How To Attain Gorilla Permits

In all the three East African countries (Uganda, Rwanda, Congo) where gorilla trekking takes place, there are various procedures that one should adhere to before being given a green flag to go in the actual process of gorilla trekking. The most paramount procedure here is securing a gorilla permit which can be done through agents or directly from the responsible authorities.Below is a detailed account of how one can attain these gorilla permits;

Rwanda:

Gorilla tracking in Rwanda is done in Volcanoes National Park and gorilla trekking/ tracking permits booking is managed by the Rwanda Tourism Office (ORTPN). Each gorilla permit costs US$750 in Rwanda. On each particular day, about 56 persons can visit Rwanda gorillas, 8 persons per each gorilla family given that there are only seven groups.

Gorilla permits are in high demand, because of the stiff competition for them, and therefore are booked with payment on the basis of first come first served. Book your gorilla permit in advance to avoid disappointment.

To track gorillas each person must have the day’s gorilla permit which needs to be arranged and paid for in advance, preferably at least 10 months for the high seasons – June-September and December-February; or latest 4-6 months in advance for the low seasons – October-November and March-May. This can be made possible by the availability of tour operators that are very competent and they normally book your gorilla permits at no extra cost.

Gorilla permits are booked with payment on the basis of first come first serve. Availability of gorilla permits for a required date is not guaranteed. There is a lot of competition for the gorilla permits, which makes it hard to get one for yourself. Any delay in confirmation and or payment may mean that you will be unable to obtain the permit on your preferred date.

Once you book and send your money for permits, the date cannot change (changing a tracking date means a cancellation fee is charged). Rwanda charges $100 for each permit date changed.

There is also another option of booking gorilla permits directly through ORTPN.In case you have to book a gorilla permit from outside Rwanda; you first have to contact ORTPN’s reservation office by email inquiring about availability of the dates you intend to track the gorillas. If the exact dates you want are unavailable, you can request ORTPN to let you know of the nearest dates. You then reply to them expressing your intent to book those permits, and requesting them to temporarily hold them as you make payment. At this time, they will advise you of their banking details, so that you can proceed to make an electronic transfer of the money. Please remember to immediately send a copy of the transaction voucher/ receipt by email or fax to ORTPN.

The transfer should usually take not more than 3 days and ORTPN will keep your tentative booking for at least 7 days as they await the transfer to go through. Please ensure that you instruct your bank to deduct the bank charges from you. Otherwise if the money sent is less, your permit may not be booked.

The most rampant and sought after module of attaining gorilla permits is the use of tour operators and travel agents. Many intending gorilla trekkers have however found the above procedure tedious and have sought our quicker and less tedious ways of reserving their gorilla permits by working with local Rwanda tour operator. Gorillas and wildlife safaris will not charge you for buying gorilla permits if you are getting other tour services through them.

The procedure is almost similar as above, except that the tour agencies tend to speed-up the process and most likely you will get your gorilla permit confirmation faster as they always send you a scanned copy of those permits as soon as they are issued thus an assurance of proof that you are dealing with competent people. However, there are certain things that you have to put right before your permit is issued like the dates you want to track these primates, your full names plus those of other people you are travelling with as they appear in your passport.

If at all lady luck is on your side, you might get a last minute gorilla permit from any tour operator. There are situations when some tourists buy gorilla permits and then eventually end up not making it to the actual tracking due to various reasons beyond their control. So these permits remain in the hands of these tour operators who now begin looking for buyers of these permits. So when you avail yourself and you want to track on the same dates as inscribed on the gorilla permits available, then you get yourself one at the last hour.

Congo

In Congo, you can plan the booking of your gorilla permit via visit Virunga. So it is here that also Visas to Congo are issued so you can book both of them at ago. A Congo gorilla permit costs only $460.

Uganda

When booking a gorilla permit from outside Uganda, you first have to contact UWA’s reservation office by email inquiring about availability of the dates you intend to track the gorillas. Note that you need to consider a full day of travel from Kampala to Bwindi after you have landed in Kampala.

If the exact dates you want are unavailable, you can request UWA to let you know of the nearest dates. You then reply to them expressing your intent to book those permits, and requesting them to temporarily hold them as you make payment. At this time, they will advise you of their banking details, so that you can proceed to make an electronic transfer of the money. Please remember to immediately send a copy of the transaction voucher/ receipt by email or fax to UWA.

The transfer should usually take not more than 3 days and UWA will keep your tentative booking for at least 7 days as they await the transfer to go through. Please ensure that you instruct your bank to deduct the bank charges from you. Otherwise if the money sent is less, your permit may not be booked.

Gorilla Permits are also booked through a Tour operator or travel agent. Many intending gorilla trekkers have however found the above procedure tedious and have sought our quicker and less tedious ways of reserving their gorilla permits by working with local Uganda tour operator. Gorillas and wildlife safaris will not charge you for buying gorilla permits if you are getting other tour services like transfers and tours through them .The procedure is almost similar as above, except that the tour agencies tend to speed-up the process and most likely you will get your gorilla permit confirmation faster. However, there are certain things that you have to put right before your permit is issued like the dates you want to track these primates, your full names plus those of other people you are travelling with as they appear in your passport. There are situations when some tourists buy gorilla permits and then eventually end up not making it to the actual tracking due to various reasons beyond their control. So these permits remain in the hands of these tour operators who now begin looking for buyers of these permits.

Ugandan tour operators through their umbrella association (AUTO) almost buy up to 80% of the available tracking permits at up to 2 years out from the intended month of tracking. Each member may purchase up to 20 permits in any month. Individuals and non-members of AUTO can purchase a maximum of 2 permits each in the month 3 months prior to the intended month of trekking .So you can contact AUTO members an purchase these permits from them.

However,in Uganda, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) is proposing to put all gorilla permits for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park on line to be accessed by all people within and outside Uganda. According to management of Uganda Wildlife Authority, putting gorilla permits online will increase sales thus more money into the government’s treasury and to the Uganda Wildlife Authority to be used in conservation of wildlife in all protected areas. UWA management also argue that Tour Operators have been complaining about failure to get availability when they call Uganda Wildlife Authority central reservations office in Kampala and that if permits go on line then one can see them instantly.

Putting gorilla permits on line is yet to be seen as it has received a lot of resistance from the Private sector most especially from Ugandan Tour Operators under their umbrella organization called the Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO) who argue that by putting gorilla permits online will not only put them out of business since International Tour Operators will be able to buy them directly from Uganda Wildlife Authority offices but will also kill the tourism industry as a whole since clients will only be coming to Uganda for gorillas and then go for wildlife viewing in other neighboring countries of Kenya and Tanzania that have a competitive advantage over Uganda. Uganda Tour Operators argue that the role of selling gorilla permits should be left to them since their businesses create employment to several people and that if they are deprived of this, they will run out of business. They further say that the role of Uganda Wildlife Authority is not to market Tourism products such us gorilla permits but is to conserve Wildlife in and outside Protected Areas. The role of Marketing Uganda as a tourism Destination is supposed to be done by Uganda Tourism Board and therefore conflict of interest has been sighted.

Following the above issues, several meetings were convened to discourage Uganda Wildlife Authority from putting gorilla permits online and this ended up attracting the attention of the Minister of Tourism and Wildlife who has instituted a committee comprising of representatives from AUTO, Local Communities, Uganda tourism board and Uganda Wildlife Authority and is to be chaired by The Ministry of Tourism. Outcomes of this committee will be communicated later. Therefore as of now this system to put Ugandan gorilla permits online has temporarily stalled till further notice.

Just as in Uganda, even in Rwanda this mechanism has also totally failed due to various issues that have created divergent views towards the application of this module. The private sector also smelt a rat in being driven out of business yet in Congo this mode of online gorilla booking has never been thought of and there are no signs of conceiving such an idea.

Auto Insurance for Self Driving in Africa

Auto insurance can be confusing and mind boggling sometimes and it’s hard to determine exactly why some individuals are receiving rates which are lower than others. There are many factors which contribute to the rate of auto insurance, some you have control over and others you don’t.

Below you will find valuable information regarding the factors which are compiled in order to determine the rate of your car insurance. These will help you understand important aspects of auto insurance and why some individuals receive higher rates than others. Here are the top five factors which auto insurance companies will consider when determining your rate of insurance:

1. Age – Your age will greatly affect the rate of your car insurance. Teenagers and individuals who are just beginning to drive will have higher rates for no reason other than their age. There is nothing you can do about this, as you get older and become a more experienced driver your rates will go down. Although they will go down, they will not stay down. When you reach a certain age your car insurance rates will go back up because you are an elderly driver and your eyes and coordination may not be as effective anymore.

2. Auto Insurance Companies – This is a factor which you have control over. Some car insurance companies offer lower rates than others for many reasons. It is up to you to choose which one will benefit you the most both now and in the long run.

3. Gender – Whether you are male or female will also affect the rate of your car insurance. This is yet another factor which you have no control over. Females generally have lower car insurance rates because according to insurance companies men are seen as potential dangerous and careless drivers who are more likely to be involved in car accidents.

4. Type of Vehicle – As much as we would all love to be driving a shiny silver Porsche Boxter all around town, the insurance rates for these types of vehicles are unreal. If you want your auto insurance rates to be low, I would suggest driving a car with a lower price tag. The more money your car is worth, the higher your car insurance rate will be.

5. Driving Violations – This is another factor which you have control over. I know how tempting it is to race your friends the moment you get your license for the first time, but the amount of money you will pay in the long run hardly seems worth it. Any form of ticket you receive can potentially raise the rate of your car insurance. If you want to pay less for car insurance I would suggest abiding by the rules of the road.

Although these are the most important factors in determining your rate of car insurance, there are many other factors which also play a part in how much you will pay. Auto insurance is something we all have to pay for, but by researching and understanding the aspects of this form of insurance you are learning how to reduce your rate to your best ability.

About the author:
Bill Ssali is the manager of Self Drive Kenya, specialists in creating road trips in Kenya.

Things To Do On A Safari To Rwanda

Located in central Africa and it’s also known as ‘’a land of thousand hills’’, Rwanda is the principal tourism destination that attracts tourists from different parts of the world. Like its counterpart Uganda, Rwanda is also a landlocked country and has no seaport, this central African country lifts as one of the few countries where a person can go and have a life changing experience especially when next to real nature of Africa. It has many tourism fraternities although a few people especially foreigners don’t really know what precisely makes this small country unique that almost everyone wishes not to miss visiting it. A number but some of the most interesting tourist activities one should not miss while on Rwanda safari include;

Gorilla tracking;- This is the leading attraction in Rwanda, over 80% of travelers to Rwanda visit the volcanoes national park for gorilla tracking, the park houses over 400 individuals out of 900 mountain gorillas left worldwide and Rwanda is known as the best gorilla safari destination in the world. Spending some excellence time with the gorillas in their natural environment a moment in life very difficult to forget and trust me, you will always want more of a gorilla tracking safari. A gorilla permit is a passport to anyone to see these animals in their natural habitat and you are advised to book your gorilla permit prior to your tracking dates at least 2-5 months as permits are at a very high demand the earlier to secure your permit the better to avoid inconveniences. Rwanda gorilla permits costs USD 750 per person per tracking including park entrance and a ranger guide.

Wildlife Tours;- Game drives through Akagera national park provides a great opportunity to view various species of wildlife some of which are rarely seen. Game drives can be carried out either in the morning or in the evening and some of the games expected to meet include lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes, kobs, wild pigs, buffaloes, zebras, antelopes, and many more. A wildlife safari to Rwanda is one of the most thrilling tours one will ever have as it comes with different nature wonders on top of wildlife encounters.

Cultural Tours;- Culture is certainly Africa’s best tourism lure, cultural encounter with the local people is really magnificent, especially for those who are interested in knowing how the African people live. A walk through some of the villages in the country gives visitors a chance to meet and interact with some of the elders from different cultural background. The local people will perform their traditional dance and music to foreigners and if interested they can join them through their music and dance, it’s really a great experience and I trust before getting back home you will get to learn some of the locally used words. A cultural safari to Uganda gives them a chance to find the truth by themselves and also have a remarkable experience in Africa.

Chimpanzee tracking; for primate lovers, Rwanda is a best country to go on a safari, it houses over 13 species of primates coupled with chimpanzees the most close relative of man sharing 98% of human genes. These chimpanzees are fabulous fan to watch when playing in fruitful trees or tree blanches not only chimpanzees that can be seen in the forest of Nyungwe national park, but other primate species can also be seen like the black and white colobus monkey, baboons, red colobus monkey, civet monkey the list is endless.

Other tourism activities one can think of while planning for a trip to Rwanda include; – hiking adventure, nature walks, city tours, boat ride, and more.

Excellent Fishing Spots in Africa

Africa a continent of the Nile, great beauty, many lakes and rivers, historical sites and outstanding parks is still the best fishing spot in the globe. Back then fishing was daily economic activity for many Africans especially those who stay close to lakes, rivers, swamps, ponds etc. Today fishing has contributed to development of many areas in terms of infrastructure especially those used by fishermen to catch the most desired fish species -Marlin, Sailfish, Tilapia, Nile perch etc. The continent has several inland lakes   in good condition despite pollution and over fishing. When taking on a fishing tour to Africa you should be in love with most water sport activities like cruising, boat rides, Rafting among others since they are all done in the same scene. There is plenty of water in most parts of Africa which are home to thousand fish species. Lake Victoria, lake George, lake Albert, Mombasa, Zanzibar, lake kivu, Cape town ,Cape Verde Islands, Lake Kariba, Lake Nassar, Lake kyoga, Luana, Dubai, Mauritius etc are the main fishing grounds in Africa.

The second largest lake in the world Lake Victoria and one of Africa’s great lakes, and offers the best fishing trips to catch Tilapia and Nile Perch no matter the side where you fish from. Although lake Victoria is shared by many countries Uganda & Tanzania takes the largest part hence having several fishing grounds to catch Tilapia and Nile perch. The lake also has several islands and beaches ideal for leisure, beach holidays, honeymoon and relaxation. Islands include  Bugala, Bukasa, Ssese, Iroba, Bukerembe, Kalangala etc. The lake islands also offer great bird watching experiences for birders. Fishing gears are normally hired from local fishermen so weather you don’t own any, relax because fishing will be fun during your adventure. Short walks, cycling, trekking are the other activities on Lake Victoria islands since some islands are residents of monkeys and other primates. Since fish accounts for over 40% of the animal protein, the demand for fish in around the world is too high that experts advised fish lovers to start eating chicken for conservation purposes in order to still have some fish available in the next 20 years in lake Victoria though this is debatable.

Another year round fishing spot in Africa is Zanzibar in Tanzania a place where you enjoy Africa’s best deep sea fishing grounds. If you need to catch the big fish just search in the channel between Zanzibar and Pemba a famous point with many opportunities. Barracuda, Wahoo, Kingfish and Giant Travelli are the main channel fish species with other guest fish species-Marlin. Fishing boats and gears can be hired on ground from professional fishing companies in Zanzibar together with a professional guide to guide you to areas where you can’t miss to catch the big fish. It’s said that the Pemba channel is always full of surprises with fish just close year round   and the best time to catch the Yellow fin Tuna, Sailfish, and Striped, Blue, and Black Marlin is July-November every year. While November to Match is a Bill fish season. Tourists to Zanzibar do the fishing and diving at the same time.

Still in Africa Cape town fishing grounds offers you a unique opportunity catch your favourite fish species especially the Yellow fin Tuna weighing up to 80 kilogram. Fishing in South Africa is considered to be one of the most exciting recreational activities and many fishing tourists experience both salt water and fresh water fishing in sea, rivers and dams. Being a perfect fishing ground fishers catch several fish species – Galjoen, Hake, Kingklip, Steenbras, stumpnose cape, Thresher Shar during winter, Elf, Leervis Musselcracker White, mussel cracker Black, Red Romans, Red Stumpnose, spotted Grunter in summer and Black tail, Carpenter, Gurnard, karanteen, kob, Santer, Steenbras, Black Stingray, Cat Shark, Cow shark for all year. Above all the fishing experience gives an insight into the tough conditions endured by fishermen all over the world in search for the fish either for domestic or commercial use. If you are planning a fishing trip to Africa select the best fishing grounds especially those with fishing as a key recreational activity.

Golden Monkey Tracking in Rwanda

Golden monkey is another thrilling adventurous that one should not miss on a safari in Rwanda. This amazing adventure activity is done in the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. These beautiful monkeys are scientifically known as (Cercopithecus Mitis Kandti) and are also considered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as endangered. These primates live in the high altitude forests of the Volcanoes National Park.

Golden monkey tracking is one of the most done tourist activities enjoy on a Rwanda safari at the park as they are fabulous fan to watch when playing on fruitful trees of bamboo forest. They are playful and inquisitive and often spend their time leaping from bamboo branches on the forest floor towards the base of the volcanoes and they have overcome their original shyness to accept their daily visit by researches and tourists.

There two habituated groups of golden monkeys opened to visitors every day, one group comprises around 90-100 members and its base is at the foot of Mt. Sabyinyo, and the other group can be tracked at the base of Karisimbi and it comprises around 70-90 members. Like mountain gorillas, golden monkey are tracked in the morning after reporting at the park headquarters at Kiningi at 7.00am to receive short briefings from the park wardens about the dos and don’ts while with these rare monkeys, after you follow the ranger guide to the bamboo forest in the volcanoes national park to begin the activity. Tracking time is un predictable, it can go from 1-6 hours searching for them, so a reasonable degree of fitness is needed and don’t forget to come with tracking gears like study pair of walking shoes, long sleeved shirts or blouses.

Like mountain gorillas, you are also strictly allowed one hour ounce you meet these beautiful monkeys, the number of visitors are not limited and the fee for a golden monkey tracking is presently usd$100 per person by the trek, in case you need a porter they can be hired at the entry point of the park. Since they are regarded as the most playful creature leap from tree to tree which is really entertaining, but however photography may be somehow very difficult we therefor recommend setting your camera to a fast shutter-speed to allow for low light in the dense scrub and to improve your chances of taking the golden monkeys on film! So if have an extra day in the volcanoes national park and you’re interested in primate safaris, golden monkey tracking is a delightful experience not to be missed. For more information about golden monkey tracking, permits, please contact us

Ultimate Wildlife Safari Experiences in Uganda

Located in East Africa, Uganda is among a few countries on the planet that offer ultimate and very satisfactory wildlife safari experiences. The country’s wildlife range from mammals, primates, reptiles, birds, a variety of flora and so much more which gives tourists an opportunity to explore more about the pearl of Africa and also appreciate the country’s beauty.

While on a Uganda safari, you cannot stop to be amazed by the sightings of various wildlife species and relief features. The best wildlife safaris can be experienced in Uganda’s major national parks all with a number of wildlife species.

Kidepo valley national park located in northeastern Uganda has the true African wilderness. This national park is located in a semi desert area but it’s a home to wildlife species like the cape buffaloes, zebras, giraffes, lions, ostriches and many other bird species. Most of the wildlife species in this national park can be best viewed from the Narus valley where there is an oasis where most animals gather to get water for drinking and the herbivores like the zebras to get fresh pasture.

South of Kidepo valley is mount Elgon national park located in eastern Uganda. While here, you get to view the volcanic mountain with the largest base on earth as well as one of the biggest calderas. The adventurous tourists can visit the mountain for hiking while others can go for nature walks viewing a number of attractions like the Sipi falls, birds species or go for cultural visits to the Bamasaba people who have unique traditional practices like the male circumcision ceremony that enables a transformation of boys from childhood to manhood.

In mid western Uganda is Murchison falls national park that stretches up to northern Uganda. This is the biggest national park in the country and among the most visited by tourists seeking for ultimate wildlife safari experiences. The national park is a home to the big four animals (elephants, buffaloes, lions and leopards), hippos, Nile crocodiles that usually live at the banks of river Nile, giraffes, hartebeests, Oribi, warthogs, baboons, primates like monkeys, and a number of bird species. Tourists here can engage in a number of activities including a visit to the Murchison falls that forms a permanent rain ball, go for boat trips along river Nile viewing a number of aquatic animals, go for game drives or primate tracking in Kaniyo Pabidi forest reserve.

Also in the west are Queen Elizabeth national, Kibale forest national park, mount Rwenzori national park, semuliki valley national park and lake Mburo national park. Queen Elizabeth national park has the highest hippopotamus population in east Africa which inhabit the banks of Kazinga channel, elephants, crocodiles, tree climbing lions in the Ishasha sector, chimpanzees in the Kyambura gorge forest, a number of antelopes and many others. Kibale forest national park is commonly known as the primate capital of east Africa because of the high number of primates especially chimpanzees the national park has. Kibale forest national park is the best place for chimpanzee tracking in Uganda. Mountain Rwenzori national park is also blessed with a number of wildlife but first is the mountain itself. The peaks of mountain Rwenzori are snow capped and therefore good for hiking. The wildlife species the national park has include the three-horned chameleon, forest elephants and a number of birds endemic to the Albertine region. Semuliki valley national park has hippos, forest elephants, and birds some of which are from the central Africa while lake Mburo national park has zebras, warthogs, giraffes, Topi’s, waterbucks, buffaloes among others. Tourists in lake Mburo national park have a chance to view the wildlife while riding horses.

Lastly are the gorilla parks located in the southwestern Uganda, the best places to enjoy gorilla safaris in Africa. These are; Bwindi impenetrable national and Mgahinga gorilla national park – homes to mountain gorillas some of the greatly endangered apes on earth. Mountain gorillas offer unique wildlife experiences and can be trekked at any time of the year. The mountain gorilla trekking permits are usually sold at $600 during the peak season and $350 during the low seasons. Uganda is indeed a very unique country and therefore all those seeking for ultimate wildlife experiences should not look further.

The Secrets Behind Rwanda’s Thriving Tourism

Having one of the fastest growing tourism economies, Rwanda is a landlocked country located in east Africa. Its one of the African countries that suffered cases of political instability and it took many years for tourists to start visiting the country freely without fear and actually even today some people still have that perception thinking that Rwanda is still insecure which is very wrong. The insecurity in Rwanda ended back in 1993 and since then the country has been fighting hard to reboot its tourism industry that it has successfully done.

Today a number of tourists from different parts of the world visit Rwanda for wildlife safaris visiting any of the four national parks in the country while others go for tours visiting the city, genocide memorial sites, major cultural centers and many other outstanding tourist attractions. Lets look at the major reasons why tourism is thriving a lot today in Rwanda.

Peace And Security

Whenever there is peace, tourism definitely thrives. Rwanda ever since the genocide ended has not had any kind of insecurity. The government has maintained peace and security for over two decades now which has stabilized the Rwandese economy boosting activities especially tourism.

The Mountain Gorillas

Half of the mountain gorilla populations in the Virunga massif live in Rwanda’s volcanoes national park located in the northwestern part of the country. The national park has a total of 18 mountain gorilla families 10 of which are habituated and open to tourists visits. Many tourists love to see the mountain gorillas in their natural environments and for that reason a number of them head to Rwanda for wildlife safaris as they trek these magical animals. The mountain gorilla trekking permit for Rwanda compared to Uganda and Congo is a little expensive ($750) but this has never for once discouraged adventurous tourists interested in viewing the mountain gorillas. These rare animals are therefore among the core reasons for the thriving tourism in Rwanda.

Improvement In The Hotel Industry

The hotel industry is a very important aspect of tourism because when tourists visit a certain place, they have to get where to eat and sleep. During the 1993 Rwandese genocide, a number of hotels that were available by then were destroyed. The good news is that things have greatly changed today as many hotels have been built and the once destroyed renovated. There are a number of hotels in Kigali Rwanda’s capital city and in the major national parks offering standard hospitality services for example hotel des mille Collines where some Rwandese took refuge during the genocide, flame tree hotel, golf hills residence, Kigali Serena hotel, the manor hotel, the mirror hotel, hotel chez Lando and so many others which are located in the city center just a few kilometers from Kigali international airport.

When you get to Rwanda’s national parks, there are also a number of lodges providing tailor made services to the people for example in Nyungwe forest national park there is Nyungwe forest lodge situated in the middle of a tea plantation surrounded by the famous Nyungwe forest, Nyungwe top view hotel, in volcanoes national park there is le Bambou lodge, gorilla view lodge, Sabyinyo silverback lodge, Virunga lodge and many others. In Akagera national park, there is Akagera game lodge and the eco friendly Ruzizi tented camp. This clearly shows that while in Rwanda even in the remote national parks, one cannot fail to get where to eat and have a good night sleep and its among the reasons why many tourists are visiting Rwanda today.

The City (Kigali)

Kigali is a very organized city and a center for most business in Rwanda. Modern structures are now being built including a number of luxurious hotels but most importantly it’s always kept clean and it’s among the cleanest cities on the African continent. Kigali has some tourist attractions including the Kigali (Gisozi) genocide memorial where a number of people were killed during the genocide back in 1993. This genocide memorial site has audios and video plays depicting what the genocide was like back in days, a mass grave where a number of people were killed plus a list of names of people who are died and some who are still missing and a chamber with cupboards full of skeletons of people. This is a dark tourism site that many tourists do not miss while in Kigali.

Kenya Safe Again for Tourists

Famous for being the ultimate wildlife safari escape Kenya is still a next dream destination for thousands worldwide with exciting vacations whether water ,beach gateways, culture or land adventures .It’s hard to take on one adventure while in the area a daily decision made by many tourists especially the wildlife lovers who end up heading for the Balloon safari in Masai Mara as an additional to the game viewing excursion. Some chose to view wildlife and also climb mountain Kilimanjaro the highest peak in Africa and also the only mountain with a breathtaking tallest free standing mountain summit. Mere looking at its striking view while in Amboseli National park is enough for you to understand why its second to none in the entire continent. Besides witnessing the battle of hungry crocodiles and large wild herds crossing the river is a great experience and a moment to cherish while in Kenya and thousands around the globe yarn to capture it.

The right time has come again for everyone to plan & book trips to Kenya any time of the year according to taste, preference and convenience after the Kenya informing all citizens and foreigners that all is well. Besides the country has started receiving tourists from its traditional source markets the UK and US, a few months after the countries lifted travel advisories to their citizens. Britain, Australia, Germany and the US are major tourism markets and the travel warnings in May last year led to massive cancellation of hotel bookings at the Coast and tours to different parts of the country a thing which impacted the entire country in one way or the other. The Kenya tourism industry was worried about its future which has turned out to be a success according to the increase in the current tourist arrivals in the country.

Around 138 from Canada, 45 from the UK, Australia and 25, 25 from Germany and had 308 tourists from the US arrived at Mombasa port on Friday with a cruise ship a cirmstance which showed Kenya that the other side of the world has regained its trust that it’s a safe country for travel any time and ready to welcome more tourists any time year round. Also the Managing director of Kenya tourism Board Muriithi Ndegwa said that “the cruise ship is a good sign of recovery for the tourism industry which was affected by the wave of terrorism in Kenya last year.“We are expecting to see more and more cruise ships,” he said. Another factor was the United states President Barack Obama’s visit in July which is believed to have attracted many American travellers to chose Kenya as their best travel destination in Africa. Above all other service providers the hotels, charter companies , tour operators are hopefull and have resumed their services even more than before to serve increasing demand of tourists to the satisfying level. Although travel can be expensive but the experience is worth it if you travel to Kenya.

Capture the Beauty of Rwanda in a Day

Rwanda the only land of lovely views in Africa with variety to see and Explore from lakes, National Parks, Beaches, Museums, genocide memorials, Cultural sites mention to a few. While in Rwanda you might think your not in Africa since the country shines just like other foreign countries. Cleanliness is the order of the day followed by tight security making it the outstanding safest nation in the region. Are you planning to visit Africa for vacation or business?-Rwanda has it all and when it comes to Tour/Safari adventures its even more attractive since you can enjoy one of the world’s best adventure “Mountain Gorilla safari tracking” in Just a day. Many tourists to Rwanda take on this trip since its saves both time and money. It’s more flexible that you can leave Kigali Rwanda’s Capital on the very day for tracking and still catch up with the trek at Volcanoes National Park.

If your flight back home is the day of the gorilla trek, it’s very possible since from the Volcanoes National Park to Kigali Airport is just 2-3 hours drive. Sometimes you can chose to drive around the city before your drop off. Alternatively you can shop around town, visit a few Genocide memorial sites – Kigali Genocide Memorial to return home with some facts and history life of Rwanda. Lake Kivu beaches are an amazing place to be after the trek if time permits-cool off the day’s hassles, relax in leisure and also feed your eyes with all the captivative hill views set in front of every glance you take. For unusual fun plan with a team of experienced knowledgeable Tour professionals who have been in service for a while and Walmark safaris Rwanda is the best choice for your Rwanda holiday.

Indeed it’s in Rwanda where you can do short treks, walks to most the countries national parks-Nyungwe forest, Volcanoes & Akagera National park. They include hikes to Karisimbi and bamboo forest hikes in volcanoes national park, short hilly walks to local communities, forest walks in Nyungwe among others. Besides you can also visit the Two Africa’s Great Active volcanoes in Democratic republic of Congo (DRC)- Nyamulagira the most active volcanoes in Africa) and Nyiragongo (the outlook of a natural disaster in 2002 where people were displaced by Africa’s historical eruption) though Nyiragongo has the world’s fastest flowing lava which makes the place more popular and famed in the travel world.

China Trade Partnership lifts Kenya tourism

The Start of direct flights to Kenya and the increased marketing of Nairobi as a tourist destination across China is a positive trend for the growth of Chinese tourists to the East Africa region, as observed by the Kenyan Tourism Board. This is backed by the memorandum of understanding which Kenya signed with China in 2014 on cooperation to boost tourism between the two countries. Though Kenya Airways has emerged as a big loser with the launch of China Southern Airlines’ direct flights from Nairobi to Guangzhou.

Initially the national carrier had a code sharing agreement with China Southern Airlines, which authorized them to fly passengers to Guangzhou after which it would transfer them to the Chinese airline for domestic connections. But now as the China southern Airline takes over its responsibility, customers will prefer to use the Asian Carrier making the national carrier to lose out passengers but discussions are going on how they can both benefit from the operation of direct flights.

According to the Kenya Tourist Board Director Muriithi Ndegwa, the flight operation will increase the number of tourists taking safaris to Kenya which is evidenced by the Kenyan tour operators with several tour requests to visit the world outstanding Magical Wildlife park –Masai Mara National Park and other attractions around the East Africa Region like the Mountain Gorillas.

“We have a lot of goodwill from across the world,” Ndegwa told Xinhua in an exclusive interview in Nairobi ahead of a major tourism exhibition in Diani, Kenya’s coastal region, which has attracted 185 major tourism marketers from around the world, including 10 leading Chinese tour operators. The Kenya Tourism Board whose command is to market the East African nation across the world is focusing on the launch of the direct flights from China to Kenya by the China Southern Airlines and the expansion of local and international hotel chains into Kenya as a helpful factor for the growth of the Chinese tourists into the region.

China is grand market which can make Kenya’s travel and tourism industry rise from the fall. The East African Region is also organizing the Magical Kenya Travel Expo on 15^th-17 October 2015 to put in the open all the region tourism products to the world .Many tourists around the globe will get to know what they have always missed to explore in the region hence increasing the number of tourist arrivals of the region.
This partnership is expected and has been observed to spill over to other East African Countries for various travel adventures such as Gorilla Tracking in Uganda and Rwanda, Chimpanzee/primate treks in Uganda and Rwanda in their natural rainforest parks, birding safaris in Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania and main preferred destinations with over 650 bird species to sight, water games along the Nile River in Uganda and other family holidies and wildlife game excursions in the various parks in the region. Traveling is made easy for international travelers with increased number of airlines operating in the region and pushing fares to practical levels to easily connect between continents for business and tourism adventures.