Boomu Women´s Group Bandas
Location: Between Budongo Forest Reserve and Murchison Falls National Park
Boomu Women´s Group has around 40 members from the villages of Kihaguzi and Kigaragara. These subsistence farmers had little produce left over to sell, so in 1999 the women´s group was formed, with the aim of reducing poverty and malnutrition, and providing an income for the members to be able to pay their children´s school fees.
What began as a craft group has evolved into a wonderful community tourism project, with accommodation, a restaurant, unique guided tours and a well-tended garden.
The grass-thatched bandas have been built in traditional Ugandan style for an authentic community experience. They are surrounded by beautiful tropical gardens filled with butterflies and weaver birds. Guests are welcome to relax in the gardens, visit the local community of Kigaragara and explore the craft shop. Ugandan food prepared by local women is served in the restaurant, and in the warm evenings you can relax by the open air bar under the stars.
Lodge Amenities
- Restaurant and open air bar
- Craft shop
- Gardens
Room Description
Boomu has seven twin bandas, one double banda and a building with two triple rooms. All have mosquito nets, electric lights (from a generator) and shared bathroom facilities.
Showers are cold water tanks fitted with a shower head, and are outdoors. Jerry cans of hot water can be provided on request.
Toilets are dry eco toilets.
Activities At The Lodge
- Village walks
- Cooking demonstrations
- Basket weaving lessons
- Bird watching in the gardens or nearby Budongo Forest
- Chimp tracking at Budongo Forest Reserve
Responsible Travel
- Boomu has four full-time employees and many part-time staff who benefit directly from tourism. All the money from the community tour and a percentage of the turnover is put into a community fund that finances school books, soap, pencils and porridge for local children attending a nursery created by Boomu.
- Other projects that benefit from this fund are educational projects, local clinics, water access improvements, and agroforestry initiatives. Community members have also been trained in high-quality blanket weaving, which can be sold to local lodges and hotels.
Price:
- Bed breakfast and dinner 55,000 Pp.
- Camping per person per night 10,000 USH
- dinner/ lunch 15,000 USH
- Breakfast 10,000 USH
- village Walk Basket Weaving Demo 15,000 USH pp each activity
- Cookeing Tour 20000 USH Pp.
Contact
Tel: +256 772 448 950/ +256772657700
Email: info@pearlsofuganda.org
Website: www.boomuwomensgroup.org
Supported by
- Budongo Eco Lodge
- Backpackers Murchison Safari Camp
- Nile Safari Lodge
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Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Location: Between Kampala and Masindi
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is home to Uganda’s only rhinos – making this a must for anyone who has come to Uganda to see Africa’s “Big Five”!
Tracking these enormous creatures on foot through the savannah and swamps is a thrilling experience, and your specialist guide will share his expert knowledge on these impressive animals. The guides know each of the nine rhinos by name, from the huge, battle scarred males to the gentle females resting in the shade with their calves.
The non-profit sanctuary is also home to an assortment of rescued animals – from a pair of colorful grey-crowned cranes to a tiny antelope, making it a wonderful and educational place to visit for both adults and children.
Accommodation is available on site, as well as a restaurant.
Highlights
- Standing just a few meters away from the huge, gentle rhinos, while your guide tells you all about them.
- Knowing that your visit makes a real difference – to rhino protection, biodiversity conservation and community education.
Responsible Travel
- Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is a non-profit project. All income from visitors helps to keep the project running, while fundraising campaigns support the relocation, protection and management of the rhinos.
- Ziwa conducts education and community outreach programs about the need to conserve rhinos, biodiversity in Uganda and the impacts of conservation.
- The sanctuary is surrounded by a solar powered electric fence. Its construction brought a lot of employment to local communities, and it is designed to keep the rhinos inside and poachers outside the sanctuary.
- Visitors are encouraged to support the sanctuary through donations, paid membership or volunteering on or off site.
Package Includes
Transportation within the sanctuary, printed information about the rhinos, the fund and safety tips.
For more information
Website: www.rhinofund.org
E-mail: angie@rhinofund.org
Phone: +256 (0) 772-713-410
Duration
1 – 2 hours
What to Bring
- Closed walking shoes or boots
- Sun screen
- Insect repellent
- Bottled water and snacks
- Light, long-sleeved shirt, hat and sunglasses are recommended
- Tips for guide and community members, extra cash for purchases in the shop, or for donating to the sanctuary’s projects.
Price
- Non-residents $25
- East African residents $12
- Ugandan citizens $4
- Hiring a guide: $15.
Children pay half price.
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Rwenzori Turaco View Village Walk
Location: Bordering Rwenzori Mountains National Park
The tiny village of Mihunga faces the craggy, snow-capped peaks of Rwenzori Mountains, known as the “Mountains of the Moon”.
The Bakonzo tribe have lived here for over 300 years, and have adapted their way of life to the dramatic climate and steep green hillsides of the Rwenzori foothills.
The Mihunga community tourism group, Turaco View, takes you on a cultural tour of the village, which includes a demonstration by a traditional healer, whose plant-based ointments and infusions are essential to this remote Ugandan community, which has no electricity or running water. Visitors will also enjoy a trip to the village school and a crafts demonstration, in which Bakonzo women demonstrate how they create their intricate baskets from natural materials.
You will also be treated to a performance of the lively Bakonzo dance, accompanied by African drumming.
Highlights
- Learn how the traditional healer uses the leaves, fibers and bark of rain forest plants to treat patients in the village.
- Enjoy the Bakonzo dance and the rhythm of the handmade hide drums.
- Experience a Ugandan classroom and know that your visit to Turaco View is contributing to the education of the pupils.
Responsible Travel
- All guides and restaurant staff are from Mihunga community
- The fruit and vegetables in the Turaco View restaurant are purchased from local farmers
- Income from community tourism supports conservation and reforestation projects, a community piggery project and microfinance schemes
Package Includes
- Guided tour and performances
Contact us for more information
Email: info@pearlsofuganda.org
Phone: +256-414501866 +256-414501866 / +256-772657700 +256-772657700
Duration
Two hours, but flexible
What to Bring
- Walking shoes or boots
- Layers and a waterproof jacket (the climate is changeable in the mountains)
- Drinks and snacks
- Hat and sun screen
- Cash for tips and craft purchases
Price
15 $ per person catering for the guide and the experience
Book with these operators & lodges:
- GeoLodges Equator Snow
Rwenzori Turaco View Nature Walk
Location: Bordering Rwenzori Mountains National Park
The tiny village of Mihunga faces the craggy, snow-capped peaks of Rwenzori Mountains, known as the Mountains of the Moon. The Bakonzo tribe have lived here for over 300 years with no electricity or running water, and have adapted their way of life to the climate and steep green hillsides of the Rwenzori foothills.
Turaco View is the Mihunga community tourism group, named after one of the region´s most beautiful endemic birds: the Rwenzori Turaco. Hikers on this trail, which weaves through the forests of the Rwenzori foothills, may be lucky enough to spot one of these brightly coloured birds in the forest canopy, and Turaco View´s expert guides will be able to point out other species such as bee-eaters, sunbirds and even playful black and white colobus monkeys.
Highlights
- Waiting for the clouds to clear to catch a glimpse of the snowy peaks of the Rwenzoris, Africa´s highest mountain range.
- Chatting to your knowledgeable Bakonzo guide, an expert on the native flora and fauna as well as Bakonzo culture!
Responsible Travel
- All guides and restaurant staff are from Mihunga community
- The fruit and vegetables served in the Turaco View restaurant are purchased from local farmers
- Income from community tourism supports conservation and reforestation projects, a community piggery project and microfinance schemes CHECK
Package Includes
- Guided tour
Contact us for more information
Email: info@pearlsofuganda.org
Phone: +256-414501866 +256-414501866 / +256-772657700 +256-772657700
Duration
4-5 hours. We recommend that you start this tour at 7am or earlier in order to observe the most wildlife.
What to Bring
- Walking shoes or boots (it can get muddy)
- Layers and a waterproof jacket (the climate is changeable in the mountains and mornings are cold)
- Drinks and snacks
- Hat and sun screen
- Cash for tips and craft purchases
- Binoculars for bird watching
- Plastic bags to protect cameras etc
Price
15$ per person covering the guide and experience
Book with these operators & lodges:
- GeoLodges Equator Snow
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Ruboni Village Walk
Location: Bordering Rwenzori Mountains National Park
Stretching along the Congo border, the spectacular snow-capped Rwenzoris are the third highest mountains in Africa, but one of the most difficult to climb. The Bakonzo people have lived in the foothills for around 300 years, and invite visitors to experience daily life in their village, surrounded by rainforests, banana plantations, glacial rivers and the peaks of the “Mountains of the Moon.”
Discover the village of Ruboni, home to around 2000 Bakonzo. Walk with them as they demonstrate their daily activities, from tending to their animals and crops, to preparing meals with the freshest ingredients. You will visit a homestead, where food is cooked on an outdoor fire, as well as meeting the blacksmith, the traditional healer, basket weavers and storytellers. Additional activities include a vibrant dance performance by Ruboni villagers, accompanied by lively drumming; and for those who want to get even more involved, there is an African drumming class (both booked separately).
Highlights
- The homestead provides an insight into authentic Ugandan life – see how daily tasks are carried out with no electricity, gas or kitchen appliances.
- In remote areas such as this, the traditional healer takes the place of clinics, hospitals and doctors. Learn about the ailments that can be treated with plants from the surrounding mountain slopes.
- Watch how a knife or panga (machete) is fashioned by hand from a shapeless lump of iron. The blacksmith´s essential work has changed little over the centuries.
Responsible Travel
- Tourism revenue has funded a number of initiatives including a child school sponsorship program and a tree nursery project. Seedlings are given to local families or planted in the community forest.
- Funds from the dance performance are invested in small-scale animal husbandry for the dancers’ families.
- Income from the sale of crafts is used by the craftswomen to buy goats and pigs, as well as the promotion of a household savings and investment programme.
Package Includes
- Guided village tour and all demonstrations
Contact us for more information
Email: info@pearlsofuganda.org
Phone: +256-414501866 / +256-772657700
Website: www.rubonicamp.com
Duration
Two to three hours
What to Bring
- Walking shoes or boots
- Layers and a waterproof jacket (the climate is changeable in the mountains)
- Drinks
- Hat and sun screen
- Cash for tips and craft purchases
- Camera
Price
- Village Walk: 15$ USh pp,
- Dance performance: 1-5 people: 25$/ more than 5 people: 35$
- Drumming lesson: 10$ per person (one hour)
Book with these operators & lodges:
- GeoLodges Equator Snow Lodge
Ruboni Waterfall and Hill Walk
Location: Bordering Rwenzori Mountains National Park
Stretching along the Congo border, the spectacular Rwenzoris are the third highest mountains in Africa, but one of the most difficult to climb. On clear days their snow-capped peaks preside over the verdant landscapes of the Rift Valley.
Starting at the peaceful farming village of Ruboni, your expert Bakonzo guide will take you on a trail through the beautiful forests of the Rwenzori foothills, also known as the Mountains of the Moon. Ruboni means clear water in the local Lukonzo language, and on leaving the village you will follow a crystal-clear stream, passing villagers carrying crops and wood on their daily commute!
The trail winds upwards into the forest, where your guide will point out the many native birds, including wonderfully colourful species such as the Rwenzori Turaco, tiny sunbirds and cinnamon-chested bee eaters.
Highlights
- Waiting for the clouds to clear to catch a glimpse of the snowy peaks of the Mountains of the Moon
- Chatting to your knowledgeable Bakonzo guide, an expert on the native flora and fauna as well as Bakonzo culture!
- Reaching the waterfall that cascades down the hillside.
Responsible Travel
- Since 2004, tourism revenue has funded a number of initiatives including a child school sponsorship program and a tree nursery project. Seedlings raised in the local nursery are given to local families or planted in the community forest.
- Funds from the dance performance are invested in small-scale animal husbandry for the dancers’ families.
- Income from the sale of crafts is used by the craftswomen to buy goats and pigs, as well as the promotion of a household savings and investment program.
Package Includes
- Guided hike. Food and drinks are not included, but a packed lunch can be requested from the community in advance, at additional cost
Contact us for more information
Email: info@pearlsofuganda.org
Phone: +256-414501866 / +256-772657700
Website: www.rubonicamp.com
Duration
Four to five hours. We recommend that you start this tour at 7am or earlier in order to observe the most wildlife.What to Bring
- Walking shoes or boots (it can get muddy)
- Layers and a waterproof jacket (the climate is changeable in the mountains and mornings are cold)
- Drinks and snacks
- Hat and sun screen
- Cash for tips and craft purchases
- Camera
- Binoculars for bird watching
- Plastic bags to protect cameras etc
Price
- 15$ per person
Book with these operators & lodges:
- GeoLodges Equator Snow
Rubuguri Village Walk
Location: Bordering Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Reached by rustic roads clinging to steep hillsides, this small community makes up for its isolation with the warm welcome of its inhabitants. The Village Walk takes you past a swamp to a small homestead, where you will have the chance to meet the residents and learn about life in Rubuguri, as well as participate in a crafts demonstration.
You will then visit the lively St Peter´s Primary school to meet the pupils and teachers, and to watch this region´s most famous cultural attraction – the dynamic Kiga dance. The best dancers are said to be those who make the earth shake – and as the barefooted students leap several feet into the air to the rhythm of joyful songs you will be able to decide for yourself if they achieve their goal!
Highlights
- Get involved in daily life, with a visit to a traditional homestead
- Be amazed at the energy of the local students as they leap into the air to perform the regional dance
Responsible Travel
- This tour is operated by the Nkuringo Cultural Centre (NCC) in Rubuguri, which creates work opportunities for local residents. It promotes tourism and related activities as an alternative income to the timber, meat and honey that residents used to obtain from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
- The profits are split evenly between the site owners, the community guides and the NCC for community projects.
- Handicrafts are sold at the nearby Wagtail Eco-Safari Camp – all proceeds are returned to the artisans.
- NCC has begun an IT project – it will have four computers, and IT classes will be run for up to 12 students at a time with just a small fee to cover basic costs.
- A stage is also being built at the Centre to allow for cultural performances to take place here, by local residents as well as the nearby Batwa community.
- NCC has purchased costumes for the dance groups who perform at the Centre.
Package Includes
- Guided walk and all demonstrations
Contact us for more information
Email: info@pearlsofuganda.org
Phone: +256-414501866 / +256-772657700
Website: nkuringoculturalcentre.org
Duration
Two and a half hours
What to Bring
- Walking shoes or boots
- A waterproof jacket and warm layers – the weather is particularly unpredictable in this region
- Sun screen
- Bottled water
- Camera
Price
$15 per person
Book with these operators & lodges:
Queen´s Pavilion
Location: Near the entrance to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Just 800 metres from the equator monument, and overlooking a thrilling landscape of crater lakes is the Queen´s Pavilion, a community-run internet café. This is the perfect spot to revive yourself after an early morning safari with a cup of Ugandan tea or coffee. You can email exotic tales of wild African adventures to your friends and family back home, as you listen to the elephants trumpeting on the dry plains below, or sit outside at one of the shaded tables and enjoy the savannah views.
It´s also a great place to come for souvenirs – the Centre has a selection of locally made handicrafts including handwoven baskets and paper bead jewellery.
Background
The Queen´s Pavilion was set up by Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH), a non-profit organization which was founded by Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, a veterinarian. She began the project following an anthrax outbreak in the local area, and CTPH trained 10 volunteers from each affected community, with the aim of improving public education and awareness.
Information
- Opening times: Queen´s Pavilion is open from 8am-6pm, seven days a week.
- Café: The café serves coffee, tea, hot chocolate, beer, soft drinks, biscuits and crisps.
- Accessibility: The centre can be reached from Kasese by special hire or boda boda. It is near QENP, around 800m from the Equator monument.
Responsible Travel
- Profits from the café and computers subsidise Makerere University-certified IT courses for the community.
- Using a motorbike donated by Microsoft, trainers travel to the local villages with laptops to carry out the classes.
- The course lasts six weeks, with classes taught for two hours a day from Monday-Friday. Students make a small contribution to their fees, depending on their income.
Contact
Stella Mboneko, Community Telecentre Officer
Office:
0414 531389
Mobile:
0774 408124
Website:
www.ctph.org
Email:
stella@ctph.org
Price
- Internet is 200 UGS per minute for foreigners and 50 UGS per minute for locals.
Pearl Supported
Nkuringo Community Experience
Location: Nkuringo, bordering Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and the Congo border
Set in a lush hillside bordering Bwindi Impenetrable Forest with dramatic views towards Congo, Nkuringo is a wonderful place to visit for those who want both a cultural experience and beautiful scenery.
Step back in time with a visit to Nicholas the blacksmith, who beats knives and machetes into shape in coals fired by his father´s sheepskin bellows. Sesilia will welcome you into her home – a series of traditional huts used for grinding millet, cooking over an open fire and distilling waragi gin. Pena is the village´s traditional healer – and she will show you how she uses native plants to make tea, ointments and powder to cure all manner of ills.
Visitors with extra time can request a visit to the school, hike up to the top of a hill overlooking the Congo border or see the piggery project in action – just let us know!
Highlights
- The blacksmith´s art has changed little in centuries – watch how a shapeless lump of iron is magically transformed into a sharp knife!
- Greet local residents as you stroll through the village streets enjoying the spectacular scenery
- Learn the secrets of the Impenetrable Forest as the traditional healer shows how leaves and bark are used to treat headaches, pneumonia, polio and “bewitched legs”!
Responsible Travel
- The tour and craft shop are operated by the Nkuringo Conservation and Development Foundation (NCDF). The community conserves the gorillas in this area, and in return are able to benefit from gorilla tourism through the development of community tourism activities in Nkuringo.
- All guides and NCDF staff are local, and all profits from the sale of crafts are returned to the artisans
- The local Batwa community are also supported and promoted through NCDF
- 30% of the tour fee goes to NCDF, 30% to the community guides and 40% to the site owners
- NCDF trains a group of local orphans who perform at the community-owned Clouds Lodge – guests can arrange to sponsor an orphan (selected by a local committee)
Package Includes
- Guided walk and all demonstrations
Contact us for more information
Email: info@pearlsofuganda.org
Phone: +256-414501866 / +256-772657700
Duration
Two to three hours, depending on preferences
What to Bring
- Good walking shoes (it can get muddy)
- Waterproof jacket and warm layers as the climate is extremely changeable
- Sun screen and hat
- Money for tips (please give to your guide after the tour) and craft purchases from the NCDF shop
Price
$10 US per person
Book with these operators & lodges:
Mubako Cultural Campfire Performances
Location: Bordering Murchison Falls National Park
The remote community of Mubako is located beside the sprawling savannah of Murchison Falls National Park, in the sun-drenched northwestern region of Uganda. The village is a collection of traditional thatched mud huts around a central clearing, where villagers gather to escape the midday sun und the shade of a large tree. In this dry climate, the community cultivates cotton and cassava, which is ground into bread flour or fermented to make waragi gin.
Mubako has a small craft shop selling carved wooden sculptures and handwoven items made by community members. At dusk, the local cultural groups Alur and Campfire perform vibrant songs and dances around the campfires of local lodges, accompanied by the beautiful sound of the adungu. This instrument, originating from this region, is made of cowhide and twine, and the harmonies of the various-sized adungus against the backdrop of a Nile sunset is wonderful.
Highlights
- Hike the dusty road to Mubako from the nearly Nile Safari Lodge. Your friendly local guide will share tales of daily life in the community.
- Watch the young dancers put on a lively show as the sun sets over the backdrop of the Nile
- Enjoy the unique sounds of the adungus and the unusual percussion – all these instruments are made by hand!
Responsible Travel
- Mubako Community has no access to Murchison Falls National Park, which means the people can not hunt or fish there. Generating income through village tours, the sale of handicrafts and cultural performances gives residents to benefit from the Park, as it brings tourists to the region.
- Farming is difficult here thanks to the dry climate, and a limited diet can lead to malnutrition. There are few economic opportunities here, but with the money they earn from tourism, the community can buy produce from local markets.
- The money also allows them to pay school fees, and to support a local nursery, which has around 90 children aged from 2-6 years.
Contact us for more information
Email: info@pearlsofuganda.org
Phone: +256-414501866 / +256-772657700
Duration
One hour to 90 minutes
What to Bring
- Cash for tips and craft purchases
- Camera
Price
Free for lodge guests
Book with these operators & lodges:
- GeoLodges Nile Safari Lodge
- Yebo Safari Camp
- Murchison River Lodge
- Red Chilli Rest Camp
- Pamoja Safaris Uganda
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