|
| Home RSS Directory F.A.Q Try Custom Feed Sonneries Portable |
Latest Flows from this sub-category: random selection from this sub-category: |
Rss Directory >
Misc >
Travelling >
Uganda Safaris Guide and Tours - Information about Uganda Safaris, Tours, vacations and Holidays
Provide tailor made safaris for Uganda vacations and holiday tours that fit our clients' needs. Tue, 20 Nov 2007 10:12:36 +0100 Tue, 20 Nov 2007 09:26:20 +0100 Anew face has eventually egressed allover capital of Uganda. The urban centre's skyline has been remolded and is looking attractively different ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is an understatement. Within a small radius are hotels, guest houses, motels or inns. Mid-century architecture that has for long symbolised Kampala is fast giving way to futuristic constructions; whose beauty has complemented the equatorial lushness. On Acacia Avenue alone are two landmark buildings within adjacent to one another. The Kampala Protea Hotel and Metropole Hotel, some yards down the road have added to the magnificence of the already elegant and serene Kitante Golf course. The illusionary Kampala Protea Hotel with 70 deluxe Suite Hotel may not be that tall to hug the sky, but icovers acres of space, making it hard to pass unnoticed. The hotel has an gratifying architecture that is more than the usual concrete blocks. It exposes a creative design that uses cutting-age technology. It has brown, smooth and bronzed exterior walls that can only leave you speculative about the interior. If the golf course's lush greenery is not dazzling enough to warrant one's attention as they drive by, the stylish 60-room Metropole Hotel will do. Not only does the hotel have the space and flexibility to accommodate large numbers of people, but also its design and roofing provides fresh air and natural light that filters through the corridors and the washrooms. "We intend to establish a reputation for comfort, charm and friendly efficient service and we believe our guests, after getting a feel will return to our delightful retreat," Rahul Sood, the manager, says. The decor is a clever mix of old and new; art-deco furniture poses comfortably beside stunning modern pieces. Rooms are contemporary, bright and welcoming, a sure way to provide relaxation that can soothe any stress. Sood reckons that the hotel is the first in Africa with the Voice over Internet Protocol telephony for the guests. The hotel has Internet Protocol phones installed everywhere. It is wireless and guests can browse the high speed Internet anywhere. That said, the Golf course Hotel is another marvel. The hotel is one of the grandest and historical landmarks. I believe even some environmentalists who went up in arms during the hotel's infancy days would get impressed by what greets them today. Pointed and cylindrical roofs, large fountains and an expansive swimming pool in the middle of a canopy of trees all spell a 'cool atmosphere' befitting a queen. Chinese architecture is most famous for the Great Wall of China. However, The Nanjing restaurant and Motel, on Impala Avenue in the plush Kololo suburb is an architectural marvel. It is proof that there is so much more to Chinese architecture than just that huge Chinese wall. An aquatic theme runs through the hotel and its design is both visually and functionally cascading. It has a transparent glass 'waterfall' that lights the building as night falls. Calling it 'large and extravagant', 'a pleasure to look at' 'breath-taking and 'detailed to the last drop' best describes, the Nanjing Motel. In city centre is yet another awesome sight - the Royal Imperial Hotel. Though said to be built in the road reserve, the hotel is really a spectacle. It has no extraneous clutter, but the attention to detail is superb. The colours used on the hotel are beguiling and encourage the much clamoured for natural light.inations/mabira-forest-uganda.html Tue, 20 Nov 2007 08:36:05 +0100 From impotent men looking for the liggwalimu plant (Citropropsis Artituculata) which is believed to fire up potency, to birders, campers, conservationists, students and eco-tourists, Mabira Forest seems to offer something for everybody. Locals from Buvunya village, are likely to warn the Youth Forum delegates from the Commonwealth countries who are scheduled to visit the 312sqkm forest today (Sunday), not to tamper with the liggwalimu unless they have a prescription from the village herbalist. They claim that the western viagra is no match for the thorny plant. The plant is one of the many highly-valued medicinal plants in Mabira Forest, the only remaining tropical jungle in central Uganda. Neighbouring communities, in collaboration with the National Forestry Authority (NFA) are trying to conserve it. The forest is located about 50km east of Kampala. Mabira is home to many plant and animal species, including 312 tree and shrub species, 199 species of butterfly, 287 species of birds which constitutes about 30% of the country's birds and about 20 small mammals. The forest plays an important role as a water catchment area because it is located between two international lakes - Victoria and Kyoga and two rivers - the Nile and Ssezibwa. Lake Victoria, measuring 68,800sqkm, is the second biggest fresh water lake in the world and the largest in Africa, while the Nile is the longest river. Mabira has a diversity of plants some of which are used by the community to treat impotence. Other plants like the Prunus Africana are used to treat prostate cancer that is prevalent among old men. In addition, Mabira helps in sinking waste gases from the atmosphere. The forest stores carbon that is worth $315m per year. The forest contributes to the heavy rains that are experienced in the surrounding areas throughout the year. According to testimonies from farmers, when the forest was encroached upon during the 1970s and 1980s, the amount of rainfall in the area greatly declined, but when they were evicted in 1989, there was a significant increase in the amount of rainfall in the area. Mabira Forest is an important eco-tourism destination and is one of the most important attractions between Kampala and Jinja, where the River Nile begins its long journey to the Mediterranean Sea. Hundreds of bird and butterfly species call the forest home. Notable among the endangered bird species are the Nahan's Francolin and the Papyrus Gonolek. The most common birds, which are a must see in the forest, are the Great Blue Turaco and the Black and White casqued hornbill. The forest also hosts a wide range of animals, including endangered primates. A primatologist working in Mabira Forest announced in February that monkeys in the forest previously thought to be Grey-cheeked Mangabey (Lophocebus albigena) were in fact a new species. There are leopards, antelopes and snakes. Elephants and buffaloes were once plentiful and roamed the forest but became extinct about three decades ago as human intrusion started taking its toll on the forest. The forest is beginning to recover after the current government evicted encroachers. Former Ugandan President Idi Amin encouraged Ugandans to settle in the forest and grow crops in what was termed "double production." They not only settled here but also built their own capital city known as London in the heart of the jungle. 'London' was razed to the ground when the encroachers were evicted by the Government. It is claimed that one of its inhabitants - a drunkard - burnt alive in his house. Ironically, Mabira is still the only forest in the country where one finds legal settlements. When it was officially gazetted as a forest reserve in 1932, some people had already got titles for big chunks of land inside the forest. Today, these people's land forms the 27 enclaves (settlements) inside Mabira Forest. Most people mistake, or for political reasons, brand these settlements as encroachment. Recently, there was a proposal to give away part of the forest to the Sugar Corporation of Uganda Limited (Scoul), a sugar company owned by the Mehta Group, to increase cane production. The company was established by Indian immigrant Nanji Kalidas Mehta. Asian immigrants formed a prosperous trading community in Uganda before they were expelled by Idi Amin in 1972. Many returned following Amin's downfall. One of the arguments the Government fronted was that Mabira had already been heavily encroached upon. The plan sparked off mass demonstrations in which three people lost their lives. The debate continues. However, the manager of Mabira Forest, Leo Twinomuhangi, does not agree with the encroachment argument when he explains how the forest is managed. Mabira Forest is nature's seventh heaven. Because of its beauty, location and biodiversity, the jungle is now one of the most visited eco-tourism spots in the country. It is because of this that the Rain Forest Lodge was born. The $2m lodge is a tropical jungle paradise whose owners market it as the place where honeymooners have a high chance of producing twins. Its self-contained cottages blend with natural beauty. The paved walkways evoke a magical spiritual-like charm that points to romance, while the lodge's swimming pool and heavenly beds make it a combination of many centuries. Nights in the forest are marked with the melodious chirping of crickets, hooting of owls and the forest's trademark wails from the tree hyrax. In addition, the NFA also runs an eco-tourism centre with accommodation facilities located in the forest. The main tourist activities include, bird watching, camping and nature walks. One of the most beautiful sites in Mabira is Griffin Falls, deep inside the jungle. The falls are as exciting as they are dangerous to reach. There is a good camping area near the beautiful waterfalls. If you visit Mabira, you will not have a story to tell if do not see the trees that devour other trees. These deadly trees, known as stranglers, develop around the trunks of their victims and suck life out of them. Over time, they swallow the victim and inherit its size and shape. As the debate about whether to give away part of the forest for sugarcane growing continues, the proponents of the idea insist that the forest has been overdegraded and what remains is only a strip of trees along the road. To prove whether the 312sqkm forest is nothing more than a strip of trees along the highway, armed with a compass and a hand-held Global Positioning System device (GPS), we trekked through the forest for 11 days. We got lost on the sixth night inside the forest because of the density of undergrowth in the strict nature reserve zone. Some villagers mistook us for ghosts and nearly brought us offerings. Locals believe that ghosts of small stature but large heads known as Nakalanga roam the forest. They probably mean the pygmies that once lived in the forest. They claim that whenever these spirits are angry, they emerge from Mabira, cross the road around Najjembe leaving fatal accidents on the highway in their wake. During our trek, without food and water, we had contemplated drinking our own urine. Fortunately, we were rescued by NFA officials and our adventure through Uganda's most controversial forest continued uninterrupted. Thu, 18 Oct 2007 12:52:55 +0200 Alpahbets S and T Safari Eye Silver Back Safaris Sinai Tours and Travel SwanAir Travel and Safaris The Far Horizons Africa Limited The Uganda Safari Company Travel Dot Com Travel World International Travelust African Safaris Tropical Link Tours Trust Tours &Travel Uganda Tour Operators listed in Alphabetical order Thu, 18 Oct 2007 12:52:08 +0200 Alphabets U, V, W, X, Y and Z Ultimate Safaris Uganda Africa Adventure Volcanoes Safaris Whistling Duck Tours and Travel Wild Frontiers Uganda World Adventure Xplore World Ltd Abacus African Vacations Uganda Tour Operators listed in Alphabetical order Wed, 17 Oct 2007 15:21:25 +0200 Alphabets M O P Q R Magic Safaris / Concord Group Mantana Africa Safaris Merit Vacations Ltd Nalubale Rafting Namirembe Touring Services New Jack Tours and Travel Nile River Explorers Nissi Holidays O Sole Mio Ltd Paradise Excursions Tours & Travel Ltd Pearl Afric Tours and Travel Bureau Pearl of Africa Tours and Travel Pearl Tours and Travel Ltd Real Africa Excursions Uganda Tour Operators listed in Alphabetical order Travel Directory of Uganda - free online catalog of relevant and useful web sites. Free submit a site to Uganda web directory and link exchange. A-B, C D E F, G H I J K L, M N O P Q R, S T, U V W X Y Z Great Lakes Safaris Great Lakes Safaris: Mountain Gorilla Safaris Wed, 17 Oct 2007 15:08:57 +0200 Great Lakes Safaris Great Lakes Safaris: Mountain Gorilla Safaris Alphabets G H I J K L Green Break Company Gorilla Tours Global Interlink Travel Services Ltd Great Lakes Safaris Great Value Safaris Ltd Hamlet Birding Tours and Safaris Harmony Safaris Ltd Hog Safaris Into Africa Safaris Jewel Safaris Ku Tunza Travel Lake Kitandara Tours and Travel Lets Go Travel Uganda Tour Operators listed in Alphabetical order Wed, 17 Oct 2007 14:55:26 +0200 Great Lakes Safaris Great Lakes Safaris: Mountain Gorilla Safaris Alphabets C D E F Calabash Holidays Chico Tours Churchill Safaris and Travel City Cars & 4x4's Classic Africa Safaris Sales Office Country Safaris Credit Uganda Tours Crystal Safaris Desa Tours and Travel East African Explorers Safaris Edsa African Safaris Equator Touring Services Escape Tours and Safaris Executive Investment Explore Uganda Travel Management Company Ltd Farout Expeditions Uganda Tour Operators listed in Alphabetical order Wed, 17 Oct 2007 14:37:40 +0200 Great Lakes Safaris Great Lakes Safaris: Mountain Gorilla Safaris Alphabets A and B Aaron Safaris and Tours Acacia Safaris Access Uganda Tours Adrift - The Adventure Company African Secrets Ltd Mobile. +256 (0)712926762 African Greenwich Safaris African White Rhino Safaris Afri Tours and Travel Ltd African Nature Conservation Expeditions African Pearl Safaris Alpha & Omega Tours & Travel Amazing Safaris Ltd Asyanut Tours and Safaris Brovad Tours & Travel Bunyonyi Safaris Ltd Uganda Tour Operators listed in Alphabetical order Wed, 17 Oct 2007 14:14:48 +0200 Choosing the best Uganda Tour Operator or Safari Company There are loads of Tour operators in Uganda specializing in provision of tour services in Uganda. The services range from tours, to flights and hotel booking. While planning for your safari, it is very important to interact with the tour operators before you can make up your mind over which safari company will take care of your tour. To start with, you need to find out the area of expertise of the tour company in relation to you preferred safari option. Some are experts in luxury holiday tours well as others specialize in tailor made safaris, camping, mountaineering, lodge safaris or overland vacations. A little research in necessary to establish the reputation of the Uganda tour operator you choose to take care of your vacation. Take time to discover the membership of that operator in different Tourism organizations such as AUTO, Africa Travel Association, ATTA, Nature Uganda and so much more. Any of the Uganda tour operator should be able provide any travel information you need regarding your Uganda safari; including visa, flights, hotels, travel and health insurance, security, communication and so much more. Get a written copy of the terms and conditions from the Tour operator. In fact, you can probably have each company mail you a copy of their policy. After receiving a copy of each company’s policy, review the policies carefully. In doing so, you will be able to find the best deal for you and you will also familiarize yourself with all of the policies. Avoid as much as possible, brief case tour operators. The list of tour operators on this page has been carefully selected basing on the credibility, Association membership, customer care and service provision. We are however not responsible for any loss or damage or dissatisfaction regarding any travel guide or travel agent listed on this very page. We try to ensure that these companies don't default. Under such eventualities, you should contact us and have them removed accordingly. Uganda Tour Operators listed in Alphabetical order A-B, C D E F, G H I J K L, M N O P Q R, S T, U V W X Y Z Wed, 17 Oct 2007 12:02:01 +0200 Red Chilli Rest Camp is at the south-bank of the Nile at Paraa in the bush. The accommodation has facilities like the bar and restaurant that are fully stocked. The other facility is the camping facilities with modern showers and toilet that are newly built, provision for disabled visitors, cooking area and security lights. All bandas have beds, beddings, towels and mosquito nets, but the tents do not have mosquito nets and are not provided with towels. Wed, 17 Oct 2007 11:57:42 +0200 The eco-friendly lodge is situated 500m from the main road, between Masindi and Paraa near the turn-off to the Top of the Falls. Sambiya River Lodge has solar water heaters, which provide hot water in the showers. The lodge has twenty thatched cottages and the Bandas. The cottages are equipped with rechargeable emergency lights and they have 26 self-contained bedrooms, each having its own private bathroom facilities as well as a verandah. The Bandas are ten thatched, but the bathroom facilities are shared. The swimming pool is at the Sambiya River lodge and serve International cuisines bar, restaurant and guided walks, through the bird-rich riverine forest. Wed, 17 Oct 2007 11:51:49 +0200 Paara Safari lodge is situated on the north bank of the Nile. It consists of large luxurious and self contained rooms with mosquito nets and private balcony that face the river. The bath or showers are spacious and they also cater for the disabled people in that they do have 2 rooms for them. They do prepare International cuisines and the daily choice for vegetarians, but besides that, they have good snacks for casual, which are not expensive. They also have a curvaceous swimming pool, which is well maintained and cleaned on a daily basis, Access to Paara Safari Lodge By Air Travel Wed, 17 Oct 2007 11:44:14 +0200 It’s a luxury-tented lodge with wooden chalets and luxury tents personalized with a compelling bush character. Nile Safari Lodge has a class of its own because of its uniqueness, you are brought closer to nature. It has air-conditioning, giving you an opportunity to experience this ultimate bush adventure and its situated in a short distance west of the park boundary on the Southern bank of the Nile. Nile Safari Lodge facilities include; an ambient bar/lounge, a restaurant and a superb extended deck. The crystal clear swimming pool offers the best reprieve from the hot equatorial sun after a day of activities in the National park and surrounding areas. The lodge has ten self-contained rooms including 5 wooden chalets and 5 luxury tents. The en suite toilet and shower plus a private veranda over looking the Nile. The balcony of each room gives you an opportunity to enjoy an early morning tea and coffee served by your personal waiter. Wed, 17 Oct 2007 11:19:04 +0200 Accommodation Facilities Luxury Safari Lodges Medium Accommodation Budget and Camping Accommodation Accommodation en-route to the park Wed, 17 Oct 2007 10:53:46 +0200 For the benefit of both the travellers and wildlife, parks have set up rules and regulation to follow when on a holiday tour. The rules help in the conservation of the endangered wildlife in their natural environment without being disturbed. Dos and Don'ts While in Murchison Falls Park § Enter the Protected Area through Kichumbanyobo, Bugungu or Tangi gate. Wed, 17 Oct 2007 10:40:48 +0200 Birding is one of the main activities in Murchison Falls wildlife safari park. A diversity of birds have become residents to this park due to its diversity of vegetation, land scape and features. To bird lovers, this is perfect. Herons Bee-eaters Shoe Bill Cormorant Their feet are four-toed and webbed, with long bill, thin and sharply hooked. They feed on small eels, water snakes and fish. They get their food by diving into the water where they propel themselves with their feet. Fish Eagles Female fish eagle lays white eggs, but few are reddish speckles from the number of 1 to 3 eggs. The females do the incubation and lasts for 42 to 45 days, the male can come in when the female leaves to hunt. When the eggs hatch, the younger chicks will be killed by the eldest chick. These chicks feed themselves after 8 weeks and will begin to venture outside of the nest 2 weeks later. Meanwhile, the fish eagle feeds on the fish. King Fishers Wed, 17 Oct 2007 10:22:00 +0200 These are the different safari activities in Murchison Falls National Park Nature Walk / Forest Walk You will also see a variety of birds, butterflies and a number of medical plants and trees. Another nature walk is the Top of Falls, where the trail around it goes right up to the water’s edge. And also Kaniyo Pabidi, which is an undisturbed area of natural forest within Budongo Forest Reserve. Here chimpanzee tracking is the most famous activity though you will also spot the forest birds and walk beneath imposing mahogany and iron wood trees. Game drives Top of the Falls Sport Fishing Launch Trips on the Nile Chimpanzee Tracking Thu, 04 Oct 2007 16:30:06 +0200 This park is located in the northwestern part of Uganda, sprawling inland from the shore of Lake Albert around the Victoria Nile. It derives its name from the Murchison Falls water fall, where the mighty River Nile explodes through a narrow gorge and flows down to become a placid river whose banks are patronized by hippos, crocodiles, waterbucks, and buffaloes. The vegetation is mainly savannah, riverine forest and woodland. Wildlife includes; Lions, Leopards, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, hartebeests, oribis, Uganda kobs, chimpanzees and many bird species including the rare shoebill. It is comprised of Murchison Falls National Park, Bugungu Refuge and Karuma Wildlife Refuge. This park is believed to be the oldest protected area in Uganda. It covers a total area of 3,893km2, with Bugungu Wildlife Refuge, Karuma Wildlife Refuge and Budongo Forest Reserve covering 510Km2, 678Km2, and 591Km2 respectively. While the National Park and the two wildlife reserves are under the auspices of the Uganda Wildlife Authority and Murchison Falls Conservation Area, Budongo Forest Reserve is managed by the National Forest Association. Sleeping sickness decimated the inhabitants of an area of approximately 13,000Km2 during the period of 1907 and 1912. Established in 1932, Budongo Forest Reserve became the first commercial logging concession in Uganda and is one of the most intensively studied “working” Forest in the world to date. The frontiers of this forest continued to expand over the next thirty years until their reached the current size of 825Km2. As the locals continued to lose hand, a lot of animosity was created as people never quite knew where the boundaries ended due to the frequent changes. Because of the reduction of hunting in the Bunyoro-Gulu Game Reserve, the animal population increased, which justified upgrading the reserve to Murchison Falls national Park. In 1952, the British administration established the National Parks Act of Uganda. By the mid 1960’s, Murchison Falls had become the prime safari destination in all of East Africa, with well over 60,000 visitors annually. When the sleeping sickness outbreak was put into check, people began to populate the areas around the new park. It was deemed prudent to establish a buffer zone of controlled-use lands around the park, to mitigate encroachment and poaching pressures. In 1963, the Karuma and Bugungu Controlled Hunting Areas, which were later upgraded to game Reserves, were established. Karuma was upgraded in 1964 while Bugungu in 1968. The establishment if the National parks Act led to the forced eviction of come of the villages and new moratoriums on hunting. From the late 1970s to the mid 1980s, the increasing number of mammals came to an abrupt end as Amin and later Milton Obote’s armies started shooting animals either for target practice or for food. A combination of political mayhem and decreasing numbers of animals in the 1970’s and 80s, led to a sharp decline in the number of visitors. But the numbers are now steadily increasing due to political stability. Murchison falls is a park, which is surrounded by lands that are not suitable for farming, which has availed less chances of converting the protected area to farmland except in the Karuma Wild Reserve. This gives it a unique position. Since the population around here is still low, a pro-active and inclusive approach can be devised to involve the locals in wildlife management. The park is a viable breeding population of many rare mammals and bird species which will continue to draw tourists and yet the populations are still well below the carrying capacity of the land. There has been a period of over 20 years of very low impact by animals on the ecosystem due to political mayhem. This means that the park will grow and at the same time create an excellent laboratory to study the resilience of faunal species after a rapid decline, as well as vegetation succession patterns. Thu, 04 Oct 2007 16:17:22 +0200 This immensely stunning camp is set in wooded grounds inside the park entrance and is ru by the local community who clean and look after it. It s locally built hut with the local materials that provide communal accommodation. There are self-and non-self contained rooms. The facility also provides budding, a restaurant, which serves basic but freshly prepared food and a bar. |
  |
contact |
All rss from this site
Print this article
Webmasters ! Get this feed on your site