Travel News, African Safari Updates

The stunningly beautiful Bujagali Falls lies some ten kilometres below Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake and source of the River Nile. Although lacking a single massive drop of the kind that generally earns waterfalls their fame, the Bujagali are distinctive because of the sheer volume of water cascading over the series of low rapids that would otherwise be unremarkable. The luxuriant vegetation covering the river banks and islands, and the startling diversity of bird life attracted by the multitude of fish.

This peaceful corner of Uganda, not far from the country’s second city of Jinja, might well have remained relatively obscure, save to local residents and the young travelers. The water race swiftly down the river and out of sight, as another huge rapid thunders a warning to our sturdy rafts. This is at water rafting outing at Bujagali dam. This is one of the impressive tourism activities in this part of Uganda. As one makes their way through the white water, a huge wave washed over the left of the raft, drenching everyone on that side and followed by piercing screams of excitement from them. The wave continues to blossom skyward before collapsing on the raft, and it is difficult to tell if anyone remained on board.

Apart from the outstanding white water rafting, Bujagali, The Source of the Nile and Jinja it self, with oldest colonial urban center has a lot to over. There numerous birds’ species around the Shore of Lake Victoria that contributes a lot to birding activity In Uganda. Travel Hemispheres offers the birding experience of Lake Victoria, Combined with Ngamba for chimpanzees and Bulago island as well with lots of bird life.

A lot of Money has been injected by the Ministry of Tourism to promote tourism during and after the Commonwealth Summit. The commissioner for tourism, Grace said the ministry has started building a cultural village at the Uganda Museum, which will have a tent housing the cultural heritage for each of the ethnic groups in Uganda. She further added that the contract for constructing the cultural village has been awarded to Matrix Construction Company.  Another company, Plan Build Technical Services, has been contracted to renovate the Uganda Museum galleries, while Wedding Niceties (U) Ltd has won the contract to set up mobile toilets, tents, banners, scroll stands, platforms and lighting at the Uganda Museum and the National Theatre.

The ministry has also contracted Uganda Film and Television Institute to produce a documentary on Uganda’s cultural diversity. For instance monument will be set up behind the Parliamentary Building for Uganda’s commemoration of CHOGM.  The e ministry had started making a tourism catalogue on Uganda’s cultural activities. Graphic Systems (U) Ltd has been contracted to produce the catalogues to help shaw case Ugandas biodiversity.  There also underway plan to renovate Kasubi Tombs and Namugongo Martyrs’ Shrine, which are expected to attract the highest number of tourists after CHOGM.

Commonwealth heads of Governments meeting CHOGM is due November, that summit will help boost tourism in Uganda. Tour areas have also been already identified where delegates will be for a leisurely excursion. Queen Elizabeth National Park and most likely the source of the Nile are one of the places most likely to be visited.

African civil Aviation Authorities are opposed to the introduction of Carbon Miles an Environmental tax being imposed by the European Union on the airlines Industry. The officials say carbon miles will undermine developing countries enterprising export markets, which rely heavily on domestic airlines.

An experts meeting in Nairobi last month also complained that giant European airlines continue to dominate the African skies while protecting their own. They argued that the international Civil Aviation Organization should be the exclusive institution mandate to regulate greenhouse gas emission in the aviation industry. The experts particularly took issues with the EU ban last year, on African carriers from entering their airspace on grounds that they do not meet acceptable international air safety standards. The African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) President said that such decisions to ban any airline should be vested with the International Institutions like ICAO. African airlines offer great opportunities of flying safaris to African tourism destinations and National Parks like Flying Safaris to Ugandan National Parks for instance to Bwindi National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kidepo National, Murchison fall and Kibale among others. Aeroclub flight offers this opportunity that Travel hemispheres is proud to be associated with. Kenya airways also offer such opportunities to Kenya national parks and the rest of tourism destinations in Africa including Tanzania, South Africa among others. Different airlines fly to different tourism destinations of Africa leaving out no one to experience nature in its natural habitat.

THE Ugandan second top attractions, chimpanzees one of them turn 43 as the oldest.    The birthday party had been delayed for two weeks to teach him table manners and how to cut the cake. But surrounded by hundreds of guests, the dominant male known as Zakayo would not be bothered and turned away in the disappointment of guests who attended the ceremony. The king of the chimps of Budongo Island, who turned 43, lifted his heavy body and walked slowly towards the fence where his cake was being held out for him, only to squat down and ignore all calls from his minders to cut the cakes.

One of the keepers Vicent Okello explained that Zakayo does not like crowds thinking people have invaded his territory and feel threatened.  His housemates were less shy. Zakayo’s wife, Amina, wriggled her fingers through the fence, trying to grab a piece of the cake as other chimps jump up and down, screaming and begging.
The caretakers had to insert a banana into the cake to attract Zakayo’s attention but Melee erupted when he stormed the fence, removed out the banana. Zakayo, the alpha male in the Budongo chimpanzee group, was found in June 1972 at Semliki, in Bundibugyo district, when he was still a baby. Suspected poachers had separated him from his parents.

He was taken to Entebbe Zoo on June 19, 1976 after he had become too difficult to manage. But the zoo had run down under the regimes of Idi Amin and Obote II. Zakayo lived in a small cage with concrete floor, together with four other chimps. Visitors would offer him cigarettes and alcohol and tease him, which would make him very angry.

This changed when Entebbe Zoo became the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre. A new home was built for the chimpanzee group on Budongo Island and they now live together happily in a semi-wild setting. Zakayo has sired only one offspring, called Shaka. The marketing manager at the centre Emma Masaba said that Zakayo is very protective and has adopted several younger chimps. But he is also jealous, particularly towards Matooke, a younger male. “Matooke has shown his intentions to take over the group because he has started mating with the females,’’ said Yokoyada Mukasa, the keeper.

Zakayo spends most of his time resting, grooming or being groomed by his two wives, Amina and Ruth. His favourite food is eggplants, tangerines and jackfruit. The chimpanzee family eats four times a day. Zakayo still seems to be troubled by the memories of the past, as his guests learned during the party. “He gets upset when there are group fights and instills order and peace,” says Peace Nakitto, a conservation educator at the centre.

Uganda boosts over 4000 chimpanzees making her one of the most primate tourism destination in the globe. Coupled by Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park the country is a habitat for 6000 primates in the country hence one of the great destination for gorilla tours.

The tender to provide vehicles to be used for commonwealth summit have not yet been awarded said the spokesperson for the National Task Force. The procurement process for transport for commonwealth heads of government meeting (CHOGM) guests, delegates and security is still going on and no contract has been awarded to any company for the supply of vehicles. The government has carried out an analysis with genuine suppliers and agents of vehicles, of particulars and factors, on the basis of an affordable option of either rental or backing, which option was not attractive to some dealers at the initial stage.

Tourism industry in Uganda stands great deal to benefit from CHOGM. Besides improvement in infrastructures, tourism bill is to be enacted, and more employments to be created.   Following the indications about Queen Elizabeth National Park and other site in major national parks being identified for possible construction of lodges by the management of Serena hotel Kampala, tourism facilities will as well be improved due to CHOGM.

More Millions of US dollars has yet been released for the beautification of Kampala and Entebbe, as the Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meeting set for November 2007 move nearer and nearer. Most of the undesirable structures and features that are around these two cities are to be done away with them and should not be around by the time of the Summit. The Ugandan local Government Minister confirmed the identification of seven contractors to clean up the city last month.

According to the Minister communications officer, the companies, which include Valley technical Services, won the contract for Entebbe and Centenary Park for Kampala along Jinja Road. Meanwhile the modernization of Jinja Road and Wampewo round about is also targeted to ensure the smooth flow of traffic before CHOGM

Uganda stands to benefit from CHOGM. Parallel special events involving NGOs, business and youth now coincide with each CHOGM. That in any case the agenda of CHOGM 2007, should focus on human rights, rule of law, constitutionalism, independence of the judiciary, democracy, and the situation in northern Uganda. The summit will also help boost tourism in Uganda. Tour areas have also been already identified where delegates will be whisked off for a leisurely excursion and stately luncheon. Among the Tourism areas to be visited includes Bulago Island, Uganda’s romantic luxury island, Ngamba Island, the chimpanzee sanctuary, Queen Elizabeth National Park and most likely the source of the Nile. These are one of the important places in the heart of the country that depicts the natural world and home for different species of birds for birding safaris and other wild fauna.