CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY AND ENVIROMENTAL SERVICES IN UGANDA

Uganda is blessed with a rich diversity of natural habitats ,species and genetic resources in its forests which has enhanced tourism in form of Uganda gorilla safaris. It is one of the most diverse countries in Africa with ie 11% and 7% of the world’s bird and mammal species .This biodiversity as a great intrinsic valve .It is also important to human health and wealth , for example by providing traditional plant medicines , wild relatives of domestic plants , a variety of ecosystems and species important in the tourism industry which has promoted Uganda safaris. And potential opportunities for Ugandans to adapt to local and global change. The heart of Ugandan’ s approach to habitant and species conservation lies in a protected areas system of National Parks , Wildlife Reserves and forest Reserves. These areas are currently managed under two different administrations (The Uganda Wildlife Authority and the Forestry Department ) , under different Acts (principally the Wildlife Statute and the Forests Act )and generally focus on different components of biodiversity (Wildlife and trees) Uganda’s rich forest biodiversity is under threat from: -Unsustainable harvesting , habitat conservation , the introduction of alien species and pollution. -The illegal trade in plants and animals , including poorly regulated access to genetic resources . -Split administration between the Forestry Department and Uganda Wildlife Authority to address similar management issues (forest protection , beneficiary participation , sustainable utilization ) Forest also provide important environmental services in the protection of watershed and soil .There are increasing pressures on important watersheds due to their high agricultural potential .Poor crop and livestock management practices , including the cultivation and over grazing of steep slopes and riverbanks, have contributed to extensive soil erosion , and in some areas landslides. The destructive harvesting of forest resources in watershed catchment forests is further contributing to soil erosion and sedimentation , and to a reduction in the quantity and quality of water.

Uganda to be among Africa leading Safari destination for year 2016 and beyond.

CNN Travel has named Uganda as one of the top 16 emerging travel destinations in the world for the year 2016. According to the American based news organization, meeting eye to eye with a silverback mountain gorilla across a misty jungle, after an arduous hike through Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, leaves everlasting impressions of arguably the best wildlife uganda safari in the world. “But there's much more to Uganda. Rich in nature, it's an outdoor sanctuary of crater lakes, white-sand beaches on lake islands, thundering waterfalls and national parks,” says CNN’s travel writer Anisha Shah. A top highlight is Ngamba Island Chimp Sanctuary, where rescued and orphaned chimpanzees live out their days on an island in Lake Victoria. Visitors can cross the equator by boat there, slicing through Africa's largest lake. Besides CNN Travel, LONELY PLANET describes Uganda as follows: "Emerging from the shadows of its dark history, a new dawn of tourism has risen in Uganda, polishing a glint back into the ‘pearl of Africa’. Travellers are streaming in to explore what is basically the best of everything the continent has to offer. For a relatively small country, there’s a lot that’s big about the place. It’s home to the tallest mountain range in Africa Mount Rwenzori that offerbest challenging mountain trekking options, the source that feeds the world’s longest river and the continent’s largest lake. And with half the remaining mountain gorillas residing here, as well as the Big Five to be ticked off, wildlife watching is huge." River Nile which is the World’s longest river begins its 6,670 Kilometer journey to the Mediterranean Sea through Sudan and Egypt in Eastern Uganda and it is at the spectacular Murchison Falls National Park where this river explodes violently through a narrow cleft in the Rift Valley escarpment to plunge into a frothing pool 43m below. The Nile River has the best white water rafting safari experience in the world. Other notable attractions are Queen Elizabeth National Park, The Rwenzori Mountain - Ptolemy’s fabled “Mountains of the Moon”, Semliki National Park and Kidepo Valley National Park which boasts of untamed African wilderness north of the country. In a nutshell, Uganda is a bird watcher’s paradise with 12 per cent of the world’s bird species found here, half of the World’s Mountain Gorillas inhabit Uganda and so does more than 7% of the world’s mammals. Uganda is an adventurer’s paradise, an explorer’s perfect haven and a country where those keen on Eco- tourism will find the ultimate destination. Please feel free to contact us : Travel Hemispheres:info@travelhemispheres.com for any safari or holiday requests to Uganda, or any information or assistance that you may need in order to understand and start selling this wonderful destination to your client base. Uganda, "The Pearl of Africa" was in December 2015 the proud host to a team of world famous FC Barcelona Football Legends. The delegation, led by former player Rayco Garcia comprised of big names like Patrick Kluivert, Gaizaka Mendieta,"Deco", Edgar Davids, Simao Sabrosa, Ludovic Giuly among others. During their stay, the players coudn't resist the temptation to enjoy an activity which is now arguably in every adventure traveler's bucket list, Gorilla Tracking deep in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest as well as enjoying game drives and a launch cruise at Murchison Falls National Park. The coverage of their visit is definitely going to increase the awareness of the awe inspiring tourist products that the country has, increase demand for leisure travel to Uganda from across the world and hopefully promote sports tourism. Kindly contact us on: info@travelhemispheres.com for more details, bookings or request for more tailor made safari packages to Uganda.

Uganda among 12 emerging top travel destinations that you have to visit in 2016

Uganda has been listed among the top 12 emerging destinations in the world for 2016 tobe visited by tourists.Uganda safaris offer varied attractions including mountain gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable forest. Half the world’s wild mountain gorillas inhabit Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Trekking mountain gorillas is the most darling life time activity to many to see them is a wildlife experience of a lifetime. Uganda has the best and cheapest gorilla trekking gorilla safaris to offer. The larger-than-life, humanlike gorillas and chimps induce an indescribable affection for nature. Uganda sits on the corridor of migration, it’s national parks, Queen Victoria and Kidepo Valley, attracting much wildlife. Gushing Murchison Falls, Jinja’s source of the River Nile and Explosion Crater Lakes turn the landlocked nation into a lush oasis. Head to Ngamba Island Chimp Sanctuary, an island in Lake Victoria, crossing the equator on the boat there, to meet orphaned and rescued chimps living in a pristine island paradise. Why Now? The country aims to become middle-income by 2040, a plan incentivized further by the Pope’s recent landmark visit. Pope Francis visisted uganda last month of November 2016.Uganda has hosted 3 Popes and the only African country that has done so. Uganda is the land of Matyrs where christian converts were burnt alive for this. One has tovist thecountry to have the experience of matyrs Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/

Pope Francis comes to Uganda: Lessons to learn on his maiden 1st appearlence at Basilca Rome

Unaware he would inherit the throne of St Peter, then Cardinal Bergoglio had in his decisive four-minute speech to fellow cardinals cut out the work for Pope Benedict XVI’s successor: He must be a man who helps the Church to go out to the existential peripheries that helps her to be the fruitful mother, who gains life from the sweet and comforting joy of evangelising. The crowd in St Peter’s Square in a drenched evening was frenzied, if not fanatical, when the White Smoke billowed to confirm the election of a new Pope. Cardinal Bergoglio who, upon accepting his election, had taken a papal name to honour Francis of Assisi then moved into the adjacent Sistine Chapel Room of Tears to wear his distinctive cassock and sash. He, against tradition, kept his old black shoes and silver pectoral cross instead of the traditional red and golden papal ones. The account by Austen Ivereigh shows that Francis spurned the ornate chair offered for him to sit on in the chapel, instead standing and embracing each cardinal. He declined to live in the splendour of papal apartments --- cavernous, marble-floored rooms with heavy furniture --- and chose to stay at Casa Santa Marta. “‘My brother cardinals have gone to the ends of the earth to give Rome a bishop’, he said when he appeared on the balcony at 8:22pm,” Ivereigh writes, to greet electrified faithful as their new leader. A groundswell of revolution was underway. On his return to Casa Santa Marta, the Pope declined the papal limousine and rode in a bus together with the electors. That night over dinner with cardinals, he said “may God forgive you for what you have done [electing him Pope]”. Four months later, in July 2013, the English and Welsh bishops had an audience with Francis. When he saw Westminster’s now emeritus Archbishop, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor who ran his campaigns, the Pope broke into a wide smile, and joked: “It’s your fault. What have you done to me?” On the first of his pontificate day, he crossed Rome to the Patriarchal Basilica of St Mary Major. On his return, he stopped at the Via della Scrofa to “collect his suite case --- went up and packed his belongings himself --- and to the astonishment of his staff, paid his bills, telling them that as Pope he should set an example”, something he has continued to do. Back at Casa Santa Marta, he against practice papal vested together with the cardinals in the Hall of Blessing the same way before his election. Ivereigh writes that when masters of ceremonies clamoured to guide him on protocols --- what to say, when as Pope -- he replied: “That’s alright; you don’t have to worry about me. I have been saying prayers for 50 years. But stay close, in case I need you. At prayers, he preached standing like priests and not seated like a Pope and rather than read from a prepared text, he spoke spontaneously”. That is the same way in which, while flying back to Rome in January, this year, he announced his six-day, three-nation Africa pastoral visit now underway incluuding Uganda Pope telephones his sister, newspaperman and parishioners In the impromptu manner that has come to define his papacy, Francis telephoned his dentist in Buenos Aires to cancel an earlier appointment, and dialed up to thank his newspaper supplier Daniel del Regno, saying “seriously, it’s Jorge Begoglio, I’m calling from Rome”. And his telephone call to parishioners at Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires was blared on loud speakers and, in the message, he tells them to “care for each other, the young and the old, and the world”. This is how Ivereigh captures the maiden telephone conversation between the new Pope and his sister, Maria Elena Bergoglio. Pope: “Look, it happened, and I accepted”. Maria: “But how are you, how do you feel?” Pope: “…[Francis laughs] ‘I’m fine, relax’.” Maria: “You looked really good on Television, you had a radiant expression. I wish I could give you a hug.” Pope: “We are hugging, we are together. I have you very close to my heart.” Maria to interviewee: “It’s not easy to explain what it is to talk to your brother, and your brother is the Pope […between sobs and laughs …] it’s complicated”. It was a new dawn, different ways of doing things, Vatican officials acknowledged. “We are going to have to get used to a new way of doing things,” Ivereigh quotes Vatican Spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi telling journalists who cover the Vatican. After celebrating his first Mass as Pope, Francis greeted the congregation one by one, prompting the media to christen him “the world’s parish priest”

ROLE PLAYED BY WOMEN DURING IMBALU CEREMONIES

Imbalu is an ancient cultural ceremony where young boys from Bagisu tribe are circumcised to initiate them into manhood. In this kingdom, its only circumcised men that are regarded as true men who can be given attention in a clan meeting or during any gathering. Uganda tours can be turned to view such culture activities. So we ask what role does women play In the event that a candidate makes his intentions to get circumcised early. It’s a woman who till the gardens and plant crops that will later be harvested ,cooked and eaten during the imbalu .Women search for firewood ,fetch water ,brew malwa (the tradition brew).and cook food for the candidates and the relatives that join the celebrations .They are not just relegated to the dancing and merry making it is important in the tourism industry relating to Uganda safaris the part of culture and people so travel hemispheres is here to take you to have experience in the imbalu. The mother is not supposed to behave in ways that unnerve her son .She has to show her son a strong heart. This may not be manifested in a manly manner, but in a more subtle feminine way ,like pep talks and moral support . As the months leading up to a candidate’s circumcision draw close ,the mother owes it to her family and her son to cultivate enough crops. Multitudes of relatives and family friends will be coming to her son’s circumcision and will need to be fed .The mother ,joined by her sisters, should also accompany the candidate on his dancing sprees. The woman are also relied on when the male moral boosters of the candidates need ululation(shikalakala) “Shikalakala “is like a celebratory sound made by the women showing joy, especially when he has successfully finished his circumcision .Women in addition should respond to the lead singer in case there is no kadodi”. As the three –day millet yeast smearing rite approaches ,the mother will grind millet to make yeast that will be used to brew malwa. Later the malwa for circumcision is brewed. After the candidate finishes the two rites that follow each other. “Khutsukhamo” is when the candidate brings water from the nearby spring and pours it in the pot of roasted dough of fermented millet or maize flour and the yeast .The other rite,”khukoya” is when he pours the water into the pot and he is smeared with millet yeast thereafter. The “Kamayeku” (pre-brew) prepared by the mother has to be tasted by the intending candidate .

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE WHERE THRILL SEEKERS GATHER

It was the cascade rapids and powerful water falls of the Nile which led by John Hannington speke to Jinja in the mid -19th century .The colonial explorer was the first European to be drawn to the area by the white waters , spewed from Lake Victoria with enough force to drive them on to Cairo and beyond .He was certainly not the last. A century and a half later Jinja is still Uganda’s tourism capital, attracting more visitors for doing Uganda safaris for white water rafting. Thrill – seekers from all comes of the world come to the source of the Nile to experience what is ,some say ,the best white water rafting on offer any where. For some reason I decide to join them doing whiter water rafting ,although as we set out in the sweltering mid-morning sun from just above Bujagali Falls. The river is relatively flat and most of our outing is spent paddling casually a cross the calm water, chewing on pineapple, chatting idly as we watch the green riverbank drift into the past. Every half hour serenity is shattered. Its hard to describe the sensation of those brief few seconds you spend cascading down the gauntlet of white water. There is the exhilaration in the split second when the boats teeters over the edge of the gushing torrents below. Then ,the grim determination to keep paddling in spite of the waves crashing in your face and the bumps throwing you from your seat ,to fight on for the greater good like to a soldier in a battle . Next comes the belated realization that it’s every man for him self, the desperation to save yourself ,to hang on at costs .And finally ,the blindness, the breathless and the simultaneous sense of triumph and failure when your head re-emerges from the water and you realize your raft is 50 meters away and your paddle carried off to South Sudan. There are 12 rapids on this part of the Nile three of which are grade five – the most intense stretches of water that can be “safely” descended in a raft.” safety” in this context, is relative concept. White water rafting is an inherently dangerous pursuit for many , there in lies the attraction ,But the rafting companies on the Nile have a strong safety record .The river is deep, mitigating the risk of being caught in jagged rocks .Lifejackets make it difficult to drown, and a fleet of skilled canoeists accompanies the armada, swiftly picking up anybody who falls from their boat. We finish six hours after we set out and, after confirming that we are all still alive, take the bus back to Kampala/Entebbe. Uganda tours are really splending to every one that come to Uganda.

Air Seychelles to Fly Regularly to and from Entebbe Airport

Uganda stands to have an increased tourist flows doing Uganda safaris after this New airline to start direct flights to Entebbe. Uganda’s economic growth and international trade ties have attracted Air Seychelles to the list of international airlines plying the Entebbe route through a agreement with an aviation business arrangement where two or more airlines share the same flight. Sharing, in this sense, means that each airline publishes and markets the flight under its own airline designator and flight number as part of its published timetable or schedule. Etihad Airways, is a United Arab Emirates maiden trip to the Entebbe and its to fly into the country four times a week with return flights to Abu Dhabi, UAE capital. Its weekly flights between Entebbe and Abu Dhabi on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday with connections through the island nation of Seychelles . Air Seychelles’s move is also expected to boost tourism say gorilla tours with travel Hemispheres to different National park in Uganda which is a key part of the and Uganda economies. Ugandan’s are pleased to expand code share with Etihland airways in such a way that Ugandans do not need a visa to travel which is showing impressive economic growth. By a strong economic development ,Uganda has seen a corresponding and significant rise in the number of leisure travelers leading to increased gorilla safaris and business persons .