Tourism

Uganda is a fast growing tourist destination gifted by nature together with its growing stability and hospitable communities. It continues to offer its competitively priced and high quality range of wildlife products offering an awesome experience. The development of tourism and leisure has been enhanced by effective promotion, of both the destination and products offered by government and specific businesses. Establishment of awareness programes, qualified, trained and skilled human resources, improved and stronger tourism administration, investment in the tourism plant and associated products (attractions, entertainment, shopping, etc), enhancing marketing methods and development of basic facilities, social services and proper infrastructure.

Wildlife Tourism

While the cultural diversity and effortless warmth of Ugandan people is remarked upon by all who visit the country, most itineraries revolve around the protected areas under the direction of Uganda wildlife authority (UWA). And these are magnificent , encompassing not only conventional savannah- mesmerizing tracts of African bush teeming with antelope, buffalo, elephant, giraffe, zebra, Forest Hogs, big cats – but also the snow capped peaks of Africa’s tallest range of mountains , tropical rainforests of mind boggling biodiversity, and atmospheric lakes and rivers heaving with hippos crocs and birds.

As yet untouched by mass tourism, Uganda’s parks are ideal retreats for the discerning eco-tourist. Uganda is the world’s premier primate – viewing destination, home to half of the world’s mountain gorillas, large populations of chimpanzees and a dazzling variety of monkeys. For bird lovers, Uganda is practically peerless: it is the only African country that has a record of more than 1000 bird species.

Friend A gorilla Campaign

UWA has set up the Friend-A-Gorilla initiative as a means of raising awareness at national and international level about the protection of mountain gorillas and their habitats. The core of the program is internet driven; making use of the most popular social networking sites i.e. Twitter, Facebook, My Space, etc.The program is open to individual as well as corporate participation

  • An individual can become a Gorilla friend for as little as $1
  • While a corporate can gain Special Gorilla Friend Status in various ways

The program was launched through a series of events in August and September 2009 Your befriended gorilla(s) will be interacting with you o a weekly basis, giving you updates and posts on to their movements in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. You will be able to follow births, new relationships. Or simply keep in touch with your gorilla friend. One also does not have to be part of the listed social networks sites to have a gorilla friend on the friendagorilla site. In addition the Friendagorilla.org site will have a section named Geo-Track, where you can track gorillas using actual GPS coordinates, provided regularly by the UWA gorilla Trackers.