Why is Uganda an expensive tourist destination?
Given Uganda’s relative cost to other African and East African nations such South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya and Tanzania, one wonders why Uganda is an expensive travel destination. This has meant that Uganda cannot draw many visitors—more specifically, back packers with always limited means. This may be explained in great part by many elements as described below.
Uganda is a nation with territorial borders.
Uganda is a landlocked nation whose borders are Kenya in the East, Tanzania in the south, Rwanda in the Southwest, Democratic Republic of congo in the west, and southern Sudan in the North. This implies that everything arrives in Uganda needs to be taxed via ports like Mombasa. This explains why all products and services purchased in Uganda cost higher than those of other nations listed above.
Still has Uganda Airlines, the unpopular national carrier.
Uganda entered international flights once again in 2019 with the return of Uganda Airlines. This was however hampered by the start of the COVID-19 epidemic in 2020, which resulted in the cancellation of all flights globally.
Other planes such LKM, British Airways, Emirates, Ethiopian Airways, Kenya Airways among others are challenging Uganda Airlines as a new baby in the heavens. Most customers have airline loyalty, hence it is difficult to break through this fierce competition.
The airline needs to provide flight rates near to what her rivals are offering if she is to maintain the breakeven threshold. Uganda Airline cannot soar its wings to other nations as it is not breaking even. This is generating a financial disparity; even visitors are not very familiar with its itinerary and timing.
Advertising Uganda Airlines still leaves a significant gap to let travellers access its routes.
Uganda is marketed as a site of ecotourism
Marketed as an ecotourism destination unlike large tourist markets South Africa, Kenya, and Tanzania, Uganda is Considered a primate capital of Africa, Uganda boasts delicate ecosystems like wetlands and tropical rain forests requiring conservation.
Given this, relatively few numbers are anticipated of any one National park or attraction in Uganda. Uganda uses profit maximizing rather than sales maximizing to make more money from ecotourism.
For instance, just eight persons are permitted to walk a certain group of mountain gorillas every day and at United States dollars seven hundred each person. You must part with US dollars two hundred dollars per person per trip if you want to hike chimpanzees in Kibale National Park.
This relates to birdwatching, where certain national parks—including Semliki National Park—have raised their prices. All elements help to make Uganda a costly travel destination for many different kinds of visitors worldwide.
Reduced Competition
For services like lodging, Uganda’s service providers face less rivalry. Uganda lacks many lodges, most particularly in National Park, which makes it feasible for the ones that do exist to charge hefty rates. Standard in most lodges are really ordinary as owners are comfortable without any competition.
More investors joining to build hotels is anticipated to provide enough competition to drive down the price.
Standards for the industry have been defined by the Uganda tourist Board, the agency in charge of regulating tourist activities. Nobody not registered as a destination service provider is permitted to do business in these parks. This is meant to lower the amount of masqueraders taking advantage of this chance to blackmail money from naive visitors. :
For visitors, all of this is rather fantastic; yet, implementation of it is still really poor.
Political Unrest at the Countries’ Neighbors
The western part of Uganda has most of the destinations visited there. This region near D.R. Congo is politically unstable since 3003. Reports of certain inappropriate events involving persons being intimidated by the gunshot exchange abound. To ensure the visitors, the park’s security needs to be enhanced.
Some of the money comes from park fees and permission costs, which weigh down to the customers.
Still difficult is access to several of Uganda’s tourist sites.
Roads are still under construction and most of Uganda’s tourism spots are far apart. This is lead making it difficult to get there particularly with self drive. The increasing global gasoline costs make it a costly endeavor.
Still quite pricey, the domestic flights make it extremely difficult for certain budgets to pay. You must add a transfer vehicle from airstriks to your target location. An example From Kihihi airport to Buhoma section of Bwindi Impenetrable National park you need around two hours on the road. All of factors affect the Uganda Safari package’s gross cost.
What Should One See on Uganda’s Safari
Trekking on Gorillas
Among the fortunate homes of mountain gorillas worldwide is Uganda. Among the more sought-after adventure safaris in Africa is gorilla trekking.
The only gorilla trekking parks in the nation are Mgahinga National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable national park.
One must get a Uganda wildlife Authority gorilla trekking permit. The Uganda gorilla permit fee right now is $800 per person.
First, depending on your safari date, you should find out if the gorilla permits are available. Though each time costs the same, you may undertake gorilla trekking as many times as you want.
You have to know where your gorilla permit is booked when reserved to conduct trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National park. The four sections of the large Bwindi forest park include Buhoma, Rushaga, Nkuringo, and Ruhijah regions. Every location has various gorilla trekking families, with daily maximum of eight customers permitted to visit.
Unrestricted migration makes it unknown when the mountain gorillas were discovered. These wild creatures have to search for their own food to get them through both day and night.
Once you find them, one hour is allotted with the mountain gorillas
Trekking in Uganda for chimpanzees
With roughly 1500 chimpanzees, Kibale national park is the principal habitat for chimpanzees trekking. There are two scheduled morning and afternoon chimpanzee trekking programs. Other chimpanzee trekking destinations in Uganda include Kaniyo Pabidi in Murchison Falls National Park and Kyambura gorge in queen Elizabeth National park.
Each of the locations requires a chimpanzee trekking permit to let you reach the closest human cousins inside the animal world. About 98% of chimpanzee DNA is human. The place you want to go chimpanzee trekking in Uganda affects the cost of the permits.
When it comes to contracting human illnesses, chimpanzees are very vulnerable to flu, cholera, covid 19, Ebola, and others. Offer to remain behind should you detect any of the communicative diseases so as to prevent the transmission to the chimpanzees.
Game Drives in Uganda National Parks
Uganda has many wildlife parks bestowed upon her. To really appreciate the safari, you must rent a car. Beautiful views seen within the gaming parks complement the whole experience’s appeal.
Murchison Falls National park, Kidepo Valley National park, Lake Mburo National Park, Queen Elizabeth National park and others are among the Uganda wildlife parks.
Early morning or evening game drives provide you the opportunity to see species like giraffes, lions, cheetahs, jackals, leopards, waterbucks, bushbucks, reedbucks, hartebeests, and more.
Launch visits are one of the events available in several parks that provide additional chances to see animals satisfy their thirst.
The launch excursion of Murchison Falls National Park transports you to the most powerful falls on earth. You might come across many creatures that like eating from the coast along the trip. Among the creatures you can come across are giraffes, cape buffaloes, waterbucks, bushbucks, lions, Nile Crocodiles, hippos and more.
Amazing is the force of River Nile as it squeezes into a 6-meter-wide curve to powerfully burst out and catch up with its route. To finish the course, the water falls 44 meters high from a cliff. The boat’s turbulence calms down each time water settles at the bottom of the falls.
With fantastic views of the rift Valley floor, Kazinga channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park is just magnificent. On the rift valley flow, many crater lakes are strewn both dry and wet.
Look over to the banks while you travel on the boat; various species include lions, elephants, leopards, bushbuck, hyenas, cape buffaloes, and so many more abound there. There are many indigenous and international birds flocking the coast. Schools of hippos, crocodiles, and others abound in the Kazinga canal.
White Water Rafting along Nile River
Although River Nile is the longest river in Africa, Itanda Falls allows you white water rafting. You have no experience need to engage in white water rafting. Many professors are here to guide you during every session.
You glide on the tube, but keep in mind that you must tightly strap your safety gear to negotiate the tides. There are varying tide levels; hence, select the one that would be pleasant for you.
For white water rafting in Uganda, you must book ahead so that plans can be made to get you to Kayunga, where Itanda falls are located.
See The River Nile’s source here
The longest River in the world, River Nile is sourced in Uganda. Water from Lake Victoria splits from River Nile at a location only characterized by wave form. By now the drama leaves you wondering what may lie under the surface.
Look at many birds flocking River Nile’s coastlines and the evergreen lash flora around. See fisherman throwing their nets.
Ugandan birding
Comprising more than 1000 bird species, Uganda is Africa’s birding paradise with red list of IUCN among its offerings. Because of the sheer abundance of birds they come across, keen birder often spend more than seven days in Uganda locations.
A well-fitting Uganda birding schedule makes Uganda a fascinating Africa safari location.
Among the well-known birding sites in Uganda are Mabamba marsh, Mpanga woodland, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park and many more.
Among the species you could find in Uganda are black collared Barbets, brown chested plover, Southern Ground Hornbill, African Moustache Warbler, Blue-breasted Bee-Eater to name just a few. Papyrus yellow warbler
Cultural Travel in Uganda
Among African countries, Uganda is among the cosmopolitan ones. Many kingdoms and chiefdoms dominated Uganda’s political terrain before the colonial period.
Silence persisted until 1986 after the traditional leaders were ousted in 1966 by then H.E Militon Obote. Among the still existent kingdoms are Bugembe Jinja’s Busoga Kingdom. Buganda Kingdom with Kabaka Muwenda Mutebi II as its reigning King; Tooro Kingdom with Omukama Oyo Kabamba Iguru. Bunyoro Kingdom under Omukama Gafabusa as King at now.
Every one of the kingdoms and chiefdoms had unique cultural ideas that reflect the others.
Though they have different cultures, Ugandans are kind people and extremely accommodating.
Religious Tour Uganda
Uganda’s freedom of worship has resulted in growing diversity of faiths there. The nation knows of three main religious dominions: Islam, Protestants, and the Catholics. Each has a distinct headquarters with Muslims at Kibuli Mosque, Catholic Rubaga church, and protestant cathedra Namirembe.
The terrible murder of young men at the hands of Mukajanga the then Kabaka’s hand man makes the shrine of the Uganda martyr among the most visited religious place in Uganda. Fire left them charred to ashes.
