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 experienceBook with these operators & lodges:
- GeoLodges Equator Snow
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Contact us for more information about Pearls of Uganda
Email: info@pearlsofuganda.org
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
Contact us for more information about Pearls of Uganda
Email: info@pearlsofuganda.org
Bigodi Women’s Swamp Walk
Bigodi village is situated in the highlands of western Uganda, in the shadow of the Rwenzori Mountains, the famous “Mountains of the Moon.” Our community is located about 40 kilometers south of the town of Fort Portal, and borders Kibale National Park, which has the highest density of primate life in the world in its forests.
Since 1992, the people of Bigodi have worked together as a community to open our natural beauty to eco-tourists and to bring our crafts and handiwork to the world.
Music, Dance and Drama
Bigodi Dancers demonstrate the best of their local culture through a lively hour-long performance, incorporating drama, dance, hand-made musical instruments and riddles.
In the Bakiga tribes, both men and women dance by stamping the ground barefoot – the harder you do it the better. Cracks on the floor are an indication that the party was a success!
Craft Demonstration
The group sells baskets, mats, bags, recycled paper jewelry and other crafts at the Wetland Sanctuary office in Bigodi trading center, and worldwide through export.
The women use local materials such as millet straw, banana fibres (these two are agricultural waste), raffia and Phoenix palm leaves, papyrus plants and natural dyes, all from plants that the women grow themselves at their homes.
Highlights
- Traditional dance and music performance (with interpretation)
- Drama performance
- Crafts demonstration (basket weaving and paper beads)
- Guided nature walks
- Bird watching across the wetland
- Primate viewing
- Village walks
- Home stays and traditional meals
Responsible Travel
- Study tours are used to increase the understanding and interpretation of natural and cultural values in the community, particularly in schools. Enyange Dramactors received training from Kibale and Semliki Conservation and Development Program in the 1990s. On the other hand, interpretation signs, write-ups, guided walks and presentations are used for conservation awareness building for both domestic and foreign visitors. Walks around and across the swamp are guided, visitors are encouraged to keep on the trail and all the garbage is carried back to the visitor’s center and properly binned. KAFRED does not provide catering services and this limits the levels of pollution.
- The community strives to promote local history.
- The dance and drama performances and weaving workshops promote local culture.
- The profits from tourism activities benefits the local community.
- Dance: All performers are local and share the performance fees
- Walks: 100% of the net profit (after all expenses), is spent on community development and conservation projects. This income has funded many projects including a secondary school, which has an enrollment of over 300 and employs 17 people. Host families receive a percentage of the village walk fee.
- Home stays and traditional meals: Income goes to support household income and promote traditional crops and organic methods of farming
- Crafts: 90% of the income goes to the women who make the items and 10% into community development. This income has funded the Bigodi Pre-Primary (Nursery) School, and it has helped support orphans, widows, the disabled and other disadvantaged people in the community. The group promotes conservation, takes school children on field trips, and produces songs and plays with conservation messages.
- Community development projects have been funded with income from tourism. The best examples are the secondary school, the wetlands boardwalk, and the wetlands visitor center, which has helped to increase awareness and appreciation within the community of the importance of conservation.
Contact
John Tinka, KAFRED Program Manager
Phone:
+256 (0) 77 246 8113
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