Golden Monkey Tracking Tour in Volcanoes National Park

In Rwanda golden monkeys are found and can be tracked in the Volcanoes national park located north of Musanze. Arrival time at the Kinigi park station should be by 7am which will give you enough time to enjoy tea or coffee as well as watch kinyarwanda cultural dance performers showcasing traditional dancing and singing. At this point you are geared up in the best trekking clothes ready for your trekking adventure. A good pair of walking shoes, long pants and sleeves to protect from stinging nettle and drinking water is what you really need. The park has a number of entrances and which you use depends on the activity your going for; heading out to see the golden monkeys or for gorillas tracking in Rwanda, and then which family of gorillas you are headed to see.

The hike to the golden monkeys will take you for about 45 minutes through farmland from the road to the park boundary, which is a 6 foot high rock wall, aimed at keeping wild animals like buffalo and elephants out of the farmland abutting up against the boundary.You will also be accompanied by two armed park ranger escorts to protect the group from a chance encounter with a buffalo or forest elephant. Rwanda is quite small country with a sizable population of about 11 million which means land is fully used up, primarily for farming. Once inside the park you walk for another 30 minutes through quite slick and steep terrain. The walk to the golden monkeys depends on where the monkeys are hanging out that day but you'll generally find them in tall bamboo sections of the forest. Usually a team of trackers is sent out ahead of time to find the actual location of the golden monkeys, so that when you arrive at the park boundary your guides knows roughly where they were headed.

When you reach the spot where the guides thinks they are, you will watch up at the bamboo and see them. You will see them playing, jumping from bamboo to bamboo trees. They have soft and fluffy looking hair on their cheeks which make them look like they always have a mouth full of food. They seem completely at ease among people, going about their everyday activities. In the sunny clearing you could rotate in a circle and see monkeys at every point of your turn. Interestingly they feed on stinging nettle, which if you've ever encountered some in the forest know it is covered in spikes that come off in your skin if you brush up against it. Don't know how they do it. We all began our trek back reluctantly, but understandably as the rangers explained the animals are happiest if they have only limited exposure to humans.

Visiting Rwanda for gorilla Trekking

A Rwanda tour presents a country as a beautiful country, where poverty and a recent violent history is kept within your thoughts, even though you are greeted by smiling welcoming faces and happy waving children wherever you go. So clean and well maintained too!

The gorilla trekking adventure in Rwanda is nothing short of remarkable. While planning your gorilla tour in Rwanda, you MUST prepare by getting into shape prior to traveling to Rwanda for the trek - while not a strenuous hike, it is up a bit higher in altitude, and a lot of uphill walking, so you might have shortness of breath but don't worry, there are porters to help. As well, your guides take plenty of breaks, but do exercise and do cardio before coming.

Expect to have a one to two hours of challenging hike before you reach the gorilla family. The hike can be slippery and a muddy walk through bamboo forest could test your balance and strength. Be careful of the effects of high altitude; you are hiking at 2500 m above see.

Finally meeting and observing these magnificent animals could be a life changing experience. Every penny and every step of effort is worth it when you look in to the eyes of your first gorilla. You will only get one hour with them, but trust me; this is worth it. Please go visit the gorillas as soon as you can afford to. Don't put it off, don't wish for 'one day', go. Go tomorrow. 

Gorilla hiking tips to note for both parks

•Make sure to take the walking stick that is offered. The stick will be incredibly helpful on the uneven and muddy terrain. 

•Carry gloves as everything will be muddy, wet and slippery in the forest. You will be quite happy to have clean hands when taking photos.
Wear long socks so your able to pull them up over your pants to protect them from army ants that are frequently present in the forest.

•For your trek wear decent weight water resistant pants to protect you from the stinging nettle plants - these can be quite bothersome

• Wear good hiking boots with good soles for gripping. Poor shoes can be disastrous during the hike.

Camera tips to Note for your gorilla trek

• Pack lots of batteries because many lodges in both Bwindi and Volcanoes do not have charging stations in your room, rather there are group-charging stations in the main lodge. This makes charging batteries a challenging yet you have to rest and prepare for gorilla hiking the next day. 

•Go for a comfortable at manual focusing your camera. The mountain gorillas are often partly behind vegetation and the camera inevitably focuses on the vegetation blurring the gorillas. You need to manually focus your camera on the gorillas and blur the vegetation to have very good shots. This can be hard if you have not practiced ahead of time. 

Will Uganda's water Rafting subsist Vs New Proposed plan of the Isimba Hydro Electric Plant ?

The upper river Nile valley where thrilling adventure activities take place including, white water rafting, quad biking, bungee jumping, horseback riding, cross country cycling and a lot other activities attracting a large number of travelers from all over the world is being threatened by a new proposal to maximum the dam height version for the Isimba power plant.

The Nile Rafting project has been running over 20 years, coupled with wildlife and primates safaris - today tourism is a leading revenue earner for the government

Should this proposal be approved by the Ugandan government the Jinja river Nile water rafting and other adventure activities at the Nil will be dead and a major revenue earner for the country lost and worst of all unemployment to zoo many locals and investors losing their livelihood.

A number of concerned individuals have forwarded a petition signed by over 15,000 people to the Ugandan parliament, which will be presented on Monday, drawing the attention of our leaders to the stark facts surrounding the proposed Isimba Hydro Electric Power Plant.

The Nile adventure is one major reason why publication such as Lonely Planet and National Geographic named destination Uganda as one of Africa’s must visit safari destinations, offering travelers a wide range of tourism activities not to mention the popular gorilla tracking, so many other options exist today for tourist visitors to enjoy a holiday to the Pearl of Africa.

The Speaker of Parliament, the Hon. Rebecca Kadaga, is in fact from the wider Jinja area and knows fully well, what is at stake should the dam go up to the maximum, impacting on the economic performance of Jinja and when she receives the petition on Monday, she will no doubt bear in mind the future of her own constituents. Fodder for thought among the powers that be, more so as additional power generating options have of late been proposed, including a new hydroelectric plant further down the river near the Karuma Falls, which could generate as much as 600 MW and reduce the need for Isimba to be at maximum level.

That said, and as outlined in the petition and attached letter, is the reputation of Uganda at stake as a binding commitment was made by government when securing World Bank finance for the Bujagali plant, that this section of the river, together with the Mabira Forest, will be kept intact as offset measures to mitigate the negative impact of Bujagali, which has become only too apparent in recent times too.

Nyamulia Rock- the hidden wonder of Nebbi District

The total solar eclipse will be credited for booming the tourism resources in the northern region of Uganda just like the Nyamuli rock.
Wang- Nyamulia rock is located in Ogul Valley, Alwi Sub-county in Nebbi District. This cultural site has been little known by both Ugandans and the foreign tourists all over the world. No great attention was given to this tourist attraction but when people started preparing for the viewing of the hybrid solar eclipse at Owiny Primary school, the district leaders came in and mobilized the community members to promote all the tourism attractions within their area.
Mr John Olum- a care taker at Nyamulia cultural site says that the site belongs to the Madi clan who are always performing their cultural rituals at the site. The whole site is made of rocks and caves that have water flowing all the time through them in different directions.
The site was initially discovered a thousand years ago before the collonisation of Africa by the whites.

History of the site
A popular tale was told about these rocks. It says that some time back, a man- named Okul who belonged to the Madi clan got married to a very beautiful woman that every one at that village admitted not to have seen before. All the people at the village admired the lady and as a result she was named Nyamulia, a Luo word meaning “bride”.
One day in the morning, Nyamulia went alone to fetch water in Ogul valley but unfortunately she did not come back home! “This impelled Madi- her husband along with his neighbors to set off and start searching her. Upon reaching the valley, they found a rock which slightly resembled this beautiful woman. The rock had Nyamulia’s beads and looking for her around , she was nowhere to be seen. This made these people to believe that she might have been locked inside her rock- thus the name Nyamulia rock” Olum says.

Olun added that Okul- Nyamulia’s husband went on following her wife’s footprints on the rock and also disappeared after some time.
“Afew years after the incident, lightening stuck the rock and Namulia’s beads disappeared from the rock. It was since then, that place considered as a holly site and several people started coming to have prayers from this place.” Olum narrates.
A visit to this cultural site is quite challenging more so reaching the rocks where Nyamulia said to have disappeared from. To visit the site, your supposed to be checked by the ushers at the entrance gate made from sticks and then meet the Madi leaders putting on wild animal hides.
They first perform some rituals to the visitors before being allowed to access the place.
Visitors are strictly told to put off their shoes before entering on to the site because it is believed to be a holly place. The rock is usually hot from the direct sunshine that strike on to it which gives hardship to visitors who are supposed to walk bare footed while in this site.
Representatives from Madi community take you through a guided walk in the site through the flowing waters to the steep rocks until you get to the Nyamulia rock.
Residents of this village say that the site has some snakes and bees which they claim not to be harmful to man. They added that there is no case raised about a snake bite or bees stinging someone in and around this place.
“Women with problems especially those who have failed to bear children come into this place and ask to be healed by the blessings of Nyamulia and afterwards get children. Plus other problems get solved from this place” Olum reveals.
Olum said that men who happen to fall while hiking on the rock, they stand a risk of becoming impotent and women becoming barren however there was no proof to verify them. Women are not allowed to take a bath from this site while naked. The Nyamulia rock, even though the elders at the site say that the rock resembles a beautiful bride who disappeared, no sign can be seen by a visitor as a way proving their words.
Olum urges to the government for some support in terms of funds, designers and tourism specialists to plan how best they can develop the site so that it’s well known wild wide as well as attracting large number of tourists both within and outside Africa.
Devine powers
Child bearing; Women, most especially those who have failed to get pregnant or to bear their pregnancy for the 9 months gather at the rock to ask for blessings from Nyamulia and afterward get children. Also those who come at the site with other problems get solved after asking for blessings from Nyamulia.

On the other hand, men who fall on the rock while climbimg, they stand a reisk of becoming impotent and women becoming barren. Women are also prohibited from taking a shower from this place while necked.
The site is also a habitant to some snakes and bees which are said to have no harm to human beings. This is evidenced by the fact that no case has ever been raised about a snake bite or bees stinging someone.

Little-known tourism sites
Little is known about the possible uganda safari adventures that tourists can experience in the Northern part of the country. NorthernUganda comprises of a variety of tourist attractions categorized into cultural, historical and tourism sites all summing up to about 41 sites. The region has several lakes including Fort Dufile of Emin Pasha in Moyo district which is located on River Nileand Gordon hills in the south of southern Sudan.
Alikua Pyramids constructed by the Belians is one of the tourism attractions offered in Maracha district. In Koboko district, there is lake Adola Milan which has no access by road and no sign posts to guide touritsts while visiting it, and in Nebbi district, there is the Puvungu area which is said to be the area where the Luo immigrants splinted from plus the Nyamulia rock.
Other tourist attractions in the region include the Indriani in Adjumani District, a place where the first missionaries constructed a church in 1911. Also, there memorial sites including Vurra and Ombaci in Arua district, the rolling hills in Nebbi district whose steep escarpments  overlap on the shores of Lake Albert.
It is believed that if these sites are developed and promoted, they will attract more tourists thus generating more income to the government and also creating employment opportunities to the citizens within the respective areas.

Rwanda: Primatologist Jane Goodall to Help Promote Rwanda's Chimpanzees

Dr. Jane Goodall, a renowned British primatologist, ethnologist, anthropologist, and UN Messenger of Peace, From Tanzania, she paid a visit to Rwanda before traveling to the DRC and later Burundi.

Goodall is taken as the world's best expert on chimpanzees, and she is well known for her 45-year study of social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park, in Tanzania. Over the years, she has made some pivotal discoveries, for example the use of apparatuses by the primates (e.g. using sticks to get termites in a hole), which constrained researchers to reexamine their perspectives on animals conduct.

Her work spins around inspiring activity in the interest of endangered species, particularly chimpanzees, and encouraging people to do their part to make the world an improved place for people, animals, and the environment surrounding us.

Goodall has likewise established the Jane Goodall Institute, which was contracted by Rwanda Development Board (RDB) to help survey the status of habituation of chimpanzees in Gisovu region, which is situated in the northern part of Nyungwe National Park and consists of unique tourism products like the furthest Source of the Nile, birding, tea tourism and views of tea plantation landscapes, the dark green mountains of Nyungwe forest and Lake Kivu.

In a joint effort with Nyungwe Nziza venture and with the backing of the Jane Goodall Institute, RDB needs to transform Nyungwe National Park into a practical ecotourism objective and also generate sustainable and equitable income for local communities and other stakeholders.

The Institute will additionally give an arrangement for enhancing habituation and directing skills and technical support for expanding staff limit and enlarging the habituation process in the Gisovu Sector. This will help to integrate the chimpanzee product into the overall Gisovu tourism plan.

The Jane Goodall Institute has as of recently finished the appraisal on current advance, future potential and other chimpanzee habituation efforts to-date and an audit of the system of the existing trails, and recommendations for the improvement of new trails depend upon chimpanzees' home range. The procurement of chimp trackers and guides, IT equipment and reference materials has likewise been finished.

The next stage will be the execution of the Chimpanzee Tourism Development Plan that includes proceeded provision of guidance and expertise on the best utilization of IT equipment.

Uganda was Named Top Tourist Destination for year 2013

Unlike other countries, Uganda is one of the best travel destinations with most of the adventurous and most fascinating attractions for 2013; National Geographic listed Uganda as one of the top "new year's 20 must-see places."

"The pride of Uganda's tourism lies in the undisturbed green nature that invites you the minute you arrive in Uganda either via air, water, land or any method of transportation," published by the National Geographic.

"Getting out of the city will be a remunerating viewing with a number of bird species, various wildlife, and the mountain gorillas that have been 'a sizzling cake' to Uganda."

This comes in the wake of tourism accolades being lavished on Uganda and also challenges such as protests under the demonstrations of "walk to work" by opposition leaders.

National Geographic proposes various books and documentaries to watch about Uganda including gifted by nature and The Last King of Scotland.

Abiaz Rwamwiri, a tourism expert with Africa Wildlife Foundation said, "We have a lot of potential we are not tapping into and this is what the recommendation by the National Geographic is telling Ugandans."

He also illustrated that Uganda has got an excellent landscape, interesting wildlife, for example the Mountain gorilla safaris and simple to visit or stay due to the hospitality of the Ugandans."

He still added, "We have got a great deal more on the grounds that there is even Kidepo National Park, which is a remarkable destination, yet is still undiscovered by most of the tourists."

EYE CATCH-UP

The pride of Uganda's tourism lies in the undisturbed green nature that invites you the minute you arrive in Uganda whether via air, water, land or any method of transportation.

A great deal is known to Bwindi and Queen Elizabeth National Park, according to Rwamwiri, however Kidepo is interesting and genuinely wild yet very few visitor visit northern Uganda. He said this was running to be enhanced with the usage other programme supported by USAID and Africa Wildlife Foundation.

Rwamwiri said the international community is continuously pointing out a tremendous opportunity that remains untapped, which we should harness.

"We have to do a lot and streamline the standards, hotels, guides," said Rwamwiri. "Who is a tour guide? Some of these cheat people and others offer services that are below standard."

In a different interview, Lillian Nsubuga, the Public Relations Manager of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) said Uganda's tourism industry is gaining visibility, but intensive marketing is needed.

"As UWA there has been a big campaign to participate in the international world travel market. So, many people know about Uganda, but we need more aggressiveness," said Nsubuga adding that marketing efforts undertaken by private sector should be harmonised with Government initiatives.

Herbert Byaruhanga, the head of Uganda Safari Guides Association said that Uganda is turning into a preferred destination globally and this means more employment and income is going to come from the tourism destination.

Article written by Yahaya Kimbowa tour consultant at Africa Adventure Safaris with great enthusiasm with Uganda tourism - www.tours-gorilla.com.

Explore Uganda’s beauty: The Kyambura Gorge: home of chimpanzees and diverse bird species

Getting closer to the place, it looks boring. The only welcoming structures in sight are huts belonging to the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) guides and gorge rangers.
Kyambura Gorge which is part of the Queen Elizabeth National Park or Mweya, as it is known in Western Uganda, is common for Chimps tracking, amazing birding and forest walk.
A barricade at which gate collection fees are paid stops you to clear fees for chimp tracking or guide fees as you go through security checks before entering the park.
Upon entering, sounds of water flowing inside the gorge with birds squeaking attract you to the viewing point erected meters above it. As you move on to discover the water’s source, you are welcomed with the exciting hidden secret of a tropical forest growing in a depression that leaves you marveled at how this could have come up.
According to Ben Ejwadu, a senior guide at the Kyambura Gorge, the Gorge was created about 10,000 years ago when land faulted after two opposing forces pulled adjacent to each others causing the 500-metre wide and 100-metre deep depression.
For several years, this tropical forest started emerging and attracted several primates, birds and wildlife,” explained Ejwadu.
Although I did not get time to trek the 16km gorge and the huge Kyambura River, Ejwadu says, they always take visitors through the forest walk to see rare huge and tall trees in the tropical forest, flowers, giant cobwebs, various bird species, colourful butterflies, black and white monkeys and colorful fruits. “Trekking through the Gorge could take about one to three hours where there is a family of habituated chimpanzees,” he says. “Trekking time depends on how far the chimpanzees are feeding or resting from.”
Ejwadu further explains that there are black and white Columbus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, vervet monkeys and the great apes – chimpanzees that excite tourists as they move around on tree branches in the forest.
The place, according to UWA officials, receives about 260 to 300 visitors a month. These mainly come for chimpanzee tracking.
UWA officials at the gorge are mainly challenged by illegal timber harvesters, firewood collectors and weak tourists who may fail to climb or the step gorge down to the bottom.
Guides and rangers are forced to carry tourists who fail to move because vehicles and helicopters cannot access this thick forest canopy.
The guide notes that the gorge is divided into blocks that make chimps move from one block to another looking for fruits. This sometimes makes trekking these chimps hard. He says: “Huge tree branches sometimes fall, blocking the trails that make movement hard but guides always move with machetes to clear such obstacles along the way.”
Ejwadu says Ugandans are allowed to view the gorge from the viewing point at no cost but pay Shs30,000 for tracking while foreigners are charged $50 (about Shs129,463) for tracking.