Dreaming of a Wild Christmas

The festive season is an ideal time to tour Uganda’s best spots for wildlife viewing. With cut-price offers from safari companies, we show you where to get memorable experience.

It is a great thing that holidays with in the Pearl of Africa have become fashionable. We do need to plunge some of our hard-earned money into indigenous ventures, of which there are plenty these days.
Thankfully, there are also various incentives that make domestic tourism irresistible when one has the time. With the festive season upon us, some people will be off from work until sometime in January. This vacation means families can do many things together. It is a fine time to include a tour of national Parks or wild sanctuary to the holiday activities.

One of these motivating reasons to take a tour of the wild this festive season is the fact Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), in partnership with Tambula Safaris and Routs to Africa have offered tour packages at subsidized rates. For between sh230,000 and sh250,000 per head one can take a weekend tours up to January 11, 2015. This includes transport, accommodation; meals park entrance fees, tour guide services and activities on the respective itineraries. This price is up to three times lower than the usual cost each person incurs on a solo expedition. Inquiries can be made with UTB of Tambula at Equatorial Mall. In the mean time, let us show you what is to be seen in the wild.

PRIMATE GALORE

Primates are among the favorite animals to watch, as they are so much like humans in many ways. Their behavior is often intriguing and displays their interagency. Chimpanzees and gorillas are among those you have to get out of your way to find, at places like. Monkeys and other smaller apes are easier to meet as they are not shy and in fact can be very bold where they are familiar with humans. They can harass people for food in some places like Uganda Wildlife Education Center (UWEC) and source of the Nile in Jinja. Though many people find this part of the fun, do take necessary care especially with children.

Kibale National Park with over 13 primate species and BwindiImpenetrable Forest are the best for Chimp and Gorilla Tracking respectively. Other Primates are found there too, but they can be found at UWEC, the source of the Nile and not forgetting naughty baboons in lesser forests like Busitema near Busia District and Mabira.

Chimpanzees communicate to each other through a complex system of voice and facial expressions. When excited they use loud calls called pant-hoots. Obey instructions from the guides or caretakers where there are primates to avoid agitating them unnecessarily. They can turn aggressive especially where they believe their families are in danger.

WILD WESTERN UGANDA

Going west, one is sure to see a lot of mesmerizing wildlife. From the ambling Zebras, and hippos at lake Mburo National Park, to elephants, buffaloes and hundreds of antelope species in Queen Elizabeth National Park.  The Jewel in Queen’s Crown is to be found on Ishasha sector where over 40 Tree Climbing Lions remain a favorite curiosity. With their blackish manes, they are not hard to differeciate from other lions. Game drives offer a good chance to view a variety of wildlife across the vast plains of the park.

NORTHERN CONNECTION

 On this route, the star of the Nile will be at Murchison Falls National Park where nature is a director and all sorts of prized wildlife are the main actors with a myriad bird playing supporting roles, as well as supplying the music score. This clean Eden is bordered by the river Nile and provides game viewing both on land and on water. Boart launches are a favorite activity to do here. Beholding the breathtaking Murchison Falls (once known as Kabalega falls) is another awesome experience.

PRIVATE PARKS

Away from the National game parks, there are some smaller and often privately managed animal sanctuaries that can provide similar treat for those seeking a Christmas experience with the wild. Between Kampala, Wakiso and Entebbe, you can find places to see reptiles, small game and birds, at close range.
The government owned UWEC is the front runner of these, but there are others like Kavumba animal Sanctuary, Snake Park and Reptile Village, Rhino Sanctuary in Kiboga and Camp Crocs in Mpigi, off Masaka Road, offer up-close experiences  with Rhinos and Crocodiles, respectively. Find details and directions from local guides

By Bruce Amp

Uganda Whips Spain in Tourism Polls

President Yoweri Museveni’s off-the-cut remark that Uganda is a better tourism destination than Spain caused a storm and inadvertently brought the country international media attention. It echoed the statement some time ago, made by Spain’s president, Mariano Rajoy, that Spain is not Uganda, which riled Ugandans who reacted strongly on the Internet. This time, Ugandans got their revenge when international media outlets picked up on Museveni’s statement. The UK based Gurdian Online put up a poll for readers to vote one of the two countries.

In truth, Spain receives many more tourists than Uganda, and so it was expected that Spain would walk away with an easy win on the Internet battle. Surprisingly, Ugandans took to the polls to settle the score and scooped 79% votes, flooring Spain which emerged with a miserable 21%. Over 2.5M people worldwide voted.

Some commentators advanced good reasons to visit Uganda and beautiful pictures of the country were featured. Hopefully, Uganda has had other victories in tourism contests before. Early this year, the country was chosen to host winners of the Orbitz Rewards Programs a US based online travel agency that runs an online competition. The winners take an all-expense-paid trip to any outstanding travel destination.

Meanwhile, the president of Uganda Tour OperatorsAssociation, Barbra Adoso noted that the world Encyclopedia of Travel has picked on Uganda to host nine Russian travelers who will be in the country starting December 9 to explore its attractions in 21 days.

Get ready to watch the birds

Uganda Has a Great Variety of Birds, and Big Birding day next Saturday, is a good chance to seek them out.

There is good news for tourists: we have free access to all the National parks and conservation areas under Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) on November 29th, 2014. That day is the long awaited Big Birding day, which Uganda is taking seriously for the second year running. With over 1,050 bird species in Uganda, such a day was long overdue.

“This exercise is expected to improve interests in the bird watching. You can watch birdsanywhere. It can be in Kampala City, in your backyard or in a forest. Every region of the country will have a team involved in the bird watching for 24 hours,” said Steven Masaba of UWA. Given the UWA officer, birdwatchers have options of many destinations that are excellent bird habitats, but with a bonus of other attractions to make the trip worthwhile. That day 500 Guides will be all eyes and ears recording the species that they encounter in the swamps, mountains, forests and lake shores.

“Participants will explore the countryside to see birds in flight, listen to their songs, and see them court,” said Uganda Tourist Board (UTB) spoke’s person Edwin Muzahura. “to hone our bird watching skills, the occasion will be blessed by birders, Tim Appleton and Bill Thompson form the US and UK respectively.”

Bill Thompson is Editor of Bird Watcher’s Digest and author of Backyard Birds. He has seen and heard 1,000 different bird species. “These are no mean achievements. Bird Watcher’s Digest is the oldest and most popular bi-monthly magazine devoted to birds and bird-watching enthusiast around the world,” Muzahura pointed out. These birds have millions of social media followers from across the world and it is hoped that their participating in Uganda’s Big Birding Day will highlight the country’s various attractions to the rest of the world. “Thompson and Appleton will be able to sell destination Uganda, among their social media followers,” Muzahura said.

Uganda Tour Guide Association President, Herbert Byaruhanga revealed that an average Bird watcher stays longer and spends more while in the country. “They between $2.000 (Sh5m) and $7,000 (sh17.5m) on accommodation, a bird guide transport, buying mementoes and having fun.” Byaruhanga notes that Uganda should be able to identify a nitche in birding given the variety of avian species as a comparative advantage over other regional destinations.

PLANNING A BIRDING TRIP

Families, friends and workmates cold pool resources to fuel a van or public means of transport to commute throughout the day at affordable rates. The fares vary and depend on the distance and ones negotiating skills. The national parks have budget accommodations ranging from sh30,000 to sh50,000 per night. Meals cost sh10,000 and above. Up market facilities are also available at anything between $75 and $300 (Sh 187,000 and sh750,000) per night. Alternatively one could cut costs by travelling with a tent or hiring one.

Kidepo Valley national Park boasts an extensive list of about 475 bird species.  This makes it second to Queen Elizabeth National Park. A few species of note are the Ostrich, Kori bustard and Karamaja apalis. Kidepo is notable for its birds of prey. Of the 56 species recorded, 14 including Verreaux’s eagle, Egyptian vulture and Pygm falcon – are endemic to Karamoja region. Presently, there is no comprehensive survey of birds found there. On this day visitors stand a good chance of adding to the known numbers.

YOU CAN SEE ANIMALS TOO

While scouting for birds in Kidepo, expect to see exciting Fauna such as lions, leopards, spotted hyenas, and jackals. Also regulary seen species are elephants, Burchell’s zebra, Rothschild’s giraffe, Cape buffalo and several antelope’s types.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is understandable Uganda’s most popular tourist destination. It is endowed with over 600 species of birds in its diverse eco-system set against the backdrop of the Mt. Rwenzori. It is a photographer’s dream  come true with enormous craters punctuating the rolling green hills, Kazinga channel with its banks lined with hippos, buffalo and elephants.

In the Ishasha plains are the famous tree climbing lions and herds of the Uganda Kob.

Mburo National Park, located close to the kampala – Mbarara highway, is home to 350 bird species.  These live with Zebra’s impalas, elands, buffalos and hyenas, among others. Together with 13 other lakes in the area, Lake Mburo forms part of a 50km wetland system linked by a swamp. The park is well suited to host hundreds of birds in its wooded savanna interspersed with rocky ridges, gorges and patches of papyrus swamp.

Murchison Falls National Park has 451 species of birds and 76 different mammals. The park is bisected by the Victoria Nile, which plunges 45 meters over the remnant rift valley wall, creating Murchison falls. The falls are the centerpiece of the park and the final event in an 80km stretch of rapids. This stretch of river provides one of Uganda’s most remarkable wildlife spectacles. Notable visitors to this park in the past have included Winston Churchill, Theodore Roosevelt, Ernest Hemingway and several British Royals.

There are other ideal places to go bird-watching such as at Mabira Forest, Makerere University, Lutembe beach, Uganda Wildlife Education Center, Gaba Beach and Kasenge forest in Mukono. Your backyard can also be a good start.

Uganda to start Baloon Safaris

UWA introduced a new thing in Ugandan Tourism. Seguya the UWA executive director posted this on his Facebook timeline.

It’s not clear as to which national Park thing new tourism product is going to take place. I discussed this with some of the tour operators and tour guide to see what could the best national park for this. Some suggested that Kidepo ValleyNational Park is the ideal place for this because of her vast number of wildlife while others included Murchison falls on the list because it’s the biggest national park in Uganda.

While others welcomed the idea others where totally against it this. They said that it was an extravagant way of speeding money. One said that it would have been better if all to improve on the infrastructure in Ugandan National parks.

With this new Innovation Baloon safaris have been introduces to Queen ElizabethNational park as the First National park to have this in Uganda. Everybody is encouraged to take this up and go on to adventure it with us.

By Bruce Amp

Lake Chahafi: A crater Lake hidden in Kisoro

You wake up to sweet jazz music cascading into your room from an orchestra of various birds merrily playing out their daily morning tunes. You step out into the rising sunlight and your eyes crash into a delicious sight: Mountain Muhavura erect in his invariable aim for the skies, the crowd of cloud around his peak indicating that he has successfully hit the celestials.

You turn your eyes from Muhavura toward the opposite direction, and the placid waters of a picturesque lake sprawling off between the high hills invites you to check out what is in progress at thatmorning hour. At the lake’s shore you get to behold a crowd of crested cranes singing and dancing as though on a morning exercise routine.

It is the kind of experience you should hope to encounter waking up on the shores of Lake Chahafi, one of the several crater lakes down in SouthWestern Uganda’s Kisoro District.

Like other smaller crater lakes in Kisoro, Lake Chahafi remains largely unknown to the tourist world, pushed into the background by the more famous Bunyonyi and Mutanda lakes. But as a visitor you will actually find solid reasons why small Lake Chahafi perhaps deserves to be ranked along with the larger Bunyonyi and Mutanda on the list of lakes one has to prioritise when planning an excursion to Kigezi region.

Bird-watcher’s paradise

Lake Chahafi (together with its vicinity) is ranked by Kigezi tour operators as one of the places with the largest population as well as diversity of birds in south western Uganda. This is quite a statement, given that this region sits with the Kazinga region atop the rankings of Ugandan regions on the subject of bird endowment.

Nelson Mugisha, a tour operator in the region, avers that indeed Chahafi has both a bigger population and a wider diversity of species than most other tourist destinations in Kigezi.
Mugisha’s claim is supported by information from the African Bird Club, where Lake Chahafi is indicated as one of the lakes where a number of rare East African bird species have been sighted.

Talking of that gives Chahafi its competitive edge in this respect, Mugisha says: “The lake descends into a sprawling swamp of lush papyrus vegetation, of a kind you can hardly find on other lakes in Kigezi. It is this swamp that attracts the birds in bigger numbers and in more diversity than is to be found in other areas, because the birds always find it easier to feed and nest in the vegetation.”

Among the bird species to be easily seen at Lake Chahafi and rarely anywhere else are the Lesser Jacana, the African Jacana, the BrackCrake, the Blue-headed Coucal, the Common Moorhen, swamp flycatchers, swamp warblers, among others. Yours truly had a chance to behold two rare species: the Common Moorhen and the Malekite Kingfisher.

Beautiful scenery

Michael Murangira, a local tour guide in Kisoro, points out that Kigezi was nicknamed “The Switzerland of Uganda” owing to its rugged mountainous terrain and Mediterranean climate. Murangira names the Lake Chahafi area as one of the most scenic in the entire Kigezi area. “Lake Chahafi actually has a twin to its east, called Lake Kayumbu,” Murangira says. “In between these two lakes is a towering thread of a hill, and standing atop this one you will catch breathtaking scenery sprawling several kilometres on all sides below.”

Standing on the several high hills in the Chahafi area, one is spellbound as he rolls his eyes as far off as Mountain Muhavura on the horizon. In between the horizons lay incredible spreads of forest vegetation, hillside gardens, oddly-shaped ridges and gorges, name it.

Strategic base to tour Kigezi
Lake Chahafi has a resort right on its shores, and Murangira says apart from staying here when touring the Chahafi area, Lake Chahafi Resort is also ideal for one wishing to go tracking Gorilla or mountain-hiking. He explains that Lake Chahafi is about just 20km from Mountain Muhavura, Mgahinga and Sabinyo –and less than 20km from the Mgahinga gorilla sanctuary.

There’s a colonial history to it 
For those with interest in the past, there is also some interesting history to be encountered at Lake Chahafi. A rich colonial history about the struggle for control of the region at the time of the First World War. For the shores of Lake Chahafi is where in 1914, the joint forces of the British and Belgians set up a base to ward off the approaches of the Germans in the struggle for control of Kigezi.

And going backwards beneath 1914, the Lake Chahafi area is also where the Bafumbira tribal leader Katuregye based in his attempts to repulse the approaching British imperialists. This Katurebe and his subjects were inspired by the native Nyabingi religious movement which claimed that the spirits of the land would help the natives defeat the colonialists, and there are interesting tales about the dramatic campaign that subdued Katuregye.

Margic on Mt. Moroto

A friend who works in Moroto invited me to visit her. Moroto is situated right in the heart of Karamoja. That, to me, was a problem. I was scared. Images of tall, skinny men with funny hair flashed in my head. The men in my head are wrapped in checkered cloths of bright colors. These men are holding spears. My mind’s eye can see AK47s slung around their shoulders, hanging down like bats ready to attack an orchard. These men in my mind are not smiling.

But even with all these images in my mind, I accepted my friend’s invite so fast that if she was kidding, she had no time to say so. I Lovetravel. She had pushed a squatting man, so to speak. My friend had told me that there is only one bus that goes to Moroto from Kampala. I thought she was joking until I reached the bus park too late and the Bus was gone, and I was told to try again the next day.

I ended up taking a Soroti-bound bus and left Kampala at 6:15am. Seven hours later, I was in Soroti, Here, I took a Taxi and in one hour, I would be in Moroto chilling with a Beer in one hand and my smart phone in the other; or so I thought. I boarded a Noah in Soroti, at 2:00pm and did not reach Moroto until 8:30pm. I could not believe that after a 15-hour road trip I was still in the same country!

I arrived at my friend’s house at 9:00pm. I was too exhausted to eat what she had prepared. I do not remember if I greeted her, in fact, all I wanted to do is to bathe and sleep. I woke up at 8:00am the next day and found that my friend had a plan. We would eat Breakfast and go climb Mt. Moroto. That is my kind of stuff! She had aready contacted a guide and a friend to drive us to the right side of the mountain. At 10:00am we set off.

The dirt road cuts through the plains of Karamoja towards the foothills of Mt. Moroto. We pass through endless grazing grounds with ripe Mburara grass that would make an Ankole cow kill itself.

GUNS AND MEN

Every time I see a tall skinny man with funny hair, in a checkered bright colored cloth, I break a sweat. In my mind, I can see the AK47 hidden in his garb. Will he shoot?

I realize too late that I said that last thought out loud. The man driving us looked at me from the driving mirror and assures me, there is no danger whatsoever. “Those days, it was very hard to move outside the town without risking being shot at,” my friend says. “One time, I was in a Bus travelling to Kampala and out of the blue, the person right behind me was shot dead. The bullet had randomly come from the bushes outside.”

And then she adds “One evening our neighbor was cooking outside the house. She had her baby on her back and she was shot dead. The baby survived,” she sights. “it 9is horrible things like these that forced the government to disarm Karamoja.”

The disbarment of Karamoja has not been easy. The gun had become part of the culture. A Karimanjong man without his gun was incomplete. On many occasions, karimajong men would engage in shootouts with the soldiers who were here to disarm them.

A story is told of a soldier who was shot and injured by a Karimajong man! The story goes that the bleeding soldier left the village left the village like a defeated man. He did not say a word the village was beginning to celebrate when, all of a sudden, they saw the injured soldier come back to the village. He was driving a Mamba. The soldier smoldering with rage was here for one thing: To pancake the whole village into the ground! Such incidents disarmed the Karimajong mentally before they eventually handed over their precious guns.

  We soon arrived in Nadiket. It is a beautiful hilly village at the foothills of Mt. Moroto. We pass by some Manyatas  - huge circles of 10 to 15 huts each. They are almost shrouded in tall savanna grass and what a serene site it is. We pass by a catholic church and a seminary college as we slope down the hill into the community. In the bush nearby, a lady with a baby strapped to her back, eases herself. Ahead, naked children are playing. We disembark from the red Pajero and Suubi, the man who gave us a lift, turns back toward Moroto town.

UP THE MOUNTAIN

Loruk, our guide, is humble enough to let us know, he too, does not know the way to the Nalikomot waterfalls we are here to see. By now we can see the water falls three kilometers away, hurtling down a high cliff, as if from the clouds. It is three Km from us, but even our guide needs a guide. Climbing a cliff is not easy. You have to take a calculated route lest you find yourself in a spot, high up the cliff, where you can neither go up nor down without killing yourself. So Loruk subcontracts a Nadiket boy to guide us and off we go. The boys are swift of leg. A few minutes after we have set off from Nadiket, and they have already disappeared into the bushes ahead of us. We cannot keep up. We cannot even hear them anymore! Scared, we screamed like abandoned babies for them to realize they have left us behind. They stop and wait.

We are soon in a clearing of arable land. Hills and hills of fertile land and yet no crop in sight, save fro a few malnourished sorghum and sunflower gardens here and there. The owner of the farm is a lady in her middle age. She lives here with what appears to be her grand children, her hut is small. It does not have a door, so at night, she uses an elaborate system of thorn technology to protect herself from outsiders. She is sitting in a shade in her compound. She signals that she must first be paid. I give her sh1,000 and she is happy. We take a picture with her. After that short rest we are back in a thick bush on a mountainside so steep you want to tag at the bushes for support. But the Nadiket boys tell us to be careful; there is a mean little hub called toto’ananya which translates to mother of grass. It is so abrasive, it will skin you alive.

FINDING WATER

We are now in the forest trudging slowly uphill, walking with the help of sticks like old women, buy sweating like teenagers. We finally reached the river the Nalikomot falls are still 100 meters above. The first instinct is to jump into the water, cool off and regain energy for the last leg. The water is very cold. By the time we get out of the water, we are so full of energy we go ahead of the boys. We are only a few mwters to the foot of the falls. There are routes to maneuver and rocks to climb. But remember we are drenched like sailors in a storm. So it is hard, And slow. But the destination is so close. So we climb rocks with all our might, as if the devil himself is chasing us.

Finally, our efforts pay off. We reach the clearing right at the foot of the cliff, at the pool into which the water falls. We have not seen the sun in ages, for we have been in thick bushes . But here it is – bright and warm. The feeling of the sun’s rays on our skin is magical. The pain of climbing the mountain is finally behind us, and in our heads, the pain of going downhill will take care of itself.

We take the plunge into the pool. Under the falls. We are happy 

By: Bruce Amp

THE HOT SPRINGS OF KIBIRO

Barely seven miles from Kigorobya town council in Hoimadistrict, there is a steep escapement leading down to lake Albert GrabenValley. The sight of women descending the ridge, while caring goods on their heads and shoulders welcomes. The men usually transport their loads on bicycles or motorcycles. Bunyoro region is likely to have toured Kibiro at least once. But many Ugandans from other parts of the country have not heard of, let alone visited this place that has economic, tourism and cultural significance.

These are the Kibiro salt mines and hot springs. They are located at the intersection of steep ridge and the rift valley floor. Every school child in

According to some legends and the local sources, the place was discovered by local hunters believed to have come from Ethiopia; that on their hunting expedition, they came across the hot springs. Tired, they washed their faces. They also realized that they could dip their meat in the hot springs and it would cook. Even better the meat came out salty. Soon after, the hunters started settling in this place.

At the time when the hot springs joined the lake, there is a lot of fish bleeding. Men are assigned the role of fishing while women concentrate on salt processing. The hot springs site and the salt works are just above the estuary. This place was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites’ tentative list on September10, 1997, in the culture category.

HOME OF TRUMPETS

At Kibiro, the local used to harvest ebyara, the plants from which amakondere (trumpet) are made. The plant belongs to the gourd and pumpkin family. They are long, Hard skinned fruits of the climbing gourd plants that found their way here from Democratic Republic of Cong. To carve amakondere, the fresh of ebyara is removed, creating a hollow structure. Amakondere were used in the royal orchestras that consisted of a dozen men. A horn-shaped,  wooden trumpet is the main instrument in the production of the royal court music for Bunyoro and Toro kingdoms. Robert Rukahemura, who is in carge of Bunyoro kingdom’s cultural research and documentation, says they regard Kibiro as a sacred area.

“It hosts one of the most important cultural sites in the kingdom called obwingira bwa Omukama Kabalega, with a care taker (Omujumirizi) on standby,”  Rukahemura says obwingira bwa Omukama are the remains of what was a military hideout to attack the enemies of the Bunyoro King. He says the water from the hot springs has other things, it it was used for the cleansing of bad omen and misfortune, as well as healing ailments.

TOURISM POTENTIAL

Rwamparo says the village now forms an important cultural site which has combined both archiology and ethnography (Scientific description of customs) through time and can be turned into a wounderful tourism center. School children from the bulk of the tourists. They usually combine their adventure with a ride in fishermen’s boats.

Babyesiga says once in a while tourists, most of them foreigners, visit the area. He, however notes that Kibiro salt and hot springs are virtually inaccessible because because of the steep escapement. The difficult climb from the lakeside discourages any casual visits to the hot springs. Similarly, there is no form of modern development in the area.

“If the government wants to earn something from here, it needs to work on this road. This place can become a huge tourism hub,” Babyesiga explains. Rukahemura says by presenting Kibiro as a cultural heritagesite, marketing it and then empowering the local communities on how to maintain it, a lot would change for the better.

Designed footpaths for tourists to use as they tour the mines and descent hotels or even camping sites would make a great difference. Rwamparo who is also a member of the Bunyoro Tourism Initiative Board, says the place is ideal for rock hiking similar to the Kagulu Hill rock hiking event in Busoga. He believes that a hiking trail can be arranged once or twice a year, most probably towards the kingdoms empango (coronation anniversary).

By Bruce Amp

Japan to Uganda: Improve your image to attract more tourists

Zebras graze in Lake MburoNational Park. The government has been challenged to promote the country’s tourism potential and improve its image to attract tourists

Members of Japanese Parliament have pledged to promote Uganda as a tourism and investment destination but asked the government to work on its image which has been tainted by the two-decade northern Uganda insurgency 
The MPs, Mr Asahiko Mihara and Mr Daishiro Yamagiwa, while touring the country recently, are quoted in a press statement issued by the Ministry of Trade as saying they were amazed by the potential and opportunities Uganda has.
In a meeting with State minister for Industry James Shinyabulo Mutende in Kampala, the Japanese Ambassador to Uganda Mr Junzo Fujita and the two MPs are further quoted as having said Uganda’s potential lies in tourism and agribusiness, specifically in value addition.
According to the Japanese delegation, such potential, particularly tourism has been impacted by the LRA insurgency in northern Uganda and also complicated by the Al Shabaab terrorist attacks in the region. He continued: “When you talk about Uganda in Japan, most people think of the LRA insurgency in northern Uganda and majority think the country is still unstable in the area of security.”
Uganda Tourism Board deputy executive director John Sempebwa said about Shs6billion has been earmarked to market Uganda’s tourism potential in UK, US and Germany this year.
The tourism sector is estimated to provide direct employment of approximately 21,000 and up to more than 240,000 jobs if informal employment is considered. 
Uganda’s tourism earnings crossed the $1 billion (about Shs2.6 trillion) mark in 2012, re-emphasising its position as one of the country’s major foreign exchange earners.

Vast areas of investment

The State minister for Industry James Shinyabulo Mutende revealed that there are many areas for investment including agribusiness, value addition, real estate, services sector like banks and insurance companies, energy and many other areas. He said more investment is needed in the area of energy because the country’s hydro power is very low. 
He told the Japanese delegation that their Investment can be done in solar power, thermo and even nuclear energy because the country has large deposits of Uranium in eastern Uganda. 
He added that whoever invests in Uganda has an assured market not only in Uganda but also in all the East African Countries. .
Following President Museveni’s signing of the anti-gay legislation into law early this year, the Japanese ambassador to Uganda, Mr Junzo Fujita, came out to say his government would not abandon Ugandans even as some donor countries threatened to withdraw aid. 
China and Russia were the other countries that pledged their support for Uganda.

By Bruce Amp

Tourism Minister launches World Tourism Day celebrations 'Tourism Week'

Maria Mutagamba, the Ugandan Ministerfor Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities has officially launched tourism activities that will lead to the celebrations of Tourism Day come Sept. 27.

Maria Mutagamba, the Ugandan Ministerfor Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities has officially launched tourism activities that will lead to the celebrations of Tourism Day come Sept. 27. The activities to mark the day include; domestic tourisim launch dinner set for Aug.29, King Oyo Empango celebrations for Sept. 7, Mt. Rwenzori Royal mountain climbing challenge for Aug.8, tourism exhibition to be held at Booma Grounds, Fortportal from Sept. 24 to 27 among other activities. Speaking to journalists in Kampala on Aug.2, the minister said, the sector is one of the major contributors to economic growth and urged the youth to get involved in ventures related to the sector. “It is a source of employment and that means earning money,” she said. She said government is committed to financing the sector as more developments in it are realized. Uganda has been named a top tourist destination many times across the world and this has given the country hope that more could be gained out of the sector. The National Geographic putsUganda among the top 20 global tourism destinations in the year 2013. The NationalGeographic is an international travel channel affiliated to the NationalGeograpic Society. Official data says Uganda earns Shs 2.7 trillion as revenue from the sector annually. The pride of Uganda’s tourism lies in the undisturbed green nature. There are many tourist features in Uganda including bird species, wildlife, and the rare mountain gorillas among others. See You All There at Booma Grounds, Fort Portal for this year's World Tourism Day celebrations.

By Bruce Amp

Lake Mburo: A Paradise for bird and animal lovers

For Lovers of wildlife, a trip to Lake Mburo National Park is worth taking. It is home to 350 bird species and 68mammal species.  The park forms part of a 50KM – Long wetland system linked by a swamp. There are 13 lakes in the area and five of the lie within the park’s borders.  Once covered by open savanna, the park now contains much woodland as there are no elephants to tame the vegetation. In the western part, the savanna is interspersed with rocky ridges and forested gorges, with patches of papyrus swamp ringing the lakes.

For satisfying tour, first on the schedule is a journey to Rwonyo rest camp, which is a center for tourism activities in the park. There is a craft shop close by where visitors can buy souvenirs from their trip. As you travel through several tracks on the eastern side towards the camp, you can see a variety of animals and birds. Over the hilltop, a panoramic view of the p[ark and its five lakes awaits. Animals to see include Impalas, elands and Buchell’s, zebras. There are also warthogs, buffaloes, oribis, defassa, waterbucks and reedbucks.  “Leopards and hyenas are also present, but this is not the time to see them,” Christine Lyn Nakayenze a tourism warden, explains, adding that even lions that had gone extinct in the park, have recently been sighted.

The network of game tracks in the east of the park passes a variety of landscape features including acacia woodland, wetlands, grassy hillsides, rocky outcrops and seasonally flooded valley floors. In the swampy valleys near the salt licks are a variety of bird species, including the rufous-billed heron, grey crowned crane, black bellied bustard and brown chested lapwing, omong others.

Nakayenze says about 350 bird species have been recorded. “These include the red-faced barbet, the endemic African finfoot and the rere shoebill. The papyrus yellow warbler, saddle-billed stock, brown chested lapwing, African wattled lapwing, abyssian ground hornbill and white-winged warbler,” she exprains. She adds that the acacia woodland bird species are especially well represented, while forest species may be may be found in Rubanga Forest and they include the blue-breastedkingfisher, hairy-breasted barbet and yellow-rumped tinkerbird.

Lake Mburo has a number of trackdrives that cluster wildlife. This way, tourists know where to go if they want to see particular animals. The inpala drive, has impalas, waterbucks, warthogs, topis and zebras. The zebra tracks have burchell’s zebras (Equus burchelli) as well as bushbucks, oribi and reedbucks. On the Kazuma track, you can see birds like the black-bellied bustard also known as the Black-bellied Korhaan, that often patrol the ares. Tha Kigambira Loop is next and it takes you through a wooded wilderness where you can see bushbucks and and duikers.

BOAT TRIPS

Lake Mburo, the largest of the lakes inside the park offers boart trips. It is also the natural haven for fauna and flora. The water bank swarms with animals and birds that come to drink. Crocodiles and hippopotami are permanent residents.

“The fringing swamps are a hide out for secretive papyrus animal species such as the sitatunga antelope plus red/black and yellow papyrus ganokek,” Nakayenze says. She says the lake also offers sport fishing for interested tourists. The lake has about six species of fish, the common one being Tilapia.

By Bruce Amp

Beyond the Fires: Reviving the Kasubi Tombs

Kasubi, the showpiece of Buganda’s heritage is evidently enjoying a new lease of life. The resting place of Buganda’s previous four kings, also known in Luganda as Muzibu Azaala Mpanga, ill-fatedly went up in flames four years ago. The intact Kasubi was in many people’s opinion, a prime example of exquisite traditional Ganda architecture. Part of its allure was its ling history, dating back over 150 years. The location of Kasubi tombs was the site of Ssekabaka Mutesa I’s palace in 1956. It was known as the Kasubi Nabulagala palace. It was also the capital of Buganda Kingdom. When he died in1884, following following the Buganda Burial customs of Kings, he was buried in his palace. Others buried in the tombs include Kabaka Mwanga, Daudi Chwa and Mutesa II.

Kasubi tombs were inscribed on the United NationsEducational Scientific and Cultural Organization world heritage list in 2001 because of its rich culture. Perhaps this is what makes it the most prominent cultural site in the Kingdom. Since its destruction in 2010, the Buganda Kingdom and other partners have been on a reconstruction drive to rebuild not only the mausoleums, but the rest of the site. From the time he assumed office in 2013, Buganda’s Prime Minister, Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga has been at the helm of efforts to fundraise for the reconstruction of the valued cultural site. At the beginning, the target was to complete reconstruction works by March 16, 2014, but work had stalled for three years. Many however, wonder whether the site will be restored to its magnificence was destroyed.

RESTORATION IN PROGRESS

A new perimeter wall running around the entire 64 acres of land on which the Kasubi tombs are located  is an attraction in its self. The last time I visited this place, it was only marked with with several giant trees as boundary marks. The perimeter wall is festooned with reeds to make it more attractive, like an old fashioned palace. Sculpted lions resting on their haunches decorate the towering gate of the main entrance. Lighting has also been fixed at different points of the fence as part of the security measures taken to avert tragedies like the fire.

To avoid the trappings of modern architectire from completely submerging the traditional omport of the place, the Iron Gate has also been designed to look like reeds.  Unlike before, all all people are subject to thorough chechs by security gurds at the main gate before accessing the tradional gate house called Bujjabulula. It is guarded by Nsigo from the Buffalo clan and Mulamba from the Mushroom clan, whose gurd positions and names are hereditary. All visitors go through this cultural entrance. It took me 15 minutes to get cleared because of the long queue of people visiting. I was received by Aisha Nanyonga one of the tour Guides.

INSIDE

Bujjabukula house has a grass thatched roof, designed with a series of rings held up by strong poles, similar to the ones that adorned Muzibu Azaala Mpanga before it was raised. There is a reception office on the left immediately after the gate house. It also acts as a crafts shop. Next to it is another grass thatched house called Ndoga obukaba, where different royal drums are kept.

The keeper of this house is called Kawuula and must live a celibate life. The rule of celibacy was instigated by Ssekabaka Mutesa I to block guards from engaging with his wives in the palace. Many were made eunuchs to ensure this. Women are forbidden from entering this house.

THREE ROYAL DRUMS.

“There are three types of drums kept here for different purposes in the kingdom. They are played on different occasions as a means of communication to Kabaka’s subjects. We are gratefull they were saved from fire ,” she adds. The drums have exisited for over 130 years. They include Mujjaguzo, played at the enthronement ceremony of the king.

“This drum was sounded in 1856 when Mutesa I ascended the throne. It is now platyed on Kabaka Mutebi’s coronation anniversaries,” Nanyonga explains. Another drum, Buntadde, is sounded to announce the arrival and departure of a royal family member at the palace, while the Kanaba drum is always sounded to announce the death of a member of the royal family.

By Bruce Amp

African Pearl Safaris - an Award Winning Ugandan Tour Company

TripAdvisor Certificate of Excelence

Its always Good to win Titles, and as said, ‪‎Winners‬ Never Quit. ‪‎African‬ ‪Pearl‬ ‪Safaris‬ - An Award Winning Tour Company is here to serve you for all your ‪Uganda‬ Safaris,‎Rwanda‬ ‪‎Adventures‬, and Over all East African Tours

By Bruce Amp

Uganda as beheld from the skies

Meansering rivers as seen from the skies.

You can never know Uganda is truly the pearl of Africa unless you have had a bird’s view of it through an aero adventure.

The aero experience offers you myriad splendors you would never see during ground expeditions because unlike the ground experience, it knows no boundaries.

More to that, it is the only way of experiencing over 13 climatic zones, so you can enjoy the sun, rain, and snow among other conditions. Here is my experience.

One of the crater lakes in Queen Elizabeth National Park

When Aerolink a domestic airline with a reputation for offering life enriching trips to National Parks around Uganda-offered me a courtesy flight to Western Uganda, I was oddly confused. I didn’t know whether to punch the air in excitement or be teary.

Yes I so badly wanted to pursue the adventure however, on learning that the plane was going to fly over LakeVictoria; fresh images of the lost Malaysian plane blew-up my mind. 

A sky view of the hills in Bushenyi

Knowing I couldn’t tame the adrenalin rush that was quickly building in me, I tagged along with a bottle of strong wine for the Monday morning flight which was destined for Bwindi ImpenetrablePark and later Queen Elizabeth.

According to plan, first I would take the drink, then the drink would take the drink, then the drink would take me. That way, I would be too high to know a thing in case the plane decided to dive into the lake for a swim.

A view from the cockpit

Damn it, it was such a hot slap in the face when the wine did not make past the checking point as no drinks are allowed aboard the planes.
 

Luckily, I bumped on Otim, a Civil Aviation Authority Engineer who confirmed to me that the airlines flights are highly recommended by their standards-because it pays top notch detail and attention to safety, my fears begun to naturally vaporize.

A sky view of the georgeous islands of Lake Victoria

Indeed, going by the confidence and positive attitude of the flight Captain-Brian Ndegwa who was aboard 5X-BXW, I knew there was nothing to fear.

Before me were 11 comfy leather passenger sits each of which was situated next to a window to enable the excursionist soak in all views of the flight.

I randomly sank in the one behind the captain as Oscar the other traveller opted for the back sit and at 7:45-we were off the run way.

A snapshot of the clouds

Flying airborne at airspeed of 161 knots (approximately 300km/h) felt like I was in a lift that was hurriedly elevating to the top most floors of a sky scraper.

The higher the altitude, the more I was able to get soothing views of Islands that dotted the vast Lake Victoria drop-dead gorgeous.

From an altitude of 10,000 ft. above sea level, each plus its clustered settlements looked like a vast chunk of floating hyacinth. It was pure magic to my eyes. The continent below was an intoxicating expanse with a scale that was grander and impressive landscapes.

Before take off at Kasese airfield

The flight was great; the two folks in the cock pit were doing the narrating in turns as, they kept switching roles.

At some point, one would control the wheel and throttle levers as the other did the paper work and recordings from the systems information display screens.
 

Twenty minutes later, the plane hit an altitude of 12,000 ft. and we happily got lost in thick clouds-which looked like big balls of cotton.

Save for the roaring of the plane’s engine, everything was as dumbly silent as they stretched towards me with their transparent rosy wings-that were floating like feathers of a giant flamingo. According to Brian, that’s how clouds great each other.

For a second, I thought I was in cloud nine forgetting I was literally on the clouds. How I wished I could just sit on them all day and watch them drift by.

One thing though, it was getting pretty cold inside because we were at the freezing point. However, there was nothing to fear because the weather was perfect with minimal wind and clear views.

There was no thunder screaming across the sky or slapping the clouds into a heated turmoil.
 

When the plane dropped to about 8,000 ft., there ahead, all I could see, as wide as the world, unbelievably green in the sun was the country side of Bushenyi that boasted of a delightful set of interlocked dilating hills at whose valley feet were calm rivers with branching tributaries that looked like the veins.

Like me, Oscar found himself staring at the most extra ordinary scenery he had seen for years.
 

“I don’t know if beautiful is the correct word to describe this splendor” he remarked before adding that traversing over the hills felt as rewarding as hiking each of them to their peaks, something he would not have climbed in his lifetime because there are no clear ground routes leading to them.
 

Not so far from these hills were sweeping forested plains and banana plantations, overlooking them were two meandering rivers that looked like lazy giant cobra taking a nap.

Adding extra beauty to this scenery was a rich profusion of wild flowers which was intermingling with the edges of the rivers. My camera worked over time here but still, not a single picture could do them justice.
 

Two hours later, the plane touched base at Kihihi Airstrip in Bwindi impenetrablepark to pick five tourists who had just concluded their gorilla tracking expedition.
 

A little while later came the most exciting bit of the expedition-experiencing an aero adventure over queen Elizabeth national park in a twenty-minute flight before the plane could zip across to Kasese Airstrip.
 

From the unrivaled rift whose vast horizons were dotted with life and impressive landscapes to Lake Albert, everything in the park was a wonderful paradise to die as each had a distinct “awe factor”.
 

For almost every blink, there was something new to discover and the pleasure was all mine to investigate its unfamiliar areas. Among the a million things to smile about, the crater lakes were my favourite. They were as eye catchy as a newly erupted geyser and yes, it was worth a lifetime view.

Most exciting, I was able get an upclose with a heard of about 12 elephants and 8 buffaloes-which are my favourites among the big five.

As the sun begun shine during my return flight to Entebbe, I was aching for a rainbow with every fiber of my being as the icing on the cake but too bad, the weather suddenly became moody.

Actually, the nimbus clouds had clogged our route so much. Every time the plane tried to slither through, it shook mildly like a car traversing over a stretch of endless humps.

To be frank, it was quite scary but good enough, it all happened so fast hence did not grate my nerves.

Travel tips

• With or without a passport, you can still fly aboard Aerolink. All you need is a valid identity card.
• Flights to most national parks cost between $240-270(between 600,000shs-675,000sha one way payable in either currencies-the dollar or the shilling. For details, check on Aerolinks website.
   
• Don’t bother carrying foods or beverages to the plane, none is aloud aboard.
   
• Photography aboard the plane is allowed so be sure to bring your cameras and extra batteries to capture moments that will disconnect you from stress and re connect you with what is important-nature.
   
• No ammunition is allowed aboard.

 By Bruce Amp