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1.
Queen Elizabeth NP
Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of Uganda's most popular game
reserves and certainly one most scenic. It stretches from the crater-dotted
foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains in the north, along the shores
of Lake Edward, to the remote Ishasha River in the south.
The natural
beauty is overwhelming and diverse: green savannah plains with small
acacia and euphorbia trees are varied with sunken crater lakes and
swamps, bounded by the snow-covered peaks of the Mountains of the
Moon. Besides, the park is home to almost 100 types of mammals and
606 different species of birds - the highest number found in any
national park in Africa!
Queen Elizabeth
is a park with many different faces. Let us guide you along the
most amazing spots of the national park:
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Mweya Area ***
The Mweya Peninsula does not only feature some comfortable accommodations
but is without a doubt the best place to start your game drive from.
The forested area offers a great variety of game tracks and at the
same time it hides many narrow natural trails, created by the inhabitants.
A game
drive in this area will give you a fair chance of finding the elusive
leopard and watching herds of elephants. Also waterbucks, warthogs,
hyenas and the giant forest hog are regularly seen around Mweya
Peninsula. As it is located closely to the shores of the Kazinga
Channel don't be surprised when you encounter a lonely hippo grazing
peacefully between the bushes. Many bird species like the the Black
Bee-eater, Verreaux's Eagle-Owl and the Malachite Kingfisher inhabit
this abundant peninsula as well.
***
Kazinga Channel ***
This famous 32 kilometres long channel is a natural link between
Lake Edward and Lake George and is said to contain the world's largest
concentration of hippos. A boat trip will offer you the chance to
view hundreds of hippos laying lazy in the water or plunge timidly
when you pass. Crocodiles will be found motionless at the shores
and also buffaloes and waterbucks come to the water to cool off.
Occasionally you may see an elephant coming to quench his thirst.
Morover, the Kazinga Channel is a true birders paradise as it is
home to hundreds of (water) bird species. You will spot Pelicans,
Fish Eagles, Kingfishers, Cormorants and the bright coloured Saddle-billed
Stork can't be missed out.
Curious
about the other enchanting attractions of Queen Elizabeth National
Park? You will find them revealed in our next newsletter...!
2. Filming crew Africa Within
During the third week of May, Uganda was honoured with
a visit from a filming crew from a South African based television
company. Great Lakes Safaris has hosted their trip and made sure
that all preparations as well as the execution of their tour went
smootly. During the 8-days stay the crew has visited the cultural
centre Nshenyi Village, the gorillas in Bwindi National Park, the
flower farm Royal van Zanten and spent the last few days filming
different sights in Kampala.
The film will be divided into different stories and broadcasted
in the popular lifestyle magazine "Africa Within". This
programme appears weekly across the African Continent on SABC Africa
and in the UK on the African satellite bouquets.
So don't
miss the interesting report of this beautiful part of Africa and
start watching "Africa Within" for the next following
weeks! (every Friday from 18.30 - 19.30 hrs)
3.
Update of our web site
As you may have seen, our web site www.safari-uganda.com
has undergone some changes in the last month. You will notice a
redesigned table of contents that include new subjects like: Cultural
Safaris, Primate
Lodge Kibale and Press.
And don't forget to read our new testimonials!
4. Permits available
For this year we remain with only two permits for August.
Thus if you want to track the mountain gorillas on the following
date, you are guaranteed of a permit!
4th August 2007 2
permits available
Having only these guaranteed permits on offer does not mean that
you can not track in any other period of the year. Just inform us
about the date that you would like to visit the mountain gorillas
and we will confirm if it's possible or give you an alternative
date.
Permits can be booked in combination with a tour to other national
parks, completely adapted to your wishes. But book early as competition
is high!
5 . Meet our guide... David!
David Musisi is a married man of
40 years old, blessed with three children. He was born in Najjanakumbi,
a Kampala suburb, and still lives in the capital city. He joined
Great Lakes Safaris four years ago and has been a great staff member
ever since.
"After passing through primary school and college I attained
a higher diploma in marketing and joined Makerere University for
a BSC in commerce. I graduated and got a job of a sales representative
in a health insurance company, which had a franchise with a safari
agency. It is from here that I changed career and became a tour
guide.
I have attended several courses and workshops for tour guides. Also
interaction with my fellow guides has helped me a lot to understand
my job of guiding. I joined Great Lakes Safaris in 2003 and I still
enjoy my work as a tour guide very much. I am happy and grateful
for the hard work and dedication that is shown towards the company,
and I am sure Great Lakes has a promising future ahead."
6.
Testimonial
Alfred and Gladys Füllemann
came all the way from Switserland to Uganda to join a safari with
us in February 2007. This is what they say about their trip:
"We
are back at home a while and we are often thinking about Uganda.
We have spent there really a marvellous time and we must thank you
for managing for us this fantastic travel. All our expectations
were completely fulfilled. We have especially to thank Gerald, he
drove us safely and was agreeable and always attentive to our requirements.
We have seen so many things, lovely landscape, nice people and so
many gorillas!! A lot of chimpanzees, also smaller monkeys and other
big and small animals. I am sure that our time was too short to
marvel all the wonderful things that Uganda has to offer. Also we
were very satisfied with our hotels and the food."
Next
edition
In the next edition we will continue with our revelation of the
most beautiful, hidden places of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Besides, we will update you about the new developments at Primate
Lodge Kibale!
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