Uganda in Best of the World Trips – 2013, National Geographic Society recommends!

Many people around the world love to agree that Uganda is undoubtedly the best and the fastest growing tourist destination in East Africa and in Africa. Last year, it was named the best travel destination by lonely planet.  Many people who have travelled to Uganda recently would see this truth as the experience of gorilla tracking, stunning green scenery and views of the beautiful natural features has given them a memorable African Jungle Safari experience.
National Geographic Society has again recommended Uganda for the “Best of the World trips in 2013” for the first time since one of the Mountain Hikers from this same esteemed organization named Mountain Rwenzori as one of the best 15 hiking places  in the world.

In Africa,  this is the only mountain that made it to that list!  The Rwenzori Mountains of the Moon, the historic River Nile that has its source here and runs through Uganda, the numerous lakes, such as endless Lake Victoria, picturesque scenic Lake Bunyonyi and Lake Mutanda. Uganda is a destination country with many choices, fish for the largest fresh water fish in Africa, the furious Nile Perch, canoe across lakes in a dugout canoe, partake in an adventure on the Nile with some of the best wild water rafting in the world.

Visit the Mountain Gorillas at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park or at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, the chimpanzees in the Rainforest Jungle of Kibale Forest or at one of the wonders of the Western Rift Valley in Uganda – Kyambura Gorge at Queen Elizabeth Park. Climb Volcanoes on Day-Trips, Kayak on Lakes or Rivers, hikes and nature walks through ancient forests such as Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.  Uganda home of tree climbing lions, abundant wildlife, more birds than any other country in Africa, all framed b y the incredible scenery of what is Uganda and makes Uganda so irresistible
Back in the 1960’s Uganda was the Premier African Safari Destination or as National Geographic states “ the cornerstone of Africa’s Grand Tour.” All was well  in the early 1960’s the newly independent Uganda was reaping the benefits of a thriving Tourism Industry but then came the winds of political overthrows, wars, conflicts, led by men who saw themselves part of the “Big Men of Africa Group” such as Idi Amin and actually were little men, with little vision destroying the Tourism sector, closing parks and wildlife reserves  and creating a Uganda in their image without regard to the people of Uganda, commerce, democracy and foresight into what best for Uganda.  From the 1960’s the parks were ravaged by soldiers, poachers, encroachers, the wildlife was decimated and senselessly destroyed until the late 1980’s.
Uganda got lost from the sight of visitors to Africa, off the radar of international travel agents and became synonymous with “Idi Amin, War, AIDS, Joseph Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Army while Kenya’s and Tanzania’s Tourism sector thrived – there was virtually no tourism in Uganda.
Today many things have changed and the luster of what was the lost Pearl of Africa is being restored to its former glory and beyond and that in spite of Uganda being one of the most under promoted travel destination in Africa, Uganda for the most part has had to rely on Accidental Tourism instead of planned. Exceptions have been effort by USAID –Star have made a real impact in promoting sites in Western Uganda and are soon to do so in the most remote park in East Africa – Kidepo Valley National Park.
The Reality is this regarding Uganda making National Geographic’s “Best of the World Trips and last year Lonely Planets – Best country to Visit – Uganda is incredibly, beautiful, it is irresistible Uganda, gifted by Nature with scenery, wildlife, primates, birds like no other African country – it is the Pearl of Africa.