|
Uganda
Promotion Commonwealth
Heads of About
Uganda Good
Vibes Uganda
Profile Africa's
Emerald Mountains
of the Moon Air
Travel |
|
There's a reason Uganda is known as the Pearl of
Africa. It's been a top tourist destination for a
few years now, due to its stunning scenery and
wildlife. One
of its best treasures, however, remains hidden.
Off the beaten track, Kidepo National Park is nestled
among the rugged hills and valleys of Northern Uganda.
It's a place so hidden away it's beauty has mostly gone
unnoticed... until now.
Kidepo National Park is home to one the smallest ethnic
groups in Africa, a people called the Ik. According to
folklore, the Ik have wandered through much of East
Africa, and came from Ethiopia hundreds of years ago.
Praying to ancient gods, the Ik believe they will
one day have to move on from Kidepo Valley. But they
are fighting to preserve their unique culture and
language, which no rival tribes understand.
Terrill Schrock is a linguist working with three
generations of Ik to uncover the secrets of the Ik
language. He's found evidence linking them to
cultures as far away as southern Egypt.
"It's like a museum," he says. "It's a storehouse of
historical information, cultural information,
ecological information. When a language like that
dies, you could liken it to a library burning down.
Losing a window to the past that will never be
recovered in the future."
The heart of Kidepo National Park, Naru's
permanent wetland, has a troubled past. Tribal
warfare in the 1980's and 90's drove away
wildlife populations, but the area is now
bouncing back as animals begin to thrive once
again.
The 540-square-mile park contains diverse
landscape, from lush mountain ranges to vast
plains, and is home to almost 500 bird species
and 77 different mammals. Roam the savannahs,
and you'd likely see an impressive collection of
fauna including ostriches, hartebeest and
giraffes.
Chief Warden Johnson Masereka says: "This
uniqueness, you may not find all these species
in a single park, at some time. This to me is
the best of Uganda."
In a hidden pocket of the park, a small
collection of pools bubble away with the
heat of an ancient volcano. These are The
Kanangorok Hot Springs, an unexpected
attraction just a short walk away from the
international border between Uganda and
South Sudan.
Further south, the flat Kidepo Valley is
dramatically shaped by the river that runs
through it. During heavy rains, the river
flash floods and flows through the park into
South Sudan. Hours later, it disappears,
leaving a river of sand as wide as 165 feet
in some parts.
"You find that underground the sand there is
still water. This can be dug out by some
animals, (like) baboons and elephants," says
park guide Phillip Akorongimoe.
"There is plenty of water... and that is why
there are more animals in Kidepo Valley." Discovering
Uganda, the Pearl of Africa Bisected
by the equator, Uganda would probably give one a
picture of simmering heat, but thanks to her high
altitude the country has an amazingly mild and
pleasant climate. In fact, most of Uganda lies at
an average height of 1,200 meters (4,000 feet)
above sea level. To the west of the Great East
African Rift Valley in western Uganda rise the
massive and perpetually snowcapped Rwenzori
Mountains, (Mountains of the Moon) as high as 5,118
meters. Uganda has a population of over 17 million
with Kampala the capital city with a population of
about 1.2 million inhabitants Uganda
is a fascinating country complete with fantastic
tourist attractions, superb accommodations and
gracious hospitality. In fact, Uganda has such a
wealth of attractions that a single visit to this
wonderful country will not be enough to discover
all of the many tourism venues that it offers.
In
my opinion, Uganda is poised to be recognized as
the most thrilling of African holiday destinations.
But above all other features, is the surprising
welcome that comes from the heart of the Ugandan
people who are among the most hospitable in all of
Africa. Their nation is a result of the unification
of ancient kingdoms, as well as many independent
chieftains. For
American tourists. Visas are not required to enter
Uganda which boasts of excellent hotel
accommodations, comfortable safari lodges and a
wide array of tempting restaurants with all of the
modern facilities and amenities that a tourists now
expects when traveling to the Continent of Africa.
To most visitors the attraction of East Africa is
the chance to experience first hand the spectacular
sights and sounds often only glimpsed on the
television screen. Uganda is also home to several
unique tourist attractions that cover the gamut
from historical to cultural to ecotourism. These
include Lake Victoria, The Mountains of the Moon,
The Source of the Nile, the Mountain Gorillas, and
many fabulous Ugandan National Parks. Kampala Other
sightseeing attractions in Uganda are the city of
Entebbe, which is the gateway into Uganda for most
visitors who arrive at the Entebbe International
Airport. The word Entebbe means 'chair" and is
derived from a local legend in which the King
commanded his dominion from a carved rock that he
used as his throne. Entebbe is a traditional
lakeshore town and is situated on Lake Victoria,
which is the second largest lake in the world.
Entebbe is home of the Entebbe Wildlife Educational
Center, which is a showplace for the animals of
Uganda, especially chimpanzees and exotic bird as
well as the Entebbe Botanical Gardens, which are a
tropical paradise of Ugandan plant life.
Another
tourist attraction is the city of Jinja, which is a
major commercial center and is the second largest
city in Uganda. Jinja also rest on the banks of
Lake Victoria at the "Source of the Nile River'.
Here one can see the monument of John Speke, who in
1862was the first European person to set eyes on
this fabled point of origin of the Nile River.
Jinja is also home to Owen Falls Dam, which is a
magnificentexample of modern engineering with the
hydroelectric generating plant that supplies most
of Uganda and several parts of Kenya with
electricity. In addition, Uganda has many
spectacular National Parks from which to experience
all types of flora and fauna of East Africa.
Uganda's National Parks reflect most of the
extraordinary diversity of the country as a
whole. Queen
Elizabeth National Park, the 'jewel in Uganda's
crown", which is known as one of the truly
outstanding treasures of Uganda. Here on ca
discover a vast array of Ugandans wildlife like
elephants, buffaloes, hippopotamus, Uganda Kobs,
bucks, antelopes, baboons, chimpanzees and the
famous tree-climbing lions as well as the greatest
concentration of birds in East Africa with over 500
species. Rwenzori Mountains National Park is where
the legendary "Mountains of the Moon" can be
visited. Lake
Mburo National Park is unusual in that it contains
an entire lake providing a broad diversity of
habitat from the lake shore to the savannas. Within
easy access from Kampala it makes for a perfect
weekend "get-away" Several animals to observe there
are huge of impalas, zebras, antelopes,
hippopotamus, crocodiles, and a wonderful diversity
of birds as well as theuncommon topi. Kidepo Valley
National Park, is also one of the most spectacular
parks in Uganda. It possesses unusual scenery
unsurpassed by any other park in East
Africa. In
this vast panorama, one can see a constant parade
of wildlife to include elephants, zebras,
buffaloes, ostriches, cheetahs, dik-diks, antelopes
and over 200 species of birds. It is however
situated in a very remote region of Uganda.
Bwindi's "Impenetrable Forest" National Park is a
true African jungle. It is so aptly named because
of the dense undergrowth, vines and other
vegetation that makes it an almost "impenetrable"
rain forest. Here you can observe many Colobus
Monkeys and chimpanzees searching among the trees
for fruit and edible plants. Mgahinga
Gorilla National Park is the home of the Mountain
Gorillas, which are quite possibly the most
awe-inspiring animals to be found in Africa. Here
is where on can experience the wondrous 'gorilla
tracking safari"in search of the mountain gorillas
in their natural habitat. Access to view them is
strictly controlled however. Uganda can also be
truly called a landof lakes, as almost one third of
the country is covered by water. Uganda is home to
Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa. One can
sail across Lake Victoria and make a stopover to
the Ssese Islands. Many of these islands are
uninhabited, except for a few fishermen; therefore,
they make for a perfect habitat for exotic
birds. If
you are interested in learning more about Uganda,
as a potential destination choice for your next
vacation/excursion to the Continent of Africa,
please contact Helen C. Broadus, the
International Secretary of the Africa Travel
Association. She is also the President of Venue
International Professionals, Inc. a full-service
travel and tourism company and can be reached at
(301) 868-0490. She recently completed a three-week
safari to the East African countries of Tanzania,
Kenya and Uganda and has promoted travel and
tourism extensively throughout the Continent of
Africa. Uganda
Tourist Board Exploring
the City of Kampala Kampala,
the Capital City of Uganda, much like Rome was
originally built, is spread over seven hills and
takes its fabled name from Kasozi K'impala,
interpreted as "the hills of the antelopes". The
origin of Kampala goes backto 1891 when the Kabaka
of Buganda held his court on Rubaga and Mengo
Hills. Today as you stand on the hills within
Kampala you are blessed with magnificent evergreen
views intermingled with red tiled villas, green
iron roofed bungalows and tall modern buildings
surrounded by a lush green countryside and the
nearby Lake Victoria. There
are many attractions to see in Kampala such as :
The Kasubi Tombs, which were the traditional royal
tombs of the Kabakas of Buganda; The Namugongo
Martyrs' Shrine, which commemorates twenty Ugandan
Christians that were burnt alive in 1886 on the
order of the Kabuki of Buganda; The Ugandan Museum
featuring a display of Uganda's cultural heritage,
and a vivid reminder of their fabled past; The
National Theater of Uganda, which opened in 1959
and is truly a national theater for the people of
Uganda; Uganda
Tourist Board To
be part of the delegation and join ATA, contact ATA
Headquarters: |
|||||
Winston
S. Churchill proclaimed Uganda the Pearl of Africa
for its magnificence in its variety of landscape,
wildlife and culture. Uganda is ideal for a voyage
of discovery into the most enthralling continent in
the world and presents the African traveler with a
captivating combination of its wonders of nature
and traditional customs coupled with many modern
attractions. Uganda is situated right in the heart
of Africa and lies astride the equator. It shares
boundaries with Sudan on the north, Zaire on the
west, Tanzania and Rwanda on the south and Kenya on
the east. In size, Uganda covers 241,136 sq. km. of
which 44,079 sq. km. is open water and swamp.
..
.
..