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Showing posts from August, 2015

lutembe bay in Uganda; the bird paradise

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Located on the shores of Lake Victoria, Lutembe bay which is a famous site for birding safaris in Uganda is considered among the wetlands of International Significance or commonly known as the Ramsar site having received the status in the year 2006. The shallow sheltered bay is positioned at the northern shore of Victoria Lake in the district of Wakiso is sheltered from the main lake by huge Papyrus Island and its vegetated, sheltered shoreline along with the Islands that are muddy present roofing and nesting sites for counts of birds along with other biodiversity always encountered on Uganda safaris Lutembe Bay is known to be among the main migration stop overs and stands as one of the remarkable bird watching sites in the Lake Victoria Basin. The site acts as a host of both indigenous and millions of Palearctic migrants especially the enormous flocks of White-winged Terns and Grey-headed Gulls. A range of other Species of interest includes the Hottentot Teal, Caspia

lake kivu in Rwanda

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Lake Kivu is one of the Prime destinations that are always visited by travelers on safaris in Rwanda . The lakes is considered as part of the Great Lakes of Africa positioned at the boarder of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo lying with in the Albertine rift which is the western branch of the Great East African Rift valley. The Kivu Lake has the outlet of River Ruzizi which flows to the south emptying into Lake Tanganyika. It can be noted that the first European to encounter the lake was a German National Count Adolf von Götzen in the year 1894 and the lake gained a notoriety position as the main dumping place for the genocide victims Regarding geography, Lake Kivu stretches over a geographical coverage of 2,700 km2 standing at an elevation of 1,460 m above sea level. The 58% of the lake waters are positioned in the Democratic Republic of Congo with the rest in the boundaries of Rwanda. The bed of Lake Kivu sits on the rift valley floor and it is continuously

The river rwizi

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River Rwizi positioned in the south west of Uganda is one of less explored Uganda safari attractions that have got great significance not only to the ecosystem that it flows through but also the human community that live along its course. Greatly attached to Mbarara town the biggest commercial center in the region positioned at 295km from the Country’s capital Kampala along the geographical coordinates of 00 36’ 48”S, 0300 39’ 30”E, River Rwizi acts as the main source of water for this town which is also a popular stop center for travelers on safaris in Uganda heading to and from the far destinations of south western Uganda River Rwizi arises from the hills of Buhweju also gathering other water from various tributaries emanating from various sections of Ankole flows for a considerable distance before emptying its waters in the Lake Victoria Catchment that extends to the wetland network of Lake Mburo, Nakivaale, Kacheera, Kihjanebarola among other lakes that have formed

Discounted Uganda gorilla permits in November

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Uganda – the pearl of Africa is offering a discount to the world travelers who might be interested in undertaking Uganda gorilla safaris in the forthcoming months of November. With almost a half of the world’s mountain gorilla populations in her two mountain gorilla habitats of Mgahinga and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda has positioned herself to listen to the need of every traveler. In the month of November which also coincides with the rainy season herein Uganda, the gorilla trekking permit which is normally sold at $600 permit for the foreign nonresidents will reduce to $350 this allowing one to save $250 if he /she chooses to undertake a gorilla trekking safari to Uganda unlike other destination with a similar product. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park features a minimum of 400 mountain gorillas and twelve gorilla groups out of this number have been habituated specially for gorilla trekking experience distributed in its four regions. Rushaga in the south o

The kisizi falls; the site of ancient horror

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Located in the district of Rukungiri in the south west of Uganda about 22km to the south of Rukungiri district headquarters, Kisizi falls is a remarkable beautiful site that counts on the list of Uganda safari attractions not only because of its beauty but also its history At 46km north of Kabale which is the largest town in the Sub region standing at the geographical coordinates of 00 59 45S, 29 57 44E, the impressive Kisizi falls is positioned on River Rushoma that flows south west along the extended valley arising from the Muhanga area before falling for 30m below and then continuing to the north east emptying into Lake Edward another unique features always visited by travelers on safaris in Uganda . The greatness of the Kisizi falls goes beyond the beauty. It can be noted that traditionally, Kisiizi falls was a tragic place in the ancient Kigezi area where the girls that would get pregnant before the marriage would be thrown down the rock just like the waters and su

local conservationists to be rewarded at the Rwanda’s kwita izina ceremony

Rwanda standing in the heart of Africa is a famous destination whose popularity has been championed both by the bad and the good. Considering the series of unstable events that characterized its politics right from 1959 culminating into the 1994 Rwandan genocide, it is surprising and energizing to see this country again ranking in the fast growing economies on the African continent. Rwanda safaris have rejuvenated and apparently tourism stands among the main foreign exchange earners for Rwanda. Organizing one of her annual events called Kwita Izina in special commemoration of her mountain gorillas that are behind the flourishing of gorilla safaris in Rwanda , the Rwanda Development Board has resolved to reward a range of local people that have played a significant role in the conservation of mountain gorillas along with other wild game. Scheduled to occur on the 5th September of this year at Kinigi in the district of Musaze where a count of twenty four (24) baby gorillas

Serena hotels secures 20 million us dollars from proparco

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The Serena Hotels Group which is a top notch hospitality investment in East Africa an Asia operating in various countries including Uganda where the affluent Uganda safari undertakers spend their nights while in Kampala is in the joyous moods after securing a twenty (20) million United States Dollar loan to redevelop and refurbish its establishments. The refurbishment and the redevelopment process which is slated to commence next year (2016) will be facilitated by the loan which has been secured from the French Development Agency named Proparco. The fund facility is aimed at funding the capital expenditure that is required by the Portfolio of Kenyan lodges, hotels and Camps as noted by the TPS Eastern Africa managing director Mahmud Janmohamed. It is noted that the first priority is Nairobi Serena Hotel which will see the new conference center built along with banqueting services, public places and bed rooms. This will be to the addition of the company’s ongoing refu

Serena hotels secures 20 million us dollars from proparco

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The Serena Hotels Group which is a top notch hospitality investment in East Africa an Asia operating in various countries including Uganda where the affluent Uganda safari undertakers spend their nights while in Kampala is in the joyous moods after securing a twenty (20) million United States Dollar loan to redevelop and refurbish its establishments. The refurbishment and the redevelopment process which is slated to commence next year (2016) will be facilitated by the loan which has been secured from the French Development Agency named Proparco. The fund facility is aimed at funding the capital expenditure that is required by the Portfolio of Kenyan lodges, hotels and Camps as noted by the TPS Eastern Africa managing director Mahmud Janmohamed. It is noted that the first priority is Nairobi Serena Hotel which will see the new conference center built along with banqueting services, public places and bed rooms. This will be to the addition of the company’s ongoing refu

The local communities around bwindi impenetrable national park plant tea instead of a barrier wall to stop wildlife encroachment

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The Uganda gorilla safari destination of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in the south west of Uganda stands with a minimum of 400 mountain gorillas which is close to a half of the world’s entire population of mountain gorillas some of which are habituated and others still in their wild state These gorillas had the habit of encroaching on gardens of the local people thus affecting their harvests something that actually posed a threat to gorillas as the conflict created would result into the local people poaching the gorillas and threatening their continued existence. A count of over 30, 000 residents in the areas of Nteko and Rubuguri under their umbrella association of Nkuringo Community Conservation Development Foundation in 2006 pleaded to the government to have a permanent separator wall constructed to separate them from the protected area of Bwindi – the home of gorillas normally encountered on gorilla safari in Uganda and other wildlife including the elephants.

Visiting the Uganda wildlife education center (uwec)

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UWEC is one of the fun filled and exciting Uganda safari destinations that are close to Kampala city. Whether one is interested in just viewing wild game or learning about them in detail exploring how they eat, talk and play, the Uganda Wildlife Education Center is the ideal place to go. Initially formed in the year 1952 by the then British colonial government to act as a reception center for the injured, orphaned, sick and the rescued animals, UWEC later changed to a traditional zoo and named Entebbe Zoo in the 1960s and this name still appears in the heads of most Ugandans and the foreigners who might have visited it during their safaris in Uganda in those days. It can be noted that during that period, the zoo included the non-native Species such as tigers and bears which were kept just as attractions to be encountered in safari in Uganda . In the year 1994, the UWEC Trust came into existence and took over the zoo with the aim of Conservation education. The Uganda

The hippos in Uganda take a new habitat in kyamwiga Crater Lake

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Hippopotamus which are among the famous aquatic Uganda safari Species are greatly found in the water bodies in protected areas including the Kazinga Channel, Lake George and Lake Edward in Queen Elizabeth National Park, the River Nile in Murchison Falls Park, Lake Mburo in Lake Mburo National Park among other sites and form interesting features impressive to the travelers on safaris in Uganda Adding to the list of their wonders, the Hippos occupied a new habitat where they never existed previously. Straying from the water bodies in the National Park of Queen Elizabeth, over thirty (30) Hippopotamus took control of the Kyamwiga Crater Lake which is within the human settled areas in the Sub County of Katerera in the district of Rubirizi. The local people are in intense fear of the new creatures since they can be dangerous to human life. These animals are noted to have spent some time in this lake having occupied it in the month of February early this year. They are not

The Uganda ’s cultural institutions turn to tourism for sustainability

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Uganda in her constitution of 1995 recognizes the hereditary cultural institutions which used to exist before the coming of the republican government. these cultural institutions of buganda, bunyoro been of interest to world travelers including those on safaris in Uganda and toro were able to restore their monarchical governments when they were granted the rights of kingdoms while others are chiefdoms. for example the kingdom to do so and apparently are well functioning. other chiefdoms in the country such as the Acholi also exist and because of them being custodians of the culture, they have for long. Initially, the travelers visiting these palaces and the controlled cultural sites would be considered like any other guest and in traditional Africa there was no way how they could be charged. Instead, they would be welcomed and then offered a seat followed by a drink and food and then attend to his interest for visiting. However, it can be noted that with the changin

The kob antelope

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Listed as Least Concern by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Kob belongs to the Animalia Kingdom, Chordata Phylum, Mammalia class, Artiodactyla Class, Bovidae family, Reduncinae Sub family, Kobus genus and Kobus kob Species. The Kob antelope is spread to the parts of Sub Saharan Africa stretching from South Sudan to Senegal including Uganda where it is always encountered on Uganda safaris . Greatly found along the northern savannah, the Kob antelope is greatly encountered in the Uganda safari parks of Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth, the Congo’s Virunga and Garamba National Parks and the flood grassy plains of South Sudan. The Kob antelopes are majorly found in the wet areas including the flood plains where they always consume grasses. They have a patchy distribution from the west of Africa to the Central East Africa inhabiting flat areas with open landscape that is close to permanent water featuring a reliable climate. The Kobs enjoy

Uganda to restock the black rhinoceros in wildlife reserves

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The black Rhinoceros just like white Rhinoceros are species of Rhinos which thrived in Uganda until early 1980s and attracted considerable number of world travelers to undertake safaris to Uganda to encounter them in their natural habitats. Following the unstable political situation in Uganda in the years of 1970s and 80s which have considerable adverse effects even on conservation, the country has embarked on the vigorous conservation development to ensure the Species regeneration and restocking those that had faced unfortunate extinction from the Uganda safari sites. The white Rhinos saw themselves getting re-introduced in the year 2005 and are now settled at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary under the breed and re-stock programme waiting to be re-introduced in the wilderness of the adjacent Murchison Falls National Park one of the famous sites encountered by travelers on safaris in Uganda The Uganda Wildlife Authority that is charged with management of Uganda’s wildlife hint

Miss tourism Uganda to be crowned on 28th august 2015

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Uganda is not only endowed by remarkable physical features but also notable people which have always lured the Uganda safari undertakers into remarkable wonder. Miss Tourism Uganda has been specially designed to bring out the people part of Uganda and its contribution to the tourism development The destination Uganda has been partitioned into ten (10) tourism clusters where by each tourism cluster forwards representatives who are got from a tight competition at the cluster level. Apparently there are thirty three (33) girls who are representing the mentioned clusters and only one of these is destined to be crowned Miss Tourism Uganda at Kampala Serena Hotel on 28th August 2015 an event that is open to everyone with interest including travelers on safaris in Uganda The selected beauty Queen is planned to undertake a considerable role of promoting Uganda and also to represent Uganda at the Miss Tourism World in the Vietnam’s Long bay on the 31st of October 2015 thus raisi

Miss tourism Uganda to be crowned on 28th august 2015

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Uganda is not only endowed by remarkable physical features but also notable people which have always lured the Uganda safari undertakers into remarkable wonder. Miss Tourism Uganda has been specially designed to bring out the people part of Uganda and its contribution to the tourism development The destination Uganda has been partitioned into ten (10) tourism clusters where by each tourism cluster forwards representatives who are got from a tight competition at the cluster level. Apparently there are thirty three (33) girls who are representing the mentioned clusters and only one of these is destined to be crowned Miss Tourism Uganda at Kampala Serena Hotel on 28th August 2015 an event that is open to everyone with interest including travelers on safaris in Uganda The selected beauty Queen is planned to undertake a considerable role of promoting Uganda and also to represent Uganda at the Miss Tourism World in the Vietnam’s Long bay on the 31st of October 2015 thus rai

Birding in Uganda

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Uganda known as paradise for birds is one of the countries with the highest percentage of birds’ species in Africa with over 50% of the continent’s birds and 11% of the global birds. The country has been identified as a best destination for birding by the African bird club with Bwindi impenetrable national park coming in the first position and Murchison coming in the third position. Around half of the African bird species are found in Uganda and thus making it the most rewarding to undertake birding safaris in Uganda . Just within Kampala city, the busiest city in Uganda, birders can identify and note about 300 species of birds. This is all thanks to the rich diversity of habitats for the birds. A range of bird species can also be explored on the Lake Victoria’s shores. Mabamba wetland is one of the outstanding birding sites and wetland of global significance. The wetland also provides tourists the opportunity of encountering the rare shoe bill, blue swallow, the thr

Mountain gorillas of Uganda

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Uganda being a small landlocked country is one of the blessed countries in Africa to habituate the mountain gorillas which are critically endangered. The country is the luckiest to habituate the largest number of this species found in two of her beautiful national parks of Bwindi and Mgahinga presenting a rich ground for Uganda gorilla safaris . Mountain gorillas are found or stay in troops/family headed by a male adult silver back. The male silver bucks are called by their names because they have silver-colored hair which develops on their backs as they age. The silverback controls the movement of the group and leads them to suitable feeding sites all year round. Mountain Gorillas mainly feed on vegetation and they use their morning hours to look for food and afternoon hours to relax. The afternoon hours (relaxing time) are very important for the mountain gorillas, this is the time they spend to interact and create good relationship within the group. Coming to night ho

The katonga river

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The Katonga River is positioned in the south west of Uganda forming one of the Uganda safari attractions that world traveler may wish to encounter. The River is noted initially to have been flowing west wards to Lake George before the uplifting on the western side of Uganda altered its direction. The regional uplifting made the river Katonga to bounce since it could not go over the raised Albertine rift valley and thus flowed east wards taking advantage of the swampy region that was formed to the Lake Wamala’s south west as its new water shed and then gathering more water from a range of tributaries that empty into it before it flows to empty itself in the gigantic Victoria Lake which is also a popular site always visited by travelers on safaris in Uganda . The swampy water shed where Katonga River derives its waters is positioned at about 0°13'N 30°39'E close to Katonga Wildlife Reserve around 120km from Lake Victoria. In the rainy season, the water levels ten

Uganda on the move to revive museums and host a milk exhibition

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The destination Uganda is preparing to host a famous milk exhibition under the new collaborative umbrella among Uganda National Museum, the Uganda Tourism Board and the University of Zurich’s ethnographic Museum, an event that is believed to attract counts of people to undertake safaris to Uganda The Swiss Anthropologist Mr. Rahael Schwere visited Uganda in the previous week and Director of Igongo Cultural Center who is also Uganda Tourism Board’s chair Mr. James Tumusiime noted in his address during the visit that the collaboration will aim at transforming the information about culture in order to stimulate the Uganda safari undertakers to pick interest in visiting the heritage sites, museums and monuments in the country. The need to undertake the lifting of monuments, Museums and other heritage sites so as to ensure tourism promotion and developing other products that can be visited by travelers on safaris in Uganda besides national park is indeed vital for Uganda. M

Adventure filled weekend in Kampala

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Kampala is in the moods of exploring its potential in the cycling adventure. Hosting the first of its kind, adventure cycling is a novelic Uganda safari product that will see the city taken by storm tomorrow. The morning of Sunday, the enthusiastic riders are dedicated to engage in three distinct categories which are fun filled presenting challenging encounters including amazing climbs that will make the participants including those on safari in Uganda get lured into magical excitement The major attraction is the race of 12km where the riders are subjected to the undulating landscapes of the road that moves out of Akii-bua stadium at the Lugogo area winding around the Lugogo by pass before joining Jinja road police Junction then turning left to Kamwokya passing through Mulago then Garden City and eventually back to Lugogo. The more experienced competitors will engage in a 25km race which is a typical mountain biking challenge that can be participated in by a range of

The national rhino strategy launched in Uganda

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Uganda is credited to have launched the ten (10) year National Rhino Strategy. The Uganda’s Minister for Tourism Wildlife and Antiquities launched the strategic plan in the country’s capital Kampala at the onset of the three (3) days deliberation that was conducted at Kampala Sheraton Hotel with attendance of counts of industry participants both local and international. It can be noted that at the turn of the 20th century, the western explorers ventured into safaris to Africa including Uganda safaris captivated by rolling wilderness landscapes and savannah plains. A number of them including the Britain’s Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Theodore Roosevelt the American President and a naturalist traveled to Uganda. During such times, exploration was coupled with big game hunting and shooting of wildlife was a common phenomenon. In fact on the cover of his book African Journeys, Churchill poses with a dead Rhino in the Uganda safari destination of Ajai Wildlife Reserv

Diner en blanc returns tonight in Kigali Rwanda

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The Party enthusiasts get on the pre-arranged buses and transfer to the venue and with no compromise dressed in a white attire carrying food and drink to the venue. It is a big day in Kigali tonight and travelers on safaris in Rwanda are free to join. The Diner en Blanc is an event that is internationally celebrated and apparently features in various cities of the world since it was initiated in 1988 in France aiming at enhancing elegance, friendship and a feeling of community hood between the attendees. Kigali is credited to have been the first city in Africa to host the Diner en Blanc event at Gacuriro in the year 2012 where counts of people participated including Rwanda safari undertakers. It can be noted that Diner en Blanc goes beyond the dinner thing that is filled with impressive food and drinks. The Illume Creative Studio’s Creative Director Anne Mazimhaka acknowledges that the event intends to join the Rwanda’s Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events (MI

A New Hotel constructed in Bulera Rwanda to promote tourism

Bulera District one of the prime Rwanda safari destinations is embarking on the construction of a new hotel that is aimed at enhancing tourism development in the area. The new Hotel in the names of Burera Beach Resort Hotel is located in the Kagogo Sector at Lake Bulera and Ruhondo shores. The Noguchi Holdings Limited a Japanese firm is undertaking the construction of the new hotel which is estimated to consume about Rwf350 million with the work completed in December. The initiative had been heavily welcomed by the local Authorities including the District Mayor Samuel Sembagare who noted that absence of hotels was a stumbling block to the district’s tourism development since travellers on safaris in Rwanda would hardly get where to sleep while visiting the area. Bulera District at the moment features two (2) hotels which appear not enough compared to the tourist arrivals in the district. The new hotel is estimated to increase finances that are realized by the district

The study move to fund ecosystems launched by United Nations and Nema

The Project aimed at identifying the financial gaps that exist in the conservation of ecosystems in Uganda have been launched by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) along with National Environment Management Authority (NEMA). The Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) project aiming at identification of how much and how to pull finances for the conservation of forests, lakes and wetlands among other natural resources that form crucial Uganda safari products have been initiated. The Country Director of UNDP Ms. Almaz Gebru while launching the project in Jinja last week noted that BIOFIN aims at utilizing the economic and financial lens to gain broader understanding of the eco-systems and how to ensure their effective management vis-à-vis continued destruction. An example of how Uganda depends on water regulation from forests, the wildlife for wildlife safaris in Uganda , food from sustainable agriculture, healthy rivers and lakes for energy, fish along othe

The Ugandan Mangabey; a Novelic primate species in Uganda

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The Ugandan Mangabey also known as the Lophocebus ugandae is noted to a descendant of old world monkey that is restricted to Uganda alone. Initially thought to be belonging to the grey cheeked mangabey populations, the famous taxonomist Colin Gloves undertook the upgrade of the Ugandan section to new Species and named them L. Ugandae. The realization of these new species occurred when the Professor realized that they are smaller than the known grey-cheeked mangabey and also has a shorter skull and a relatively smaller face. Adding to the group of 19 Species of Primates that are available in Uganda and highly sought after by travelers on primate safaris in Uganda , the Ugandan Mangabey can be explored right here in Mabira forest that is positioned at 60km from Kampala city. Groves noted that when he revised his research which he carried out three decades past, it was revealed that these Species were smaller compared to their colleagues in different parts of the world. In