Once or twice an specific time of the year is reserved  where anglers converge and compete among themselves to catch the Nile perch specie type of fish.  This type of fish could be the largest one can find in fresh waters. A grown up Nile Perch can weigh up to 300 kg . However the common ones range from  50kg - 150kg.

At specific day , the strident blast of the starters whistle at barely- light 6.30am in the morning. All anglers well armed with fishing rods ,lures, gaffs, and  bait , they set off up river the 13 kilometers  towards the falls dodging schools of hippos and massive crocodiles that frequent these wild waters. Even the regular anglers of this park will marvel at the elephants, buffalo, lion, giraffe, that adorn the river banks and the teeming birdlife that squawks and calls in indignation of the strange creatures floating on their river. It is such attractions that make this park unique and  famous for Uganda safaris.

You do not have to miss this if you are sport fisherman . Will enjoy a lot as many as 20 boats ranging from small to medium boats all will form  frantic activity. Apart from Nile perch, there other fish species like cat fish, angara,  grown up tilapia etc.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) the custodian of Uganda national parks should jealously guard this park and take it treasure to Uganda. There are not many national parks in the world where you can legally sport fish and  100kg fish in weight. Provided UWA continues to protect this park as an incredible asset where sport fishermen can catch fish and immediately release all big game alive   this will make tourist flock to Uganda for Uganda tours as well as  providing a good habitat for this unique fish species and wildlife. At the moment , lots of oil have been explored and this park seem to form one the biggest reserves of oil in the near future.  So the wildlife existence  is likely to be in balance at the option of making money from the oil exploration.

Fred Bukenya

This was revealed by Ms. Eunice Mahoro, the Director of Tourism Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) in an interview with East African Business Week.

Mahoro explained virtual gorilla tracking will involve stationing of cameras within Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and trackers will only be able to track gorillas with the help of Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates.

“All this will be possible by one logging on website which will work in the same way as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. Once you befriend a gorilla or gorillas, you will be interacting with your gorilla friend on a weekly basis and you will get updates on the movement of your gorilla friend(s) in Bwindi. And all you do is paying just one dollar or an equivalent in Uganda shillings to any of the mobile telephone networks and you will get yourself a gorilla friend,” Mahoro said.

She said once one ‘buys’ or rather befriends a gorilla; one becomes able to follow births, new relationships and genealogy of your friend, all life long.  Also this will increase uganda tours as many people will gorilla tracking  easy.

“But you do not have to be on the social network site, you can track your gorilla friend on www.friendagorilla.org site by going to the web page Geotrack,” Mahoro said.

She explained that come September 24, the Nshongi gorilla family in Kisoro will be officially launched by tracking this biggest family of gorillas with 34 individual members which has been habituated for tracking recently.

“This is the year of the gorilla and we want to get everyone on board. We shall have many campaigns starting August 31 with gorilla road shows; culminating in a fundraising corporate gala at Kampala Serena Hotel. With the website connection and the gala, we hope to raise about US$2 billion (US$1 million),” Mahoro said. She explained that tourism last year contributed $600m and the biggest chunk came from gorilla  safaris tracking and currently, the tourism sector contributes 4% of the country’s GDP.

 Lilian Nsubuga, the Communication and Public Relations Manager UWA, said the money raised will mostly be used for constructing fully operational clinics around the national park and one project that will be initiated by the community.

This type of system will increase gorilla awareness and increase gorilla safaris in Uganda.

Bemused residents looking at Portuguese tourists Pedro Lobo do Vale and wife Fatima kissing shortly after the plane landed on the highway

Pilot Steve Considine and the passengers, Pedro Lobo do Vale and his wife, Fatima, were unhurt and visibly relieved. Residents came to the rescue of the group and pushed the plane from the road towards Jireh High School.

“We don’t know what happened,” said Pedro Lobo do Vale. “We just saw the plane going down abruptly and the pilot directed it towards the road which he used as a runway.He didn’t speak to us until we came out.”

The tourists arrived in Uganda on Monday and were touring the country on a Uganda safari. “This is an emergency but it is a wonderful experience that we never had before,” said Fatima. “We never came across so many children and native Ugandans and mixed with them so freely.”

The pilot said the plane was about 2,000 metres above the ground when it developed technical problems.

“The engine could not respond. Probably it was failure of the fuel pump to supply the engine.”  Spotting spills of fuel below the left wing of the Cessna plane, he remarked: “This could have been a leakage that led to the low supply of fuel to the engine.” It was the first time he had to do an emergency landing, he added.

By press time, the plane was surrounded by curious revellers. “I am confused on what to do with the passengers. I have called my boss in Kampala to come with a technical team to assist me,” Considine said.

Recently  a group of fourteen  German tourists  arrived in the country  to study opportunities in eco- tourism. The group will also provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Masaka district.

The tourists, who came from Rotenberg, Stuttgart on the southern coast of Germany, will camp at Lwaggulwe, a Catholic parish in Masaka district.

Peter Heisig, the group leader, said they had come to Uganda not only  for Uganda  tours, but also to support water projects in Masaka.

He added that they would also support the construction and renovation of a Covent in the parish, which is under the Masaka Catholic Diocese.

“We have mobilised around 60,000 euros (about sh138m) for these projects. Our friends in Germany, who have not traveled with us, have been part of this contribution,” indicated Heisig.

Heisig said 30,000 euros (sh91.5m) would cater for water projects, while the other 30,000 euros would be used to construct convents for priests and in the renovation of the existing ones.

James Bahinguza, the Uganda Tourism Board general manager, welcomed the group to Uganda at Entebbe Airport last week. He elaborated about Uganda  safaris  which Germany tourists will enjoy when they visit Uganda. He emphasized gorilla safaris that are done in Bwindi and Mgahinga national parks in the southwestern of the country.

By Fred Bukenya

Rwanda received 1,046 Japanese tourists last year but she said this could increase if transport to Rwanda and restrictions in its tourism sector that prevent mass tourism are eased.

Hashimoto accompanied by 17 Japanese officials from the public sector and the tourism industry was in Rwanda ahead of the Asia – Africa Business Forum that concluded last month in Kampala Uganda.

The president of planet Tour Services a Japanese a tour company Emon Tanaka said it takes 30 hours in air from Tokyo to Kigali and it also very difficult for Japanese tour companies to commercialize itineraries for their clients visiting Rwanda for gorillas .

He cited the restricted number of gorilla’s visitors and limited tourism products in Rwanda as some of other reasons that could be limiting Japanese to come Rwanda.

Japanese are big spenders and at least 20 million visit other countries every year. The head of Rwanda Tourism Board Rosette Rugamba  said Rwanda could solve the transport problem if only it gets direct flights to the rest of the world .

Currently Brussels Air lines is the only air liner that connects the country directly to Europe. Rugamba differed with Tanaka saying The challenge is not limited products but its how market them she said birding as a new product currently available in the country.

Rwanda has a permanent embassy in Japan while Japan serves Rwanda through its embassy in Nairobi Kenya. However the Japanese international Cooperation Agency (JICA)has an office  in Kigali.

Through mutual ties between the two countries Rwanda could also sell its tasty Arabica quality coffee and mountain tea to the Japan . The Rwandan importers will also benefit on the cooperation as it will easy for them to access visas.    

Last Year 2008 Travel Hemispheres handled many Japanese  to track gorillas in Rwanda after wildlife tour in Uganda   Japanese clients are interested in more in culture and exploring fellow people way of living and even the pygmies  who used to stay in the forests now where gorillas are living.  Also many Japanese have done Uganda safaris.

Rhinos became extinct in Uganda in the early 1980’s. This is the time Uganda was experiencing political upheavals and wildlife was not given protection. Rhinos were hunted down for their precious horn.  

The calf was born on Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Nakitoma on the evening of the 24^th June 2009.

NANDI one of the rhinos received from Disney Animal Kingdom gave birth to her and UgandaR17;s first calf last night. 

Nandi was introduced in the Ziiwa Rhino Ranch located north-west of Kampala around 170 Km on Gulu Highway.  This the same road that takes tourists on Uganda safaris to Murchison falls. Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary has allowed Rhinos to be introduced in the wild once again in Uganda. After rhinos have multiplied will be re introduced in Uganda national parks once again. The sanctuary is 70km square and is a beautiful wild area already offer visitors one of Uganda tours highlights.  

“Mother  Nandi is currently feeding well and the calf. There will be no disturbance in the meantime the calf is learning  to feed while  suckling …..  so all is well !!” said Angie

Unfortunately no tracking will be done to the mother and calf until such time as we are completely sure that it will be safe for the rhinos and the tourists. 
Rhino tracking will however continue to the rest of the herd.  Nandi is currently on her own with the calf.