Busoga To Get First Game Reserve In Mayuge

Busoga region is set to get its first ever game reserve officially opened in Mayuge District for both local and international tourists that will flock the strategically located tourist hub which is endowed with different bird and animal species like Buffaloes.  Red Pepper exclusively reveals.

In an exclusive interview with this reporter, Busoga Tourism Initiatives’ chairperson Hon. Edward Balidawa Kafufu, who recently registered success by opening up Kagulu hill located in Buyende District to tourists and the tourismbodies in the country at a mega function that attracted several dignitaries including the head of state, His excellence Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Bukaleba Peninsular which is endowed with a natural forest that habours a number of wild animals and birds on top of other tourist sceneries, will soon be officially opened as one of the game reserves in Uganda and the first of its kind in Busoga region.

Kafufu who was in company of local leaders was taken on a boat ride on Lake Victoria through thickets in Mayuge District confirmed, “We needed to come on such a tour and evaluate the potential of the place
and indeed we are convinced that there is a very good opportunity for Busoga to rise through tourism since it is endoured with a number of sceneries among other potentials. Namugongo-Bukatube peninsular is such an endoured place which we need to develop and officially open as a tourist site for Busoga and Uganda at large” jolly MP Kafufu who has been credited by many for devoting his time and energy to developing tourism in Busoga said.

It should also be recalled that hon. Kafufu’s move follows president Museveni’s promise he made last December while officially opening up Kagulu hill climbing challenge. Museveni said that the ministry of
tourism and the local authorities take steps in ensuring that Bukaleba Peninsular is worked on and hence developed into a game reserve as soon as possible.

In fact it was after this that Mayuge District Local Government unanimously passed a resolution to  reserve and develop the potential tourism sites in the district.

According to tourism experts, if the yet to be opened game reserve situated on over 1000 hectares of land is developed and opened, it will be the nearest on top of attracting many local and international
tourists since it takes approximately two hours from Kampala city.

How to access it

For one to reach Bukaleba Peninsular where the proposed game reserve is located, he or she needs less than shs10, 000 from Mayuge town by boda boda. However, according to the plan, transport will be worked on. As far as accommodation is concerned, at the moment one has to stay either in Mayuge town or Iganga town.

Chief Luba’s Caves Discovered In Mayuge

While on the tour, the team was also taken through the caves and a deep trench that late chief Luuba of Bunya used during slave trade as a prison for the Nubians who had been brought in by the British. In
fact it is believed that in Bunya, Mayuge it was where the centre of slave trade was during the 1940s. As you move along the banks of Lake Victoria in a place called Walumbe bay, you land on a number of caves that are also believed to have been used by the chief Luba. These have also turned into very good tourist attractions which BTI believes will boost tourism too in Mayuge and Busoga at large.

About Busoga Tourism Initiative

This is an organ that was opened up to act as a special purpose vehicle to coordinate, galvanise and harmonise all the ideas and efforts towards opening opportunities for the development of tourism
in Busoga. It exactly followed the enthusiasm shown in Busoga’s tourism potential that was generated from the Busoga Tourism Expo held last December.

It is also a channel for thinking process of ideas about tourism in Busoga. According to Kafufu, BTI, a non government organization, has a number of activities some of which include verifying the viability and
possibility of gazetting Bukaleba peninsular as a game reserve.

A new joint visa scheme for East Africa

A new joint visa scheme for East Africa.

A new joint visa scheme has been launched for travel to Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.

The new cross-border visa was announced at WTM yesterday at WTM and aims to boost tourism in East Africa.

It will cost GBP60 (US$100) for the joint visa, saving GBP18 on the current total price of the separate visas.

“Kenya is delighted to be joining hands with its neighbouring nations in a move that will benefit tourists visiting the diverse region and boost our respective tourism sectors. The cross-border visa will support intra-regional travel between the participating countries through new joint marketing and trade opportunities,” said Phyllis Kandie, Cabinet Secretary for East AfricanAffairs, Commerce & Tourism Kenya.

Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities of Uganda Hon Dr Maria Mutagamba, added: “We are proud to invite our future tourists to experience a more accessible eastern Africa region. Visitors to our region will benefit from the new, more convenient multi-nation visa and will see the improvements in security, immigration systems, infrastructure and capacity building that this system brings.”

The REAL Mowgl

The REAL Mowgli: Incredible images of the little girl who spent the first ten years of her life growing up in the African bush. Follow the link below to see images and watch the mazing video.

• Tippi Benjamine Okanti Degre was brought up with wild animals in Africa. She is now 23 and lives in France
• She made friends with an elephant, which she called her brother, and a leopard
• Tippi was born in Namibia but travelled extensively with her photographer parents

TO SEE FULL ARTICLE AND IMAGES CLICK HERE: Little girl spent 15 years in African bush with animals  lives in France now.

New Msafiri Tours website 2014

Msafiri Tours is pleased to announce the release of our new Tour Ugandawebsite, designed with a fresh new look and user-friendly navigation, updated with the latest and most comprehensive information about tours and safari packages, and services in Uganda and East Africa.

You will be able to review past trips and tours, watch Uganda safari and tour related videos, and read the most updated Uganda travel news.

One of our main goals was to build a user-friendly and simple to navigate travel website, and also for you to be able to chat to us live at any time!


We hope that you will enjoy browsing our new site, finding more options and information for your tour and safari arrangements in East Africa, and use the site as another tool for strengthening our business relations.