UGANDA’S EXPERIMENTAL TOURISM

In order to provide travelers with an alternate experience of the diverse wildlife available in Ugandan destinations, experimental tourism was established in the pearl.

The “regular” tourist adventures that take place in the pearl’s protected areas, including as boat launches, game drives, and birdwatching, are not part of this type of tourism. Instead, engage in close study and exploration of the pearl’s fauna.

In Uganda, monitoring wildlife in relation to its location, behavior, and surroundings is a part of experimental tourism.

This type of tourism experience is offered in Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda. Situated in Uganda’s western area, this national park is well-known for its profusion of animals. These consist of birdwatching, chimpanzee trekking, boat cruises, local community visits, game drives, and many other activities.

Only three activities—mongoose tracking, tree climbing, lion tracking, and the hippo census activity—in Queen Elizabeth National Park are conducive to experimental tourism.

Lion tracking 
On a safari in Uganda, this is the most actively participated experimental activity by visitors. It entails tracking lions that climb trees, which are found in Queen Elizabeth National Park’s Ishasha area.

The only area in the pearl where tree-climbing lions can be found is the Ishasha sector, which is situated in the southern part of the park. Lions are drawn to the Ishasha plains because of the sycamore and acacia trees there. While in the trees, the lions can see their prey more clearly and may escape the heat of the ground.

It’s a satisfying task to track the plains’ tree-climbing lions. That gives the researchers working on the project an opportunity. to learn more about the habits and way of life of lions that climb trees.

Three hours is all that is allotted to morning and evening sessions. Anyone interested in participating in this activity must pay a specific charge. Participants in this activity pay up to $100 if they are not foreign residents or up to $100,000 UGX if they are inhabitants of East Africa.

Tracking the Mongoose 

One of the experimental experiences in Queen Elizabeth National Park is tracking mongooses. It entails a team of researchers tracking the mongoose small mammals with a locator.

This is a foot-based activity on the Mweya Peninsula. Within Queen Elizabeth National Park, the Mweya Peninsular is situated in the northern portion. Game drives and the majority of the park’s species are concentrated in this region.

The mongoose rodents are located in plains smashes and termite mounds, and a thorough foot search is necessary to find them. Scholars investigate and learn everything there is to know about mongooses. Their social behavior, reproduction, habitats, and other aspects of their lives.

There is a restricted number of people who take part in the tracking. This will reduce the number of humans around the animals. additionally, guests can enjoy a unique experimental experience.

In order to track a mongoose in Queen Elizabeth National Park, visitors must pay $30 for both foreign residents and non-residents. Residents of East Africa are required to pay a fee of 30,000 UGX per person.

Activities related to the hippo census

This event, which involves counting the number of hippos in Queen Elizabeth National Park, happens every two years. The hippos are counted by a group of observers, and the numbers seen are recorded in a database.

The monitoring of Uganda’s hippos is aided by this census. Lake Mburo and Murchison Falls national parks are two more national parks where hippos can be found.

For foreign residents and non-residents, the fee of this experimental tourism activity is $100, while the East African community must pay 100,000 Ugandan Shillings.

This activity starts at 8:30 a.m. and is followed by a briefing regarding the requirements and the processes for the census.

Visitors who want to go on a safari in Uganda might view the country from a different angle thanks to experimental tourism. Besides trekking the famed mountain gorillas in the primate parks of the pearl or seeing the adventure capital of the pearl, Jinja city,.

The Queen Elizabeth National Park’s access

Travelers who are keen on experiencing experimental tourism in Queen can reach the park either by air or by land.

On Road

Depending on the route taken, a road transfer to Queen Elizabeth national parks takes about six hours. Travelers can take the western route, which covers 386 km and takes 6:50 hours and follows the Mbarara Masaka Highway. Fort Portal Mityana Road is an other option; it takes 6:52 hours to drive and covers a distance of 424 km.

By plane

Queen Elizabeth can be reached by air through Kasese, utilizing the charter planes that depart from Kihihi Airstrip for western Uganda.