What it took us to conquer the Rwenzori mountains.

The team trekking over bog, a stretch of thick mud during their ascend. Left, Jackie Asiimwe and one of the guides get ready to hike to the peak Margherita. Courtesy PHOTO 

By Mathias Wandera

For many people, reaching the peak of a mountain is a dream. It is the kind of thought that tickles your entire being. Imagine yourself seated up there on a certain icy and rocky top, staring at the whiteness that lies far and beyond, touching the snow, listening to the sound of melting glaciers and simply knowing that at that point, you are possibly high above everything and everyone. Dream-like indeed. Unfortunately for many people, this remains just that—a dream. However, there are always those that dare to bring the dream to life.

Last month, a group of friends decided to beat the heights of Mountain Rwenzori. Four ladies, Jackie Asiimwe, Joy Mirembe Abola, Mitchelle Barlow, Penelope Sanyu and two gentlemen, Bernard Tabaire and Peter Mugarura, set off to meet Margherita peak, Rwenzori’s highest point. Their boots met the rock on July 14, and seven days later, after a five day climb and a two-day descend, they were back from the mountain top, having reached the peak. It is a milestone they will not be in any hurry to forget because, as Asiimwe intimates, it took all they had in them to reach Margherita.
“Easy is not always the right word to describe a mountain climb. It was tough. We battled on for days. You had to give your all and just keep putting one foot before the other. But in the end, it was worth it. The sight up there, no words can correctly paint it. And all six of us made it to the peak, which is an achievement in itself. I think our success came down to preparation,” Asiimwe tips.

Before the climb
As it is always said, the only time success comes before work is in the dictionary. Nowhere else, and surely not in the case of summiting a mountain. In order to pull off a mountain climbing expedition, preparation is key.
“A week in the gym is most certainly not going to cut it,” quips Tabaire. “You need to be in the best shape in as far as fitness goes. This is not something you attain in a week. It takes a lot more time than that - many weeks, if not months.”
Knowing that their Rwenzori climb was scheduled for July, the team started steady preparation in January, six months prior.

The climbers take a break on one of the peaks of Mt Rwenzori. Below: Excited by the flora and fauna on the mountain slopes, the team capture some moments. Courtesy PHOTO

The physical preparation regime
For the first weeks, they started by climbing stairs. Workers’ House being one of the highest buildings in the city, they made it their training ground.
“We would go there five days a week in the evenings and trudge up and down the stairs. We did this for about four weeks,” Asiimwe narrates. Climbing the staircase helps alert and develop one’s climbing muscles, a quality one needs on the mountain because of the mountain’s vertical and steep nature. 

It also helps with stability as climbing the mountain will demand vast levels of stamina to traverse past the steep slippery rocks, especially when carrying a load on the back.
Soon, they incorporated long walks as part of their workout schedule. They embarked on such walks every after a fortnight. As Mirembe reminisces, “We walked from Nsambya to Kisubi. Then we did the full length of the Northern Bypass, which is from Namboole to Busega. We also did one walk circling the seven hills of Kampala.”
The walks they did always ranged within 20 to 25km. They knew they had to get used to walking long distances because usually during mountain climbing, it takes around six hours to walk from one camp to another, moreover ascending. They needed all the muscle strength and perseverance they could get. They even made two trips to Mabira forest to carry on simple two-hour and six-hour hikes respectively.
“It is important to train in an outdoor environment like the forest rather than the artificial surrounding like the gym. This gives you a feel of the kind of environment you will be facing. In fact, as part of our Rwenzori preparation, we climbed mountains Elgon towards the end of May and Muhavura at the beginning of June,” Tabaire shares.
It is not a requirement to climb another mountain in preparation for another but training in hilly areas is key. This equips your body with the ability to easily acclimate in a mountainous environment. As Mugarura reveals, “the climb becomes harder as you go higher. Suddenly, you feel like a load is pressing down your chest, breathing becomes harder because higher areas do not have enough oxygen. All these are altitude effects. So one needs to hold a few training sessions in areas of higher altitude to be prepared.”
Training personnel
Much as one can still do fine when training on their own, employing services of a professional workout coach is advisable, more so when one is preparing for their first mountain climbing adventure.
This team employed someone to guide them through the drills and in Asiimwe’s view, it was worth it. “Our workout coach had a better image of the kind of training that would better equip us. Also, he helped us take workout more seriously. We did a lot of testing drills with him. We jumped on steps and over logs, we skipped ropes, dragged heavy tires around. We also did dancing and swimming exercise, though this was carried out on individual basis.”

Inspiration
The team’s climb had a charity aspect to it. Some people had pledged to donate good amounts of money for every member that made it to the peak and the team had in turn decided that they were to donate this money to babies’ homes around town to help buy mattresses and blankets for the children. It is the awareness that her presence at the peak was to bring in money to change children’s lives that kept Asiimwe inspired not only during the climb, but even during the vigorous training sessions before.
This is the kind of inspiration that everyone needs before and during the climb because as Asiimwe noticed, it takes more than physical fitness to make it. “You need to be mentally and emotionally prepared. You need to be inspired.”
“My inspiration was my brother. He had climbed Rwenzori before and it is his success that kept me inspired through the whole process. Also, July being my month of birth, I couldn’t think of a better way to mark my birthday,” Mirembe says. This pushed her to workout extensively to ensure her success on the climb.
Mitchel Barlow adds that you need to develop an attitude that embraces challenges. “The climb is a challenge, so is the preparation. What keeps you going is an attitude that welcomes challenges and is actually set to accomplish them. I looked at climbing the Rwenzori as my top challenge for this year. I kept telling myself that I had to put this challenge behind me no matter what. Mentally, this pushed me.”
Timing is paramount. Apart from the fact that Mirembe wanted to mark her birthday at the peak, the team decided to book for their climb in July because usually at Rwenzori, July is a dry month, which makes climbing easier. Doing the climb in wet seasons is more challenging as the mountain is a lot more slippery.
It is for this reason that Barlow advises that before booking, one needs to make research on the best time to climb basing on the mountain’s condition, but also their personal programmes, especially where work commitments are in the picture.

The cost factor

A great experience as it is, mountain climbing is not exactly cheap. According to Mirembe, it took each team member $1,000 (about Shs3.3m) to put the Rwenzori climbing package together.
First, you have to pay a fixed amount to a mountain climbing service provider. Each member paid $750 (about Shs2.5m) to Rwenzori Mountaineering Services. This amount is to cater for your whole experience, including accommodation, feeding and the tour guides and porters.
“Then you have to spend more money to acquire climbing gear and other equipment, which include warm clothing, climbing boots, sleeping bag, gloves, hiking stick and some other necessities. This may cost you about $250 (about Shs850,000),” says Mirembe. But if you want to get top quality climbing gear, then this amount will shoot to around $1,000 because as Tabaire observes, quality climbing shoes that are light, have grip and are water-proof, cost about $500 (about Shs1.7m).
Nonetheless, the cost should not be one factor that deters you because there is always an option of saving. Mirembe says she started saving for the trip months to the scheduled date. “All the other members did the saving in their preferred fashion but I remember at one point, Asiimwe and I were saving Shs20,000 each day. And we were able to raise the required amount. If you are committed to something, you will always figure out a way.”

TIPS FROM Uganda
Wildlife Authority

Get fit. Trekking the mountain is physically draining.
Be mentally prepared. Ensure you are aware of the task that lies ahead.
Have a good sense of humour. You will need to incorporate the fun throughout the entire trek to make it more bearable.
Know your strength. It is important to gauge your body’s strength.
Practise, practise, practise. Put in effort.

About MT Rwenzori

The mountain. The Rwenzori Mountain, also known as the Mountain of the Moon, is Uganda’s highest mountain, towering up to 5,109 m (16,761 ft).
This makes it Africa’s 3rd highest mountain.
Location. It is located at the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Its highest peaks are snow-capped throughout the year, sharing this quality with only mountains Kenya and Kilimanjaro.
World ranking. Mountain Rwenzori is ranked in the top 15 world’s best hikes, according to National Geographic because of its exceptional glaciers and the beautiful flora and fauna. It is one of Africa’s most sought after hiking experiences.

The numbers

7
The number of days it took the members to ascend and descend the mountain.

Shs850,000
Average amount ($250) each member paid to acquire climbing gear.

Shs2.5 million
The amount ($750) each member paid to Rwenzori Mountaineering Services.

Shs3.3 million
Average amount ($1,000) each member contributed to the whole expedition.

In Summary

Adventure. Reaching a mountain peak is a dream come true for many adventures, but also one that requires serious preparation.

International tourism expo set to show Uganda’s tourism potential!!

Birds rest near a crocodile on River Nile. Photos by peninah asiimwe/ Courtesy 

By Joseph Ssemutooke

In Summary

The expo, expected to boost the country’s tourism sector, will showcase Uganda’s tourism potential to both Ugandans and foreigners.
 inIn two weeks’ time, the 39th edition of the Africa Travel Association annual congress will kick off  at Speak Resort Munyonyo. It will run from November 11 to November 16. This will be the second time Uganda is hosting the biggest gathering of Africa’s tourism sector technocrats, the first having been in 1994. According to the chairperson of Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), James Tumusiime, UTB is to launch the first-ever Uganda International Tourism Expo as part of the occasion

Tumusiime says the expo is to be held between November 14 and 16, in conjunction with many other tourism stakeholders in the country.

Other partners include the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), Uganda Wildlife Education Centre Uganda Tourism Association, the Uganda Museum, and Ngaali Uganda, among others. Tumusiime says UTB’s long-term aim is to make the expo annual, for purposes of marketing Uganda’s tourism potential further.

Andrew Welishe, one of the coordinators, says the event is to be held at the Uganda Museum, with visitors allowed in free of charge but having to meet a negligible fee to access some of the more specialised activities and services which will be at the event.

“We want stakeholders to show visitors from all over the world what Uganda has to offer to tourists,” Welishe says. “The different tour service providers will showcase what they have and at what prices.”
Welishe adds that the expo will showcase to Ugandans as much as to foreigners, so that Ugandans can understand that exploring the beauty of their country should not only be left to foreigners.

“We will have a lot of animals for the people to see. There will be exhibitions and competitions regarding the preparation of local cuisines. There will also be story-tellers from the different tribes in Uganda explaining how these tribes used to live as well as elders from the different tribes in the country, among others,” Welishe said. The top 10 Uganda tourist attractions to be showcased at the expo include the big five wild animals, traditional shelters, traditional art of war, traditional cuisines, music instruments and traditional dances, folk stories and colonial relics.

Traditional Shelters

Welishe explains that the purpose of traditional shelters will be to showcase the different types of architecture that Ugandans made before the coming of the White man. He says contrary to what some people have come to believe, there were actually many interesting architectural styles in the country.

The big five wild animals
Organizers say the African lion, African elephant, Cape buffalo, African leopard, and African rhinoceros will all be on show at the expo. These will be in addition to other must-see animals such as the hippopotamus, crocodile, and birds such as the ostrich, among others.

Music instruments and traditional dances
From the various types of stringed instruments, to the different types of pipes, to the different types of winged instruments, organisers say the expo will have an interminable array of traditional Ugandan music instruments. With skilled players actually making for a traditional music carnival.

Art of war

All sorts of traditional weapons from the different parts of the country will be showcased. Welishe says elders and other well-informed people from the different regions have been lined up to explain how exactly the different communities conducted war. He adds that there will actually be mock warfare to exhibit how exactly the weapons are used in battle.

Other tourist attractions to be showcased

Traditional Cuisines.
The organisers say there will be people who know the unadulterated traditional dishes of their respective communities, who will prepare and avail (at a small fee) the traditional dishes as they were prepared eons ago. And they say that actually the real traditional dishes are rather different from what we think them to be today.

Folk Stories. Mr Welishe says this will be for the evenings, and that the settings will be constructed to reflect how exactly it was like in the olden days –most of it taking place at bonfires.Colonial Relics. With the venue being the National Museum, organizers say the usual relics of national significance from the colonial period will be on show. He says, however, in addition to the ones resident at the museum, many relics are going to be ferried from different parts of the country for the expo.

Fading glory of Kilwa Kisiwani 

The tour guide takes one of the tourists around one of the sites at Kisiwani. 

In Summary

Kilwa Kisiwani was once the most famous trading post in East Africa. Abdulaziizi K. Tumusiime found out what could still be standing in the glorious place on the Tanzanian Coast.

KILWA

I will not assume. So, permit me to ask: ever heard of a one Nasir Jones alias Nas? Okay. Please keep your fingers away from your head. You do not need to scratch it for an answer. A quick google search will reveal that Nas is an American Rapper who is ranked as one of the greatest MCs of all time.

I bet you, dear reader, are trying to figure out the relationship between Nas and “Kilwa Kiswani”. Hang on, please. Nothing Lasts Forever is one of the rapper’s memorable songs. In part of the song, Nas raps, “Eventually everything comes to an end…nothing lasts forever.” These lyrics may not make sense till you come across their living testament. Kilwa is one such.

It is an island located 200 miles south of the Tanzanian capital, Dare-es-Salaam and 13 minutes, by boat, from the mainland town of Kilwa Massoko. When the great traveller Ibn Battouta stopped at the island in 1331 he described Kilwa as, one of the most beautiful cities of the world. Kilwa was home to the largest mosque in sub-saharan Africa. It housed the Husuni Kubwa (great palace) which the early writers referred to as the largest pre – European building in East Africa. The Island town was a principle centre for trade in gold, iron and slaves from Africa which were exchanged for cloth, jewels, porcelain and spices, from India and China.

Of its grandeur…
Fast forward, Kilwa’s grandeur is dead and gone. All that is left of the ooh and ah architecture it once flaunted are ruins.

Recently, I took a tour of the Island with a group of Ugandan and Tanzania journalists en route to the gas rich region of Mtwara. The seven-hour journey from Dar –es – Salaam to the mainland town was only enjoyable because of the good company in the vehicle. The regular banter and the ear candy bongo flava (Tanzanian music) blaring from our car’s rickety radio served well to ease the boredom promised by the journey’s duration. The beautiful coconut trees (some seemed to have walked straight out of a postcard) and the long Mkapa Bridge across River Rufiji were some of the fascinating sights along the way.

The 13 minute-ride on the motor boat, from Kilwa Massoko to the island town, was longer than I had anticipated. Salome, my friend and neighbour on the journey, diagnosed this as anxiety.

At Kilwa
Abdallah Ahmed, our guide, received us on the other end. He quickly carried out a monologue, in Swahili, about Kilwa’s history. He thereafter led us around one of the most significant historical sites on the East African coast. The sight of the remains of the great palace, the crumbling great mosque, the Portugese coral-stone-built gereza or fort and the face-lift-thirsty ancient tombs, give no hint to Kilwa’s glory days.

As my friends were posing for social media destined photos, my mind was reflecting on Nas’ lyrics; “Eventually everything comes to an end…nothing lasts forever”. I was only jolted out of the lull by Salome’s request to take a photo of her at the new carved door on the gereza which was recently installed as part of preservation work of Kilwa’s beauty.

By the way, what runs through your mind when you hear the name Salome? Personally, it reminds me of Saida Karoli, a once popular Tanzania artiste who some Ugandans nicknamed Maria Salome (a title of one of her songs). That she is currently in oblivion is another testament that; Nothing Lasts Forever!

Lake Chahafi:A crater Lake hidden in Kisoro

Largely unknown to the tourist world, Lake Chahafi is one of the several crater lakes in Kisoro District whose scenic view is simply breathtaking. PHOTO BY Joseph Ssemutooke 

In Summary

It is the kind of experience you should hope to encounter waking up on the shores of Lake Chahafi, one of the several crater lakes down in South Western Uganda’s Kisoro District

You wake up to sweet jazz music cascading into your room from an orchestra of various birds merrily playing out their daily morning tunes. You step out into the rising sunlight and your eyes crash into a delicious sight: Mountain Muhavura erect in his invariable aim for the skies, the crowd of cloud around his peak indicating that he has successfully hit the celestials.

You turn your eyes from Muhavura toward the opposite direction, and the placid waters of a picturesque lake sprawling off between the high hills invites you to check out what is in progress at thatmorning hour. At the lake’s shore you get to behold a crowd of crested cranes singing and dancing as though on a morning exercise routine.

It is the kind of experience you should hope to encounter waking up on the shores of Lake Chahafi, one of the several crater lakes down in South Western Uganda’s Kisoro District.

Like other smaller crater lakes in Kisoro, Lake Chahafi remains largely unknown to the tourist world, pushed into the background by the more famous Bunyonyi and Mutanda lakes. But as a visitor you will actually find solid reasons why small Lake Chahafi perhaps deserves to be ranked along with the larger Bunyonyi and Mutanda on the list of lakes one has to prioritise when planning an excursion to Kigezi region.

Bird-watcher’s paradise

Lake Chahafi (together with its vicinity) is ranked by Kigezi tour operators as one of the places with the largest population as well as diversity of birds in south western Uganda. This is quite a statement, given that this region sits with the Kazinga region atop the rankings of Ugandan regions on the subject of bird endowment.

Nelson Mugisha, a tour operator in the region, avers that indeed Chahafi has both a bigger population and a wider diversity of species than most other tourist destinations in Kigezi.
Mugisha’s claim is supported by information from the African Bird Club, where Lake Chahafi is indicated as one of the lakes where a number of rare East African bird species have been sighted.

Talking of that gives Chahafi its competitive edge in this respect, Mugisha says: “The lake descends into a sprawling swamp of lush papyrus vegetation, of a kind you can hardly find on other lakes in Kigezi. It is this swamp that attracts the birds in bigger numbers and in more diversity than is to be found in other areas, because the birds always find it easier to feed and nest in the vegetation.”

Among the bird species to be easily seen at Lake Chahafi and rarely anywhere else are the Lesser Jacana, the African Jacana, the Brack Crake, the Blue-headed Coucal, the Common Moorhen, swamp flycatchers, swamp warblers, among others. Yours truly had a chance to behold two rare species: the Common Moorhen and the Malekite Kingfisher.

Beautiful scenery

Largely unknown to the tourist world, Lake Chahafi is one of the several crater lakes in Kisoro District whose scenic view is simply breathtaking.

Michael Murangira, a local tour guide in Kisoro, points out that Kigezi was nicknamed “The Switzerland of Uganda” owing to its rugged mountainous terrain and Mediterranean climate. Murangira names the Lake Chahafi area as one of the most scenic in the entire Kigezi area. “Lake Chahafi actually has a twin to its east, called Lake Kayumbu,” Murangira says. “In between these two lakes is a towering thread of a hill, and standing atop this one 

you will catch breathtaking scenery sprawling several kilometres on all sides below.

Standing on the several high hills in the Chahafi area, one is spellbound as he rolls his eyes as far off as Mountain Muhavura on the horizon. In between the horizons lay incredible spreads of forest vegetation, hillside gardens, oddly-shaped ridges and gorges, name it. 

Strategic base to tour Kigezi
Lake Chahafi has a resort right on its shores, and Murangira says apart from staying here when touring the Chahafi area, Lake Chahafi Resort is also ideal for one wishing to go tracking Gorilla or mountain-hiking. He explains that Lake Chahafi is about just 20km from Mountain Muhavura, Mgahinga and Sabinyo –and less than 20km from the Mgahinga gorilla sanctuary.

There’s a colonial history to it
For those with interest in the past, there is also some interesting history to be encountered at Lake Chahafi. A rich colonial history about the struggle for control of the region at the time of the First World War. For the shores of Lake Chahafi is where in 1914, the joint forces of the British and Belgians set up a base to ward off the approaches of the Germans in the struggle for control of Kigezi.

And going backwards beneath 1914, the Lake Chahafi area is also where the Bafumbira tribal leader Katuregye based in his attempts to repulse the approaching British imperialists. This Katurebe and his subjects were inspired by the native Nyabingi religious movement which claimed that the spirits of the land would help the natives defeat the colonialists, and there are interesting tales about the dramatic campaign that subdued Katuregye.

Still talking of history, the Echuya Forest Reserve is also around this area, its fringes holding one of the largest Batwa pygmy communities in Kigezi. One gets to see the Batwa Pygmies living in their traditional setting as it has always been since time immemorial.

Other attractions in the Lake Chahafi include visiting the farms to see the farming styles in this area of fertile volcanic soils, sailing on the lake, fishing, among others.

Nature serenades in the countryside

The rumbling waters at Treasure Valley Park. photos by rajab mukombozi 

If you love to be in a serene place on any day, Treasure Valley Park along River Rwizi is the place to go as Rajab Mukombozi found out.

As one enters Treasure Valley Park, the cool breeze from the river and the gushing waters of Bururuma Falls give one a relaxation feel. The palm trees on the vast piece of land where Valley Park sits protects revellers from the scorching sun rays as the birds chirp in the background.

Treasure Valley Park is a recreational centre situated along the banks of River Rwizi, located 3.5km from Mbarara town on Mbarara – Katete road in Nyamitanga . One parts with Shs2,000 on a boda boda or Shs10,000 by cab to reach this place from the town centre.

Restaurant and atmosphere
If you hunger for some fast food like chips with beef plus if you thirst for beer from all tribes as well as soda and bottled water, they are readily available at the restaurant. You savour on this as you gaze at nature. The undulating rocks make good seats for guests that do not carry mats or chairs along.

It is common for hangouts to blare music at top volume but this is not the case at Treasure Valley Park.
“I intend to make this place an amusement park with beautiful trees and calm atmosphere, that is why you cannot hear any music,” says Boniface Nuwagaba, the proprietor. “You find a stressed person dashing to a noisy hangout which may be harmful to the situation because there is no peace of mind,” he adds.

There are well-furnished cottages whose bed are made of wood and papyrus furnishings with a nice view for watching monkeys that jump around especially in the morning hours, as well as a panoramic view of Mbarara town.

Activities to enjoy are rock climbing, and bird watching and gazing at Bururuma falls, and if you are daring enough, make friends with some of the monkeys.

Nuwagaba, hopes to extend the gardens to create space for activities like horse riding, goat racing and other outdoor activities.

“I wish organisations like UWA would partner with us, we can have another zoo in Uganda,” said Nuwagaba. Despite the spaciousness there are a few hiccups; there are no vehicles plying this route.
Food is also not readily available so you either pack some or endure for hours after placing an order.

Where is River Rwizi?
River Rwizi originates from the Buhweju hills in Buhweju district transcending through the districts of Bushenyi, Sheema, Mbarara, Isingiro, Kiruhura and Rakai and eventually pours its waters into Lake Victoria via a network of wetlands.

Rare monkey specie is tourism’s new kid on the block

A mangabey monkey. Recent research shows that the rare monkeys prefer to live in undisturbed natural high forests. Agency Photo. 

The monkeys can be found in Kibale National Park and Mabira Central Forest Reserve in Buikwe District.

0inShaBuikwe - In the next one year, Ugandans and other tourists can prepare to engage in a new form of tourism activity—tracking the Mangabey monkeys.

Beyond the pleasure of following the grey-cheeked monkeys lies the unique fact that one will be tracking primates whose existence is largely limited to Uganda.

The government’s decision to promote the monkeys, also known as Uganda Mangabey or Lophocebus Ugandae, as the newest tourism product followed the commissioning of their habituation recently.

At the forefront of this initiative is the Ministry of Environment, the National Forestry Authority and Nature and Livelihood, an NGO.

Dr William Olupot, who works with Nature and Livelihood, said the monkeys are only found in Uganda although a small number lives on the Tanzanian side of the Uganda-Tanzania border along Lake Victoria.

Locations
“In Uganda, they are found in Lwamunda, Sango Bay and Bugoma forests in Kibale National Park and in the Mabira Central Forest Reserve in Buikwe District,” Dr Olupot said.

He said recent research has shown that the rare monkeys prefer to live in undisturbed natural high forests, prompting the authorities to start the habituation process.

The exercise, which will last between one and two years, will see tourism officials slowly introduce humans to monkeys in a bid to make the latter get used to the former.

Once the monkeys are comfortable relating with humans then the public will be free to track them like they do with mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwestern Uganda.

Dr Olupot also wondered why Mabira, despite being close to the city (60kms from Kampala) with a large forest and plenty of flora and fauna was yet to be developed into a vibrant tourist destination.

Mr James Ndimukulaga, a director at the National Forest Authority, said far from claims that humans had invaded Mabira and destroyed it for charcoal and timber, the forest was still largely intact and could be developed into a tourism hub.

The call from Mr Leo Twinomuhangi, the ranger manager at NFA, however, was different.

He said there was evidence of “powerful” people connected to the UPDF, the police and local leadership clearing sections of the forest.

“I wish all the mentioned people can repent and stop the act. No one should ever cut a tree in Mabira and we will enjoy many more benefits,” he said.

The ‘Switzerland of Africa’

Kabale landscape  

KABALE- Kabale was the seat of the former Kigezi District Administration. Its history dates as far back as 1889 when Uganda was still a British protectorate and was nicknamed ‘Switzerland of Africa’ because of the hilly nature and coldness.

It was consequently split into the four districts of Kabale and Rukungiri in the 1970s, and later Kisoro and Kanungu.

Ethnicity
Bakiga are the predominant inhabitants of Kabale. They occupy the counties of Ndorwa, Rubanda, Rukiga and Kabale Municipality, the largest urban area in Kigezi.

Apart from being known to be the home of the stout and majestic, bold, and hard working Bakiga ethnic group, Kabale is also defined by green, interlocking and heavily-cultivated hills that range from 1,219 metres (3,999 ft) to 2,347 metres (7,700 ft) above sea level.

It covers a land area of 1,864 square miles and has a population of about 600,000 people as projected from 2002 population census.

Wildlife
The district is home to the highly endangered mountain gorillas in Bwindi National Park, and of the world’s most endangered birds such as the African hill babbler, cinnamon bracken warbler, chubb’s cistocola, doherty’s Bush shrike, malachite sunbird, Yellow belled waxbill, olive thrush, streaky seed eater, common stone chart, and grauers rush warbler.
Lake Bunyonyi, the second deepest lake in Africa is found in Kabale.

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RIDING A BICYCLE FROM SOUH AFRICA TO UGANDA

Above, the rider camped at Red Chilly in Mbuya. He stayed in Kampala for a few days and continued his journey to Rwanda. Below, he met Keneth Kaunda when he was in Zambia. PHOTOS BY ISMAIL KEZAALA AND COURTESY PHOTO

In Summary

The bicycle adventurer. Canadian Dave Conroy gave up his job as a computer consultant and set off on the adventure of his life, cycling to different countries in the world. He has already been to 10 African countries on what he calls a “one of its kind” bicycle.

0inSh

Dave Conroy’s life story is as incredibly amazing as it is unbelievable. For four years, the 35-year-old Canadian, currently in Uganda, has ridden his bicycle around North America and Africa and is still on the move. He quit a well paying computer job, sold off his life possessions and set out on a mission to discover the world- on two wheels. How long it takes him, he has no idea. Whether he will pull it off or not, he is not sure.

A bicycle, his everything
From first impression, Conroy comes off as a perfect time manager. The appointment at Mbuya based Red Chilli Hideaway is set for 4pm. A phone call at the guest house’s gate to announce our arrival receives an instant, “I will join you in a second.” Hardly had we identified a seat for the interview, than a well built medium height man dashes out, dressed in a tight fitting red t-shirt and pair of black multi-pocketed cargo pants. Walking towards us, his pair of weighty, mountain-climber like shoes stamp the green compound.

When the photojournalist asks to have photographs taken first and then leave us to proceed with the interview, his face lights up with a contagious smile. He reaches for his bicycle, holding it with enviable warmness and murmurs, “this is my wardrobe, kitchen, girlfriend, office, bedroom, best friend and worst enemy at the same time.”

The sports bicycle, he claims, is the only one of its kind in the world. It was specially assembled for him in Britain six months before he hit the road. He will not reveal how much it cost him, but heaps praise on the machine whose rim bears 13 stickers of flags of the countries he has visited so far.
On average, the bicycle’s weight, with all the six bags he travels with combined, comes to 75 kilogrammes.
“It has some amazing features. I charge my electrical devices like the music system and phone using pedal power. The faster I pedal, the more energy it generates, so I only use petrol and diesel for the cooking stove,” he says, holding its tyres that have most recently ridden all the way from South Africa.
When we finally zero down on a comfy place for the three hour long interview, the sight of a tent draws more questions than sheer admiration.
This is his bedroom, anywhere and anytime wherever darkness dawns on him. The water proof, one metre long structure has a cozy yellow interior and air mattress.
“I need a good night’s rest otherwise I won’t ride the next day so it has got to be that cosy,” he shares, nodding his head. With a fairly good rapport established, we are now set to dig into his life.

Life of a computer nerd
Born in Canada, the last born of three children of two working class parents admits obsession with computers, calling himself, “a computer nerd.” By the age of eight, he would sit behind a computer for an average of 12 hours a day. Not playing games. And neither surfing the internet. In any case, this was in the 1980s when social media platforms like Facebook or even its founder, Mark Zuckerberg were not yet born.

Whilst other children played about, little Dave busied himself trying to learn how computers worked. Scratching his head to understand complex computer aspects like programming and networking. “My parents were okay with it because they knew where I was,” he quips. Nature however, was not okay with it. The computer without play lifestyle took a stall on him. “My life went crazy, I was not sociable, and I spent a lot of time on the screen, seeing things and yearning to learn everything about them. I could not sleep, I was not happy with life,” he says.

He started to worry about how to be successful, rich and what he was going to do with his life at 70. For a teenager, life was taking him on a rollercoaster of illusion and out of the world fantasies. Perhaps, he suggests, this had to do with his childhood environment. His sister was on special needs education following a pre-mature birth. Today, she is his role model. “The doctor said she would never sit upright. Today she has two children, a degree and is happily married. She inspires me because she didn’t let someone’s opinion determine her life.”

Describing himself as an introvert, architect of ideas, who loves adventure and doing things outside the conventional, almost structured western way of life, this single man, who shoves off the marriage question, set out to do something different with his life. First, he quit high school. A few weeks to graduation. The reason?
“I wanted to see what would happen. But on a serious note, school was too slow for me. It was not giving me the challenge I wanted in life.” That was only a step into a zillion miles of an anew life that would leave tongues wagging. Next on the agenda was to resign from a well paying computer related job that earned him consultancy stints beyond Canada.

Daring to follow his dreams
Then came the bombshell. He sold off all his possessions. From the mansion to whatever came with it, be it kitchen ware, clothes or furniture. Everything had to go. He only remained with two boxes of books and letters from friends.

“He has gone crazy. May be he wants to kill himself,” he quotes reactions to his eye-brow raising actions from family and friends. “I knew what I was doing. I told them you can express your concern, you are allowed to but just sit back and watch, wait and see and wish me well,” he told them.

It is this that amazon.com, in a review of his self published 240 page book entitled, “Tired of I.T. How I learnt to stop worrying and love the bicycle,” calls Dave’s quest to, “reprogram his mind and find inner peace.”

Conroy saw that inner peace in only one thing- the bicycle. It is at this point that the idea to discover the world and its peoples was born. For six months, he did extensive research on the internet and read self help books. About tourism, bicycles, cookery, accidents and first aid and everything he needed for a ride around the globe. The initial plan was to achieve the dream in nine months which later stretched to a year, two years, three years and now four years. He has since stopped counting.

The start of an incredible adventure
He chose July 2009 as the start of his journey. On the D-day, he didn’t sleep, thanks to intense anxiety. Much as he loved bicycles, he had taken two decades without riding one. He awoke, hurried to a restaurant for breakfast and grabbed his bicycle for a ride from Vancouver to the Gulf Islands in Canada. That was in 10 hours for a distance of 160-180km. His speed has since gone on a down ward spiral to 140km in 2010, 120km in 2011, 100km in 2012 and 80km in 2013.

Deep in the woods’ wilderness, he suffered his first set backs. First came mosquitoes and other strange insects that stung him, ripping skin and causing unstoppable bleeding. Then surviving death by a whisker when a suspected poacher shot at him twice, mistaking him for an animal. Luckily both bullets missed him.

That however, did not deter his ambition to cross to the United States, where he spent 30 days cycling across different regions of the vast North American nation. Another package of challenges awaited him in the wild with four legged creatures ranging from wild cats to beasts he had never seen attacking him. He pulls out a small knife, pushes its sharp end to his lower lip and says, “this lip is paralysed for the rest of my life. I got fellow riders in the US and we hang our bikes in trees. Mine fell and hurt me.”

CLIMBING KAGULU HILL OF MYSTERY

Visitors to the site pray at the “Well of life” on the hill. Kagulu Hill in Buyende District where the founding father of Busoga’s royal house, rested after crossing to Busoga from Bunyoro on Lake Kyoga is fast becoming a must visit tourist site in Busoga. On Saturday, May 11, I was one of the thousands who traveled to Kagulu for a hill climbing challenge organised by the Busoga Cultural Tourism Initiative. The hill is subject of many mysterious tales, a number of which I had heard before the challenge. It is said that the last ritual during the installment of Busoga’s Kyabazinga is done here- he has to climb the hill and if he fails, he is not the right Kyabazinga. A multicoloured snake with two heads is said to inhabit the hill and guard it together with a leopard. Shiny rocks and caves With anxiety we started our climb uphill. As we moved closer, the hill seemed to be moving farther away. It has a staircase on the southern side, built on the orders of President Idi Amin who was enchanted by the clear view it gave of neighbouring districts in Busoga, Teso and Lango regions. The staircase was one of two options of reaching the top of the hill, the other, climbing it from the northern side. The journey to the top takes you past six small rocks which tradition says are Mukama’s wives; Kagweere, Bukolimo, Butadewo, Mpanga, Kagweese and Muwaale. The summit of the hill, 10,000 feet above sea level, is home to a number of shiny black and grey rocks and caves which are now habitats to primates. However according to folklore, these caves once offered sanctuary to early settlers in Busoga. An aged woman Mandwa Kagulu Nabiryo, who is said to be an oracle haunted by the 45 spirits that own and patrol the hill, has a shrine at its top. There are also two wells, and a dugout canoe and an oar said to belong to Nabiryo. Etched into the rock are a man’s foot, a spear and dog which were allegedly drawn by the spirits. A small lake at the summit attracts people from all over Busoga who believes it gives good fortune. Kagulu residents claim that the lake does not dry up no matter the intensity of the drought. A bodaboda cyclist from Kamuli who only identified himself as Mawanda, said the water is a source of blessings, but the blessings depend on “what you want and how you ask the gods to meet your needs.” Dropping a coin into the water, he said, earns you a reward from the ancestors. That day, there were also a number of women imploring the gods to bless and strengthen their marriages. One had brought a child for blessing, saying she “got it” from the gods last year when she came to Kagulu after a decade in a childless marriage. While the water from the wells and lake does not look clean, this was no problem to some of the climbers who drunk it as they meditated on their wishes to the gods. A call to preserve heritage: Prince William Nadiope IV of Bugabula, where the hill lies, who had visited the hill a week earlier to “clear” way for the climbers by telling the spirits on the hill that friendly visitors were coming, asked his subjects to showcase their clans and totems. “Many people don’t know their totems and clans,” he said, and yet they “explain the depth of their culture.” The prince, who had travelled to Malaysia when the challenge was held, asked cultural leaders to create awareness of the totems so young people can easily trace their ancestral roots. At the foot of the hill are signs of quarrying activity which run counter to the Kingdom’s strategy to promote the hill as a tourist attraction. Sulaiman Balyejjusa, the area Member of Parliament, asked Kagulu residents to protect the site. “This is a good chance we should not let go. Our fish has reduced; we no longer keep as many cows like our ancestors used to. Please take advantage of this initiative to address poverty,” he said. BY Rafiki Adventure Tours

Celebrating Bukusu tradition at the cultural Festival

A group of kadodi dances performing at a cultural event.


In Summary

A community separated by history and physical location comes to together to share the beauty of its cultural wealth.

It was pomp and colour when the Bamasaaba in Kenya welcomed their leader, Omukuka Wilson Weyasa Wamimbi on December 30, 2011 at the Bungoma Cultural Centre. Leaders from the Bukusu community led by the minister for Foreign Affairs, Moses Wetangula, were at hand to welcome him on his arrival from Uganda.

Accompanying the Omukuka we inzu ye bamasaaba, head of the house of bamasaaba), who reigns over six million subjects in Kenya and Uganda were several cabinet ministers, cultural leaders and traditional dancers from Uganda.

In attendance were politicians, Bifwoli Wakoli, an assistant minister, and MP for Bumula, Musikari Kombo, a nominated MP, and Alfred Khang’ati, MP for Kanduyi.

Wilson Wamimbi, a former Uganda High Commissioner to Canada, was installed as “Muyinga” (an equivalent of king) of the Bamasaaba in December 2010. He took over from Omukuka Yonasa Mungoma who had been at the helm of inzu ya Masaaba ( house of Masaaba) from 1962. Before then, each of the 26 Bamasaaba clans in Uganda and over 200 in Kenya had its own leader. Wamimbi was elected by the clan elders to serve a non-renewable term of five years.

The now annual Bukusu Cultural Festival held at the newly commissioned Bungoma Cultural Centre was the second, the first one was held at Kanduyi stadium in December 2010.

The aim of these festivities, says Florence Nabwala, the Bungoma District cultural officer, is to preserve the rich Bukusu culture which has significantly been permeated by foreign cultural imperialism. She thanked the Bungoma County Council for donating more than seven acres of land for the construction of the cultural centre and Nzoia sugar factory for partly funding its construction. The centre cost Kshs5m(about Shs137.9b) to build.


Speaking at the same function, Dominic Wetangula, the chairman of Bukusu Council of Elders, said the unity among Bagisu of Uganda and Babukusu of Kenya would help to solidify socio-economic and political relations between the two communities ahead of the proposed East African Community federation.

In his book, An outline history of the Babukusu, F. Makila says, Mubukusu, the forefather of Babukusu, and Mugisu, the patriarch of bagisu, were both sons of Masaaba. Disagreements between the two sons resulted in Mubukusu leading the proto-bukusu across river Malaba (Lwakhakha) into Kenya.

Wetangula’s side of the Bamasaaba history
However, Wetangula argues that Mubukusu and Masaaba were both sons of Mundu and that babukusu are therefore not bamasaaba. John Osogo in his book, A History of the Baluhya , tresses Bukusu and Bagisu genealogy to Wele, a god or first ancestor and father of Sela and Mwambu her brother. Sela and Mwambu bore two children, Malaba and her brother Mugonma, ancestors of present-day Bukusu and Ugandan Bagisu respectively.

Dr Vincent Simiyu of the History department, University of Nairobi, says estimates using various chronological methods show that the separation of the Bukusu and Bagisu occurred in the 12th and 13th centuries. Some Bukusu populations are today still found in Yembe and Cheptui divisions of Mbale district and also in Bugisu and Sabiny (Sebei) districts in Uganda.

Bagisu and Babukusu speak dialects of Lumasaaba and live astride Mt Masaaba which European colonialists renamed Mt Elgon after the local inhabitants of the area, the El-kony. Bifwoli Wakoli’s clan, Bayemba like many other Bukusu clans is found in Uganda. Interestingly, one of his brothers is named Mugisu, after the Bagisu ancestor, Mugisu.

During the festival held at Sang’alo village, the visitors from Uganda spoke in Lugisu which their hosts, Babukusu understand very well. Omukuka Weyasa urged closer ties between the Bamasaaba through sports and joint cultural events. He invited babukusu to attend the Bamasaaba cultural day to be held in August which will mark the beginning of the circumcision ceremony, imbalu among the Bagisu.

The crowd was entertained by Kadodi dancers from Uganda and Tindikiti and Namatete bands from Bungoma. Unlike their counterparts from Uganda, Bukusu musicians regrettably wore modern European suits instead of traditional attire. The dress code was not consistent with the music.

The Dini ya Msambwa adherents mesmerised the crowd with their singing and drumming. However, none of the speakers at Sang`alo explained to the crowd the origins and philosophy of this religious outfit. Conspicuously absent during the function were professional historians and anthropologists from Bungoma County.

In an attempt to explain the ancestral ties between Babukusu and Bagisu, Kombo amused many when he called the host community the Kitosh a derogatory term used by colonialists to refer to Babukusu. “It is significant that professionals are involved in the planning and execution of cultural events so as to enable participants to benefit from their key note speeches,” avers Prof Simiyu Wandibba, a seasoned anthropologist who has published widely on Bukusu culture.

We have now tailor trips and tours to Uganda for groups, schools, families and individuals

We have now tailor trips and tours to Uganda for groups, schools, families and individuals who want to go out to Africa, see the people, the culture , the music , the wild life but also be useful and help out at various projects.

There are various projects for you to work with while in Uganda including:
Animal care and Conservation projects involve hands on work with a range of wild and domestic animals African animals in Zoos, animal sanctuaries, and Safari parks. There are also Land restoration and conservation projects where you can help out with term conservation initiatives in Uganda

Community based volunteering including building projects, health care and professional roles.
Join a variety of local building projects in rural remote and poor villages in Uganda, no prior knowledge or specific skills are required for this kind of work, just willingness to have a go. You will work with very friendly people in some of the most beautiful locations in the country, working with a small charities and projects.
There are also opportunities for those with professional skills like teacher, Doctors, nurses, social workers, Knitting and crafts,conservation and environment and so on

Volunteer in child care, care homes, orphanages and other children related projects in Uganda.
This is a unique opportunity to play a life-changing role in the lives of some of Uganda’s most under privileged children. No previous experience is needed here as well, just an abundance of enthusiasm and a desire to make a difference even if just for a short time.

Teaching volunteering work projects in Uganda , including teaching English, Music and drama, art and other subjects at primary and secondary school level.Education is very important to Ugandan young people and those who can be educated to Secondary level will have much better opportunities in life.All lessons are taught in English which makes it easier for our visiting teacher. For people who do not have formal teaching qualification, there are opportunities for you to work as an assistant in a class with local teachers.

Tailor made school expedition, tours and field trips to Uganda with a focus on student development through training, planning, challenge and cultural immersion. School tours and trips are mostly done during the summer holidays for school groups. The School teams are given chance to take part in community projects, volunteering, adventure & cultural activities in a range of exciting and challenging locations in Uganda.

Have a look here on our website if you want to organize a trip for your school, youth group, Church group, family or just want to go out as an individual. get in touch now or check Rafiki Adventures

Clicking at natural treasures

In Summary

Merely appreciating Uganda’s natural treasures was not enough for him. He had to get a camera and capture the magical moments. After a couple of shots, he was hooked. Today Gooch is a seasoned photographer of nature despite the fact that he has a career in a totally different field.

When Andy Gooch was 10, he was given a box brownie (cardboard box camera). He was going camping as a young scout. He loved the photographs he took then, but looking back he says they were rubbish.

“When I was 13 or 14, I bought a SLR camera with my paper round money, the bug stayed with me on and off. I even remember putting down becoming a photographer on my careers choice when I was 16, and went into sales instead,” he recounts.

Doing sales was a good experience, but he was destined to become a photographer and today he defines it as his big passion. “By the time I left the UK, I had a dark room kitted out in my loft. This was a long time before the age of digital, now everything is done on a lap top,” he recollects.

And he is not ignoring technological advancement. He stores his images on a laptop from which he shows me priceless photographs he took during his stay in national parks. It is from this beautiful collection that he has been able to sustain a photography column in this magazine. But for a long time, he couldn’t have time to dedicate time to take as many photographs as he wanted in the African pearl because of the pressures of work.
But like luck would have it, his work led him to the great sights in Kabwoya Game Reserve. Sadly though, for some time, he could only appreciate the wild life.

“I was lucky enough to work in Kabwoya Game Reserve, on the shores of Lake Albert, with Equator Catering and Tullow Oil. I used to spend time driving from drill site to drill site and soon wished I had a camera, so the next trip home to see my parents I ordered one and never looked back. It was always with me on the passenger seat and I would stop whenever I saw something interesting,” Gooch recounts.

First time in Uganda
He came to Uganda in June 2002 in the middle of the World Cup. “Hot, dusty and very green,” as his first impression of Uganda. He was looking for new and different surroundings. “It could not have been more different from Watford (near London) where I was living at the time. I remember sending my mate an email saying this place needs a sweep, a dust and a coat of paint,” he further recollects. “But also very friendly and a lot of fun,” he adds.

The people, scenery and wildlife impressed him more as a photographer. Of course like any stranger making friends was certain and his list of new friends were not socially defined. He made friends with boda boda riders, bar staff and advocates.

Uganda culture was soon to impact on him. “I hate the word “sorry” and the word “what” or at least the over use of them.” And the friends he’s made and people he meets don’t want him to stay single forever. “I find it funny that when Ugandans find out I am not in a relationship and childless, they then want to find me a wife regardless of whether I need one or not,” he says.

Perhaps his eyes were for game. “I have many ideas for books, various stages of development and cash flow will dictate if and when they come out,” he discloses. He tells me that he is in completion stages of the books.

Collection of nature
He has about seven or eight ideas all on different subjects and more focused than the first book titled Uganda the beauty and some beasts. His plan is to present Uganda is a positive light, as it has so much to offer residents and tourists.

He plans to capture East African Primates, 10 to 12 species of primate found in Uganda. He will be looking at their life, habitat and activities he planned to publish finding by end of 2011. He will do the photographs and Lettice Bell, a primatologist, will do the text.

He plans to photograph over 150 species of East African Birds as well as tell the story of the River Nile as it flows through Uganda from Jinja to Sudan, looking at people, trade and wildlife. On this project, he will do the photos and words will be by Andrew Roberts.

But all this was triggered off when Gooch sent a bunch of good photos to his friends and family instead of a Christmas card. They thought it would be fun to do something longer-lasting with them, hence the encouragement to do the first book. “It ended up being a huge learning curve and so much fun and hard work,” he tells.

His aim is to prove that there is so much more about Uganda than its troubled past. “…we have a lot of great stuff that will interest people from all around the world. People back home still talk about the bad times in the 70s.” He adds, “I really hope Uganda can develop and become a major centre of tourism, agriculture and industry in the future, it’s not going to be easy or happen overnight, but it could happen.”

by Joseph

Delights of a coastal paradise

Swimming in the Indian Ocean is very exciting.

If you want to escape the madding crowds in the capital the world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page, I can proudly tell you that reading pages on my four-day leisure trip to coastal Mombasa was memorable.

With seven journalist friends, Michael, Nisha, Hillary, Andrew, Barbra, Robert, Moses and our host, Regina from Air Uganda, we set out to kick the white sands in the coastal town.

Forget your favourite resorts, beaches in Mombasa have the white sands and the experience comes in full measure.

Our first stop was at Hemingsway Resort where the language of hospitality starts at the welcome lounge with a glass of fresh juice and cinnamon-scented face towels to cool us of the effects of the approximately 90-minute direct flight on the wings of East Africa.

There is a bit of a stretch from the airport to Hemingsway, but the little fatigue will all vanish once you drive into this resort of tropical splendour. “We need to check out the beaches, guys,” Hillary, visibly excited, beckoned us.

“Let’s check in first and then we’ll have all the time to experience the resort,” Regina calmly suggested. The hotel staff checked us in and led us to our hotel rooms that directly face the sparkling blue self-imposing Indian Ocean. Well, our trip came a week earlier to Christmas Day, and the festive cheer was in the air with the coastal stretch crowded with tourists from all over the world who chose to take a break from life’s routine to relax all day and experience the coast’s grandeur.
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Bumping into white old wealthy couples, as well as middle age Kenyan couples with their young families is common place here. Nicholas, our tour guide told me that there are many hotels and every resort will have to put their best foot forward.

We split our short holiday between the south coast and north coast, and thinking that Hemingsway was Mombasa’s beauty, was for a moment. On our second day, we crossed to the north coast and Leopard Beach Hotel and Spa proved its worth as a beauty in greenery along the coastal Diani beach on the northern coast.

“Tycoons and International dignitaries come to enjoy their holidays here,” the hotel’s management told us as we toured Serena Breach Hotel and Spa after a sumptuous lunch.

The hotel opens up to lovely traditional Swahili architecture and designs and décor of heavy wood, sukkah embroidering on the ceilings and lanterns along the walkways. When we visited, the hotel was fully booked and further on in the compound, the presence of tourists was heavy, all the way to the lawns that are dotted with palm trees. The palm garden overlooks the coastline where white tourists bask in shades, taking portions of the sun as they chat, read novels or simply take an afternoon siesta along the sandy pristine beaches.

The beach boys who partly provide tour guide services, are in business too, enjoying the company of the white ladies. It is a generally happy mood and you would want to have this experience forever in this home to some of the world’s best beaches.

And what is more, nightlife is also an experience on its own in the south coast. At Hemingsway Resort, we were entertained by Vivian & the Jazzy Souls that musically took us places and to different times, from Aretha Franklin to sounds of the Beatles, Regina Belle, Michael Bolton and back home to Juliana Kanyomozi’s duet with Burundian star Kidumu, Haturudi Nyuma.

Although its Christmas Day today, 2012 is not far into the future, you can start saving for a trip down to the coast for your chance to sample wonderful beaches, Swahili cuisine and culture.

If you go
Fights
Air Uganda flies direct to Mombasa three times a week.
Cost of flight is Us $400
Accommodation
At Hemingsway Resort Ksh13,000 ( Shs300, 000) for Sea View Superior Singles,Ksh20,000 ( Shs540,000) for Sea View Superior Twin/double and Sea View Executive Suite of one and two bedrooms for Ksh42,000 (Shs1.1m) and Ksh68,000 (Shs1.8 million ) respectively. These rates apply for East African residents.

Burundi the country with Rich culture

Drummers are a must see when you are in Burundi. They reflect the rich culture.

In Summary

The civil war may have set Burundi back by some years, however, today things are looking up in the country. Even if you are like to face language barrier, a visit to the capital will leave you impressed, especially by the rich fruit basket and cuisine.

Wedged between Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda, Burundi occupies a high plateau divided by several deep valleys and its road from Rwanda meanders round, very steep, with beautiful scenery.
Coffee plantations welcome a visitor to Burundi and in the outskirts of the city; you will see women carrying hoes, babies on their backs – probably evidence that people are hardworking.

The phrase I can use to best describe Bujumbura and its people is “there is an information gap” and it’s evident when even a cab driver fails to know places one could think obvious like the parliament, big hotels and shopping centres like supermarkets. Other people in town don’t even know there is a big conference in their town. “Some of them don’t just care,” says Edward Ndavuze, a cab driver, speaking in his local Kirundi dialect. Ndavuze spent a few years in Uganda as a little boy, so he speaks some English.

Information gap, language barrier and the French man’s bug still eats up the Barundi, in almost all aspects- and they will probably take more years to learn the language of East Africans- English.

Whoever you meet is speaking Kiswahili, French, complicated Kirundi and some speak Congolese- this is a trying time for a Ugandan visitor. “What do you expect of a people that have known nothing but wars?” a colleague asked me.
The war that finally ended in May 2008 had claimed close to 300,000 people. In August 2005, former Hutu rebel leader Pierre Nkurunziza was elected president by parliament. The peaceful transfer of power to a democratically elected leader seemed to indicate that Burundi’s 12-year civil war was truly at an end- and indeed it had come to the real end.

President Nkurunziza says Burundi has transformed from “a relatively isolated country, which was associated mainly with internal civil unrest, to a land- linked country with a vibrant economy, improved infrastructure, and a stable socio-political system.”

“Our ability and capacity to accommodate, not only international conferences, but also to attract increasing incidence on foreign direct investments, are clear positive indications of the tangible benefits of regional integration,” President Nkuruzinza said.

Many Ugandans who have visited Bujumbura for long have testimony to the growth of the small city. “When we first started coming here for parliamentary sessions, we would all maneuver to fit in the single hotel that was around those years, but a few years down the road, the capital is booming with hotels and even more are coming up,” says Bernard Mulengani, a Ugandan East African Legislative Assembly(EALA) member.

Roads in the capital are wide, and well made. I am told that all the new developments and infrastructure seen in the capital have been built in less than five years. I didn’t see potholes, I didn’t see any dirty streets expect in the central market.

“A lot of developments that I can’t count have happened in a flash of an eye. The East African community has been the best thing that can ever happen to the country and I’m sure they can never regret joining the community,” says Mike Ssebalu, also a Ugandan EALA member.

The central market closes at 4pm Burundi time, no lunch is available in any hotel or restaurant because the Barundi leave their work places, go home and eat from their traditional cuisine, then take a siesta. The restaurants only operate in the evenings and with the slow reception and service, patience is what a visitor should carry when they go to Bujumbura.

However, on the plus, all the hotels in the city have free internet connections, so even as you wait for that food order which if you are lucky will take not hours; you can make yourself comfortable with internet. And finally when the food comes, it will assure you that Bujumbura is a city of fruits, each type of food will come with fresh fruits in plenty.

Together with their neighbouring Rwanda, Burundi became a full EAC member in July 2007 and thanks to the membership, Burundi which had almost died, has resurrected. “Potholes were the order of the day, the whole town was dirty and there were hardly any cars on the streets. I can now see traffic jam, the speed of development is terrific,” Eriya Kategaya, First Deputy Premier reminisces of the old days in Bujumbura.

Burundi’s economy is estimated to be $2bn. The country has two distinct ethnic groups: the Hutu and the Tutsi. While these cultures have coexisted for centuries and now share a common language and many cultural elements, they remain separate in terms of group identification.

Notwithstanding the language barrier that a first time visitor with no knowledge of French and good Kiswahili will face, Burundi is a place to visit because it has interesting sites.
by Rafiki Adventures

Family tour with Rafiki Adventures

A tour in Uganda with children will be a memorable experience for the whole family. Rafiki Adventures designed a great trip whereby you pass all the "must see" of Uganda. What makes this trip special is that we shortened the travel distances compared to our general tours and where possible we included accommodation with a swimming pool.

Note: Chimpanzee tracking is only allowed for persons from 12 years and older. We don't visit Bwindi in this tour because gorilla tracking is only allowed for persons from 16 years and older. For this reason we go to see the chimpanzees at Ngamba island and Chimpanzee permits in Kibale Forest are optional.

Program

Day 1: Pick up from Entebbe Airport.
Day 2: Monkeys and birds in the Botanical Garden. Chimpanzees at Ngamba Island.
Day 3: A safari walk to the rhinos. To Murchison Falls National Park.
Day 4: A morning game drive and an afternoon boat safari in the park.
Day 5: A morning game drive. Transfer to Hoima.
Day 6: To Kibale Forest National Park: "A world of monkeys!!"
Day 7: Chimpanzee tracking and walk through Bigodi Swamp (monkeys & birds).
Day 8: Relaxing and game drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Day 9: A morning game drive and an afternoon boat safari in the park.
Day 10: To Lake Bunyonyi + relaxing on one of the island.
Day 11: A whole day relaxing on the island.
Day 12: To Masaka.
Day 13: Visit the equator. To Kampala.

Rates

We can't give you a fixed price for this trip because all accommodations and activities have different prices and discount for children of different age groups. As well the amount of adults and children will change the price. Please ask for an offer.

Accommodation

Mainly luxurious lodges plus a few middle class lodges/hotels.
Meal plan

During this trip your have 2 nights accommodation based on 'bed only', 1 night on Half Board and 17 nights on Full Board.
Inclusions / Exclusions

Inclusions:
Transport in a 4wd mini bus with pop-up roof for excellent safari viewing.
English speaking driver/guide.
All fuel.
Accommodation based on Full Board (6 nights) in Paraa Lodge (Murchison Falls), Primate Lodge (Kibale Forest N.P) and Mweya Lodge (Queen Elizabeth N.P.), based on Bed & Breakfast in Entebbe, Hoima and Masaka (4 nights) and based on 'bed only' in Lake Bunyonyi (2 nights);
Entrance fees for Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Murchison Falls N.P., Kibale Forest N.P. and Queen Elizabeth N.P.
Ferry Murchison Falls N.P. (3 days).
Hike to the Top of the Falls (Murchison Falls N.P.).
All game drives as mentioned in the program in Murchison Falls N.P. and Queen Elizabeth N.P.
Two boat safaris (Murchison Falls N.P. and Queen Elizabeth N.P.).
Ranger fees (Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Murchison Falls N.P., Queen Elizabeth N.P.).
Exclusions
International air fares, entry visas (Visa Uganda is 50 US$).
Airport transfers before and after the trip (though this can be arranged at an additional cost, please enquire on booking).
Personal (medical/travel) insurance.
Tips and gratuities to your driver/guide, porters, hotel/camp staff etc.
All expenses of a personal nature (e.g. drinks, laundry, souvenirs etc.)
Optional activities (Swamp walk Bigodi).
All activities not mentioned in the program.
Chimpanzee permit (for all who are 12 years of age or above).

Meal plan

During this trips your have 2 nights accommodation based on 'bed only', 2 nights on Bed & Breakfast, 2 nights on Half Board and 6 nights on Full Board.