Uganda Safari Blog

The Igongo Centre, a privately owned cultural museum has been opened near Mbarara in western Uganda.

The Centre is owned by a renowned publisher James Tumusiime and it is the first of its kind in Uganda and in the East African region.

Tumusiime said he founded the Centre in order to promote culture as well as serving as a hospitality and cultural education centre. He urged corporate companies to support the centre which aims at cultural promotion in the country and in Africa.

The centre was commissioned by the President of Uganda, H.E Yoweri Museveni who was accompanied by his wife Janet.

The president instructed the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife and the Uganda Wildlife Authority, to support the cultural center and to collaborate with the existing cultural centers and properly brand the Ugandan wildlife in a Ugandan setting.

The centre can be visited while on cultural tours during Uganda safaris. Uganda is ranked the number one tourist destination in 2012 by the British travel guide the Lonely Planet.

By Jean,

Uganda Safari & Travel News

Tullow Oil Plc, one of the world’s leading independent oil and gas, exploration and production companies recently commissioned an 18.5km murram road from Te Bito plains up to Murchison Falls (the largest national park in Uganda and 7th in Africa), at the cost of US $200,000, completed in 6 months.

The track provides an alternative route through the park, giving tourists an opportunity to appreciate the vast variety of animals and plants in the Te Bito Plains, and a shorter access route for guests to Paraa and Chobe Lodges near the top of Murchison Falls.

“We want to show everyone that we are a responsible company and a good neighbour,” Tullow General Manager Eion Mekie said at the track’s commissioning.

The park is home to a wide variety of animals, rare birds and plants which can be seen during Uganda safaris.

By Jean,

Uganda Safari & Travel News

Players in the Uganda tourism sector will embark on innovation as they seek to fully exploit the visibility created by Lonely Planet to grow the country’s tourism sector.

Dr Andrew Seguya, the executive director Uganda Wildlife Authority, said that since travelers need experience-based tourism, Uganda has a lot to do to communicate to reveal its potential to the world.

He also said since today’s traveler is sophisticated, UWA has embarked on a project to sell Uganda as a tourism destination of choice through embassies abroad.

Under the project, UWA intends to put portraits of Uganda’s endowments including mountain gorillas and the beautiful mountains in Uganda’s embassies starting with Uganda’s embassy in London, Germany and Washington.

Uganda is naturally endowed with the largest number of primates such as the mountain gorilla, the source of the River Nile which offers the best white-water rafting, the highest mountain range in Africa-Rwenzori and wonderful water falls.

These can be visited during Uganda safaris. Lonely Planet, a reputable British tourist guide, recently ranked Uganda the number one tourism destination to visit in 2012.

By Jean,

Uganda Safari & Travel News

Another vessel MV BIJLI has been introduced at the Ssese Islands after MV Kalangala which sails from Nakiwogo landing site in Entebbe to Lutoboka in Kalangala.

MV BIJLI (LAKE QUEEN) made its maiden trip last week from Kasenyi landing site via Jana, Bubeke and finally to Bukasa Island on Lake Victoria.

The vessel which has a capacity of 250 passengers, two small vehicles and cargo of six tons will cater for Islands that the MV Kalangala does not reach.

The vessel owned by SAFE HAVEN will be leaving Kasenyi landing site at noon on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays.

By Jean,

Uganda Safari & Travel News

Gulf Air announced its promotional initiative “Top Trips” with discounted fares on flights from Entebbe to select GCC and Indian Subcontinent destinations this week.

Gulf Air, Bahrain’s national carrier and the largest network operator in the Middle East will commence flights to Uganda’s commercial capital Entebbe from December 5 with four flights a week.

The promotional fares start from USD 200 for travel from Entebbe to select GCC and Indian Subcontinent destinations. This offer is open for booking and outbound travel until 31 December and valid for return travel up to 31 March 2012.

Entebbe is the fourth destination in Africa for Gulf Air. The airline will fly four times a week between Bahrain and Entebbe operating an Airbus A320 in a two-class configuration of 16 seats in Falcon Gold and 120 in Economy with the capacity to carry four tons of freight.

By Jean,

Uganda Safari & Travel News

As Entebbe Airport passenger numbers close to a record 1.5million at the end of the year, more airlines are flying in. For airport users, the competition means prices to some of the key destinations are likely to reduce.

This year alone Uganda has so far attracted new Airlines like Qatar Airways launching daily flights recently and Gulf Air set to launch in December with four flights a week. This is in addition to Turkish Airlines which launched in October.

Major world destinations like London, New York, Dubai, Mumbai, Beijing and Shanghai can now be reached using many airlines at competitive rates.

Emirates Airlines, British Airways, Kenya Airways, Qatar Airways and KLM all make connections to Dubai at rates of between $420 and $800 depending on the Airline.

Mr Ignie Igundura, the Civil Aviation Authority’s public relations manager, says “Ticket fares will reduce in the long term as more flights connect to various destinations.”

As the holiday season approaches, promotional offers have started to crop up with flights to Europe at a minimum of $244 inclusive of taxes.

The next five years will see increase of the aircraft parking apron, expanding the passenger terminal and also decongesting the Kampala Entebbe road as the master plan for the Airport.

By Jean,

Uganda Safari & Travel News

Qatar Airways on Thursday last week quietly flew American R&B sensation, Kenny Latimore into Uganda, to entertain guests with a concert at a dinner to officially launch its operations in the country.

Kenny’s presence was kept a secret until after the guests had eaten their dessert.

After the guests were served with the starter and the main course, there were two short speeches by the Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Airways, Mr. Akbar Al Baker, and Uganda’s Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi followed by curtain raising performances and a documentary about Doha, where the headquarters of Qatar Airways are located.

When he arrived on stage, his first performance was a new song about climate change. He entertained the guests with the songs All my Tomorrow, Never too Busy, For you, and a duet with Uganda’s Juliana Kanyomozi Love will find a Way, a duet he sung with Heather Hardley for the movie The Lion King: Return to Pride Rock.

The American sensation’s fans swarmed him for photo opportunities before he was whisked away by his manager.

According to the organisers of the concert, Kenny Latimore flew into the country on Wednesday and left on Friday morning.

By Jean,

Uganda Safari & Travel News

Lonely planet, the world’s largest travel guide book and digital media publisher has named Uganda the number one tourism destination to visit in 2012.

Uganda emerged number one out of 10 other countries surveyed, followed by Myanmar (Burma), Ukraine, Denmark, Bhutan, Cuba, New Caledonia, Taiwan and Switzerland.

The study that surveyed family travelers, bloggers and tweeters for their travel destinations in 2012 released the findings in the Best Travel 2012, the best trends, destinations, journeys and experiences for the upcoming year, according to the report.

The list was voted for by a panel of in-house travel experts based on topicality, excitement, value and that special X-factor.

Uganda is home to largest number of primates including mountain gorillas, one of the rare animal species in the world.

It is also the source of the mighty River Nile which offers the best white-water rafting in the world, its blessed with snow-capped mountain range in Africa-Rwenzori, wonderful water falls, birds and vegetation.

By Jean,

Uganda Safari & Travel News

Following in the footsteps of British Airways, KLM and Emirates Airlines, global carriers that previously traversed only South Africa, Nigeria and Egypt have decided to include Entebbe as one of their top destinations.

Qatar Airways and Gulf Air are the latest additions to the list of global aviation giants joining the Ugandan market. For Gulf Air, Entebbe will be it’s fifth African destination. Qatar Airways is set to begin daily flights to Entebbe International Airport on November 2.

Earlier this year, the world’s largest airline Delta (from America) also opened an office in Uganda.

In 2010, Turkish Airlines also made its maiden flight into Uganda direct from Istanbul. In October, 2009, British Airways started flying between Entebbe and London Heathrow Airport five times a week.

Gulf Air from the wealthy oil state of Bahrain, which was in this market until 1993 when it halted operations on grounds of inappropriate aircraft size will make its maiden flight to Entebbe on December 5, flying four times a week.

The influx of giant airlines present an opportunity to attract more tourists to Uganda safaris. “Uganda is a beautiful country with so much diversity,” says Karim Makhlouf, the Gulf Air chief commercial officer.

By Jean,

Uganda Safari & Travel News

During the burial of the late Prince John Barigye at the royal burial grounds in Nkokonjeru, Mbarara, there were renewed calls to the Uganda government from the Banyankole to restore Ankole kingship.

A sombre mood engulfed the kingdom royalists on Saturday as hundreds of mourners thronged the king’s palace, to pay tribute to the late prince.

The pro-obugabe supporters and royals also asked the government to return the royal drums to the kingdom.

The regalia were confiscated by government under the Amin regime in 1967 when kingdoms were abolished.

Prince Edward Kiraka, a brother to Barigye, told mourners during the funeral service at Ruharo Cathedral that the need to restore the kingship in Ankole is “unstoppable”.

“The drums can be brought and be kept here because it’s the kingdom property. We must start preparing for the restoration of Obugabe (kingship),” he said.

The Kabaka (king) of Buganda, Mumbere of Rwenzururu, Solomon Iguru of Bunyoro and the prime minister of Busoga, sent condolence messages to the people of Ankole.

The kingdoms can be visited during cultural tours while on Uganda safaris.

By Jean

Uganda Safari & Travel News