| Uganda is a beautiful country with an
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| | "...let out a strangled squawk and I
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| impressive people. This is one of my
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| | found myself staring at the hog-sized
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| favourite countries in all of Africa. The
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| | back of a huge fish protruding above the
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| people of Uganda have survived the
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| | water at the rock's edge - a 100kg fish
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| troubles of 1967-86 period and emerged
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| | with scales the size of tennis balls.
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| standing upright and wearing a smile. In
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| | Swimming next to it was a smaller one, a
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| that short period, the country suffered
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| | 'midget' of a mere 40kg or so”.
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| under the caprice of two despicable
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| | This adventure is described by the
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| despots. One was the indisputably insane
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| | prodigiously experienced Charles Norman
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| Idi Amin and the other, the arguably
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| | as "...the most exciting morning's
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| insane Milton Obote.This is now history
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| | fishing that I have ever known." Other
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| – a testament to the dignity and
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| | game fish found in the Nile include
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| endurance of this people. The
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| | Barbel, electric Catfish and Tiger
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| transformation of the country in the
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| | fish.The game you come across in the park
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| period since normalcy returned is nothing
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| | includes elephant, hartebeest, leopard,
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| short of astounding. And it shows in the
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| | lion, giraffe, buffalo, hippo, crocodiles
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| faces of the people you meet. That the
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| | and many species of antelopes. Upstream
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| graceful beauties of Uganda have not
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| | of the Murchison Falls are the Karuma
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| received the recognition they deserve in
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| | Falls, where the Nile cascades over 23
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| international beauty pageants is for me
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| | kilometres of rapids. Here you have some
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| incontrovertible proof that most of these
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| | of the most exciting white water in
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| events are really fixed.Winston Churchill
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| | Africa. Murchison Falls is located 330 km
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| was so besotted by the country that he
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| | from Kampala.The Queen Elizabeth National
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| gave it the name that has endured: the
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| | Park is another outstanding treasure. It
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| “Pearl of Africa”. His
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| | is a UNESCO designated Biosphere Reserve
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| observations about Uganda remain true
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| | for Humanity. The recognition arises from
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| today: "The scenery is different, the
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| | the tropical forest, green meadows,
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| vegetation is different, the climate is
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| | savannah and swamps that constitute the
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| different, and, most of all, the people
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| | park. In terms of wildlife, you find
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| are different from anything elsewhere
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| | elephant, buffalo, hippos, baboons,
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| ...in the whole range of
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| | chimpanzees and over 600 species of
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| Africa".Travelers to Uganda are drawn by
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| | birds. The park occupies 2,000 sq km and
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| its stunning landscape - green rolling
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| | is situated 440 km from Kampala. At the
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| hills, snowcapped mountains, rainforests,
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| | northern end of the Queen Elizabeth, you
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| majestic rivers and massive lakes. There
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| | find Kibale. This park has a unique
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| are also a number of outstanding national
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| | forest habitat and has an excellent
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| parks for your safari encounter with the
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| | diversity of animal and plant life. It is
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| wildlife for which Africa is renowned.
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| | at Kibale that you find the highest
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| Unfortunately, I have to advise you to
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| | number of primate species in Uganda, and
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| skip Kidepo Valley -a well-resourced park
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| | one of the highest primate densities and
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| in the north, as it is not considered
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| | diversities in the world.Traveling from
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| safe. The country’s edge as a
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| | Kampala to the Queen Elizabeth or Bwindi,
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| worthwhile destination is further
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| | most visitors break at Lake Mburo
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| enhanced by its endowments for white
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| | National Park. The park is 230 km west of
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| water rafting and sport fishing. Tour
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| | Kampala along the Mbarara road and is the
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| operators have on offer a variety of
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| | most accessible in the country. It is a
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| Uganda safari and tour packages.It is in
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| | very attractive park of rolling hills,
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| Uganda that you find the highest number
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| | open grassy valleys, interspersed with
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| of primate species anywhere in the world.
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| | thickets, woodlands and rich wetlands. In
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| Opportunities for tracking rare mountain
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| | addition to viewing game including zebra,
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| gorillas and chimpanzees are unrivalled
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| | cape buffalo and eland, you can relax by
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| elsewhere. The primate conservation
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| | taking a boat trip on Lake Mburo.The
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| efforts the country has followed are
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| | fairly flat terrain of the country is
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| bearing fruit. A survey carried out by
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| | interrupted to the west by the Rwenzori
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| the Wildlife Conservation Society and the
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| | Mountains and to the east by Mount Elgon.
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| Jane Goodall Institute in collaboration
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| | Rwenzori, otherwise known as "Mountains
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| with the Uganda government, revealed that
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| | of the Moon" has the third highest peak
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| there were 4,950 chimpanzees in the
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| | in Africa after Mount Kenya and
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| country in 2003. Previously, scientists
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| | Kilimanjaro. The Rwenzori is part of the
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| guess for this number was between 3000
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| | national park of the same name and
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| and 4000, but nobody knew for sure. The
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| | contains 6 snow-capped peaks. You can
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| chimp is our closet living relative,
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| | hike the trails of this mountain without
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| sharing 98% of our genes and much of our
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| | any special climbing equipment unless you
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| behaviour. Uganda is the best country in
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| | want to go for the peaks. The mist
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| the world to view chimpanzees in their
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| | covered mountain range stretches for
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| natural habitat.The best place to see the
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| | about 100 km.Mount Elgon sits by the
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| rare mountain gorilla is at the 331 sq.
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| | Kenyan border and is the shell of an
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| km Bwindi National Park. This park was
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| | ancient volcano. The main attractions
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| formerly known as the Impenetrable Forest
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| | here are the waterfalls, caves that were
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| with good reason. The trees are thick and
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| | once used by indigenous people, hot
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| the forest thicker with dense
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| | springs, the mountains vegetation, the
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| undergrowth, creepers, bamboos and
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| | various peaks, the Suam Gorge and the
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| parasitic plants such as mistletoe and
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| | caldera itself. After millions of years
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| orchids. This environment is the habitat
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| | of erosion, the oval shaped caldera now
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| for mountain gorilla’s, chimpanzee,
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| | measures roughly 7 by 8 kms, one of the
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| and 8 other species of primate. Not less
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| | largest in the world.The traveler with a
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| than half the world’s population of
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| | sense of history will want to visit the
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| an estimated 600 mountain gorillas have
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| | Source of the Nile at Jinja. Jinja is 60
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| sanctuary here, making Bwindi the base
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| | km to the north east of Kampala and is
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| for an important scientific conservation
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| | easily accessible by road. This is where
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| program.Gorilla tracking is limited to
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| | the White Nile begins, as it exits Lake
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| small groups and the licenses are issued
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| | Victoria on its 5,600 km journey to the
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| to ensure minimum disruption to the
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| | Mediterranean. The source of the Nile was
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| routine of the animals. Tracking gorillas
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| | a thousand year old mystery that was
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| is an arduous task and you should be
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| | decisively settled by the explorer John
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| prepared for up to 8 hours of hiking.
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| | Speke in 1862.If you are keen about
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| Good physical condition is a must. You
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| | culture, go for the The Kabaka’s
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| are advised to make arrangements 4-12
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| | Trail. This is a unique journey through a
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| months prior to the date of your visit.
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| | part of Uganda’s rich heritage that
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| Bwindi is essentially a rain forest and
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| | has been shaped by the region’s
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| it is necessary to bring along a
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| | kings over the years. The Kabaka is the
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| raincoat, walking boots and gloves.In
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| | ceremonial king of the Baganda and his
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| addition to its star gorillas, Bwindi is
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| | lineage goes way back to the 14th
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| host to bush pig, giant forest hog and
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| | century. The Trail combines a series of
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| over 300 species of birds including rare
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| | cultural sites, all within easy reach of
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| forest birds. Others who have found a
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| | Kampala. You can easily combine the
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| home in this ecosystem include many types
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| | Kabaka Trail with your Search of the Nile
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| of bats and rodents, 14 species of
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| | excursion to Jinja. The Trail offers
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| snakes, 27 species of frogs and toads, 6
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| | much more than sightseeing and you will
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| chameleon types, 14 lizards, skinks and
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| | learn about the hidden and forgotten
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| geckos and 200 species of butterfly.
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| | history of Uganda. You will also
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| Bwindi is to the west of the country and
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| | experience an authentic tribal culture -
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| is 560 km from Kampala.Though not as
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| | with traditional dance, music, craft
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| famous for safari as neighboring Kenya
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| | making, spiritual healing and
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| and Tanzania, Uganda still has some
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| | storytelling.There are international
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| pretty good game sanctuaries. The 3,840
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| | standard hotels in Uganda, especially in
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| sq. km Murchison Falls National Park is
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| | the main towns of Entebbe, Jinja and
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| the largest and most spectacular of them.
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| | Kampala. The quality is variable in the
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| Aside from game, it is renowned for its
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| | smaller towns and rated accommodation is
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| scenic beauty. Rolling savannah, tall
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| | scarce. All of the major national parks
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| grasslands and thick bush woodlands make
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| | offer accommodation in game lodges and
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| up the park. But you are advised not to
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| | tented camps.If you want to drive around
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| miss out the magnificent waterfalls after
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| | Uganda, you need to show an international
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| which the park is named. The waterfall is
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| | drivers license to hire a vehicle. Rental
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| formed where the Nile tapers from 50
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| | cars in Uganda are available in Entebbe
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| metres to rush through a 7-metre gorge,
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| | and Kampala. Roads radiate from Kampala
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| falling 45 metres in a breath-taking
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| | and are of varying quality. In the north
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| leap. This phenomenon is said to be the
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| | of the country the security situation is
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| most powerful natural flow of water
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| | still doubtful and so are the roads. Its
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| anywhere on Earth.If you are patient, you
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| | is a good idea if you are on self drive
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| can catch some really huge Nile Perch at
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| | to get local advise about the condition
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| the foot of the falls. What kind of fish
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| | the roads you intend to use.Uganda enjoys
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| can withstand such a force that exists at
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| | a tropical climate tempered by altitude.
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| the foot of the falls? Charles Norman
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| | The hottest period of the year is from
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| describes his fishing day out with a
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| | December to February when temperature
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| companion who on seeing the massive fish
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| | rise to 29 degrees Celsius.
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