Trekking Africa Safari News

Archive for the ‘Uganda National Parks’ Category

TEA & Agencies

It’s no idle boast that British Prime Minister Winston Churchill christened Uganda the “The Pearl of Africa.”

When it comes to wildlife conservation and eco-tourism, Uganda does command outstanding respect. However, a visit to the country cannot be complete if some time is not set aside to visit Queen Elizabeth 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 Elizabeth National 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 buffalos 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 Mweya Lodge.

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 the copper 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.

A variety of accommodation caters for all budgets in this park. Mweya Safari Lodge, Jacana Safari Lodge, Ishasha Wilderness Camp, King Fisher Lodge, Katara Lodge, Kichwamba and Hippo Hill Camp are good options for overnight stay. Other budget accommodation facilities can be provided by the Ecology Hostel at the Mweya peninsula, Simba Safari Camp and Ishasha Bandas.

For those who prefer staying out of the park, Kasese town would be an option. Hotels such as Margherita and Rwenzori International Hotel are not only 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!

TEA & Agencies

Awe-inspiring is perhaps an understatement when describing the beauty of this world-class hiking and mountaineering destination: the Rwenzoris. Described by one enthralled visitor as Heaven’s Garden, it is as though the gods had hidden this profusion of colour up in the clouds so that only those who dare might reach up and share its secrets. No wonder the mountain range is described as the Mountains of the Moon, even by ancient Hindu scriptures.

These legendary snow-capped mountains were declared a forest reserve in 1941. The reserve is a catchment area giving rise to numerous streams that supply water to the surrounding communities as well as maintaining the flow of water to lakes Edward, George and Albert. Rwenzori Forest Reserve was gazetted as a national park in 1991 and declared a world heritage site in 1995.

The Rwenzori mountains have a range covering an area of 996 square kilometers, lying 4° north of the Equator. The mountain range has six peaks that stretch from Mt. Stanley with Alexandria and Margherita (Africa’s third highest mountain at 5109 metres above sea level), Mt. Speke - Vittorio Emmanuele (4889m), Mt. Baker (4843m), Mt. Gessi (4797m), Mt. Emin (4791m) and Mt. Luigi de Savoia (4626m).

Mt. Rwenzori is renowned for its non-engineered, steep and slippery trails and frequent rain. High altitude, rain, cold temperatures, mud, bogs and steep terrain make it the most challenging range in Africa. Hiking the mountain commences with the hiring of equipment followed by briefing from the guides. At 1,646m departure from the park headquarters starts with a client walking past Bakonzo homesteads. On reaching the Makoma River, you cross via a very steep climb through open bracken fern slopes and podocarpus forest up to Nyabitaba Hut at 2,652m, which is the arrival point for the day. This walk usually takes five to six hours.

The following day involves heading westwards for half a kilometer then dropping north steeply to Kurf Shafer Bridge. One can choose to overnight at Nyamileju or continue to John Matte Hut. From John Matte you cross the Bujuku River from where you will enter the lower two Bigo Bogs and this is the place where your first real experience of jumping from tussock to tussock in a grassy bog begins.

The trail in this area is usually muddy to the south until the Bigo Hut which is an ideal spot for parties climbing Mt. Speke with overnight usually at Bujuku Hut (3,962m). From Bujuku Hut the circuit is continued on new trails, which rise and fall twice before finally climbing steeply through magical moss-draped Groundsel Gully towards Scott Eliot Pass (4,372m). The trek continues to Elena Hut (4,372m) which is the camp prior to climbing Margherita Peak (5,109m).

It is advisable that descent towards Kitandara should never be delayed. Here you will find massive rock walls and craters at the base of Mt. Baker. You then proceed via Upper Kitandara Lake through bad mud to the lower lake and Kitandara Hut where you can spend the night.

It is from this point that treks to Mount Baker or Mount Luigi di Savoia and Vittorio Sella can be arranged.

To avoid overheating on the steep long climb from the lake to Fresh Field Pass (4,282m), it is advisable that the descent starts early. From here one can descend through Kabamba onto the park headquarters at Nyakalengija.

Generally the trek is an excellent destination for keen hikers and climbers. The best time of the year for hiking is during the dry seasons from July/August and December to February. However, it is still possible to trek in other months. The fauna of this park is a checklist of 70 mammal species and 182 birds. The Rwenzori Colobus Monkey, L’Hoesti’s Monkey, Chimpanzee, Blue Monkey, Rock Hyrax, Red Forest, Black-fronted Duiker, Elephant, Leopard and the three-horned Chameleon are some of the wildlife that can be spotted.

A variety of accommodation caters for all budgets while in Kasese town and these include Rwenzori Base Camp in Ibanda, Hotel Margherita and Rwenzori International Hotel.

By Geoffrey Baluku

Uganda is a land locked country located astride the equator. With an area of 236, 580 sq. km, Uganda is bordered by Sudan in the north, Kenya to the east, Tanzania and Rwanda in the South while the Democratic Republic of Congo is to the west. It is a country blessed with varied and spectacular scenery to fill one action packed holiday and still leave scores of other experiences to be enjoyed on a return trip.

From the snow capped Rwenzori Mountains through the virgin rolling hills of the eland to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, from Lake Victoria down the mighty Nile River to Murchison falls National Park, the country Uganda contains immense natural and cultural wealth.

It is in Uganda that over 50% of the worlds endangered Gorillas are still preserved; it is the same place where the mighty Nile starts its long journey to the Mediterranean Sea.

Uganda is undoubtedly renowned for its Mountain gorillas. However, the country is more than just gorillas! For magnificence, the cheetah and Ostrich in Kidepo National Park, the Giraffes and Crocodiles in Murchison falls, Zebras and Eland in Lake Mburo National Park, are a must see. The launch cruise along Kazinga channel and the Nile River famed for their close view of hippos, birds and crocodiles not forgetting the tree climbing lions of Queen Elizabeth National Park are all true rewards to the discerning traveler.

But the magic of safari isn’t all this great country has to offer. For the more intrepid adventures bungee jumping and a climb to the snow capped legendary mountains of the moon – Mt. Rwenzori are a must for the daring. Other interesting offers include chimpanzee tracking, birding, fishing, Kayaking and the friendly people that complete the true story of Uganda.

Cultural tourism is also a popular choice for many visitors to Uganda. History buffs will find Uganda’s story an interesting one and will delight in exploring the relics of Uganda’s unique Kingdoms.

From the friendly people, day hikes on the Virunga and Mt. Elgon, rafting on the Nile, discovering the dramatic lakes and launch cruises, Uganda truly is gifted with a wide choice of activities.

Characterized by 23 years of dramatic tourism growth, Uganda’s GDP is now at 6.5% with a budget that is 70% self sufficient. A big portion of the country’s land mass is dedicated to wildlife parks, thereby keeping Uganda on track as it preserves endangered and great wildlife and bird species.

With a diverse mixture of traditional tribes and cosmopolitan professionals Uganda is the place to go.

So welcome to Uganda – experience the warmth of our people and spectacular wildlife.

TEA Agencies,

Kampala, Uganda

 A total of 844,000 foreigners visited Uganda in 2008, representing a 32% increase over 2007. As a key contributor to Uganda’s GDP tourism accounted for 3.7% of the total. Despite this increase, it is clear that Uganda’s tourism industry is now facing difficult times as a result of the financial melt down.

The tourism industry is especially vulnerable to financial slow downs with consumers spending less on travel products and experiences in the short and medium terms. Expenditure on accommodation and

Gorilla Permits, Uganda’s trump card has decreased drastically as visitors choose more affordable safari options.

There was growing optimism that Uganda would soon achieve the 1 million foreign visitor mark by 2012. However, with the current economic melt down experienced globally and domestically, the effect on Uganda’s tourism industry is likely to be worse.

The unstable fuel costs and fluctuating dollar rate means that long-haul tourism is on the decline, particularly for middle income tourists. This has already had an effect on Uganda’s tourism industry.

As long haul travel becomes increasingly unaffordable, the integration of the East African region is now paramount for the region to achieve its tourism targets. However, reasonable controls such as some degree of protection for the Ugandan tour operators should be taken into consideration as we go into the final stages of the East African re integration.

The drop in visitors from all major source markets including UK and USA is now evident. According to research firm Trip Advisor, 58% of UK consumers are likely to or have already been influenced by the economic down town when it comes to choosing a holiday this year.

Tour operators in Uganda must now guard, at all costs, against pricing itself out of the global market as this destination now competes, on affordability levels, with Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda.

With the deepening of the global financial crisis and economic slowdown, there is a rise of new challenges ranging from safari cancellations to souring inflation rates now believed to have settled at 14.8%.

These challenges thus call for a cash injection so as to help in facilitating tourism research, marketing and work force issues for the better of Uganda’s Tourism industry.