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Uganda
is a beautiful country with an impressive people. This is one of my
favourite countries in all
of Africa. The people of Uganda have
survived the troubles of 1967-86 period and emerged standing upright
and wearing a smile. In that short period,
the country suffered under
the caprice of two despicable despots. One was the indisputably insane
Idi Amin and the other, the arguably insane Milton
Obote.
This
is now history - a testament of the dignity and endurance of this
people. The transformation of the
country in the period since normalcy
returned is nothing short of astounding. And it shows in the faces of
the people you meet. That the graceful
beauties of Uganda have not
received the recognition they deserve in international beauty pageants
is for me incontrovertible proof that most of these
events are really
fixed.
Winston Churchill was so besotted by the country that he
gave it the name that has endured: the "Pearl of
Africa". His
observations about Uganda remain true today: "The scenery is different,
the vegetation is different, the climate is different,
and, most of
all, the people are different from anything elsewhere ...in the whole
range of Africa"
Travelers to Uganda are drawn by its
stunning
landscape - green rolling hills, snowcapped mountains, rainforests,
majestic rivers and massive lakes. There are also a number
of
outstanding national parks for your Uganda safari experience with the wildlife
for which Africa is
renowned. Unfortunately, I have to advise you to
skip a few well-resourced parks such as Kidepo Valley in the north and
Mgahinga in the west as they
are not considered safe. The country's
edge as a worthwhile destination is further enhanced by its endowments
for white water rafting and sport
fishing.
It is in Uganda that
you find the highest number of primate species anywhere in the world.
Opportunities for tracking rare mountain
gorillas and chimpanzees are
unrivalled elsewhere. The primate conservation efforts the country has
followed are bearing fruit. A recent survey carried
out by the Wildlife
Conservation Society and the Jane Goodall Institute in collaboration
with the Uganda government, revealed that there are now 4,950
chimpanzees in the country. Previously, scientists guess for this
number was between 3000 and 4000, but nobody knew for sure. The chimp
is our
closet living relative, sharing 98% of our genes and much of our
behaviour. Uganda is the best country in the world to view chimpanzees
in their
natural habitat.
The best place to see the rare
mountain gorilla is at the 331 sq. km Bwindi National Park. This park
was formerly known as
the Impenetrable Forest with good reason. The
trees are thick and the forest thicker with dense undergrowth,
creepers, bamboos and parasitic plants
such as mistletoe and orchids.
This environment is the habitat for mountain gorilla's, chimpanzee, and
8 other species of primate. Not less than half
the world's population
of an estimated 600 mountain gorillas have sanctuary here, making
Bwindi the base for an important scientific conservation
program.
Gorilla
tracking is limited to small groups and the licenses are issued to
ensure minimum disruption to the routine of the animals.
Tracking the
gorillas is an arduous task and you should be prepared for up to 8
hours of hiking. Good physical condition is a must. You are advised
to
make arrangements 4-12 months prior to the date of your visit. Bwindi
is essentially a rain forest and it is necessary to bring along a
raincoat,
walking boots and gloves.
In addition to its star
gorillas, Bwindi is host to elephant, bush pig, giant forest hog and
over 300 species of
birds including rare forest birds. Others who have
found a home in this ecosystem include many types of bats and rodents,
14 species of snakes, 27
species of frogs and toads, 6 chameleon types,
14 lizards, skinks and geckos and 200 species of butterfly. Bwindi is
to the west of the country and is
560 km from Kampala.
Help and
More Information for Uganda!
Planning for your next gorilla tracking safari in Uganda? Contact us
today and we will assist you in picking and booking the best hotel and
flight, and all
your other Uganda travel arrangements.
This
is now history - a testament of the dignity and endurance of this
people. The transformation of the
country in the period since normalcy
returned is nothing short of astounding. And it shows in the faces of
the people you meet. That the graceful
beauties of Uganda have not
received the recognition they deserve in international beauty pageants
is for me incontrovertible proof that most of these
events are really
fixed.