Uganda safaris with Travel Hemispheres ltd

Must Do Uganda Safaris !!: Travel Hemispheres is an indigenous Uganda Safari Management Company registered in Uganda .We offer related range of African tours, Uganda safaris for holiday, adventure vacations to Uganda safaris and tours to Uganda including gorilla safaris, gorilla tours to Uganda and Rwanda, birding tours, primate tours, wildlife safaris in Uganda and will carry out hotel and lodge bookings from luxury to budget accommodation facilities. 3 Days Mountain Gorilla Safari: 4 Days Bwindi and Queen Elizabeth tour: 5 Days Bwindi Gorillas and Queen Elizabeth Safari: 7 Days Uganda best Primate tour: 10 Days Uganda Safari Tour : 10 Days Uganda Rwanda safari: Uganda flying safaris

Mount Kilimanjaro theAfrica No1 Leading Tourist Attraction in 2016

World travel Awards have awarded Mount Kilimanjaro the leading tourist attractoin for the year 2016. Kilimanjaro National Park lies at 5,963 meters, and is the highest point in Africa. This massive volcano stands in splendid isolation above the surrounding plains, with its snowy peak looming over the savannah. The mountain is encircled by mountain forest. Numerous mammals, many of them endangered species, live in the park. The National Park and Forest Reserve on Mount Kilimanjaro lie very near the border between Tanzania and Kenya north of Moshi in the north centre of the country. The National Park comprises the whole of the mountain above 2700m, including some of the montane forest, and six corridors through the forest belt below. The whole area lies at 2°45′-3°25’S, 37°00′-37°43’E. The park was declared a game reserve by the German colonial government in 1910s. In 1921 Kilimanjaro national park was gazetted as a forest reserve, confirmed by subsequent legislation. By 1973, the mountain above the tree line (2700m) reclassified as a National Park. The park covers an area of 75,353ha, surrounded by a Forest Reserve of 107,828ha, Administered by Tanzania National Parks. The park has altitude of 1,830m (Marangu Gate) to 5,895m (Kibo, Uhuru Peak). Physical features Kilimanjaro is a giant strata volcano and one of the largest volcanoes in the world. It is the highest mountain in Africa, rising 4,877m above the surrounding savanna plains to 5,895m and covers an area of about 388,500ha. It stands alone but is the largest of an east-west belt of volcanoes across northern Tanzania. It has three main volcanic peaks of varying ages lying on an east-southeast axis, and a number of smaller parasitic cones. To the west, the oldest peak Shira (3,962m) of which only the western and southern rims remain, is a relatively flat upland plateau of some 6,200ha, the northern and eastern flanks having been covered by later material from Kibo. The rugged erosion-shattered peak of Mawenzi (5,149m) lies to the east. The top of its western face is fairly steep with many crags, pinnacles and dyke swarms. Its eastern side falls in cliffs over 1000m high in a complex of gullies and rock faces, rising above two deep gorges, the Great Barranco and the Lesser Barranco. Kibo (5,895m) is the most recent summit, having last been active in the Pleistocene and still has minor fumaroles. It consists of two concentric craters of 1.9 x 2.7km and 1.3km in diameter with a 350m deep ash pit in the centre. The highest point on the mountain is the southern rim of the outer crater. Between Kibosh and Mawenzi there is a plateau of some 3600ha, called the Saddle, which forms the largest area of high altitude tundra in tropical Africa. There are deep radial valleys especially on the western and southern slopes. The mountain is a combination of both shield and volcanic eruptive structures. Over time different flows have produced a variety of different rock types. The predominant rock types on Shira and Mawenzi are trachybasalts; the later lava flows on Kibo show a gradual change from trachyande site to nephelinite. There are also a number of intrusions such as the massive radial and concentric dyke-swarms on Mawenzi and the Shira Ridge and groups of nearly 250 parasitic cones chiefly formed from cinder and ash. Since 1912 the mountain has lost 82% of its ice cap and since 1962, 55% of its remaining glaciers. Kibo still retains permanent ice and snow and Mawenzi also has patches of semi-permanent ice, but the mountain is forecast to lose its ice cap within 15 years. Evidence of past glaciation is present on all three peaks, with morainic debris found as low as 3,600m. The mountain remains a critical water catchment for both Kenya and Tanzania but as a result of the receding ice cap and deforestation, several rivers have dried up, affecting the forests and farmland below. Climate There are two wet seasons, November to December and March to May, with the driest months between August to October. Rainfall decreases rapidly with increase in altitude; mean precipitation is 2300mm in the forest belt (at1,830m), 1300mm at Mandara hut on the upper edge of the forest (2,740m), 525mm at Horombo hut in the moorland (3,718m), and less than 200mm at Kibo hut (4,630m), giving desert-like conditions. The prevailing winds, influenced by the trade winds, are from the southeast. North-facing slopes receive far less rainfall. January to March is the warmest months. Conditions above 4000m can be extreme and the diurnal temperature range there is considerable. Mist frequently envelops much of the massif but the former dense cloud cover is now rare. Flora The mountain has five main vegetation zones: savanna bush land at 700-1,000m (south slopes) and 1,400-1,600m (north slopes), densely populated sub-montane agro-forest on southern and southeastern slopes, the montane forest belt, sub-alpine moorland and alpine bogs. Above this is alpine desert. The montane forest belt circles the mountain between 1,300m (~1,600m on the drier north slopes) to 2,800m. Forests above 2,700m are within the National Park (Greenway, 1965). According to Lambrechts et al. (2001) there are 2,500 plant species on the mountain, 1,600 of them on the southern slopes and 900 within the forest belt. There are 130 species of trees with the greatest diversity being between 1,800 and 2,000 meters. There are also 170 species of shrubs, 140 species of epiphytes, 100 lianas and 140 pteridophytes. The forest between 1,000 and 1,700m in the south and east has been extensively farmed with remnants of natural forest left only in deep gorges. Dominant species of the submontane forest between 1,300-1,600m in the west and 1,600-2,000m in the north are Croton megalocarpus and Calodendron capense; and of the lower to middle montane forest between 1,600-2,200m in the west and 2,000-2,400m in the north is Cassipourea malosana.On the southern and southeastern slopes from 1,600 to 2,100m the dominant lower montane forest species is camphorwood Ocotea usambarensis; from 2,100 to 2,400m the dominant middle montane forest species are camphorwood Ocotea usambarensis with yellowwood Podocarpus latifolius, a large evergreen, with the tree fern Cyathea manniana, sometimes growing to 7m high. From 2,400 to 2,800m the dominant upper montane forest species are Podocarpus latifolius with Ocotea usambarensis. The subalpine southern and southeastern slopes between 2,800-3,100m have forest of Hagenia abyssinica with Podocarpus latifolius and Prunus Africana; and on the north slopes Juniperus procera – Podocarpus latifolius forest with Hagenia abyssinica. Above 2,800m to the edge of the tundra at 3,500m is Erica excelsa forest. There is no bamboo zone, nor a Hagenia-Hypericum zone. Above about 4,600m, very few plants are able to survive the severe conditions, although specimens of Helichrysum newii have been recorded as high as 5,760m (close to a fumarole), and mosses and lichens are found right up to the summit. The upland moor consists primarily of heath/scrub plants, with Erica excelsa, Philippia trimera, Adenocarpus mannii, protea kilimandscharica, Stoebe kilimandscharica, Myrica meyeri-johannis, and Myrsine Africana. Grasses are abundant in places, and Cyperaceae form the dominant ground cover in wet hollows. On flatter areas between the upland moor and the forest edge are areas of moorland or upland grassland composed of Agrostis product, Festuca convoluta, Koeleria gracilis, Deschampsia sp., Exotheca abyssinica, Andropogon amethystine, and A. kilimandscharicus, with scattered bushes of Adenocarpus mannii, Kotschya recurvifolia and Myrica meyeri-johannis. Various species of Helichrysum are found in the grasslands and in the upland moor. Two distinct forms of giant groundsel occur on the upper mountain: Senecio johnstonii cottonii, endemic to the mountain and only occurring above 3600m, and S.johnstonii johnstonii which occurs between 2,450m and 4,000m, and shows two distinct forms. At all altitudes Senecio favours the damper and more sheltered locations, and in the alpine bogs is associated with another conspicuous plant, growing up to 10m tall, the endemic giant lobelia deckenii. Below the tree line, the park includes six corridors through the forest to the mountain foot. Fauna The whole mountain including the montane forest belt, part of which extends into the National Park, is very rich in species: 140 mammals, (87 forest species), including 7 primates, 25 carnivores, 25 antelopes and 24 species of bat (Lamprecht et al., 2002).Above the tree line at least seven of the larger mammal species have been recorded (Child, 1965), although it is likely that many of these also use the lower montane forest habitat. The most frequently encountered mammals above the tree line are Kilimanjaro tree hyrax Dendrohyrax validus (VU), grey duiker Sylvicapra grimmia and eland Taurotragus Oryx, which occur in the moorland, with bushbuck Tragelaphus scriptus and red duiker Cephalophus natalensis being found above the tree line in places, and buffalo Syncerus caffer occasionally moves out of the forest into the moorland and grassland. An estimated 220 elephants Loxodonta Africana (EN) are distributed between the Namwai and the Tarakia Rivers (Tanzania National Parks, 1993) and sometimes occur on the higher slopes. Insectivores occur and rodents are plentiful above the tree line, especially at times of population explosion, although golden moles (Chrysochloridae) are absent. Three species of primate are found within the montane forests, blue monkey Cercopithecus mitis, western black and white colobus polykomos abyssinicus, and bush baby Galago species. and among mammals found there are leopards Panthera pardus, as well as some of the species listed above. Abbot’s duiker Cephalophus spavin (VU) is restricted to Kilimanjaro and some neighbouring mountains. Black rhinoceros Diceros bicornis (CR) is now extinct in the area and mountain reedbuck Redunca fulvorufula is probably extinct (Lamprecht et al., 2002). Although 179 highland bird species have been recorded for the mountain, species recorded in the upper zones are few in number, although they include occasional lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus, mainly on the Shira ridge, hill chat Cercomela sordid, Hunter’s Cisticola hunteri, and scarlet-tufted malachite sunbird Nectarinia johnstoni. White-necked raven Corvus albicollis is the most conspicuous bird species at higher altitude. The forest has several notable bird species including Abbot’s starling Cinnyricinclus femoralis, which has a very restricted distribution. The butterfly Papilio sjoestedti, sometimes known as the Kilimanjaro swallowtail, is restricted to Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro and Mount Meru, although the subspecies Patavus is found only on Kilimanjaro. Local community The area surrounding the mountain is quite heavily populated principally by the Chagga people and the northern and western slopes of the Forest Reserve surrounding the National Park has 18 medium to large ‘forest villages’. Although it is illegal these people still use the forest for many household and medicinal products, for fuel wood, small scale farming, beekeeping, hunting, charcoal production and logging. Some 12% of the forest is plantation, some almost reaching to the moorland. The shamba system of tree plantations interplanted with crops comprises over half the planted area but over half of it is not replanted with trees at all (Lamprecht et al., 2002). Conservation management. Although protection is total within the park, and access is restricted, management is still not entirely adequate. A management plan, prepared in 1993, outlines the following objectives: to protect and maintain the park’s natural resources; to increase interpretation and visitor information; to encourage visitor use and development in a sustainable fashion; to improve park operations; and to strengthen the park’s relationship with local communities. A number of boundary adjustments and land protection strategies were described. These include gazetting forest reserve lands to the National Park with the exception of the pine and cypress plantations and the half-mile strip below the forest, which would be returned to village government control under sustained yield practices to provide local resource benefits; initiating an ‘Integrated Regional Conservation Plan’ to lessen the local community’s dependence on the mountain’s forest resources; gazetting the portion of Lake Chala within Tanzania into the National Park; and reaffirming and encouraging full implementation of Mounduli District Council bylaws to provide complete protection for the North Kilimanjaro Migration Corridor. A zoning scheme, defining limits of acceptable use, has been implemented for the National Park and Forest Reserve areas. Seven zones have been identified: intensive use hiking zone (2,700ha), low use hiking zone (summit- bound) (7,723ha), low use hiking zone (non-summit bound) (3,750ha), day use zone (598ha), wilderness zone (150,657ha), mountaineering zone (2,510ha), cultural protection zone (259ha), and administration zone (62ha) (Tanzania Take 6 day hiking of the Mountain 6 DAYS ITINERARY Day 1: Marangu Gate - Mandara Hut Day 2: Mandara Hut - Horombo Hut Day 3: Horombo Hut - Acclimatization to Zebra Rock/Mawenzi up to 4200m, down to 3720m-Horombo Hut Day 4: HoromboHut - Kibo Hut Day 5: Kibo - Summit - Kibo Hut - Horombo Hut Day 6: Horombo Hut - Marangu Gate

The Gentle Giants of Bwindi: Mountain Gorillas of Uganda

Gorillas, Chimpanzees, orangutans and humans all belong to the order of primates .Human share98.4%of their genetic material with gorillas and 98.8% with chimpanzees. Gorillas ,the largest of the great apes are divided into three sub species that include the western lowland gorillas and the Eastern low land gorillas. The Eastern and the Western low land gorillas were identified for science in 1847 and 1877 respectively. The subspecies- the mountain gorilla was identified for scientific purposes in the year 1903 and has gone on to be the Uganda's star attraction. Mountain gorillas are distinct from low land gorillas. They are larger ,have more hair ,a short truck,a broad chest and shoulders and also have a longer and slightly different noise shape. Mountain gorillas are born small, covered with black hair and usually weigh about 2.3 kilograms. Gorillas develop as twice as human babies with the mature female mother also under going a gestation period of nine months. They are unique species ,as a gorilla with an infant may not have another baby not until four years. Male and female gorillas between the ages of three and six years are classified as Juvenile. They increase in size and weight at similar rates for the first six years. On reaching six years most mountain gorillas weigh 68kg and usually four feet tall. The female mountain gorillas stop growing taller at around six years where as the males continue growing both in size and in weight till they reach the age of ten to eleven. Between the ages of six – ten the male ones have black hair and are referred to as the black backs. On reaching maturity which is usually between 10- 12 years, they develop silvery grey hair on their backs therefore referring to them as silver backs. The silver backs usually leave their parental group at the age of 11and then moves alone or in the company of the other males for a few years before managing to attract females from other groups to him hence forming his own family .Silver back is a dominant male in a group about 12 or more gorillas that usually include females ,juveniles and other infants. On a good day ,you find them chewing leaves ,laughing and farting not only continuously but with a lot of contentment .They are diumal and nomadic ,sleeping each night in fresh nest built from leaves and branches. Mountin gorillas are primarily vegetarian with their menu composing bamboo, nettles and gallium being some of their favourites. They occasionally eat safari ants which are scooped in huge handfuls to stuff into the mouth until the safari ant bites over power them. Gorillas spend most of their time in travelling and foraging in search for food since plants and trees change with seasons . Gorillas communicate through vocalizations. Twenty- five vocalization have been so far recognized with each one having its own particular meaning. As an element of their socialization ,they communicate through howls ,grunts ,barks and hoots .screams and roars signal alarm or warning and are often produced by silverbacks . They also communicate by beating on their chests or on the ground .This is done to show stature ,prevent fights or even scare opponents . However, even the infants beat their chests as a kind of displacement activity during play perhaps just to copy their elders. Mountain gorilla life is peace full and quite .It is from this that they have come to be Africa's gentle giants which has promoted gorilla safaris and tourism in general These gentle giants are found in the in the areas of Bwindi Impenetrable Ntional park and Mgahinga Gorilla National park in Uganda while in Rwanda they are confined in Parc des volcans and in Virunga Republic of Congo.

ON THE LOOK OUT OF THE INHIBITED SHOE BILL STOCK.

Whale Headed stork is unusual ,impressive and captivating and main concern number one for any birding safaris in Uganda . With a world population estimated of 12000- 15000 individuals , the bird belongs to Appendix ii of cities and is classified as a globally near - threatened species . Shoebills are initiate only in nine African countries and their range extends from south Sudan ,through Uganda and western Tanzania to south east Democratic Republic of congo and north west Zambia .In Uganda the shoebill has turned out to be the chief tourist attraction which leads to uganda birding tours . It has been recorded in the following areas. Queen Elizabeth National park and Lake George. Frequent in the swamps north of lake George and the shoe bill swamp west of the Hamukungu fishing village as well as swamps on lake Edward. Kyambura Wildlife Reserve. Commonly on the shores of Lake Goerge and occasionally recorded on a fresh water crater marsh ,kineraSemliki Wild life Reserve.It has recored on the edge of reed beds near to the mouth of Semliki Riiver close to Ntoroko fishing village and on lake Albert. Lake Mburo National Park. Quite a lot of pares recognized to crop up in the papyrus swamp elongated in the river Ruizi. Unusual bird within the park, but encountered in the flooded seasonal grass swamps as well as clearings in stable swamp. Nabugabo Wet Land, Masaka District. recorded in marshes nearby to Lake Nabugabo and expected to be normal. Mabamba Bay, On the sea shore of Lake Victoria, is the Mabamba Bay wetland casing about 17,000 hectares of an breadth of miscanthus—a type of grass inhabitant to tropical and subtropical region—but more regularly known as papyrus. The open water in a shape of a canal, is worn to trail birds and away in Busi island that is a dwelling to over 40,000 people. Murchison Falls National Park. It is one of the most excellent places to see shoebills and wildlife safaris.In 1997 a total of 15 birds were counted in one day. Ajai wildlife Reserve ,Nebbi district –reported by local people from swamps near to the Nile River. Lake Nakuwa,soroti,Kamuli district –common in the swamps but highly mistreated by the local people for food and for sale. Lake Bisina, Kumi district - the far reaching swamp has not been surveyed .The most recorded were four pairs with young at the edge of the lake. Lake Opeta,Katakwi,Mbale ,Kumi and sorotiMajorswamps along Lake Victoria shores The predictable shoebill population in Uganda birds is between 350 – 400 breeding pairs however the population of sparse available information shows that shoebills have very specific habitat requirements in terms of vegetation cover. They mainly roost inside papyrus swamps but feed in fairly open places with thick but short floating vegetation. In addition to that about 3.2squarekms of appropriate habitant to breed. A mixture of these factors hinders the allocation of shoebills to curbed areas within apparently fit habitant .even here, the population size can only remain small .Like all long-lived birds shoebills have low recruitment rates requiring many years before becoming and will easily abandon their nests with eggs or young at the slightest provocation.

A key threat to the continued existence of the species is a lack of information a bout the birds .In addition to this ,habitant loss is a particular problem .This results mainly from conversion of wet lands to agriculture .Also swamps are burnt for cultural reasons in search for grazing ,hurting and fishing among other reasons .These fires are mainly set during the dry season , but is not un common to find a wetland burning in every month of the year. These fires decimate any eggs or chicks that may be on the nest. Up till now ,another problem the birds face is direct harvesting for food and trade –shoebills are trapped and / or shot in some areas of Uganda .This is especially true in the areas a round Lake Bisina and Opeta and the northern fringes of Lake Kyoga.Shoebill hunting for food is more widespread than hunting for trade. There is also some persecution of the birds due to a belief in the fishing communities on Lake Kyoga that sighting a shoebill casts a bad omen on fishing endeavors. Therefore , in order to minimize the chances of sighting shoebill ,they are usually hunted and killed. Travel Hemispheres arranges birding safaris for anybody that may be interested.

Uganda has almost unlimited appeal on tourist attractions

Uganda has almost unlimited appeal thanks to it's pristine natural areas,exceptional ecotourism development potential , many opportunities for all kinds of sports (including white water rafting as well as hiking,mountain-climbing and much more) ,an English- speaking population, and an off - the beaten track location that ensures that visitors will not have to cope with swarms of other tourists.Uganda has an international airport , which is serving a growing number of international flights. Uganda safaris definitely needs a private investment to make the most of its tourism potential .The Uganda investment authority points out that the unrivalled collection of game and its unspoiled scenic beauty are its greatest tourism attractions.Uganda covers over 240,000 sq km but in this relatively limited ares a great variety of landscapes can be found, from mountains to rain forests, plains and grassland, and each area has its own unque flora and fauna. Bwindi is well known for the Gorillas safaris.. However when you visit the park you find that it's not only about the gorillas! The land scopes the people neighboring the Bwindi ImpenetrableNational Park make your whole experience memorable stop overs on the sharp cliffs visiting the communities and interacting with the local people gives you a break off from "Home" compared to the city hustle! .

Wildlife Animals Keep our world lives Alive

Plants and animals contribute much to our lives and life would not be possible without them. Oxygen, clean water and soil, and our earliest tools, food, and clothing came from flora and fauna. Yet increasingly, we fail to acknowledge the tens of thousands of creatures with whom we cohabit eate, the wildlife upon whom our very existence is contingent. Without plants and animals, our lives would not be possible. Even our fossil fuels are the result of Paleozoic Era ecosystems that captured the sun’s energy-the same energy that we are now using billions of years later. Yet increasingly, we fail to acknowledge the tens of thousands of creatures with whom we cohabitate, the wildlife upon whom our very existence is contingen Today Tourism is taken to be the largest industry employing many people. It isbeleivedto help many communities to fight porverty worldwide . Many safari companies have come into exixtance based on wildlifeandworldwide many people are making money As science progresses we continue to draw inspiration from our wild relatives — a bird’s wing, a spider’s web, the complex architecture of ants. Through biomimicry, the innovations of wildlife have allowed us to develop technology that improves our lives, and to create medicines that save millions of people annually. We derive blood pressure medication from viper venom and borrow insulin from the pancreases of pigs. In this Anthropocene era, the age of humans as the dominant force on our planet, our population numbers are soaring above 7 billion. Because of us, it is estimated that there is 50 percent less wildlife on earth today than there was as recently as 1970. We are killing our wildlife and ecosystems in an unprecedented extermination that is now commonly referred to as “the sixth extinction.” And so we come to perhaps the most pressing question of our time as a global society: what will become of us, and all of life on earth, if our wildlife uganda tours becomes extinct? Despite the dizzying number of species headed toward extinction, however, there is still hope. The past has shown us that protecting wildlife is possible. Just decades ago the whaling industry brought the global number of humpback whales down by 90 percent, putting the species on the brink of extinction. Today, because of continued conservation efforts, they are bouncing back and nearing pre-whaling numbers. Similarly, the bald eagle — national bird of the United States — came dangerously close to extinction a few decades back, but is now recovering. Against all odds, the gorillas of Virunga National Park continue to thrive, because people are committed to saving them.

HOW MOUNTAIN GORILLA CENSUS IS DONE.

Mountain gorillas are found in Uganda, Rwanda and Eastern part Democratic Repubublic of Congo.Mountain gorillas population has been reducing due to diffrent issues that threaten their life. Of recent mountain gorilas in Uganda and Rwanda have started increasing .Hence the gorilla census requirement to ascertain their numbers from time to time.This has helped to promote gorilla safaris in both contries. The census begins with the individuals following the gorilla trails until they locate a nest site. Every evening gorilla make nest in which they sleep. They never return to those nests. Even if they return to the same site they ,they make new nest next to the old one. Each nest contains the one gorilla and considering as used when a gorilla dung is found in it. The first duty after finding a gorilla nest site is to establish how old it is .If it is older than five days ,then it is useless because most of the DNA is gone. “One site can have many nests, so the nest is labeled with a small piece of paper. Then protective gloves are worn and begin establishing the size of the dung”. Depending on the size of the dung found , the data collectors can conclude , using age classification strata, whether an adult male , medium range or baby gorilla was in the nest. “During measuring 7.2cm,with silvery hair in it ,means an adult male gorilla (silver back )slept in the nest. Other dung is classified as medium size ,though not specify the sex” While measuring the dung ,the sample collector has to ensure that his gloves do not touch it because that particular DNA can be transferred to other dung, thus making it hard for the laboratory to have conclusive findings .Also ,sample collectors are not allowed to speak while handling the dung because their Silva can mix with the gorilla’s DNA . After measuring the dung , a sample of it is placed in a tube containing ethanol .The tube is then transferred to a Ziploc bag. Ethanol preserves the dung for an average of 24- 30 hours before the sample is shifted to another r tube containing silica to keep it dry. The laboratory analysis to establish the individual DNA of the gorillas is done in an American lab. After collecting data samples from one gorilla site ,the team follows the gorilla trail to look for more nesting sites. From at least three consecutive nest sites, you can tell the average number of gorillas in that particular group. If the first site had 19 nests, the second one might have slightly less or more and this is important because what you missed in the previous site can be found in the next site . Once a good number of samples have been collected ,it is shipped out of the forest for storage until the end of the exercise when the samples will be transferred to the USA