard to woo, in the culture of the bushbucks, the female proposes. Look at that, the males are displaying themselves for the females to take their pick.”

By 1:00pm, the king of the jungle, who everyone anticipated seeing, is nowhere to be seen. This prompts one of us to ask Akoromwe what he would tell a guest who badly wanted to see a lion.

“I would say Kidepo is the closest you can come to the jungle as it was 100 years ago,” responded Akoromwe. “Kidepo, with a population of 120 lions, is not a zoo where animals are caged. Moreover, lions do not have mobile phones for me to be able to summon them for viewing,” he says.

“There is a lady who visited the park three times but missed the lions. Last week, she came again and saw them. Besides, there is lots more to interest you. The panoramic view, birds, phallus-shaped anthills and the rocks where the late South Sudan president John Garang’s chopper crashed,” he adds.

We later come across a dry bed of the 50-metre-wide River Kidepo. “Some rivers here are seasonal,” Akoromwe explains.

“This river is unpredictable. One moment it is there and the next, it is gone. A river flood can show up without warning. That is how rally driver Richard Tebere and his navigator Rashid Mudin died. At times, the tide is so high and fast it can sweep away a bus,” he says.

Later, Akoromwe pays tribute to giraffes. “The idea that giraffes are mute is wrong! Although they are normally quiet, calves bleat and make a mewing call, cows seeking lost calves bellow, and courting bulls may emit a raucous cough,” he says.

As if to illustrate the guide’s point, one of the giraffes snorts and another moans.

We also get a lesson on ostriches. “For self-defence, ostriches have very powerful legs that can kick a lion or a human being dead. I do not know where the saying of burying the head in the sand, like an ostrich, comes from, but the ones in Kidepo do not do it,” quips the tour guide.

Kidepo is good for bird watching, and birds to expect include the Abyssinian Roller, Purple Heron and the Ground Hornbill.

Hot springs

Kidepo and Karamoja are not short of mysticism, as testified by Kangarok hot springs, where people go to make their skins smooth and heal skin diseases.

“Cockroaches which risk to drink this water die instantly,” Akoromwe says. “If you wash your face with the Kangarok water for 30 days, it becomes very smooth and soft.”

Local legend has it that it was named after Longorok, a man assigned to carry water in a gourd from Kochetut to Lotukei village. On reaching this spot, clouds gathered and it rained heavily. The lightening that struck was blinding and Longorok died. It is believed his blood and water mixed to begin boiling and healing his people.

As night falls, we drive back to the UWA bandas. Akoromwe suddenly orders the driver to stop the van. He switches his torch on and beams it at a laughing hyena. Soon, we notice a mane rustling in the grass. Shiny eyes squint at the blinding beam of the torch — here were the lions we had longed to see.

“There are three of them. These cats are night animals. Their best dish is antelope meat and the ‘bodyguards’ (the hyenas) eat the leftovers,” Akoromwe says.

The day is crowned by a goat roast, yummy boiled offals wolfed down before a bonfire and washed down with pints of beer, tea and wine.

By Bruce Amp

Queen Elizabeth National Park Safari – A Feast For All Senses

It’s no idle boast that British Prime Minister Winston Churchill christened Uganda the “The Pearl of Africa.” When it comes to wildlife conservation andeco-tourism, Uganda does command outstanding respect. However, a visit to the country cannot be complete if some time is not set aside to visit QueenElizabeth National Park.

The park can be reached from Kampala either by air or road. From Kampala, the park can be approached from the south via Mbarara (420 km) or the north passing through Fort Portal (410 km). Three airstrips serve Queen Elizabeth National Park and these include Ishasha, Mweya and Kasese airfield.

This 2,056 square kilometre park was established in 1952 when the two game reserves of Lake George and Edward were merged into Kazinga National Park. Two years later it was renamed Queen Elizabeth National Park when Queen Elizabeth II of England visited Uganda.

It is one of the oldest national parks in Uganda and is designated as a Biosphere Reserve for Humanity under the auspices of UNESCO. Together with Kyambura and Kigezi wildlife reserves, the park forms one of the most diverse eco-systems in Africa.

Queen ElizabethNational Park is really enticing. Take time off and visit it. Visit with your family or that special person in your life, but go prepared to fall in love all over again for the park is blessed with spectacular scenery and attractions to fill one action packed holiday and still leave scores of other experiences to be enjoyed on a return trip.

The low attitude and its location directly on the equator mean that the temperatures can be warm, rising from a mean minimum 18ºC to mean maximum of 28ºC. The park receives up to 1250mm of rain mostly from March to May and September to November. The melting glacier waters of the Rwenzori Mountains create a vast wetland system comprising of two main lakes George and Edward. Edward was named by the explorer Henry Morton Stanley after the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII.

The two lakes are connected by a 40km long channel whose shorelines are populated by thousands of hippos and birds all year round.

This park is a paradise for dedicated ornithologists as well as the novice bird watcher. The bird list is 612 species including the rare Shoe Bill, the Martial Eagle, Papyrus Gonolek, White tailed lark, Verraux’s Eagle Owl and the Lesser and Greater Flamingos.

The park is an ultimate feast for all senses. There are over 95 mammalian and hundreds of butterfly species. Activities like the launch cruise along Kazinga Channel will offer you a unique unequaled wildlife experience. It puts one right in the heart of nature where many Hippos nest in the water while big herds of elephants can be seen enjoying themselves along the channel banks.

Many who experience it consider it the highlight of their entire African safari. The launch cruise schedules run in the morning and afternoon. The open savannah dotted with Acacia and Euphorbia trees provides habitat for lions, leopards, buffalos and Uganda kobs. Among the many other animals seen frequently are the water bucks, giant forest hog, hyenas and topi.

Networked by over 200 kilometres of well maintained tracks, the visitors get access to the park’s game as some of the tracks pass through large mating grounds of the Uganda kob.

The Kasenyi sector on the east side of Kasese road is best known for lions which prey on large populations of the Uganda kob while the famous tree climbing lions can be spotted on large fig trees in the Ishasha sector which is 100 km south of the Mweya Penisular.

Another principal feature of the park is Kyambura Gorge. This steep gorge was formed by turbulent waters of the roaring Kyambura River. It provides a lush riverine forest that is home to chimpanzees, red tailed monkeys, black and white Columbus monkeys, olive baboons and other primates.

The park also has one of Uganda’s largest tracts of tropical forest – Maramagambo forest which translates as “the forest beyond description”. This forest stretches from the foot of the Kichwamba escarpment to Lake Edward. Pythons are often observed in the crevices of the bat cave floor using the bats as a source of food.

The cave is near thecopper rich blue lake and hunters’ cave. Beautiful crater lakes are spread throughout the park, the most notable being the Katwe explosion craters.

This cluster of extinct volcanoes north of Mweya peninsula can be explored by the winding 27km crater drive between the main and equator gates which provide superb views into the numerous craters.

As Christmas is getting closer, I recommend Buffalo Safari Resort, located in Katunguru, Queen Elizabeth National Park, overlooking Lake Rubirizi which is not only a jungle safari resort with a touch of class but it’s also a sanctuary for birds and other animals particularly the buffalo that come to drink.

If you are looking for a vacation get away, a romantic weekend, Buffalo Safari Resort will surely provide you with an extraordinary experience!

Other budget and up market facilities are also available in the park and could be good options for families but also for free independent travelers.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is truly amazing – take your camera, for you will want to record all the wonders you will see!

By: Bruce Amp

Awe at Bwindi

Trekking through the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

When somebody mentions Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in south western Uganda, the first picture that pops into your mind is the mountain gorilla, right?
Well, it happened to me as well when I checked the plan we were to follow alongside this year’s Miss Tourism contestants.
The contestants were to film part of their boot camp around tourist sites like Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kibale National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

While other parks have a lot to offer in flora and fauna, Bwindi is synonymous with the endangered species of mountain gorillas. The park boasts of half the world’s population of Gorillas (approximately 400).

But that is not all about Bwindi. A first-time visitor will appreciate the beauty of this park. As soon as we drove through the Buhoma entrance at Bwindi Forest, we were struck by the piercing chills amid tall trees of over 1,000 species.
You may have heard that Bwindi forests can be cold in the mornings and evenings, but when it is cold in Bwindi, it is really cold. Our knuckles popped. We froze.
Nothing inside the vehicle could warm us up as we drove to Ruhija village, east of Bwindi. The village is just outside the park boundary and is home to three gorilla groups namely Bitukura, Oruzogo and Kyaguriro.

The road to this village is rocky and almost impassable when it rains. The journey takes close to two hours. It took us three hours because we could not easily navigate through the muddy and water-logged road as our mini-bus was not elevated enough. Whenever we encountered a deeper water-hole and the driver laboured to beat it, the girls would disembark from the bus, lest it rolled down the valley.

The baboons that patrol the roads seemed familiar with vehicles. When they saw our vehicle, they retreated to nearby trees and cliffs not in fear, but to give way and after, resumed their road patrol. The colobus monkey that rarely touches the ground just peeked through the tree branches as if in acknowledgement and then resumed its leaf-eating.

As kilometres raced under the bus, the journey got tedious since we had driven all night from Murchison Falls National Park in Masindi and accessed Bwindi through Queen Elizabeth National Park via Ishasha.

We were awed by the sight of mist-covered hillsides blanketed by this old diverse forest. The home settlements down the forested narrow valley and the rising Virunga volcanoes, in a haze, were such a marvel.

Our evening at Ruhija was not hospitable enough as the wild rains sent us huddling around the only furnace at the Gorilla safari Lodge overlooking the valley forest and volcanoes, where we pitched camp for the night. The good thing is, we were all bracing for the one activity you just cannot miss out on while at this park. We were to track gorillas the next day.

GORILLA TRACKING


By 8:00am, we were at Ruhija tourism zone outpost getting briefed about the trek. We were to keep at least seven metres away from gorillas to avoid disease transmission between us and them.

A silverback gorilla. Bwindi is home to many gorilla groups, each comprised of about 19 members

We were warned not to run for our lives when the gorillas charge at us, but stand still and look down. I must say, chills swept down my spine at the mere mention of a gorilla charging at us. Really? We should not run for dear life?

After the orientation, we were each given walking sticks and off we went into the forest to start our search. On our way, Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger Job Nahabwe, who led us in the tracking, showed us the Olea tree species that gorillas love for their fruits. We also saw the thorny Rubus specie, Momodica trees, Urea hypsoldendron and the Rytigimia tree species known to be medicinal to human beings.

Even after encountering a huge heap of their faeces abandoned on the leafy ground, 30 minutes later, we had not seen any gorilla. But the varied melodies of the birds and the swinging monkeys up in the trees served as a precursor of things to come.

We abandoned our walking sticks along the way because we had to penetrate deeper down the valleys past a rich population of flowering plants, various tree species and ferns.

Time check: 10:37am and Eureka! we finally found a gorilla. The unique black and silver gorilla at Katonvi area of Bwindi was seated on the leafy ground like a retired elderly citizen in his compound, counting his ducklings. Its black cub huffed around, playing by its dad just like a human child basking in a treat.
The other individuals revelled in their breakfast, breaking branches and picking leaves, only that there was no drink to escort the digested foliage. This silverback we found is called Rukina and heads the Kyaguriro troop made up of 19 gorillas.


It felt great being close to Rukina and his troop who were grunting and belching, signalling contentment at whatever meal or dessert of fruits they were having. And that sealed it for us in Bwindi.

By Bruce Amp