Uganda Tours, Uganda Safaris, Gorilla Safari News , Uganda Travel & safari

Uganda wildlife authority (UWA) officials on Monday captured a young crocodile in Kinyogoga sub-county in Nakaseke district. The crocodile was then relocated to Buwama Crocodile farm in Mpigi district.

The team finally captured one of the crocodiles suspected to be 12 years with the help of two fishermen and residents using nets and snares in a three-day-long operation, “Save Crocodile’’.

The crocodiles are believed to have come with the massive floods that swept them from River Kafu about a decade ago. However, the prolonged drought that has devastated parts of the cattle corridor prompted the commandant of the school and UWA to relocate the reptiles, which had taken refugee in the mud within the dam.

Vanice Mirembe, the in-charge of problem animals at UWA, yesterday said they would return later to capture the remaining two crocodiles.

The area is part of the Kafu basin that is still populated with wild animals such as antelopes and buffaloes.

uganda tourism news

Uganda wildlife authority (UWA) collected over shs1 billion from tourists between December 15, 2005 and January 15, 2006. This collection came midst increased numbers of visitors to national parks around the country. The number of visitors totalled 11,622 up from 8,213 in 2004.

According to uwa acting executive director, Mr. Damian Akankwansa, about 5,000 Ugandans and 1,664 east African (Tanzanians and Kenyans) visited various national parks namely; Queen Elizabeth, lake Mburo, Murchison falls.

The growth of tourism activities and the subsequent revenue collected is attributed to a growing number of visitors from the East African region. More Ugandans are also taking to visiting national parks. uwa has also recruited a professional marketing manager to oversee the promotion and exposure of the countries tourist activities and facilities.

Akankwansa said uwa provided a one-month 50 percent discount on park entry fees to all Ugandans and a 25-pecent cut for the rest of the east African residents. Ugandans pay an entrance fee of shs 5,000 while EastAfrican residents pay $15 (shs27,000). Other visitors pay $20 (shs36,000).

Akankwansa was speaking during a press meeting at uwa head offices in Kampala on Monday. Uganda’s tourism sector has adopted a proactive approach, inorder to revitalize activities that can increase the sector’s share of Gross domestic product. (GDP)

A part from last year’s us-based discovery channel film that was aired and subsequently attracted international attention, the government injected one million dollars to advertise the country’s economic and tourism potential on CNN

Uganda tourism news

Uganda has another opportunity to expose and market Uganda’s tourism potential to the world.
A media crew from the UK will soon visit to film the country’s tourism attractions featuring the source of the River Nile and its environs, Jinja town and Lake Victoria, for a popular BBC1 Prime Time travel series.

This development comes after the recent filming of Uganda’s tourist attractions by the US-based Discovery Channel, which film featured President Y.K. Museveni as the lead presenter of Uganda’s sites and tourist activities.

Industry commentators say that since the release of the Discovery Channel film there has been a significant increase in the number of visitors to Uganda and by end of 2005 the number of tourists was expected to hit 600,000.

The UTB General Manager, Mr. James Bahinguza said that the board is extremely pleased to get this exposure for Uganda on prime television in the United Kingdom, since Uganda recognizes the UK as one of its key markets. The filming is to be facilitated by Uganda Tourist Board.

The filming which is expected to start in March 2006 is to be produced by Tiger Aspect Productions, a leading independent television network in the UK and Victoria Wood, one of Britain’s popular comedians.

uganda tourism news

Apoka Safari Lodge located in Kidepo National Park in northeastern Uganda that has been under renovation and is set to turn into a top tourism destination.

Kidepo, which borders Sudan and Kenya, has great scenic beauty comprising the windswept grasslands and rare animals like cheetahs, ostriches, hyenas, lions, elephants and large herds of buffaloes.

Jonathan Wright, the investor under Uganda Safari Company Ltd said that Apoka now worth $1m (sh1.8b) in investments, is a new product from what is offered in western Uganda. It is to provide luxury accommodation in one of the remotest parts of the country and could accommodate between 20 to 30 guests per night.

Apoka, which is to be launched in March at a ceremony where the Netherlands ambassador is expected to attend, would attract high spenders and has been earmarked for international market and to promote domestic tourism.

Wright said Apoka was built in the 1950s, but has been turned into a luxury lodge with a swimming pool that is almost complete after 14 months of reconstruction. It is a dry land savannah that is comparable to nothing, with its only problem being remote.

The lodge will be opening with its first clients mid next month and the clients would be flying from Entebbe and later from Kenya.The lodge is a sign of the developing hospitality sector in Uganda, promoting tourism and hospitality services in the country.

Uganda tourism news

The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund working to secure the survival of gorillas in their natural environment in Central Africa has relocated to Uganda from Rwanda.
In an interview with The New Vision one of Uganda’s leading daily new papers reporters, Joyce Kigozi, the operations manager for The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund in Kampala, said they were inaugurating diverse programmes in western Uganda. She says they would undertake conservation activities in Rwanda and DRC.

Uganda Safari News

Inorder to conserve the environment, the National Forest Authority (NFA) has allocated 11,390 various tree species of seedlings to be planted in areas affected by deforestation. National forestry Authority (NFA) also invested more than Shs10 million in this project of re-afforestration.

NFA Communication Officer Gaster Kiyingi said NFA is trying to implement government policies on national forest and tree planting. “There are special reasons for which the forests are reserved that is why in 1992, the government evicted encroachers from Mabira, Kibaale and Mt Elgon reserves. Government should not at anytime give away the reserves as political donations to appease certain groups,” he said.

Most of the trees including Meosopisis, Mvule, Tarminaria, Grallveria, Melicia seedlings among others, have been planted in compartment 175 with 17 hectares covered. The new process of reconciling environment with development will also create future income generating activities for the locals living around Mabira Forest.

Conservation of the environment has boosted tourism in Uganda with forests being a tourist attraction for wildlife, bird watching and ecotourism.

uganda news

Zealous mountain climbers who have always longed to climb the mighty majestic Rwenzori Mountains but were someway stuck due to safety concerns have a cause to smile now.
The UWA executive director, Mr. Moses Mapesa said the training represents a functional partnership between UWA and the private sector to offer better services to the tourists. The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), with the aid of several development partners, has contracted a US-based organization; National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) to train 30 guides in the technical and modern skills of mountaineering, which include risk management, wilderness medical services and emergency procedures.

Fondly referred to as ‘the mountains of the moon’ by geographers and tourists, the Rwenzoris are considered quite challenging because of the huge peaks and glaciers as well as many marshy areas. Safety issues are therefore uppermost for many potential climbers, and this has often led to urgent calls for an intensive training for the tour guides.

The 30 guides are employees of UWA and Rwenzori Mountaineering Services (RMS), a community-based organisation obligated for providing guiding services to the tourists climbing the Rwenzori.

RMS recently signed a new 30-year concessions contract with UWA, which requires them to provide superlative services to the tourists wishing to climb the Rwenzori Mountains.
To pursue this, UWA solicited and received support from the European Union, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), World Wide Fund (WWF) and UNESCO in funding a training program that will last two months beginning January 2006.

NOLS program co-ordinator, Darran Wells who is in Uganda to work on budding a risk venture plan said that a major component of the training would be in Wilderness First Aid, a unique first aid program designed specially for mountains. They will also train the guides in the use of specialized mountain equipment. Well said that all instructors will stay up in the mountains with the guides teaching them first aid skills, emergency procedures and how to plan for risky situations and this will take a month .
The program, which is the first of its kind in 10 years in Uganda, will cost nearly US$70, 000.
Despite being proficient at climbing the Rwenzoris, this being their homeland, most RMS guides and porters lack the adequate skills for guiding tourists up the mountains.

Mr. Bill Farmer, a technical advisor at UWA said that the tour operators have always been reluctant to take tourists on the mountains because of safety issues and they have been pushing for training. He added that the question in the past has been how safe are the visitors in the mountains. Now that that doubt about how safe the Rwenzoris are is no longer there, then there also across the world visitors demand that staff taking them up the mountain should be trained to a high degree.

Uganda Safari news

Kahinda Otafiire has said that the Ugandan Government has plighted to depopulate encroachers on South Busoga Forest Reserve in Mayuge district, water, lands and environment minister Maj. Gen.

He said the exercise targets over 450 families, the majority claiming ancestral inheritance.Otafiire was addressing a rally at Mutagisa primary school in Bukatabira parish, Mayuge district on Monday.

Accompanied by the NRM eastern region team headed by their chairperson Capt. Mike Mukula and officials from the National Forestry Authority, Otafiire told residents that the Government was aware of their concerns.

And it had known better about the suffering and plight these people were facing . He urged them not to do any more encroachment on the reserve because the Government is ready to resettle those who have already built houses. Otafiire said that he will do his best , if it means buying land from other district like kabaale , the Government will.

Zainabu Kalikusika of Nakigo village urged the Government to achieve the decision as soon as possible.
Otafiire however requested the residents to ask their leaders to address their problems in Parliament.

He urged district leaders to set up a committee to work with the NFA experts to implement the plan.
Otafiire warned residents against buying the reserve land, saying the titles given to them were illegal.

Uganda safari news

A new Board of Directors for parastatal institutions has been inaugurated under the ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industries (MTTI), with an intention to help in promoting, expanding and diversifying trade among other sectors and countries.

A 44-man team was appointed to head the five Boards by the MTTI boss, Mr. Daudi Migereko. The boards and the Chairpersons for each Board include; The Governing Council for the Management Training Advisory Center (MTAC)-Mr. David Nyende, National Standards Council for Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS)-Mr. William Mamiima Ssali, Uganda Tourist Board (UTB)- Mr. Ronak Pratap Madhvani, Uganda Export Promotions Board (UEPB)-Dr Robert Steven Muyanja, and the Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI)-Prof. J. Ssebuwufu.

Migereko, who cautioned trade institutions against depending of government funding, that it reduces production levels, said that the boards If put to optimum use, are expected to create sustainable industrialisation and technology; promote conservation and sustainable use of the country’ diverse bio-diversity and national heritage.

Uganda tourism news

The tourism industry in Uganda could gain from Eco-tourism, a type of tourism which is cheap and easy to execute because the flora, fauna and cultural heritage.

Tourism is changing rapidly, as nature, heritage and recreational destinations become more important and more developed. This enhances Eco-tourism as the fastest growing market in the tourism industry according to the World Tourism Organization 2005 report.

Uganda hosted 500,000 visitors last year that brought about $400 million in service export earnings due to its several primary attractions, like climate and green landscape as well as its rich culture, bird and animal life. These need development and growth, thus presenting a challenge to the government and private enterprise to develop the latest approaches to the tourism market.

Tourism should benefit the local communities, enhance economic and cultural growth, to give incentives to protect the natural resources which create the attraction.
This will also give an opportunity to the sector to respond to the challenges of poverty eradication, dependency on foreign investment, as well as social and ecological factors.

Uganda faces competition from countries like Egypt, which earns $2 billion in tourism. Therefore Standards of hotels plus other accommodations need to be rated, certification is required, guidelines need to be put in place, building capacity of the various stakeholders, and a policy on Eco-tourism be designed before Uganda aspires for more numbers.

Uganda tourism news