Uganda - The Pearl Of Africa Glows Again

Written by Andrew Muigai


Continued from page 1

The game you come across inrepparttar park includes elephant, hartebeest, leopard, lion, giraffe, buffalo, hippo, crocodiles and many species of antelopes. Upstream ofrepparttar 137601 Murchison Falls arerepparttar 137602 Karuma Falls, whererepparttar 137603 Nile cascades over 23 kilometres of rapids. Here you have some ofrepparttar 137604 most exciting white water in Africa. Murchison Falls is located 330 km from Kampala.

The Queen Elizabeth National Park is another outstanding treasure. It is a UNESCO designated Biosphere Reserve for Humanity. The recognition arises fromrepparttar 137605 tropical forest, green meadows, savannah and swamps that constituterepparttar 137606 park. In terms of wildlife, you find elephant, buffalo, hippos, baboons, chimpanzees and over 600 species of birds. The park occupies 2,000 sq km and is situated 440 km from Kampala. Atrepparttar 137607 northern end ofrepparttar 137608 Queen Elizabeth, you find Kibale. This park has a unique forest habitat and has an excellent diversity of animal and plant life. It is at Kibale that you findrepparttar 137609 highest number of primate species in Uganda, and one ofrepparttar 137610 highest primate densities and diversities inrepparttar 137611 world.

Traveling from Kampala torepparttar 137612 Queen Elizabeth or Bwindi, most visitors break at Lake Mburo National Park. The park is 230 km west of Kampala alongrepparttar 137613 Mbarara road and isrepparttar 137614 most accessible inrepparttar 137615 country. It is a very attractive park of rolling hills, open grassy valleys, interspersed with thickets, woodlands and rich wetlands. In addition to viewing game including zebra, cape buffalo and eland, you can relax by taking a boat trip on Lake Mburo.

The fairly flat terrain ofrepparttar 137616 country is interrupted torepparttar 137617 west byrepparttar 137618 Rwenzori Mountains and torepparttar 137619 east by Mount Elgon. Rwenzori, otherwise known as "Mountains ofrepparttar 137620 Moon" hasrepparttar 137621 third highest peak in Africa after Mount Kenya and Kilimanjaro. The Rwenzori is part ofrepparttar 137622 national park ofrepparttar 137623 same name and contains 6 snow-capped peaks. You can hikerepparttar 137624 trails of this mountain without any special climbing equipment unless you want to go forrepparttar 137625 peaks. The mist covered mountain range stretches for about 100 km.

Mount Elgon sits byrepparttar 137626 Kenyan border and isrepparttar 137627 shell of an ancient volcano. The main attractions here arerepparttar 137628 waterfalls, caves that were once used by indigenous people, hot springs,repparttar 137629 mountains vegetation,repparttar 137630 various peaks,repparttar 137631 Suam Gorge andrepparttar 137632 caldera itself. After millions of years of erosion,repparttar 137633 oval shaped caldera now measures roughly 7 by 8 kms, one ofrepparttar 137634 largest inrepparttar 137635 world.

The traveler with a sense of history will want to visitrepparttar 137636 Source ofrepparttar 137637 Nile at Jinja. Jinja is 60 km torepparttar 137638 north east of Kampala and is easily accessible by road. This is whererepparttar 137639 White Nile begins, as it exits Lake Victoria on its 5,600 km journey torepparttar 137640 Mediterranean. The source ofrepparttar 137641 Nile was a thousand year old mystery that was decisively settled byrepparttar 137642 explorer John Speke in 1862.

If you are keen about culture, go forrepparttar 137643 The Kabaka's Trail. This is a unique journey through a part of Uganda's rich heritage that has been shaped byrepparttar 137644 region's kings overrepparttar 137645 years. The Kabaka isrepparttar 137646 ceremonial king ofrepparttar 137647 Baganda and his lineage goes way back torepparttar 137648 14th century. The Trail combines a series of cultural sites, all within easy reach of Kampala. You can easily combinerepparttar 137649 Kabaka Trail with your Search ofrepparttar 137650 Nile excursion to Jinja. The Trail offers much more than sightseeing and you will learn aboutrepparttar 137651 hidden and forgotten history of Uganda. You will also experience an authentic tribal culture - with traditional dance, music, craft making, spiritual healing and storytelling.

There are international standard hotels in Uganda, especially inrepparttar 137652 main towns of Entebbe, Jinja and Kampala. The quality is variable inrepparttar 137653 smaller towns and rated accommodation is scarce. All ofrepparttar 137654 major national parks offer accommodation in game lodges and tented camps.

If you want to drive around Uganda, you need to show an international drivers license to hire a vehicle. Rental cars in Uganda are available in Entebbe and Kampala. Roads radiate from Kampala and are of varying quality. Inrepparttar 137655 north ofrepparttar 137656 countryrepparttar 137657 security situation is still doubtful and so arerepparttar 137658 roads. Its is a good idea if you are on self drive to get local advise aboutrepparttar 137659 conditionrepparttar 137660 roads you intend to use.

Uganda enjoys a tropical climate tempered by altitude. The hottest period ofrepparttar 137661 year is from December to February when temperature rise to 29 degrees Celsius. Forrepparttar 137662 rest ofrepparttar 137663 year, temperatures range between 21 to 25°C.The country experiences two rainy seasons: April to May and October to November, with April beingrepparttar 137664 wettest month. The best times to visit are December-March and June-September. Light informal clothing is generally adequate. But you need warmer wraps and sweaters forrepparttar 137665 evenings and early mornings. You are also advised to carry some rainwear, just in case.

Copyright © Africa Point

Andrew Muigai is the editor of AfricaPoint Insider online newsletter. It is part of AfricaPoint.com- the Africa travel website that has helped thousands of travelers discover Africa. You can view more info on Uganda safari and tours at the website.


Three Classic Hikes Abroad

Written by Kathy Burns-Millyard


Continued from page 1

Most trips start atrepparttar 88km mark (also known as (Qoriwayrachina) onrepparttar 137516 Cuzco to Machu Picchu rail line. Due to over-use (and abuse),repparttar 137517 Peru's government no longer allows independent hikers onrepparttar 137518 trail. You are now required to go with a licensed tour operator and reservations need to be filed withrepparttar 137519 government 30 days before your arrival.

China's Great Wall: Hiking sections of China's Great Wall is a fantastic way to see and experience some of China's most significant and best-known sites. For centuries,repparttar 137520 4,163 mile long wall served several dynasties as an efficient military defense. Now, with a history spanning over 2,000 years, many ofrepparttar 137521 Great Wall's sections are in ruins or have completely disappeared. Still, depending on where you start your trek, you'll pass through rugged mountain scenery, areas of unforgiving desert and glimpse traditional Chinese culture in a way most tourists will never experience.

Unless you have a friend in China that can round up allrepparttar 137522 difficult to obtain, but necessary permits, you'll need to hire a guide or tour company that specializes in hiking sections ofrepparttar 137523 wall. Many Chinese tour companies include wall hiking in combination with other sightseeing tours or offerrepparttar 137524 opportunity to hike several sections overrepparttar 137525 course of a few days or weeks. In any case, each step along this ancient monument will be a hike back through China's history.

For more hiking tips, articles, as well as top quality, affordable hiking & camping supplies, visit DoHiking.com

© 2005, Kathy Burns-Millyard. This article may be freely published on any website, as long as the author, copyright, website address and link, and this notice are left intact.


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