For Uganda tours it takes 15 minutes drive to see chimps in Ngamba islands Tourism

Going to see chimpanzees and the hundreds of bird species in Ngamba islands will now take just 15 minutes from Kajjansi outside Kampala, thanks to a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on Tuesday.

The MoU between Kajjansi Aero Club (Fly Uganda) and the Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust (CSWCT) will see Fly Uganda carry tourists to the Lake Victoria island famed for its chimpanzee conservation, as well as the monitor lizard and abundant bird species.

The chopper bought from the Japanese Police Force about three years ago will also help promote the other tourist features of the island that include sport fishing and community tourism.

The helicopter carries a maximum of four passengers and a return trip will cost $980 for four full packages, including access to the island.

The island has until now been serviced by boats and motorized vessels only, for a journey that takes an average of 40 minutes. By boat, it costs $80 per person for a minimum of four passengers for foreign tourists and $60 for East Africans.

“This is a natural extension to get more tourists to Ngamba islands,” said Russell Barnes, the director of Fly Uganda at the signing in Kajjansi. A trial flight has reportedly already been done with chimps reacting positively by coming over to watch the chopper. Barnes said the longer tourists stay in Uganda, the more money they spend and have a better experience “and the more they can talk positively about the country.”

Lilly Ajarova, the executive director of CSWCT, said Ngamba highlands houses rescued chimpanzees from areas that they were endangered. She cited West Africa, where the chimpanzee is already extinct in four states.

“Most of their mothers were killed and were brought as babies. Some were brought back from Europe after being traced back to Uganda. There has to be a deliberate move to see they continue surviving,” said Ajarova.

The sanctuary receives 4,000 international tourists annually. “It is a destination promoting Uganda because tourists include a lot of other destinations,” said Ajarova.

She explained that a monitoring system has been instituted to check any negative drastic effect of the chopper on the chimpanzees, although the test flight showed there is none so far.

“There have been inquiries for quicker (transport) mean to the islands, this will also provide a chance for medical evacuation,” said Ajarova.

Rwanda elephants not endangered, says Wildlife Conservation Society

Rwanda has not recorded a decline of elephants in the past few years, Telesphore Ngoga, the acting Conservation Division Manager at the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), has said.

Ngoga was reacting to a study published in the scientific journal by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), recently. The report says elephant numbers have decreased by 62 per cent across Central Africa over the last 10 years.

It was released during the 2013 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, currently underway in Bangkok, Thailand.

“We haven’t encountered any major decline in the last 10 years, instead the population of elephants is increasing. In Akagera National Park, we have about 100 elephants, which live in protected areas,” Ngoga said.

“We no longer have challenges of poaching in Rwanda, although we lost five elephants in 2011 and 2012, two were killed by poachers, one was electrocuted by the park’s fence while the rest died of natural death,” he added.

Ngoga, however, said they have put in place an anti-poaching team that oversees wildlife monitoring patrols in the parks.

“We are planning a census for wild animals soon and that is when we will be able to determine the exact number of elephants in the country,” he said.

Findings from the study indicate that large areas in Central African countries, which were elephant habitats 10 years ago, now have few of the animals remaining.

The survey was carried out in forests in Cameroon, Central African Republic, DR Congo, Gabon and Congo Brazzaville.

In Rwanda, elephants are found in Akagera National Park in Eastern Province and Volcanoes National Park in Northern Province.

Call for conservation

Prosper Uwingeli, the chief warden at Volcanoes National Park, said the number of elephants in the park is close to 50.

“It is very difficult to know the exact figure, because they move around Greater Virunga Massif. We haven’t seen cases of elephant poaching in Volcanoes National Park,” he said.

The Virunga Massif cuts across three countries; Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo. The study includes the work of more than 60 scientists between 2002 and 2011.

“Saving the species requires a coordinated global effort in the countries where elephants occur, along the ivory smuggling routes, and at the final destination in the Far East. We don’t have much time before elephants are gone,” says the report’s lead author, Dr Fiona Maisels from WCS.

Conservationists called for immediate action to protect the remaining elephant populations.

Last year, Rwanda’s tourism sector generated $281.8m (about Rwf178b) compared to $251.3m (about Rwf159b) in 2011, according to the 2012 Tourism Report.

Seeing lions on Uganda tours is a prized sight

The lion gazes at the tourists in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The writer was lucky to see the pride as they are not easy to find. In splendor the king of the jungle lay, the calmness he exuded would easily make one forget that he is the most feared predator. It was great watching the lion and the at the same time watching birds

Seeing the prized lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park is the anticipation of any tourist. Many will tell you that they have visited five times and not seen them, but on my second visit, I was able to see not just one, but a pride, perhaps a family.

There were the two females on the side and then a couple enjoying an early morning bask in the sun as the skies opened. This was the highlight of my weekend in the wild. You could wonder why the lion is so treasured, but any tourist will tell you that it all lies in its magnificence as a symbol of courage and might.

Excited local tourists kept clicking away on their digital cameras at the sight of the peaceful and proud lions who were taking it slow in the green savannah grass near a thicket as they enjoyed the last pieces of their breakfast, most likely from a previous night’s hunt.

A first-time to be within a meter of these fierce animals was an experience that came with mixed feelings, of tension and excitement, before our guide, Lawrence of Nature Adventure Tours &Safaris Ltd, put our fears at ease.

“They are not dangerous at all unless provoked,” he comforted the faint-hearted tourists. “They are enjoying their meal and they are used to tourists coming around, so be strong and enjoy your viewing,” he added. “The female does the hunting as the male and the little ones stay back to wait for the meal,” S.K, a wildlife enthusiast volunteered.

“So when she hunts and returns like it is in the traditional African setting, she will serve her husband then the children and eat last,” he added, something we had a chance to prove during the time we viewed the pride in nature’s splendor.

Very few moments beat the experience of being in the middle of the most popular national park in the pearl of Africa, where Africa’s, and truly Uganda spirit lives on, watching the animal whose sight startles just about any animal.

This partly explains why the lion is part of the enchantments on this voyage of discovery. Nature’s wonder in this park extends to vast open grasslands, elephants that gigantically saunter through them, with gait.

You will find Queen Elizabeth along Mpondwe Road near Fort Portal, 38 kilometers before the Congo border and at the backdrop of the Mountain Rwenzori ranges.

According to historical records, the park was founded in 1952 as Kazinga National Park, and renamed two years later to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s visit.

From the road, as we drive through the extensive park, Lawrence showed us the point at which the Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II whose full name is Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, stood, to honour the park being names after her.

Flying to Uganda-for Uganda tours with cheapest, discounted, budget, low flights rates

Getting to Uganda for your African Holiday Safaris, Uganda tours, Uganda gorilla trekking, primates safaris & wildlife safaris, Nature adventure tours or Volunteer Trips is becoming easier every year, due to more and more airlines are flying into Entebbe International Airport and since there are now more international airlines, the rates have become quite competitive discounted.

If you are coming from Europe or from other regions you can fly out of London directly to Entebbe via British Airways.  From London you can also fly Air Emirates to Dubai and then on to Entebbe, or you fly via KLM to Amsterdam and then to Entebbe, or Ethiopian Airlines to Addis Ababa and then on to Entebbe, Southern Airlines to Pretoria to Entebbe, Uganda, Kenya Airlines to Nairobi to Entebbe, Uganda, Rwandair Airlines to Kigali to Entebbe, Uganda.

From the European Continent you can fly directly to Entebbe using Brussels Airlines to Entebbe Uganda awaits you, Uganda from Brussels and from Amsterdam there is KLM that has several weekly flights to and from Entebbe, Uganda. Lufthansa has just entered into a code sharing agreement with Brussels airlines adding another partner to flights to Uganda.

From North America, you can fly British Airways to London and then on to Entebbe, Uganda.  You can also take Northwest Airlines to Amsterdam and then fly KLM which is in partnership with Northwest Airlines and arrive here in Uganda at Entebbe Airport.

There are many ways of coming to Uganda and we love to help to make it easiest at the most competitive rates possible. Just write and we will send you the rates and particulars for your flights to Uganda.

Uganda is also a great place from which to venture to neighboring countries such as Rwanda and there are daily connections, you can fly directly to Arusha, Tanzania and also a flight to the island of Zanzibar, there are flights to the Democratic Republic (Goma and Bunia), Burundi, Sudan, and of course Kenya.

Entebbe Airport Arrivals and Departures:

Arrival at Entebbe International Airport:

A very nice and functional airport it is.  You will land on the shores of Lake Victoria and you will have to walk down the steps to the tarmac in order to enter the airport.  Assistance from a friendly staff is available if needed.  You enter the immigration arrival lounge and do not let the long lines throw you off, the processing is done quickly and efficiently and you are on your way to the baggage claim section where free luggage carts are available that you can take out to the parking lot or curb.

Customs is next and go through the green channel unless you have something to declare.  Recently scanners for luggage have been installed but I have always been waved through.

Once out in the terminal you can meet your party, take your car rental partner, a hotel shuttle or simply take a special hire taxi.  No bus service, or 14 passenger mini-van taxi is available until you get to Entebbe town itself.  A Forex Bureau for money changing is there, Barclay Bank, Eco Bank all has an ATM machines and you can easily obtain Ugandan shillings.

Departure from Entebbe Airport:

International Flights require that you are there three hours before departure:  As you enter the airport, your luggage is scanned before check-in.  Go to the airline counter and wait in line. Overweight luggage is charged extra without mercy (personal experience). In the case of KLM, the counter closes one hour prior to departure.  KLM has the best customer service (my opinion), they are constantly making sure everything is working out for you, initially they had a rough start and their customer service was atrocious and condescending, and I had to pay 400 dollars extra for overweight luggage and the treatment was terrible by some petty official of the airline who enjoyed having power.  British Airways has always been top-notch, while Brussels Airlines has some catching up to do according to people that have used them.

Next is immigration and the exit forms that you have to fill out and soon you will be in the departure lounge with duty-free shops and a nice restaurant where you can get something to eat and or other refreshment.

Lastly you check in your hand luggage for scanning and your passport and ticket and soon you will be flying off back home.