| Dear Reader,
Welcome to our November e-newsletter which covers last month’s activities and other news as well as upcoming events. UCOTA and Pearls of Uganda had a slightly busy month of October with a number of activities taking place. Some of these activities will be highlighted in this issue and as a way of making this issue more informative and interesting; from this month we will be featuring one of our Community member groups. You will also find other tourism industry news and a lot more.
Thank you for your continuous readership and your support by sharing this article with others as you help us make a difference by keeping others informed about tourism.
Enjoy!
 On 3rd November, the long awaited rare solar eclipse swept across the globe – captivating millions of people and plunging parts of Africa, Europe and America into darkness. In East Africa, it happened between 5 and 6.30 pm. The spectacle, described by NASA as a ‘rare hybrid eclipse’, saw the sun either totally or partially blocked by the moon depending on one’s location. At Owiny Primary School, one understood what a Hybrid Eclipse is given that the best complete solar eclipse lasted for about 15 seconds. Read more
UCOTA News
- UCOTA participated in the just concluded Big Birding Day 2013 which was held on 19th October and the festival on 26th October at Kitante Primary school which was the climax of the celebrations and on this day Elgon area was announced as the winner with 275 Bird species recorded. This big Birding Day was the best in Uganda with the highest number of species, teams, sites and participants recorded.
UCOTA Community of the Month
- Boomu Women’s Group (BWG):
A Haven with Tranquility
 BWG camp is a haven that offers a great refreshing sensation after a long voyage and especially when one comes from the hassle and buzz of city life. It is just one of the best locations to get rejuvenated after a long drive from Kampala before entering the Murchison Falls National Park or before heading back to the city if you are looking for a weekend gate away.
The setting is that of a typical African homestead giving you the feel you are in Africa. Whether you are a resident or non-resident, your heart quietly stamps that you are home. The simple bandas made in shape of traditional African huts add on to your experience while the quietness, coolness and the fact you have to bow down while you go in makes it even more exciting.
BWG camp is home to a good number of trees which give the camp a good cooling effect when the sun is hot and also provide home to hundreds of weaver birds that go around their business without giving a thought to your presence or your constant stare to their beauty. The morning bird chirping which is like a song that makes sweet music to the ears welcomes the new day and this cannot be compared to alarm clock that seats on the nightstand by our beds back in the city that jerks one awake that no one ever seem to get used to.
Boomu Women Group was formed in 1999, in the village of Kihaguzi, with the aim of fighting poverty in the area by creating economic and social development. So far they have done this by raising the incomes through touristic activities which includes; accommodation, village tours, cooking demo, weaving demo and crafts shop all this available at Boomu Women’s Camp. Income received has helped improve lives of many families, run a community nursery school, farming to help ease the access of food to the locals and sell surplus to generate more income and meet payments for agricultural experts to train community as well as keep and further develop the camp. Read more about Boomu Here
Uganda Tourism Industry News:
- More than the eclipse at Pakwach: Other spots to explore include Fort Emin Pasha, the Albert Nile, a rock climbing challenge at Wang Nyamulia (a rock that has a voluptuous figure like that of a woman), the hot springs, the Western arm of the rift valley, the cultural dances at the cultural booths, Rwot Omach Gwar Wii tombs, Leb Kampala (the spot where the White Nile kisses the Albert Nile), Jukia rolling hills and the remnants of the Packwach pier. Read more
- A peek into Uganda’s tourist attractions: Uganda is a tourist destination arising out of variety of its game stock and scenic beauty. It is a country with substantial natural resources for tourism with variety of landscape and ecosystems, climate and culture. Read more
- WORK ON MULTI LANE HIGHWAY TO JINJA TO START IN 2015: For now, it is clear that UNRA has been actively working on some major new highway projects, and while a decade late, compared to what has been happening in Kenya where in particular in and around Nairobi major highways have been complete or are at the final stage of completion, it is nevertheless encouraging to see that the Pearl of Africa is finally playing some serious catch up. Read more
- From the pulpit to the plunder: Baguma’s other life came to light when wildlife officials, together with the army, bust a racket behind the armed killing of elephants in Kibale National Park. Read more
- UGANDA IMPOUNDS OVER 2 TONS OF IVORY AS TWO CHINESE ARRESTED IN KAMPALA: Last weekend did security operatives working hand in hand with enforcement officers from the Uganda Wildlife Authority arrest two Chinese and two Guineans in Kampala, with a haul of over 1.9 tons of blood ivory ready to be shipped out of the country, after earlier in the week confiscating 116 kilogrammes of ivory at the airport. Read more
- Nakitto crowned Miss Tourism Uganda: The 22-year-old had not been the outright favourite during the trail for her reserved approach, but she won the crown with the way she took on the big night at the expense of the other eight finalists. Read more
- Nebbi: Named after a rock, the home of legendary Nyipir: Legendary Nyipir, the brother of Labongo, was reportedly buried in Nebbi county. And in that, it is rich of culture where the popular Agwara, Njige and Ndara dances remain a strong cultural bond and heritage with the Alur King, Rwoth Phillip Olarker Rauni III as the head. Read more
- Ngamba chimp king dead: Mika has been king for about a decade after dethroning Robbie and Eddy who still live at the sanctuary . Chimps live in families led by an alpha male who mates with the females and in most cases eats first. Read more
- Bigwala: Busoga’s royal music, dance: “Bigwala music was played in his palace to entertain guests and welcome visitors,” says James Isabirye, a music researcher and lecturer at the department of performing arts, Kyambogo University. Read more
- Northern Uganda braces for massive tourist influx ahead of hybrid eclipse:Uganda was last year Lonely Planet’s top global destination, was named this year by National Geographic as one of their top choices to travel to and the Kidepo Valley National Park named by CNN as their top choice in Africa. The upcoming eclipse is seen as one great opportunity to showcase the country ahead of next week’s World Travel Market in London, where Uganda will of course be present, led by the Uganda Tourism Board and a large number of private sector representatives from hotels, lodges, the national parks and other attractions and of course the DMC’s. Read more
- Kumi: The home of Nyero Rock paintings: Kumi is also home to Nyero Rock paintings, the site of the Iron Age rock-shelters bearing illustrative paintings on their inner surfaces but even as makers of the paintings could not be traced, the ingenuity art demonstrates a high degree of inhabitants’ intelligence. Read more
- The aggressive Egyptian goose: The Egyptian goose is a member of the duck, goose and swan family. They are found mostly in the Nile Valley and near water bodies South of the Sahara. In Uganda, they are found along the Nile and around Lake Victoria. They are fairly large birds that are predominantly brown in colour, with a distinctive white patch on the wing and beautiful pink feet. Read more
- Locals determined to save Budongo forest: I actively participate in all efforts to conserve it because it is where I derive my livelihood,” Ms Kyokuhaire, a member of Budongo North Collaborative forest management group, says. She is among hundreds of residents living adjacent to one of Uganda’s remaining natural forests who have teamed up to sustainably conserve the resource. Read more
- Mabira, the natural wonder forest: Here, trees give way to nature’s beauty — birds, orchids, butterflies and forest flowers, all of them patrolled by red-tailed monkeys. Read more
- More than just water at Source of the Nile: At some point, it has a rise and if you are two people or more and like to keep memories, this is one point to take pictures using natural light as the sun sips through the branches and shrubbery.Read more
Recommended Reading:
- Any Animal That Touches This Lethal Lake Turns to Stone: There’s a deceptively still body of water in Tanzania with a deadly secret—it turns any animal it touches to stone. Read more
- Lira’s orphaned mosque awaits love: Lira’s Jamiya Mosque was supposed to be Northern Uganda’s biggest and the country’s second biggest mosque after the Old Kampala mosque. However, following then president Idi Amin’s self-exile in 1979, the hope of completing its construction, which began 38 years ago, vapourised. Read more
- Kenya to microchip every rhino in anti-poaching drive: "With poachers getting more sophisticated in their approach it is vital that conservation efforts embrace the use of more sophisticated technology to counter the killing of wildlife. Read more
- Kenya poachers to be named and shamed online: A website to name and shame poachers in Kenya – PoachersExposed.com – has been launched by wildlife campaigners. Read more
- Tourism becomes one of the largest and fastest-growing economic sector: Over the past six decades, tourism has experienced continued expansion and diversification, becoming one of the largest and fastest-growing economic sectors in the world. Read more
- Eldoret gets first of several planned Boma Inn’s: Ultimately the Kenya Red Cross Society intends to cover Kenya’s key counties with Boma Inn’s, aimed to provide quality accommodation and hospitality services to travellers upcountry, with all profits, needless to mention, going back to the Red Cross to support their immense task to providing emergency services for Kenyans and visitors like.Read more
- Wildlife protection in Tanzania: Dr. Nyerere’s commitment and hate of corrupt practices brought Tanzania among few nations of the world with remarkable records in flora and fauna conservation. Read more
- Kenya proves dominant in claiming most African honours at WTA Awards: The World Travel Awards for Africa 2013, held last evening at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi, proved to be a night to remember for the assembled who is who in tourism who came to the ceremony from nearly 30 countries across Africa. Read more
- Planning for tourism in protected areas. Public participation is critical: My own group now typically recommends at least three management plans (a Park Management Plan, a Wildlife Management Plan and a Tourism Management Plan) which together constitute a Park Master Plan. Read more
- Magic in the potter’s hands: The soaking is part of the conversion of the clay (the next part is churning it in a tank called a ball mill) into the smooth, pliable, damp material that pots are made of. Read more
|
