About Uganda	UGANDA MAP	UGANDA SAFARIS
Uganda's beauty, wildlife diversity, and friendly people justify its reputation as "The Pearl of Africa". Uganda's economy is one of the fastest growing in Africa, with a total restructuring of its tourism and conservation sectors. Uganda IS home to the source of the Nile. It is in Uganda that the greatest percentage of Mountain Gorillas and Chimpanzees remain, with many other mammal species representative of both East and Central Africa. Uganda offers a truly exceptional natural experience! Winston Churchill referred to Uganda as the “Pearl of Africa” with its vast wilderness areas and perhaps the continent’s most diverse range of Wildlife. The country offers top wildlife destinations, fantastic adventure holidays and the best bird life anywhere. Its hidden valleys and vast grass land plains were once the stamping ground of the infamous elephant hunters.		Mountain Gorilla Tracking Primates Watching Tour Uganda Apes Uganda and Rwanda Safari -14 days, 2 weeks Africa Rwenzori Hiking safari Uganda Mountain Climbing Uganda Game Safari, Game Viewing in Uganda discounted safaris Rwenzori National Park Uganda, Rwenzori Trekking, Climbing Safari Sightseeing in Uganda Scenic Safaris, Wildlife Tourism Vacation in Uganda Chimpanzee and Gorilla Tour , Uganda Rwanda 7 days Gorilla Tour Uganda Safari, Uganda Primates, Lemurs, Chimpanzee, Monkey, Baboon Gorilla Tracking in Uganda, Gorilla Luxury Safari Uganda and Rwanda River Nile Tour Uganda and Semliki Np ( 5 days Uganda safari)
From the snow capped peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains, to the awe-inspiring spectacle of Murchison Falls, and from the Impenetrable Rain Forest of Bwindi to the endless horizons of the central plains, Uganda’s scenic diversity and richness of the landscape compares favourably with anywhere on the African continent. Uganda is also sanctuary to such rare and unusual species of wildlife such as Uganda Kob and the Shoebill Stork, together with the magnificent Mountain Gorilla as well as some of Africa’s largest concentrations of Crocodile and Hippo. The Pearl of Africa is indeed a compelling destination and we are delighted to extend to you an invitation to follow in the foot steps of those early explorers like Speke, Grant and unlock the secrets of this priceless African gem. UGANDA NATIONAL PARKS Bwindi National Park  West across the Albertine Rift Valley is the ancient forest of Bwindi. As you approach it is obvious why it is was named the Impenetrable Forest. The deep river gorges and high ridges have remained forested for millions of years resulting in an incredible biodiversity. Bwindi has at least 90 mammal species, 350 species of birds, 324 species of trees, huge numbers of butterflies and, most importantly, it is home to around half the world’s population of mountain gorilla as well as numerous other primates such as the chimpanzee. The Bwindi terrain is hilly, very muddy and can involve scrambling through dense vegetation, when gorilla tracking, you should be prepared for an arduous days trekking anything from 15 minutes to 8 hours but there is no doubt that mountain gorilla tracking through jungle and mountain forest is one of the most amazing wildlife experiences in the world. Bwindi has at least 90 mammal species, 350 species of birds, 324 species of trees, huge numbers of butterflies and, most importantly, it is home to around half the world’s population of mountain gorilla as well as numerous other primates such as the chimpanzee.

The Bwindi terrain is hilly, very muddy and can involve scrambling through dense vegetation, when gorilla tracking, you should be prepared for an arduous days trekking anything from 15 minutes to 8 hours but there is no doubt that mountain gorilla tracking through jungle and mountain forest is one of the most amazing wildlife experiences in the world.

Although gorilla tracking is the main focus of any visit, there are several forest trails ranging from a half hour walk to several hours hard trekking
The Ugandan Wildlife Authority was developed in partnership with local communities to encourage development through conservation, this enables local people such as those surrounding Bwindi National Park to improve their standard of living through better agricultural practices, thus reducing pressure on the Bwindi forest resources. The park employs local people as wardens, researchers and rangers, local communities receive a proportion of the Bwindi income.

Mgahinga National Park
The huge cones of the Virunga Volcanoes, Muhavura, Sabinyo and Gahinga, dominate the landscape here at Uganda’s smallest national park. The lower slopes consist of high altitude savannah woodland with lots of moss and lichens, this emerges into bamboo and mountain forests; all delicacies to a mountain gorilla.

The Nyakagezi is the only Mgahinga mountain gorilla group which are habituated to humans. This process of habituation can take up to two years. Each day a group of mountain gorilla trackers from the Ugandan wildlife Authority will locate a family group and spend the day close to the group making calming vocalisations or pretending to eat leaves and behave as much like a gorilla as possible.

It can take several months before the hand or face of a curious individual is seen through the bushes. Only when the male silverback feels comfortable in the presence of the trackers can a proper study and communication with the mountain gorilla group begin.

Lake Bunyoni
Lake Bunyoni is situated between Kampala and Bwindi. It offers a tranquil atmosphere from the various volcanic crater valleys. Lake Bunyoni is known as the deepest in Africa. The surrounding hills provide stunning views and are home to the Bakiga people, descendants of the mythical Kakiga

The southern corner of Uganda’s Kable district is an area of outstanding natural beauty. There are numerous lakes in the volcanic crater valleys and Lake Bunyoni is said to be the deepest in Africa. Lake Bunyoni is ideally situated as a convenient stop-off point between Kampala and Bwindi.

It is a perfect place to relax and enjoy the scenery providing some tranquillity after a day of strenuous gorilla tracking. The surrounding hills are the home of the Bakiga people descendents of the mythical Kakiga.

Lake Mburo National Park
The park offers a dense thicket of vegetation, a wonderful environment for wildlife. There are five lakes which serve as a big draw for water. Here you will spot the buffalo, impalas, topis, elands, zebra and leopard. The lakes host plenty of crocodiles and hippos which guarantee a lot of actions. The acacia and savannah attract a wide species of birds including the rare shoebill stork, marabou stork, bronze tailed starling amongst many other birds.

The flat river valleys of Lake Mburo National Park feature dense thickets of vegetation offering an attractive environment for wildlife viewing. There are five lakes here which are a big draw to the wildlife.

The main attractions are the Savannah animals such as zebra, buffalo, impala, topis and elands. Other more elusive residents include leopard, aardvark, pangolin and porcupine. There is also a lot of activity around the water with plenty of crocodiles and hippos as you might expect in African lakes! The wetlands attract some of the rarer animals such as the shy sitatunga antelope.

The birding is excellent with some 357 species recorded, drawn both by the water and the acacia savannahs. These include Uganda’s national bird the crested crane, the rare shoebill stork, marabou stork and bronze-tailed starling, bee eaters and even more exotic birds such as the blue-naped coucal and the Nubian woodpecker.

Lake Mburo National Park is situated between Kampala and the southern forests where the gorilla trekking takes place, making it a convenient place to stop off en route and gives you the chance to see a variety of Ugandan wildlife even if your main focus happens to be the primates.

The Kidepo Valley National Park
is one of Uganda's most spectacular parks. It is 1,442 square kilometres and harbours scenery unsurpassed in any other park in East Africa. 'It could not be any better' is a common comment on the scenery by visitors who often promise and do come back to Kidepo.

Tucked into the corner of Uganda's border with Sudan and Kenya, the park offers breathtaking Savannah landscapes, which end in rugged horizon. A huge latitudinal range and correspondingly wide climatic conditions have evolved an extremely diverse flora. As a result the variety of animal species in the park is equally abundant including many which are found no where else in Uganda.

The vegetation can best be described as open tree Savannah which varies much in structure and composition. Mountain forest dominates some of the high places, while areas along the Lorupei River support dense Acacia geradi forest. The flora and fauna of the park are more typical of Kenya than the rest of Uganda. The landscape throughout the park is studded with small hills, rocky outcrops and inselbergs from which one can obtain stunning views in all directions.

Queen Elizabeth National Park:
Situated at the foot of the Ruwenzoris Mountains, Queen Elizabeth National Park protects over 200 sq km of Rift Valley Savanna, interspersed with patches of forest and crater lakes, idea for a safari. The main geographical feature is the 32km Kazinga Channel, which links Lake Edward and Lake George. The game here is making an excellent recovery after years of heavy poaching in the 1980’s, and is becoming inceasingly popular as a safari destination.

There are healthy populations of Ugandan Kob, buffalo, hippo, an estimated 200 lions, the elephant population is said to be around the 1000 mark. Evening safari boat trips along the Kazinga channel are particularly good, there’s always the chance of leopard or giant forest hog coming down to drink at the waters edge.

The Ishasha plains of the southern sector, has an eccentric population of tree climbing lions. To the north of park is the spectacular Chambura Gorge, descend into the gorge in the early morning for superb chimpanzee encounters.

Kibale National Park and Bigodi Wetland

Kibale forest is one of the finest places in the world for primates. The forest here is home to 13 species more than any other East African park, this includes red-tailed L’Hoest and blue monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, red colobus and black and white colobus and a substantial population of habituated chimpanzees. The chimp tracking takes place twice a day, morning and late afternoon.

In addition the park authorities offer fantastic night walks, a great opportunity to search for nocturnal primates such as the wide-eye bush baby and the sloth-like potto. Kibale is also a sanctuary to the elusive forest elephant, smaller and hairier than its savannah counterpart. Other mammals include buffalo, giant forest hog and several antelope species. The network of forest trails are a delight to botanists, birders and butterfly lovers.

Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary is a superb community tourism initiative established to protect the Magombe Swamp it is a haven for birds and primates. The walks through the sanctuary are led by knowledgeable guides, for birders the morning walks are particularly recommended.

THE CHIMPANZEE TRACKING

Chimpanzees are widely recognised by scientists as our closet living relative, sharing approximately 99% of our DNA. Once you are in the presence of these creatures it is easy to see how genetically similar they are to us; they laugh, play, socialise, and generally display very human like characteristics. Further more in the 1960’s Jane Goodall discovered that chimpanzees also create and use tools to help them in their natural environment; this ability was once thought of as the defining characteristic between humans and animals.

There are two species of chimpanzee, the Pan troglodytes, better known as the common chimpanzee which live primarily in West, and Central Africa; and the Pan paniscus or the “Pygmy Chimpanzee” which can be found in the forests south of the Congo River. The two species are in fact divided by the Congo River.

Although the anatomical differences between the two species of chimpanzee are very small, their behaviour is very different. The Common chimpanzees have a omnivorous diet with a troop hunting culture based around beta males led by a alpha male, whist the Pygmy Chimpanzees have a mostly herbivorous diet with a democratic / matriarchal society.

Amoung the 5 recognised sub-species of chimpanzee within Africa; Uganda is home to the ‘Pan Troglodytes Schweinfurthii’ sub-species, or the Eastern Common Chimpanzee. The common chimpanzee is native to the tropicl forests and wet savans of Western and Central Africa.

Unfortunately, contrary to its more wildly used name, the Common Chimpanzee is actually classified as endangered. In fact populations of chimpanzees have already been wiped out in 5 central African countries.

Fortunately Uganda has in recent years adopted a very successful conservation strategy, with the money made through National Park fees, gorilla tracking permits, chimpanzee tracking permits, etc being reinvested into the conservation of Uganda’s native wildlife. Consequently a recent chimpanzee census has actually shown that numbers of chimpanzee have actually grown in recent years.

Today Uganda is possibly the best place in the whole of Africa for chimpanzee tracking, and Kibale National Park with the highest density of wild chimpanzees is perhaps the best location in the country.

THE MOUNTAIN GORILLA

A gorillas DNA is 97% - 98% identical to that of humans, so it is not surprising that their name actually derives from the Greek word ‘Gorillai’ which literally means a ‘tribe of hairy women’. In fact the Gorilla is the next closest living relative to humans after the two chimpanzee species.

There are generally considered to be two species of Gorilla and at least two subspecies of each. The Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) is recognized as a sub-species of the Eastern Gorilla. Longer and darker hair distinguishes the mountain gorilla from other gorilla species; these physical characteristics enable it to live at high altitudes were other gorilla species would be immobilised by the cool temperatures.

Like the other species of gorilla, the mountain gorillas have adapted to a diet of fruits, leaves and shoots; although largely vegetarian in nature they are also known to occasionally supplement their diet with small insects. They can eat an incredible amount in one day, adult males can consume as much as 34kgs.

Mountain gorilla is a highly social primate, living in relatively stable, cohesive groups held together by long-term bonds between adult males and females. There is normally one silverback per family group of between 5 and 30 gorillas; he is responsible for the decision making as well as the safety of the group.

Up until 1902 the mountain gorilla was wildly regarded as a myth by the western world, that was until Robert Von Beringe observed a mountain gorilla in the foothills of Bwindi, the first European to do so. From that day onwards the mountain gorilla's fate became inescapably intermingled with human demand. By 1989 a census showed that there were only 320 mountain gorilla’s remaining in Uganda’s Bwindi National Park.

The mountain gorilla is still considered to be critically endangered, but numbers in Bwindi National Park have improved by 17% in the last decade, thanks in large parts to Ugandan conservation efforts. The money that is made through gorilla permits is directly reinvested into conservation efforts by the Ugandan Government.

The mountain gorilla is native to only two regions of Africa, the Virunga volcanic mountains and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. According to a census taken in 2003 there are estimated to be around 380 mountain gorillas in 30 social groups spread around the three national parks of the Virunga volcanic mountains.

Mgahinga, in South West Uganda; Volcanoes, in north-west Rwanda; and Virunga, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are the three national parks of the Virunga volcanic mountains of central Africa. The second population of mountain gorillas are located in the south-west of Uganda in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest; which according to the 2003 census is home to 320 mountain gorillas.

Between the 1989 census and the 2003 census gorilla numbers have grown by 17%, with approximately 700 mountain gorillas left in the wild. However it must be remembered that the mountain gorilla continues to be classified as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species.

Habitat loss, poaching, human disease, and war all contribute to the gorilla’s extremely high risk of extinction. A study published in Science concluded that a 2004 out break of the Ebola virus in Central Africa may have killed around 5,000 gorillas. With a population of only 700 mountain gorillas remaining in the wild it’s easy to see why there is such concern.

UGANDA CULTURE

Situated at the heart of the Africa, Uganda has a strong cultural backbone. It prides over 30 different indigenous languages belonging to five distinct linguistic groups, and an equally diverse cultural mosaic of music, art and handicrafts. The country’s most ancient inhabitants, confined to the hilly southwest, are the Batwa and Bambuti Pygmies, relics of the hunter-gatherer cultures that once occupied much of East Africa to leave behind a rich legacy of rock paintings, such as those at the Nyero Rock Shelter near Kumi.

At the cultural core of modern-day Uganda lie the Bantu-speaking kingdoms of Buganda, Bunyoro, Ankole and Toro, whose traditional monarchs – reinstated in the 1990s after having been abolished by President Milton Obote in 1967. Visit historical sites where the three former kings of Buganda were buried in an impressive traditional thatched building at the Kasubi Tombs in Kampala.

In the northeast learn of the presence of the Karimojong, traditional pastoralists whose lifestyle and culture is reminiscent of the renowned Maasai, and in the northwest by a patchwork of agricultural peoples whose Nilotic languages and cultures are rooted in what is now Sudan.

The Rwenzori foothills are home to the hardy Bakonjo, whose hunting shrines are dedicated to a one-legged, one-armed, one-eyed pipe-smoking spirit known as Kalisa, while the Bagisu of the Mount Elgon region are known for their colourful Imbalu ceremony, an individual initiation of young boys to manhood that peaks in activity in and around August of every year.
The culture of Uganda is made up of a diverse range of ethnic groups.

Lake Kyoga forms the northern boundary for the Bantu-speaking peoples, who dominate much of east, central and southern Africa. In Uganda they include the Baganda and several other tribes. In the north live the Lango and the Acholi, who speak Nilotic languages. To the east are the Iteso and Karamojong, who speak a Nilotic language. A fewPygmies live isolated in the rainforests of western Uganda.

Each ethnic group has its musical history; songs are passed down from generation to generation. Ndigindi and entongoli(lyres), ennanga (harp),amadinda (xylophone, see Baganda Music) and lukeme (lamellophone ("thumb piano")) are commonly played instruments. An Acholi, Okot p'Bitek, is one of Uganda's most famous writers of folklore, satirical poems and songs. His book Song of Lawino (1966) describes the stories told in Acholi songs.

Religion:
Christians make up 85.1% of Uganda's population.[1] There were sizeable numbers of Sikhs and Hindus in the country until Asians were expelled in 1972 by Idi Amin, following an alleged dream, although many are now returning following an invitation from the new president, Yoweri Museveni. There are also Muslims.

Sport:
The Uganda national football team, nicknamed The Cranes, is the national team of Uganda and is controlled by the Federation of Uganda Football Associations. They have never qualified for the World Cup finals; their best finish in the African Nations Cup was second in 1978. Cricket is also one of major sports having made the World Cup in 1975 as part of the East African cricket team. Furthermore Uganda also engages in basketball however this is not well developed, there is a national league played by college students and a few high school students. Uganda hosted and won a regional tournament in 2006 other countries that participated were Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. Growing in populariy in the country is rugby, the National team has been growing stronger as evidenced by more frequent victories and close games against African powerhouses like Namibia and Morocco.

Cuisine:
The Cuisine of Uganda consists of traditional cooking with English, Arab and Asian (especially Indian) influences. Like the cuisines of most countries, it varies in complexity, from the most basic, a starchy filler with a sauce of beans or meat, to several-course meals served in upper-class homes and high-end restaurants.
Main dishes are usually centred on a sauce or stew of groundnuts, beans or meat. The starch traditionally comes from ugali (maize meal) ormatoke (boiled and mashed green banana), in the South, or an ugali made from pearl millet in the North. Cassava, yam and African sweet potato are also eaten; the more affluent include white (often called "Irish") potato and rice in their diets. Soybean was promoted as a healthy food staple in the 1970s and this is also used, especially for breakfast. Chapati, an Asian flatbread, is also part of Ugandan cuisine.

Chicken, fish (usually fresh, but there is also a dried variety, reconstituted for stewing), beef, goat and mutton are all commonly eaten, although among the rural poor there would have to be a good reason for slaughtering a large animal such as a goat or a cow and nyama, (Swahili word for "meat") would not be eaten every day.
Various leafy greens are grown in Uganda. These may be boiled in the stews, or served as side dishes in fancier homes. Amaranth (dodo),nakati, and borr are examples of regional greens. Ugali is cooked up into a thick porridge for breakfast. For main means, white flour is added to the saucepan and stirred into the ugali until the consistency is firm. It is then turned out onto a serving plate and cut into individual slices (or served onto individual plates in the kitchen).

Language:
Uganda is ethnologically diverse, with at least forty languages in usage. Luganda is the most common language. English is the official language of Uganda, even though only a relatively small proportion of the population speaks it. Access to economic and political power is almost impossible without having mastered that language. The East African lingua franca Swahili is relatively widespread as a trade language and was made an official national language of Uganda in September 2005.[2] Luganda, a language widespread in central Uganda, has been the official vernacular language in education for central Uganda for a long time.

Clothing:
In Uganda, the Kanzu is the national dress of men in the country. Women wear a dress with a sash tied around the waist called a Gomesi.

Uganda Lakes:
Uganda is a well-watered country. Nearly one-fifth of the total area, or 44,000 square kilometers, is open water or swampland. Four of East Africa's Great Lakes--Lake Victoria, Lake Kyoga, Lake Albert, and Lake Edward--lie within Uganda or on its borders. Lake Victoria dominates the southeastern corner of the nation, with almost one-half of its 10,200-square-kilometer area lying inside Ugandan territory. It is the second largest inland freshwater lake in the world (after Lake Superior), and it feeds the upper waters of the Nile River, which is referred to in this region as the Victoria Nile.

Lakes of Uganda & Ssese Islands 
A part of Uganda’s surface consists of wetlands region, ranging from vast inland seas to the mysterious marshy expanse of Lake Kyoga which sources from the Nile as it drains into a shallow sump at the heart of the country. A third of Lake Victoria, the world’s second-largest freshwater lake sits within the boundaries of the country.
The Albert and Edward lakes extend for 150km and 80km respectively along the Albertine Rift Valley floor bordering the Congo. Renowned for its water birds and dense population of otters, mountain-ringed Lake Bunyonyi is one of Uganda’s most rapidly developing wetland destinations, its steep-sided shores. Another rising attraction is the cluster of 200 crater lakes that extends northward from Queen Elizabeth National Park to Fort Portal, reaching its scenic peak in the vicinity of Kibale Forest, where several forest-fringed lakes have been developed as community-based ecotourism projects.

Sesse Islands
Scattered over the northwest corner of Lake Victoria, these 84 islands are an ideal place to relax and unwind after your safari. These forested islands present something of a paradise for birders and botanists; hornbills barbets, turacos and Paradise flycathers are common. It’s easy to get around and explore on foot or bicycle, the less energetic can relax and enjoy the beaches or join friendly Basese people on a fishing trip.

Lake Kyoga: 
Lake Kyoga and the surrounding basin dominate central Uganda. Extensions of Lake Kyoga include Lake Kwania, Lake Bugondo, and Lake Opeta. These "finger lakes" are surrounded by swampland during rainy seasons. All lakes in the Lake Kyoga Basin are shallow, usually reaching a depth of only eight or nine meters, and Lake Opeta forms a separate lake during dry seasons. Along the border with Zaire, Lake Albert, Lake Edward, and Lake George occupy troughs in the western Rift Valley.

Leaving Lake Victoria at Owen Falls, the Victoria Nile descends as it travels toward the northwest. Widening to form Lake Kyoga, the Nile receives the Kafu River from the west before flowing north to Lake Albert. From Lake Albert, the Nile is known as the Albert Nile as it travels roughly 200 kilometers to the Sudan border. In southern and western Uganda, geological activity over several centuries has shifted drainage patterns. The land west of Lake Victoria is traversed by valleys that were once rivers carrying the waters of Lake Victoria into the Congo River system. The Katonga River flows westward from Lake Victoria to Lake George. Lake George and Lake Edward are connected by the Kizinga Channel. The Semliki River flows into Lake Edward from the north, where it drains parts of Zaire and forms a portion of the Uganda-Zaire border.

Spectacular waterfalls occur at Murchison (Kabalega) Falls on the Victoria Nile River just east of Lake Albert. At the narrowest point on the falls, the waters of the Nile pass through an opening barely seven meters wide. One of the tributaries of the Albert Nile, the Zoka River, drains the northwestern corner of Uganda, a region still popularly known as the West Nile although that name was not officially recognized in 1989. Other major rivers include the Achwa River (called the Aswa in Sudan) in the north, the Pager River and the Dopeth-Okok River in the northeast, and the Mpologoma River, which drains into Lake Kyoga from the southeast.

Uganda Activities:

BIRD WATCHING
Transitional to the East African savannah and the western rainforests, Uganda is Africa’s most complete birdwatching destination, with more than 1,000 species recorded within an area comparable to that of Great Britain. Specialist birding tours through Western Uganda routinely notch up an incredible tally of 400 species within two weeks, while enthusiastic amateurs might reasonably hope to aim for 300 species within the same time.

For dedicated ornithologists, Uganda’s prime attraction is the presence of more than 100 West African forest species at the most easterly – and most accessible – extent of their range. This alluring list of forest specialists includes the psychedelic Great Blue Turaco and the raucous Black-and-White Casqued Hornbill, as well as the gem-like Green Broadbill and 23 other species endemic to the Albertine Rift. Uganda is the best place to see what many rate as the most sought after African bird: the Shoebill, a massive prehistoric-looking swamp-dweller notable for its heavy clog-shaped bill.

Birdlife is prolific throughout Uganda, but certain key sites should be included in any ornithological itinerary. In the west, these include Bwindi National Park for Albertine Rift endemics, Queen Elizabeth National Park for a peerless checklist of 600 species, Semliki National Park for Congo Basin endemics, Mabamba Swamp near Entebbe for Shoebill, the community-run guided trail through Bigodi Wetland near Kibale Forest for Great Blue Turaco and other colourful forest birds, and Murchison Falls National Park for savannah specialists such as Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Red-Throated Bee-Eater and Denham’s Bustard. A key birding location in eastern Uganda is Lake Bisina, a stronghold for the endemic Fox’s Weaver as well as papyrus-dwellers such as Shoebill and Papyrus Gonolek.

ADVENTURE
Uganda is a classic adventure tourism destination. Indeed, Bujagali Falls, which lies downstream of the Source of the Nile an hour’s drive east of Kampala, is the East African counterpart to more southerly ‘adrenaline capitals’ such as Victoria Falls and Cape Town. Bujagali is the launching point for a commercial white-water rafting route that ranks as one of most thrilling but also one of the safest in the world, passing through three heart-stopping Grade Five rapids in one day. Other activities at Bujagali include kayaking, mountain biking, quad-biking and a new 44 metre-high bungee jump from a cliff above the Nile.

Boasting three separate montane destinations topping the 4,000 metre mark, all protected within national parks, Uganda offers some of Africa’s top hiking and climbing possibilities. Serious mountaineers need look no further than the majestic Rwenzori, whose trio of craggy 5,000-plus metre glacial peaks offers a genuine challenge to experienced alpine climbers, while fit hikers will find the six-day loop trail through the Rwenzori’s forest and moorland zones to be as rewarding as it is demanding.

Further east, Mount Elgon, Africa’s eighth-highest mountain, offers an excellent and relatively undemanding introduction to Afro-montane climates and vegetation, culminating in the ascent of a 6km wide volcanic caldera studded with small waterfalls, caves and hot springs. Another estimable hiking destination is the Virunga Mountains, where mountain gorilla tracking can be supplemented by a tough day ascent to one of the three extinct volcanoes protected within Mgahinga National Park, the tallest of which is the 4,127-metre Muhabura.