Nature Based Tourism Part 2, Uganda

Rachel Dobb told us about the conservation efforts she experienced while studying in Africa in Nature Based Tourism part 1, Madagascar. In part two Rainbow Tours travel consultant Leila Kassam tells us about her upbringing in Uganda and the threats to the Gorilla population in the country. Both Leila and Rachel have worked with conservation organisations in Africa and believe that these projects are helping to make a real difference to species survival by creating jobs for local people in areas where work is hard to come by.

Leila Kassam on UGANDA

The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, home of the mountain gorillas.

My father is Ugandan and I grew up and went to school there, so the well being of the wildlife is very close to my heart. I first went gorilla trekking in June 2012 in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and this was one of the highlights of my life so far. Mountain Gorillas are found in the Virunga Massif which spans three land borders – Uganda (Mt Gahinga National Park), Rwanda (Volcanoes National Park) and DRC (Virunga National Park) – as well as in Uganda’s Bwindi Forest in the Kigezi Highlands. Whilst the capture and poaching of gorillas for gruesome souvenirs or live animal trade has diminished recently, the threat from habitat destruction is now the greatest challenge – the Virungas and Kigezi highlands are some of the most densely populated human areas in Africa. The land is incredibly fertile and over the last century, what was once forest is now nearly all fields.

A Gorilla in Bwindi National Park

Mountain gorillas are a species that do not ‘bounce back’ easily. Their productive cycles take up to 4 years, and if an infant survives, it stays with its mother until the age of three. With such a small area of their natural habitat remaining, it’s impressive that their numbers have increased. The Uganda Wildlife authority recently announced that the number of gorillas has risen 10% in Bwindi from 786 in 2010 to over 880 in 2012.

An infant gorilla, Bwindi National Park

This growth has been entirely due to conservation efforts funded by tourism. Through the sale of gorilla permits, gorilla racking in Uganda is responsible for bringing in around 80% of the annual budget of the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Gorilla tourism has created hundreds of jobs for local people – not only in the lodges where tourist stay, but also for trained Trackers and guides who take visitors into the mountains to seek out the gorillas. This employment has helped to ease the pressure on farming as the only means of support in the area.

Aerial view around the Virunga Mountains

Porters are also drawn from the surrounding communities, with a rotation system in place that allows local men and omen to be employed for the day. This distributes income as fairly as possible. Ex-poachers too have been given a second chance’ and now make a living as trackers, another positive change which brings hope to the gorillas future.

Mother & baby In the wilds of the Virunga Mountains

Take a look at our range of responsible Uganda holidays and read more about gorilla conservation efforts at www.ugandawildlife.org.

Nature Based Tourism Part 1, Madagascar

Two of Rainbow Tours travel consultants have worked closely with conservation organisations in Africa and believe that these projects are helping to make a real difference to species survival. At the same time these efforts create jobs for local people, often in remote rural areas, where work is hard to come by. In part one Rachel Dobb tells us about her experience studying in Madagascar.

Rachel Dobb

Rachel Dobb on MADAGASCAR

“I lived and studied in Andasibe for nine months as part of my degree. I was working with an inspirational NGO (non-governmental organisation) called Mitsinjo, and helped with their conservation work to protect the Greater Bamboo Lemur Prolemur simus), which is found in only two of Madagascar’s national parks – Ranomafana and Andringitra. This species is classified as critically endangered on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) red list and it’s estimated that only about 300 mature individuals are left in the wild, with an estimated decline of at least 25% over the next 9 years. These numbers are shockingly low, but we were very excited as there had been sightings in unprotected areas around Torotorofotsy and Mantadia near where Mitsinjo is based.

Greater Bamboo Lemur, Ranomafana National Park

The project obtains behavioural, ecological and genetic data that is used to develop and implement large scale conservation management plans. Often, collecting this data requires long hours in the field, so our team of researchers, students and guides camped inside the National Park for months at a time, working in the early hours when the lemurs are most active. The research looks at issues such as whether unprotected areas need to be protected, what habitat features specific lemurs require and what can be done to stop the destruction of habitats that are essential to a specific lemur species. Data collection methods often rely on the use of expensive equipment like radio-tracking collars.

Tourism provides vital funds to support the work of Mitsinjo and similar research projects through the entrance fees that are paid to the national parks by each visitor. The president of Mitsinjo allocates the money raised each year to worthy projects and  scientifi c studies. Most of these projects are locally based. As well as generating hard cash for projects, NGOs like Mitsinjo also provide jobs for local people and give the guides a sense of ownership over their local environment and a duty to protect it. Everyone at Mitsinjo has a job they wouldn’t have without tourism, and the genuine desire to protect the forest and its wildlife is clear.”

See our website for a full range of our responsible Madagascar holidays. Read about the conservation efforts hoping to protect the mountain gorillas of Uganda here.

Best safari moments in Southern Africa

I asked our Africa travel experts pick out and describe some of their most memorable safari experiences in Southern Africa. This is what they had to say.

Botswana

By Derek Schuurman,  Africa Travel Specialist & wildlife author

One enduring memory of the Okavango Delta is flying very low over the vast swamp, and seeing hippo running under the crystal clear waters of the shallow channels. Another is watching a Pel’s Fishing Owl – like a huge ginger tom cat, it’s the Garfield of the avian world – sitting quite still in a tree for more than 45 minutes.

Pel's fishing owl, picture by Simon Stobbs

See our range of Botswana holidays.

Mozambique

By Kirsten Woolley, Southern Africa Travel Specialist

One thing that makes visiting the vast, newly restored Gorongosa National Park special is that you never run into another vehicle. It’s good for spotting unusual wildlife, such as slender oribi and bushytailed mongoose. However, my highlight was a daytime sighting of a porcupine and her offspring. It had been pouring with rain, but as the sun came out, so did the little baby to dry off.

Oribi, Gorongosa National Park

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South Africa

By Chania Hemsley-Smith, Southern & East Africa Travel Specialist

It was early evening in the Madikwe wildlife reserve, and our guide noticed a pack of wild dogs that were about to start hunting. It was a case of hold on tight as our 4WD went off road, literally through the bushes. Following the pack, we could observe their hunting technique, splitting into a V formation, giving chase, then closing in on their prey – military precision in nature!

African wild dog, Madikwe

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Namibia

By Candice Buchan, Southern Africa Travel Specialist

We’d got up before dawn to see animals arriving for their early morning drink at one of the main waterholes in Etosha National Park. A herd of elephants was already there, and as far as the eye could see there were more elephants, all in an orderly queue. When one herd had quenched their thirst and moved on, the next entered the water, and the queue shuffled up. Amazing to see the cooperation, no pushing or queue jumping, just an occasional trumpet reminding those at the front not to dilly-dally.

Elephants, Etosha National Park

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Zimbabwe

By Lisa Fisher, Africa Product Manager

One evening, returning to our camp by the Zambezi at Mana Pools, our guide spotted a leopard trying to drag its prey up a tree. But a hyena was attempting to take the kill away too. It was a fascinating struggle. At one point, we thought the hyena had given up. But no – the sneaky thing was using our vehicle to hide behind before springing another attack. Eventually, the leopard won and the hyena skulked off to scavenge elsewhere.

Leopard

See our selection of Zimbabwe holidays.

Zambia

By Des Walsh, Rainbow Tours General Manager

Zambia is home of the walking safari and nothing beats the South Luangwa National Park. Being on foot with our experienced armed ranger really let us immerse ourselves in the sounds and smells of the bush. We got up close to herds of antelope, zebra and giraffe and carefully negotiated our way around an elephant herd. I felt so alive and alert, and loved spotting the signs that other animals hadpassed along the same route. This is definitely something I’d recommend to seasoned safari goers.

A walking safari in Zambia

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A celebration of the Panama hat

Our guest blogger Alberto Santin celebrates UNESCO declaring that the art of weaving a Panama hat in Ecuador would be added to their list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. This is a term used for when knowledge, traditions and rituals which make up the everyday life of a community are passed down through generations and form an inherent part of their culture and Individuality. Other forms of cultural expression which have already received this title include Spanish Flamenco and Chinese acupuncture.

Alberto Santin

The sombrero de paja toquilla or ‘Panama hat’ as it’s incorrectly known is in fact an Ecuadorian creation. It was widely worn in the coastal regions of Ecuador but nowadays it’s mainly produced for export. The best hats are made by hand in Montecristi, a fishing village located in Manabi province. The quality of the sombrero is measured by the number of fibres – with more fibres meaning more flexibility. This is why you can roll the hat and put it in your back pocket without damaging it. It also goes without saying that the finest hats can be very expensive and cost up to £1500.

The hat is woven from palm leaves

The hats are made from the leaves of a small palm called Toquilla. This palm grows in abundance around the Ecuadorian coast near rivers and lakes and when the Spanish conquistadores arrived in Ecuador they saw the indigenous wearing head pieces made of this material. These early hats looked like helmets rather than the European appearance we now know and love. The Toquilla hat reached international notoriety when during the construction of the Panama Canal vast numbers were shipped to be worn by the workers and it was there that President Roosevelt was photographed wearing one during a visit to the building site.

The Toquilla plant

From then on the Ecuadorian hat became fashionable. Anyone who was someone wanted to have one and amongst the famous who have being photographed sporting it are: Prince Harry, Prince Charles, Humphrey Bogart, Gary Cooper, Winston Churchill, Barak Obama, Madonna, Daniel Craig and Harry Truman.

Panama hats are sold in markets across Ecuador

On Ecuador holidays you can pick up your own hat and learn more about this countries rich cultural heritage. I personally believe donning blue jeans, a white shirt and an Ecuadorian hat is a timeless look!

What to eat on holiday in Madagascar

Trying out the local dishes is all part and parcel of any trip abroad and it’s no different when on holiday in Madagascar. Although there are strong French influences in Malagasy cooking (Madagascar was a French colony from 1896 to 1960), most dishes are rice based and on any drive through rural Madagascar, and even in the suburbs of the capital Anatananarivo, where there’s water you’ll see rice paddies. Rice or ‘vary’ is often eaten three times a day, so no surprise then that the national dish, Ramazava, is based on rice. This popular dish is cooked in one single pot, often on an open fire, with rice added to a sizzling mix of beef, greens, tomato, onions and ginger.

Rice paddies dominate the landscape in the central highlands of Madagascar

A quick poll at our London office however, shows that our Madagascar team unanimously vote ‘fish in coconut sauce’ as the most tasty, traditional dish. Anywhere on Madagascar’s coastline visitors will find that seafood dishes predominate. And Madagascar has a lot of coast – it’s the fourth biggest island in the world with a tropical coastline of 3000 miles, a mix of idyllic white sand beaches, rocky headlands and lush vegetation.

Local Malagasy Fishermen

Our second favourite dish is chicken with vanilla sauce. Over 80% of the world’s vanilla is produced in Madagascar, and whilst most is exported to the USA, many local dishes, both savoury and sweet use the spice. Vanilla is actually a Mexican orchid and it has to be hand pollinated as the insect that naturally pollinates it, a specific type of stingless bee, is only found in Mexico. After saffron, labour-intensive vanilla is the second most expensive spice word-wide. Madagascar together with its Indian Ocean neighbours, Reunion, Mauritius and the Seychelles, are collectively called the Vanilla Islands.

One last ‘must try’ is Ravitoto, a dish made from a spinach-like green leafy green vegetable, often cassava leaves, which are ground up and boiled with small pieces of fatty pork and ginger root. Cassava leaves can taste a little bitter, so this dish needs to be boiled for quite some time, and either a little sugar or coconut milk can be added. Eat it with hot rice of course!

The quality of fresh fruit and vegetables in Madagascar is remarkable, even though there is little use of pesticides as yet, and whilst the individual fruit may look smaller than we are accustomed to, in many cases the taste is considerably richer. On the west coast the mango season is October to November, and the same time of the year on the more humid east coast it’s lychee season. There can be a massive surplus of both in season, with stalls lining the roadside villages. So expect delicious fresh fruit at every meal and follow the locals who use a handy twig to floss their teeth after dinner.

Freshly grown mango

Don’t miss the opportunity to try the mangosteen, our favourite of all Madagascar’s exotic fruits. The outside is purple with a bright white edible inside, shaped rather like a tangerine. It only grows close to the equator and is our contender for the accolade of ‘tastiest fruit in the world’. We aren’t the only ones who have taken a shine to this delicious fruit; legend has it that Queen Victoria offered £100 to anyone who could bring her fresh mangosteen.

Mangosteen

Our Madagascar holiday team here at Rainbow Tours are passionate about all things Malagasy and believe that travel should involved the local community, so that visitors receive the very best welcome and genuinely experience the real Madagascar. Food can serve as a window into understanding other cultures better and sharing a meal is a great way to promote conversation and forge real relationships.

What’s so special about the Shoebill?

Singled out in the latest Attenborough programme, Africa, the Shoebill (Baleiniceps rex) looks like an extraordinary throwback to prehistoric times. Fitting in somewhere between pelicans and storks on the taxonomic tree, the Shoebill is an inhabitant of Central and East Africa’s swamplands, standing at almost 5ft (152 cm) with a wing span of over 8ft (260 cm). It’s one of the most sought-after birds on people’s ‘must-see lists’, appealing not only to birders but anyone fascinated by Africa’s incredible wildlife. It’s really up there with seeing wild chimpanzees and the Mountain gorillas made famous by the work of Dian Fossey, and it never fails to leave a lasting impression on those who see it.

Shoebill, Lake Opeta, Uganda

The Shoebill is generally a solitary creature, only breaking this pattern in order to breed or if food is scarce. Both parents incubate the eggs and tend to the chicks, with females contributing slightly more. Inter-sibling rivalry is thought to be the reason for only one chick ever fledging. It tends to frequent shallow, oxygen-starved waters where fish surface more often to breathe. Its formidable, shoe-shaped beak is adapted for dealing with its favoured prey – catfish and African lungfish. An ambush predator, the speed and force of its attack is awe-inspiring, as the Shoebill quickly seizes and crushes its tough, slippery prey.

This giant bird is fiercely territorial and mostly silent: when it does vocalise, it sounds rather like a mooing cow or whining human. More often though, it performs bill-clattering displays.

With a global population of only 8,000 and officially classed as ‘vulnerable’, the Shoebill is fairly scarce through most of its range and can be found in a number of Uganda’s swamps including those in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Murchison Falls National Park and the Lake Edward Flats in Queen Elizabeth National Park. But the most accessible place to seek it out, Mabamba Wetland, is only a 40 minute drive from Entebbe. A short (1 ½ hour) canoe trip into this papyrus swamp can be incorporated into most Uganda holidays, and it is something we would highly recommend.

Africa’s Gentle Giants – Rwanda’s Gorillas [PICS]

When you think of Rwanda, what is the first thing that comes to mind?  I bet it’s gorillas, and hardly surprising as these are very special creatures that have become synonymous with the fight to protect endangered wildlife. I have just returned from a trip to experience meeting the gorillas for myself and I was completely blown away.

Rwanda’s mountain gorillas inhabit the spectacular Virunga Mountains within The Parc National des Volcanoes (PNV), an area covering more than 125 sq km. The PNV is home to five volcanoes, all extinct and covered with dense vegetation that includes significant amounts of bamboo forest. Bamboo is hard to trek through but it’s the Mountain gorillas favourite food so it has to be done in order to reach the goal of a sighting.

On the morning of my gorilla track, everybody congregated in the park headquarters at 7am. Here we were warmed up by a ‘blow-your-socks-off’ cup of Rwandan coffee, as a traditional Rwandan dance group entertained us. Once everybody had assembled, we were allocated into one of eight groups, introduced to our guide and given a briefing on how to behave when close to the gorillas – a sort of ‘gorilla etiquette’! We then set off on our hike up the mountain. One of the most enjoyable things about all of this preparation is that you don’t know quite where the gorillas are going to be. The tracking might involve clambering for two hours up 45 degree slopes, avoiding biting ants and low hanging branches, or you may take a gentle stroll for a mere seven minutes across open farmland before suddenly stumbling upon them, as one of the groups in our party did!

Our guides in Rwanda

On finding the group your trekking struggles are instantly forgotten and nothing quite prepares you for the humbling feeling that washes over you. In our group, the Hirwa, meaning ‘lucky’, there were 17 members, including a silverback and twin babies. Looking into their eyes, you feel you are actually being understood – in fact this is evidenced through the guide/gorilla vocal communication that is essentially a series of grunts, but they did seem to be understanding each other! The gorillas’ playful nature and the twins’ keenness to be the centre of attention for the entire hour (bouncing on trees as if they were trampolines and playing roly-poly down the hill) was an absolute delight to see and made the gap between primates and humans seem very narrow.

The way each gorilla has its own personal name is also very significant. A naming ceremony is held in the village each year where all members of the community can put forward name suggestions which helps to reinforce the relationship between the local community and the gorillas, helping to enshrine community ownership and the protection that results. In fact, the conservation of the Mountain gorilla in Rwanda has been a huge success in recent years, as the local community have become local ambassadors for their protection.

Jobs created from gorilla tourism have been a pivotal step in conserving these animals – many of the trackers and guides are ex-poachers who through education and opportunity have been steered away from their past lives. It’s clear when you speak to them that they now have such a warm genuine desire to protect the Mountain gorilla and more specifically the individual families with whom they spend so much time.

However, the conservation of the gorillas still has many hurdles to overcome and the groups require constant monitoring, in particular their health. Any gorilla with a health problem (including respiratory infections transmitted from humans) must be treated in situ and not removed from the group as individuals will be rejected on their return. Similarly, any rescued orphans cannot be introduced into a new family and are destined to live under the care of humans for the rest of their life. One opportunity the guides discussed was the option of introducing several orphans so that they could form their own group, but there would be many obstacles along the way if this is tried. An exciting idea none the less.

For now, you can personally help by going on a Rwanda holiday and tracking these fantastic creatures. In doing so you are directly contributing to gorilla based tourism and giving local communities a reason to protect and conserve them. After my wonderful experiences I am hopeful that this will continue for many years to come.

Journey to the end of the World

What better way to celebrate a good friend’s 40^th birthday than to take him to the ‘end of the world’ on board a luxury cruise ship? Cape Horn is the most southerly point of continental America located in Chile’s barren and remote Patagonia. One of the best aspects of working in travel is being able to experience first-hand the incredible holidays that we offer our clients, and we were lucky enough to travel on the newest boat in the Australis fleet, the Stella Australis.

Although Punta Arenas is the most populated city in this region of Patagonia you wouldn’t realise this as you wander the deserted streets. It’s so windy everyone tends to stay tucked up inside or pack themselves into the bustling and cozy coffee shops. We boarded the Stella in the early evening and after settling into our comfortable cabin, we ventured to the top deck lounge to meet our new travelling companions.

Punta Arenas

Over the next four days and nights we sailed from Punta Arenas to Ushuaia via the ‘pancake’ flat waters of the Strait of Magellan and the famous Beagle Channel. Each day we set off on inflatable zodiac boats to get closer to the wildlife and explore the wilderness landscapes. We spotted Magellanic penguins, wandered through the verdant Patagonian forests and hiked to a view point where we could fully appreciate the huge awe-inspiring glaciers and the spectacularly endless mountainous vistas.

Beagle Channel

Magellanic Penguins

My highlight of the expedition was setting foot on the rocky promontory of Cape Horn and then taking the short walk to the very end of the earth!  Due to the unpredictable weather in this wild and desolate outpost we had to don our bright orange life jackets for the customary photos, but none-the-less the picture bear witness to this truly spectacular and memorable experience.