7 Best Family Cars to Hire in East Africa
Family trips on East African road trip are amazing! But finding a suitable Uganda car rental is the most challenging part of it all. Your choice of rental car matters a lot when choosing the kind of car for your family tour or any road trip in East Africa. It plays a significant role if you are to have a fun-filled road trip. You need a car with comfortable seats, lots of amenities and also comes with amazing offers.
We have variety of family size cars suitable for road trips in East Africa. Interestingly, our fleets of family car rentals are fitted with air conditioners, FM radio, CD player and above all, they are reliable, safe and save a lot on fuel.
Safari Land Cruiser (Hard top, V8 or VX)
We have a range of Safari Land Cruisers suitable for family trips. You can choose from our comfortable Safari Land Cruiser Hardtop, Land Cruiser VX, Land Cruiser V8. These are all ideal for visitor exploration in East Africa’s premier destinations such as Murchison Falls National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, Serengeti National Park, Masai Mara National Reserve, Akagera National Park and many more.
Our land cruisers are available with capacity range of 5 to 8pax. They are the best not for only family trips but also outdoor camping safaris anywhere in East Africa. They are equipped with air conditioners, pop-up rooftop, mini fridge and a lot more.
Toyota Prado- TX, TZ, GX
Book our excellent 4×4 Toyota Prado and have the best of East Africa holiday. Our fleet of Toyota Prado rentals exist with capacity of about 6pax. You enjoy great features such as an MP3, CD, FM Radio, air conditioner, pop up roof/sun roof offering ultimate game viewing experience. Visitors can book Toyota Prado TX, TZ or Toyota Prado GX at affordable rate.
Toyota Rav4
Have a fun-filled family trip in East Africa by using our 4×4 Toyota Rav4. Our Toyota Rav4 rentals are available in 4WD and preferably the best for family trips, self-drive tours in East Africa. They accommodate from 2 to 4 visitors, fully equipped with Fm radio, air conditioner and comprehensively insured.
Toyota Super Custom
Toyota Super Customs are available in 4×4 and capacity of 7pax. They are the best for East Africa safaris and come with pop-up thus allowing you enjoy excellent view of wildlife in East Africa’s savanna protected areas. They are fitted with best air conditioners, FM radio, spacious boot and many other amenities.
Safari minivan
For sightseeing tours, look no further than Safari minivans. Our minivans are available with capacity of about 9 clients. You enjoy amazing view of wildlife given the pop-up rooftop. The other amenities that come with safari minivans include air conditioners, adequate space, comfortable seats making them the most preferred for East Africa safaris.
Coaster minibus
For all large group safaris, book coaster minibuses. These are available with capacity of 25 to 35 people. They are ideal for family trips, weddings, company gateways, introductions.
Saloon cars
Book saloon cars for your family travels and you won’t regret. These are perfect for small group travels, family tours, conference, weddings and others.
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Best 4×4 Car Rentals in Dodoma
Get an ultimate road trip experience in Tanzania using any of our Dodoma 4×4 rental cars. We have a wide-selection of 4×4 car hire in Dodoma offering you complete flexibility, total privacy and freedom to explore Tanzania at your own pace. Our 4×4 rental cars in Dodoma include the latest SUVs-the Sport Utility Vehicles also best known as the off-road vehicles such as the 4×4 Toyota Land Cruiser, 4×4 Toyota Rav4, 4×4 Nissan X trail, full-size 4×4 Safari Land Cruisers, Safari Mini Vans, Land Rovers, Toyota Prado, Hilux Double Cabin Pick ups to mention but a few.
4×4 Toyota Land Cruiser
Rent 4×4 Toyota Land Cruiser from Dodoma at an affordable price and have a great opportunity to explore Tanzania uniquely. Our 4×4 Land Cruiser has a capacity of 2pax, diesel engine of 130 liters, power steering, fitted with snorkel, ABS, Radio, CD, fuel economy, air conditioner and available in manual transmission.
4×4 Toyota Prado
Go explore the magical Tanzania using our 4×4 Toyota Prado SUV This is fitted with power mirror, air conditioning, windows stereo tape, CD player, ABS, adequate space, 5 doors, powerful engine and it is comprehensively insured.
Toyota Rav4
Start your road trip from Dodoma comfortably using our 4×4 Toyota Rav4. It is compact and fitted with stereo tape, CD players, air conditioners, air bags and this is available in manual or automatic transmission. Toyota Rav4 can be rented for self-drive tour or chauffeur driven/car rental with the driver.
Saloon car/Sedan
We have a range of saloon vehicles/sedans/station wagons consisting of 4 doors, available in manual and automatic transmission. They are available in Toyota Premio, Hyundai Accent fitted with powerful engine 1.3 cc, air bags, MP3, CD players, power windows and mirrors, 2WD.
Safari Mini Van
Hire Safari Mini Van for your Tanzania safaris from Dodoma and have a memorable trip. This exists in custom made Toyota Hiace/Nissan Urvan featuring pop-up roof for excellent wildlife viewing experiences, comfortable seats. Other incredible features that come with include MP3, CD player, capacity of 6 to 8pax, adequate space and available in 2WD/4x4WD with 4 doors. Travelers on Tanzania tour choose between automatic and manual transmission.
Safari Land Cruiser
Our custom-made Safari Land Cruisers feature pop up roof providing excellent wildlife viewing experience to tourists. These can be rented with driver and they are among the best 4×4 Land Cruiser category. They are available with 5 doors, manual transmission and fitted with MP3, CD player.
Why choose Car Rental Tanzania for your Tanzania safaris?
- Opportunity to enjoy unlimited mileage
- No drop off charges involved
- Fun-filled road trip
- Comfort
- Safety and security
- 24/7 road assistance
- Flexibility
9 Gas Saving Tips For a Self Drive Safari In Africa
There are a number of things to put in consideration in order to save fuel on your self drive safari in Africa. It is well known that regular car maintenance and servicing will help you save a great deal on fuel but it is not in your control. It is the car hire company will be in charge of ensuring that the car is well maintained.
Assuming you have hired a car from a reputable self drive car hire company that regularly services its vehicles like 4x4uganda, then the following will be some of the things to put in consideration to save a great deal of fuel during your self drive safari in Africa:
Proper Tire Inflation
Whenever you hire a vehicle, it is recommended that take charge of a few issues on your car such as inflation. Many at times, people put inflation in consideration in regard to avoiding punctures more so on off road trip. For this reason, they often inflate the tires between 25 psi and 30 psi to reduce on the likelihood of punctures during their off-road trip.
However, when it is comes to fuel consumption, inflation also plays a big role. Considering inflation between 30 psi and 40 psi is recommended. It helps your car to more easily hence reducing on the required strength in regard to acceleration.
Fuel Your Car Early in Morning
It has been proven over and over again; colder fuel has a higher density than warm fuel. To better benefit in fueling your car, it is recommended you fuel your car very early in the morning when the fuel still has a higher density compared to fueling in the afternoon.
Engage a Cruise Button While on a Highway
It is not common to find a safari car with a cruise button in Africa. It is for the same reasons that you should first inquiry about the availability of a car with a cruise button. A cruise button will help you drive at constant speed which will also help you save a great deal on fuel.
Avoid car idling
Whenever you are driving in the capital cities, its recommended to keep the engine off. This is because sometimes you might remain in the same place for over 5 minutes without moving yet keeping the car in idling.
However, it should be noted that idling is recommended for a diesel issue. It is a bad practice among some safari cars to keep turning the diesel engine on and off.
Accelerate Steadily
Accelerating steadily helps the car to pick up momentum slowly without burning a lot of fuel. Accelerating speedily will burn a lot of fuel compared to accelerating steadily.
Therefore, anyone that considers saving gas during their self drive adventure, they should take extra attention on how they accelerate.
Maintain an 80km/hr speed on a highway
It is very common to find people driving above 100 kilometers per hour on a high but this is already in violation of most of the terms and conditions of most of the car hire companies. The 80kms/hr does not only put you on safe side when driving but also helps you to save fuel.
Consider a Diesel Engine against a Gasoline Engine
When it comes to Engine performance, a gasoline engine is far better than the diesel engine. But when it comes to being economical, the diesel engine is the best choice. There are several land cruisers that have diesel engine options.
However, whenever you hire a safari car with a diesel engine, make sure it has a turbo timer. If it does not have a turbo time, then you should at least give it a full minute in idling mode after a long drive.
Fuel from Recommended Locations
You should never be influenced by the rates when fueling your car, rather focus on the location of the fuel station. It is recommended that you fuel your car on gas stations located on hills.
Most of the gas stations located in valleys are likely to be affected by water during the rainy seasons since the fuel is stored underground. To avoid all the trouble that comes with fuel mixed with some portions of water, fuel your car from gas stations located on hills.
Whenever you use poor fuel in a car, the engine will struggle to process it which will not only increase the fuel consumption of the car but also the car performance.
Check Service Validity
It is public knowledge, whenever a car is poorly serviced, it will consume a lot of fuel. Though you cannot check everything in regard to service, serviced car have stickers showing their next servicing date and the mileage available for a given tenure.
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Climbing Mountain Nyiragongo In DR. Congo
Planing a safari to Congo? A hike at mountain Nyiragongo should not me missed. Mount Nyiragongo is an active stratovolcano with an elevation of 3,470m in the Virunga Mountains associated with the Albertine Rift. It’s located inside Virunga National park, in the DR. Congo, about 20km north of the town of Goma and Lake Kivu and just west of the border with Rwanda. The main crater is about two kilometers wide and usually contains a lava lake. The crater has two distinct cooled Lava beeches with in the crater walls, one at about 3,175m and a lower one at about 2,975m. Nyiragongo’s lava lake has at times been the most huge known lava lake in recent history. The depth of the lava lake varies considerably. The maximum elevation of the lava lake was also recorded at about 3,250m.
The volcano partly overlaps with two older volcanoes, Baratu and Shaheru and is also surrounded by hundreds of small volcanic cinder cones from Flank eruptions. The lava emitted in eruptions at Nyiragongo is often unusually fluid. Nyiragongo ‘s lavas are made of Melilite nephelinite which is an alkali rich type of volcanic rock whose unusual chemical composition might be a factor in the unusual fluidity of the lavas there. Its lavas flows might race downhill at up to 100km/h. This is because of the extremely low silica content, but the Hawaiian volcanoes are broad, shallow sloped shield volcanoes in contrast to the steep sided cone of Nyiragongo, and the Silica content is high enough to slow the flow to a walking pace.
About Nyiragongo Eruptions:
There have been about 34 eruptions that have taken place around the Nyiragongo volcanic mountains and these include; the 1977 eruption, this happened when the crater walls of the volcano fractured which led to the draining of the lava lake within an hour. This led to the flooding of the lava down on the edges of the volcano and on the higher slopes which resulted into killing over seventy (70) people in the nearby villages. This 1977 eruption that took place tried to raise awareness about the dangers of this volcano and it also created a fresh small volcano called murara which is a few kilometers away from nyamuragira.
The second eruption took place in 2002 and this happened after several processes of Fumarolic and seismic activities which happened on this volcano. There was a fissure that was released in the southern flank and was about 13km spreading from about 2800m to 1550m of elevation hence reaching the town of Goma which is the capital along the northern shores of Lake Kivu. The lava greatly streamed towards the city of Goma and about 400000 people had been vacated from the city to the border of Rwanda in Gisenyi town. Lava run and covered Goma airport raising threat that it might release larger amounts of Carbondioxide as well as Methane. This 2002 eruption killed over 147 people and the city of Goma collapsed due to the fact that the building was falling apart leaving over 120000 people without homes. Many more buildings in the city of Goma continued to fall due to the massive earthquake that continued to happen for close to 3 months following the eruptions.
There is also the ongoing threats of mountain Nyiragongo includes the Carbon dioxide that killed many children up to the recent times. In places where gas was released from underground and dispersed in the wind had many deadly effects to the lives of the people. just recently on the 8th of march 2016, the Goma observatory discovered yet another vent which opened at the northeastern side of the crater; there is a possibility of this bringing yet another eruption in goma town.
About the Nyiragongo Hike- 3 days
Transfer to Gisenyi; upon your arrival, you are picked from the airport by your travel guide and taken to Gisenyi Rwanda. On this day, you have a number of optional activities ranging from enjoying a Kigali city tour and visiting the Iby’ iwacu cultural village, enjoying a boat ride on the Lake Kivu or even visiting the Volcanoes National Park. You will also have your dinner and spend a night in Rwanda.
The second day is for hiking Nyiragongo Mountain; you will get up early in the morning and enjoy your early morning breakfast after which you are to head out. You will cross the border and then head to the Virunga National Park at the Kibati Ranger post where you will be briefed on the dos and don’ts of the hike. The Meals, sticks and rain gear will be provided to you but you can as well carry your own. Porters will also be available for those who would like help in carrying their luggage. While at the top, get to enjoy the breath taking view of the lava and the active volcano. You will then spend a night inside the mountain huts at the volcano top.
The last day is for descending the Nyiragongo Mountain; Have an early morning breakfast and thereafter descend from Volcanoes Mountain while enjoying the views of Lake Kivu, the Virunga national Park and the city of Goma, later on, you will be transferred back to Kigali, Rwanda to either catch your departure flight or enjoy another day’s stay in the land of thousand hills.
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10 Reasons You Should Self Drive In Uganda
It is obvious that even anyone that would attempt a city walking tour would at one point require wheels in form of motorcycles, taxis or buses. But as time goes on, more people are deviating from such means of transport during their trips in Uganda.
This is not to imply that they are not safe at all; but because of the following reasons, many people are opting for self drive trips in Uganda and across Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda. Below are some reasons why you too should consider a self drive trip in Uganda;
Privacy
Did you know that Uganda Self drive trips give you an opportunity of privacy even when you are away from home? If you are the kind who often finds it uncomfortable to hang around strangers for a long time, self drive trips grant you enough space for your privacy
Whenever you hire a car, you are free to drive the way you want without any fear of what the people around you might think since you will not have any strangers. For the same reason, several people have considered hiring a car for a self catered trip in Uganda.
Comfortable For Family Trips
Family trips can be a hustle more so when your family has to walk along with several other people in a group tour. To give your children enough freedom during their holiday, a car hire for self drive in Uganda is recommended.
Family self drive car hires will give your children space to behave the very way they behave in your home country. No one will be made uncomfortable since it will be a family trip in a kind of family car with Mum or Dad doing what he has always done.
More Secure Compared To Public Means
Driving in shifts is not a common practice in Uganda. When you consider public means of transport, you are opting for a driver who you cannot be sure whether they are fresh or not. It should be noted that most of the public transport accidents are caused by tired drivers or over speeding to beat time.
To be on a secure side, it is recommended you hire the car personally, and driver yourself. At least by doing so, you are in more control of your life than putting it in the hands of stranger whose sobriety cannot easily be traced.
Saves Time
Hiring a car for a self drive holiday or trip in Uganda saves you a lot of time. Traffic jam is often unpredictable more so in the capital Kampala. With that at the back of your mind, you can easily plan putting in consideration the amount of time you might spend stuck in traffic.
The common public taxis are fond of waiting for hours till they get full. If you are to use these for your trip, then you are likely to be delayed which is never the case with self drive car hires.
Freedom To Go Wherever You Want
It is not true that every trip requires an itinerary. Sometimes the best of road trips is merely an open road trip. With a self drive car, it is very possible to drive even without an itinerary as long as your final destination is known.
Travel At Your Own Pace
The best family trips are those which you can adjust at any time. When you go for holiday you do not need any pressure. On certain days, you are free to readjust your itinerary without fear of being penalized by the tour operator
It’s Affordable
The main items of any trip are transport, meals and accommodation. By hiring a car for self drive, you save the extra money a tour operator would have charged you as his mark-up.
Awesome Photography Opportunities
There are opportunities for self drive photography trips where you can hire a car with a professional photographer. Instead of trying to capture every moment by yourself, you can hire a professional photographer who can capture every special moment of your trip.
However; besides hiring a professional photographer on your trip, you also have the liberty to stop at any time during your trip to capture any moment of your choice without first asking for alternations in your planned itinerary.
Feel At Home
Whenever you hire a car for self drive, you will often appear as a foreign resident to the strangers. This will give you high bargaining power when you try purchasing things in the different places since you will be expected to be informed about the prices as a foreign resident.
Diversity
Uganda is full of diversity that you should leave room for. It might be tricky to tap into this diversity of what the Pearl of Africa has to offer by hiring a car in Uganda without any limitations.
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Rwanda’s Epic Holidays beyond Gorillas
Rwanda is a renowned destination for luxury safaris in Africa. Situated in Central Africa, this tiny country is a great addition to a safari in East Africa given its closeness to the famous destinations such as Serengeti of Tanzania, Masai Mara National Park, of Kenya as well as the Kilimanjaro Mountains. Nature Adventure Africa has come up with the 10 Days Luxury Safari in East Africa that enables you see the mountain gorillas and explore the classic destinations for game viewing in East Africa. Beyond the gorillas, there is a lot to see in Rwanda itself! We bring to you some of the biggest highlights that will make you fall in love with Rwanda;
Situated in western Rwanda, Lake Kivu covers the Rwanda – Democratic Republic of Congo border consisting of beautiful beaches, great tropical weather, and beautiful scenery. Lake Kivu offers the perfect place for rest and recuperation, especially after your gorilla safaris and chimpanzee safaris as well as game drives in Rwanda’s top Parks; Volcanoes, Nyungwe Forest and Akagera National Parks, respectively.
Among the most popular activities to wallow in while at the Lake include; sunbathing, swimming, and water sports like Kayaking, wind surfing & canoeing. Lake Kivu can be visited as part of your Rwanda safari itinerary and time spent at the Lake is never regrettable. The Lake is a magnificent inland sea enclosed by steep, green terraced hills and beautiful Islands.
The Lake can easily be accessed from Kigali or in any of the country’s three major Parks, namely; Volcanoes Park (after trekking mountain gorillas or golden monkeys), Akagera Park (after game drives), and Nyungwe Park (after chimpanzee safaris). Lake Kivu is strategically situated on the tourism circuit making it an ideal stopover while you explore Rwanda’s adventurous areas including national parks, genocide memorial sites, among others.
Lake Kivu covers most of the western border of Rwanda with major tourist areas being Gisenyi, Kibuye, and Cyangugu, which lie along the lake shores.
Rubavu – previously known as Gisenyi – is a large town on the northern edge of Lake Kivu, which is an hour’s drive from the famous Volcanoes National Park – Mountain Gorilla refuge, and an ideal place to relax after gorilla trekking. Once, a colonial beach resort of note, Rubavu’s waterfront is lined with fading old mansions, hotels and trendy bars on the lakeshore, ideal for sundowner cocktails.
Karongi, half way along the lake, is a popular beach resort with hillsides covered in pines and eucalyptus serve as a backdrop to the sparkling lake. At dawn and dusk, the sound of local fisherman singing carries across the water as they paddle in unison.
From Rubavu in the north, the Congo Nile Trail extends 227 kilometers of breathtaking landscapes all the way to Rusizi in the south of Lake Kivu. The trail gently curves back and forth as it weaves through hills and mountains beside the lake with eucalyptus trees lining the road and every inch of the hills seemingly terraced with bananas.
For adventurous travelers, an exciting way to explore Rwanda is a kayaking tour on Lake Kivu, or mountain biking or hiking one of the 6 off-the-beaten path stages of the spectacular Congo Nile Trail. Visiting the beautiful and deep Lake Kivu is an exciting experience and of course so memorable. After your gorilla safaris and chimpanzee safaris it is therefore a great decision to go visit the beautiful Lake Kivu which offers several amazing activities to engage in.
Read MoreExperience Unique Gorilla Treks in Uganda and Rwanda
With an estimate of about 900 mountain gorillas left in the whole world, gorilla tracking has merged out as the most outstanding tourism activity on the continent, Africa. Their scarcity and rareness has caused a massive look-out for them and many primate lovers in the whole world travel simply to have a glance at them in their natural habitats. Both Uganda and Rwanda are the lucky few countries where these elegant primates are found and undoubtedly these countries offer the best trekking experience. When you combine the total number of primates in these two nations, they have over90% of the world’s total number of mountain gorillas. This is why most tourists and researchers interested in them either go to Uganda or Rwanda. Gorillas can also be found in Democratic Republic of Congo but due to uncertainties and peace related problems, it makes it tricky for trackers to fancy going there when Uganda and Rwanda are better off completely. Many of them in DRC were killed by the soldiers during the war and the left few are not easily tracked. This leaves one with only two best options for a thrilling gorilla tracking experience and that is none other than Rwanda and Uganda. The tropical rain forests where these elegant species live offer an additional adventure when tracking them and real nature lovers always get the best experience in the forests.
In Uganda, gorilla trekking is mainly carried out in the tropical rain forests of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga gorilla national Park. In these parks, a visitor is assured of encountering the primates in their well-gazatted families making it easier and less stressing to find. There are well demarcated paths in these parks which tourists use while looking for the primates and these are strategically located in areas which offer the best natural view.
Presently, Bwindi has 12 gorilla families which are ready to be trekked making it the number one home for the primates. The park hosts very many visitors on a daily basis who come specifically to spend some quality time with the gorillas and they leave the country with a life-changing story to tell. Apart from gorilla trekking, a Batwa cultural walk in Bwindi is another interesting activity one can enjoy while in the park. This involves visiting the small ethnic group of people who live in the heart of the impenetrable forest of Bwindi. Their rich-cultural setting is worth exploring especially to foreigners who are interested in knowing more about the culture of Africa. In most cases, this Batwa cultural walk comes as an additional activity and it’s mainly done after a gorilla tracking experience.
In Mgahinga National Park, there are fewer families compared to Bwindi but this doesn’t change the fact that it offers a thrilling trekking atmosphere. Its gorilla families are well spaced and easily accessed making the search more convenient and less tiresome.
In Rwanda, Gorilla tracking is the leading tourism activity and it has greatly contributed to the development of Rwanda’s tourism industry. This adventurous activity is mainly carried out in the tropical rain forests of Volcanoes National park where the primates live. The easiness and flexibility one enjoys on the trip is incomparable while in the most breathtaking points of the country. While in Volcanoes National Park, there are other additional activities one can opt for like Dian Fossey grave hike, and golden monkey tracking. These become more thrilling when combined with a gorilla trek.
Both Uganda and Rwanda are therefore unmatched when it comes to a real primate adventure and a combined safari to these East African countries is a life changing experience.
Read MoreThe Best Places to Start Your Travel
The old man was thin and gaunt with deep wrinkles in the back of his neck. The brown blotches of the benevolent skin cancer the sun brings from its eflection on the tropic.
Read MoreCar Rental Fleet for Kenya Holidays
It’s so amazing that Kenya has got a number of wildlife parks which accommodates a vast wilderness and bird species. But before narrating my experience for our long Journey to Kenya from Uganda. Due to the recommendations I got from my colleagues who have ever traveled to these countries, we were recommended to use a local Uganda car rental based tour company known as 4×4 Car Hire Uganda under Moses’ management who is so much knowledgeable about the regions and he can advise and you fill you are already on trip before you start it.
This was/is the best company that could/can provide us with advisory services regarding tour activities and destinations in the whole of Africa, it’s the same company which hired us a Toyota land cruiser with nevertheless, we arranged a tour in Kenya where our major aim was to enjoy a holiday while in Africa. In Uganda, Moses advised us to first tour some of the Uganda’s source of the Nile and Mountain Elgon National Park which are located on the way towards Kenya in the eastern Uganda.
We sent Moses the all amount of money that he calculated for us that was covering the costs of all the utilities and even accommodations. On reaching Uganda, we were given the car we had rented after signing an agreement. Since we reached late, we slept at Hotel Africana and early in the morning next day, we drove ourselves to Jinja about 80km from Kampala, this took us around 1½ hours, we staged at Tulina Riverside Treat near the river, we had our lunch from here and after we went to the main point which is regarded as the major source of the Nile.
Stones were piled up here plus walkways which permitted us a chance to cross to the different points as we were peeping the Speke monument alongside the river, besides is the old bridge for both the cars a train, downwards is the Owen falls dam where electricity is generated, all this was done under maximum and strict guidance from the source operators.
In the evening, we went back to the hotel for an overnight and early in the morning we headed to Mbale which took around 4hours on the way, we rested at Mbale Travelers Inn, this had a restaurant, roof top bar and evening entertainment. Free private parking on site among others, early in the morning we went to the park’s headquarters for briefing and also take on our activity.
Here we did mountain biking and it started from Sipi trading centre to Chema hill in Kapchorwa town, this took us 2hour, but here we had to hire our own equipments from the service providers. Equipments included, bikes, and gloves, we hired these from Sipi River Lodge this was a guided one since we couldn’t easily locate the starting point and the ending point, this activity gave us an opportunity of viewing the various waterfalls around and up it was an elastic view of the Karamoja areas.
This was so fantastic since we did that brief but hectic exercise from this park, Bamasaba who are the main occupants of the area with their banana and coffee plantations on the steep slopes of the mountain were also seen here. After here we went back to the hotel to have fun and also to relax. The next day we woke up and transited to Kenya via Malaba border up to Kisumu near Lake Victoria. The reason as to why we went to Kisumu is that we had to go to Ndere Island National park, to access this park we were charged $… per person.
Since we reached late, we parked our vehicle at Scottish Tartan Hotel due to the fact that we wanted to access the park using water transport. We got a speed boat which used 45minutes to the park but it was so nice due to the cool weather conditions on water. This provided us an experiential view of the different bird species while sailing on water. We reached late and we couldn’t do anything more therefore we camped at Bao campsite. The next day we started off our activities, we watched hippopotamus, monitor lizard, Nile crocodile, several fish species and snakes especially pythons, puff adder, aardvark, butterflies and vipers are also evident. We also saw troops of baboons, monkeys, impalas, the rare sitatunga antelopes, water bucks, Zebras and warthogs.
This was so wonderful and it added on what we had observed from Uganda, since we had hired a speed boat, we didn’t sleep here instead we went back to the hotel where we had left our vehicle. We slept here and the next day we proceeded to Nairobi which is the capital city of Kenya and here we stayed at Kima Hotel from here we went to Mountain Kenya national park and here we wanted to do mountain climbing here we paid $208 USDs per person for a four days package since we were foreign non residents.
We accessed the park through Nanyuki-Isiolo road approximately 175km from Nairobi and we entered the park through Marania. Since we reached at midday, we camped, but we were advised to go with the following items due to the weather conditions this mountain receives, Drinking water, Walking boots, Warm clothing, training shoes, socks, sandals and gaiters. Binoculars, camera, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses. Fortunately Moses had already briefed us all this and we hired all the equipments from his company in Uganda.
The next day we climbed the mountain but it was a hard task, because of the rugged terrains and the sharp paths to the top of the mountain, this took us three days to reach the summit. What made us wonder was while on top one can think that he/she can touch the sky due to the tallness of this mountain being the second tallest mountain in Africa with 5199meters. On top we got opportunities of seeing the dense forest, tarns, glaciers and mineral springs. We also observed animals such as black fronted duiker, mole rat, bush bucks, water buck and Elands and leopards down in the caves.
Having enjoyed all this, we went back to Nairobi for a rest at Kima Hotel and the next day early in the morning, we drove our car to Uganda but due to the long distance, we reached Uganda at midnight and we went straight to Entebbe airport since our flight was scheduled at 8am in the morning, from here we handed over the car to the company representative in good conditions.
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The Return of Black Rhinos to Rwanda
Since 10 years that the Black Rhinos were last spotted in Rwanda, they have finally returned to the Akagera National Park in unforgettable relocation effort. The Eastern Black Rhinos were last seen within this Savannah National Park in 2007 before they became extinct but now their population has increased to 20 Black rhinos after they were translocated (airlifted) from South Africa in May 2017. This is good news for all tourists who desire to go on Rwanda safaris to see all the Big Five animals (Elephants, Rhinos, Buffaloes, Lions and Leopards) while on a safari in Rwanda. There are less than 5000 black Rhinos remaining across their range in the Wild of which only 1000 of them are Eastern black Rhinos hence meaning they are critically endangered species. Therefore the reintroduction of the Rhinos in Rwanda is an urgent, valuable and progressive opportunity for their conservation.
The translocation efforts are the work of African National Parks-a non-profit Conservation Organization that manages National Parks around the African Continent in conjunction with support from the Rwanda Development Board and funding from the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, and extra support from the People’s Postcode Lottery as well as the Dutch Government. The Eastern black Rhinos are sub-species of the Rhinoceros and are in critical danger of extinction. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) report in the 1970s, over 50 Black Rhinos loved in the Savannah habitat of Akagera National Park. After several years of struggling to combat Rhino poaching in Rwanda, a commitment was made to the President of Rwanda-Paul Kagame to support the re-introduction of Rhinos into the country because it was guaranteed that Rwanda cannot protect them and interestingly it was finally achieved.
According to the African Parks report, there were over 50 Black Rhinos in the Rwandan National Parks in the 1970s but due to poaching, most of them were decimated (destroyed) from the population with the last sighting being in 2007. Peter Fearnhead-the CEO of African Parks stated that “Rhinos are generally one of the most eminent symbols of Africa but are gravely threatened and are on the decrease in most places across the African Continent due to the tremendously profitable and illegal Rhino Horn trade. Therefore, the return of these Rhinos to the country is a proof to Rwanda’s exceptional commitment to the Conservation and is another big step in the restoration of Akagera National Park’s natural biodiversity.
Akagera National Park is an important Savannah habitat and has always been managed by the African Parks and the Rwandan Development Board from 2010. At the time management was changed, law enforcement within the National Park was improved to reduce poaching in the Park. The main aim was to restore the Park to its former glory-“Big five destination”. Due to this, over 7 lions were introduced to Akagera National Park and their population has more than doubled. To conserve and improve the safety of the translocated Rhinos, a Rhino tracking and protection unit, and a canine anti-poaching unit among others were introduced.
The conservation efforts are not for one party but are integral to supporting the endangered wildlife species as well as support Rwanda’s overall Tourism Industry, which mostly depends on people from around the World with an interest in the country’s remarkable wildlife species. Interestingly, the rhino project was listed on the Top 10 new travel listings of 2017 by the lonely Planet.
In conclusion, with the re-introduction of the black Rhinos in Akagera National Park of Rwanda, tourists can now fulfill their dreams of encountering the big five animals (elephants, buffaloes, rhinos, lions and leopards) while on safari in the country.
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