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

The Uganda Wildlife Authority has put up new tariffs for national parks and game reserves which take effect on August 1 for Uganda tourists destinations.
The destinations include; Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls, Bwindi Impenetrable, Rwenzori Mountains, Kibale, Lake Mburo, Mugahinga Gorilla and Kidepo Valley National Parks. Entry fee for foreign tourists to the parks has increased from $20 per adult for one day to $25, while a two-day visit remains at $35.Foreign tourists wishing to stay for three or more days will pay $50 per adult.

The fee for a gorilla-tracking permit has increased from $360 to $375 for foreign tourists, and from $340 to $355 for East African residents. Though the it t remained at ShS100, 000 for Ugandans natives.

Foreign tourists visiting category B protected areas will pay $20 for a one-day visit. Ugandan adults will pay Shs3,000. National parks and wildlife reserves in category B are Mt Elgon, Semiliki, Katonga Wildlife Reserve and Pian-Upe Wildlife Reserve.

Other tariffs that changed included the launch cruise fees, game drives.
Chimpanzee tracking at Kibaale National Park was hiked from USD 50 to USD 70 among others.

UWA changed these prices in a bid to get commission for the communities around the tourists’ destinations and it was confirmed that 20% will go to the communities around the National park.

BY Namisi

Uganda Safari News

“Uganda: Gifted by Nature,” the brand Uganda initiative, has been registered as an NGO.
Patrick Bitature, the Simba Telecom proprietor, was elected to chair the NGO’s steering committee to propel and market the Uganda brand.

The committee is a private-public partnership seeking to promote Uganda’s natural and human endowments, the committee said in a statement.

Odrek Rwabwoogo of the TERP PR Group will steer the operations sub-committee and Stephen Asiimwe of the East African Business Week newspaper will chair the communications sub-committee.

Ignie Igunduura, the Civil Aviation Authority public relations manager, was elected the vice-chairman and brand spokesman.

Irene Wanyenya of the Uganda National Bureau of Standards, will head the standards and certification sub-committee, while MTN’s Winnie Lawoko will chair the finance and funding sub-committee.

The committee has already set in motion a number of activities geared at keeping the country’s new brand high and flying. The Gifted by Nature Incorporated, a company limited by guarantee, was registered in April.

Uganda Safari News

He kept under the shelter of shrubs to escape the blazing sun, not aware that he would soon celebrate his 42nd birthday at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre in Entebbe.

At 5:30pm, 13 members gathered around Budongo Island where he and nine family members live, to cut a 2kg birthday cake.

At first, members were worried the chimp would refuse to attend the party. However, after a few minutes, the wrinkled Zakayo could be seen finding his way between the shrubs that cover the island.

With his elbows on his knees and his palms on the forehead, he looked so tired as if old age was finally taming his strength.

In a procession of three of his caretakers, two visitors, three journalists and four pupils from Makindye Citizens primary school and their teacher, the party was ready to begin.

The knife is ready on the fruitcake and as the guests sing ‘happy-birthday’, Zakayo checks around to make sure there are no intruders. A certain lady called Nakitto said that it would be dangerous to hand over the knife to him. “An animal remains an animal and would be dangerous to leave him with a knife.’’

Zakayo received his piece but gently handed it over to the young one, Shaka. Sitting back, he waited for all to get a piece before he picked his share.

He bit his cake bite by bite and like any other chimp, he munched the cake rolling it between his upper jaw and the tongue.
Zakayo, an alpha male in the chimpanzee group, was found in June 1972 at Semliki, in Bundibugyo district. He was surrendered to Entebbe Zoo on June 19, 1976.

Nakitto says Zakayo’s date of birth is not known but that the party was organised to show care to animals and honour of the 21st Congress of the International Primatological Society. More than 1,000 delegates attended the congress at Imperial Resort Hotel in Entebbe.

By NAMISI

Uganda Safari News

The Ambassador, Mr. Steven Browning, visited US government HIV-AIDS, economic development and environmental projects and met with officials and local community representatives in the districts of Mbarara, Ntungamo, Kabale and Kisoro.

The trip, the fourth in a series of organised travel for the newly posted ambassador, is aimed at acquainting him with various regions of the country.

In Mbarara, Browning visited Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) where US Educational Advising Satellite Centre is housed by the MUST library. The centre provides information and counselling to students in western Uganda interested in pursuing educational opportunities at colleges and universities in the US.

At the university’s teaching hospital, Browning visited the Mulago and Mbarara Joint AIDS Program (MJAP), and the Routine Counselling and Testing programme supported by the US.
BY Tanah Hadijah

Uganda Safari News