Travel Report by Angela Giachi

Le mie esigenze non sono molto complicate da soddisfare, ma pare non sia poi così facile soddisfarle attraverso i Tour Operator per così dire, da “catalogo”. Infatti, viaggiando sola, personalizzare un itinerario è sempre risultata un’impresa impossibile se non con enormi esborsi di denaro per supplementi vari poi, per esempio, trovarsi a pagare a stessa cifra per effettuare un viaggio in 4 persone e trovarsi in 14!

Poi un’amica, soddisfatta del suo viaggio mi ha messo in contatto con Destination Jungle. Ora, al ritorno dal secondo viaggio (Kenya 2011 e Uganda 2012) devo dire che ho finalmente trovato quel che cercavo: professionalità, correttezza e flessibilità. Infatti in questi anni ho potuto scegliere la data di partenza e quella di rientro,la categoria degli alloggi e dare disponibilità o meno alla condivisione del viaggio con altre persone (e questa volta il prezzo era giustamente diverso in base al numero) in pratica costruirmi il “mio” viaggio e anche risparmiare sensibilmente il che non guasta mai. Devo sottolineare, tra l’altro di avere trovato molto confortevoli anche gli alloggi della categoria Economy apprezzando in particolar modo la predilezione della Compagnia nella scelta di strutture gestite da comunità locali nel rispetto della natura e non di catene multinazionali che non lasciano che briciole agli abitanti del luogo. Non cambierò il mondo, ma preferisco!

THE LAST FUNERAL RITES FOR RUHONDEZA

Most of the Ugandans, tourists and especially the Buhoma community residents are still mourning for the death of the Oldest Mountain Gorilla Ruhondeza. The burial of Ruhondeza last Friday attracted many different people who shed tears as he was laid to rest at Buhoma the Park headquarters. This was because most of these residents and officials were so touched by the life of this great ape. During the burial, food and drinks were prepared for the mourners. 

However, according to the news in one of Uganda’s leading News Paper, the Bwindi Mgahinga Conservation manager Mr. Pontious Ezuma confirmed that arrangements are being made for Ruhondeza’s last funeral rites. The UWA Officials have chosen a specific spot for the last funeral rites and according to them; it is easily accessible and will also be a pilgrimage site for visitors to the Park.

Ruhondeza was a calm natured Gorilla and his group was the first one to be habituated in Bwindi in 1991 and therefore if it was not because of his kindness, no Gorilla tracking would have taken place at all with in the Park. However his kindness and no harm to Human beings enabled the UWA officials to habituate his group in 1991 with 17 members hence making the beginning and growth of Gorilla tourism in Bwindi.

Ruhondeza as he got used to human beings and tourists, he had started posing for pictures (according to one of the Ranger guides n Bwindi) and so this amused tourists and hence the increase in the love for Gorilla Safaris in Bwindi and Uganda at large.

Uganda's Cultural sites

Before getting information about Uganda’s cultural sites, it may keep one wondering what cultural sites in Uganda really are .Apart from the famous Kasubi tombs that were recently burnt down to ashes, other cultural sites in Uganda are not commonly mentioned and questions still hang about; what they really are, where they are located and what kind of cultural attractions the country has.

Well, Uganda has a number of cultural sites that are worth visiting because of their attractions accompanied with the interesting stories behind their existence. Normally, it is the in-depth cultural tourists that visit those cultural sites and they may also get to know about them when they want particular information. However, these sites can also be popular stopovers for all categories of visitors to a particular Safari destination where they are found or en route. Key Uganda’s cultural sites include the following:

Nyero rock paintings in Eastern Uganda (Kumi district), are one of the most interesting cultural sites that are an early iron age innovation painted on three rock shelters each one painted with animal figures, sets of concentric circles and canoes. All paintings are done on rock faces for a clear vision as shown in the picture.

The famous Kasubi tombs that are currently under re-construction due to the fire that it suffered on 16^th March 2010 hold a strong spiritual and social attachment to the Ganda people.  It is the main burial ground for the kings of Buganda since time immemorial; its architecture was also based on Buganda’s cultural beliefs as shown in our picture. Even though it was burnt down, the remains of the buried kings survived the fire and are still intact. It’s located along Kampala-Hoima road in kasubi trading centre.

Uganda also has a series of cultural tombs that have cultural attachments specifically for the Baganda people. These tombs are namely;Namasole Baagalayaze tombs, which houses the  body of king Mwanga’s mother  Baagalayaze found along Kampala-Gayaza road 15km from the main centre,Namasole Kanyange tombs that are the burial grounds of the mother of king Ssunall and other subsequent Namasoles of Buganda  located along Kampala-Bombo road 12.5km from the main centre,Wamala tombs that are the burial ground of king Ssuna who had 148 wives and 218 children and who was the last of kings to have his jaw bone removed after his death located in Wamunyenye in Nansana along Kampala-Hoima road.

There is also the famous Sezibwa falls (shown in the phograph) that are believed to have been born by a woman named Nakkungu Tebatuusa whose husband was called Nsubuga Sebwato. These two gave birth to twins named Sezibwa and Mubeya. Sezibwa has its main source in Buikwe from a spring and the falls are about 7m high. 

This cultural site is a favorite for traditional healers who perform cultural ceremonies for people who seek their help.Its located in Mukono district approximately 32km East of Kampala.

Naggalabi coronation site in Buddo (Wakiso district) is also one of Uganda’s cultural sites where all the kings of Buganda have been crowned for the last 700 years from the first king (Kintu) who killed his brother Bemba and declared himself  king from the same place. The site also houses the Buganda house where the crowned king is supposed to live for 7 days and perform all the cultural ceremonies assigned to each day.

Nakayima tree; a pterygota mildbreadii specie (fig) that gets its name from a hereditary line of sorceresses of direct descent from Nakayima, Ndahura’s wife who used to get possessed by Ndahura’s spirit making her his medium is a famous cultural site to the Baganda and Banyoro because of its attachments to their cultures. Its a cultural centre with various activities taking place all year round and it’s found in Mubende district in a small village of Bomaire 2km from Mubende town.

There are also the  Ntusi and Bigobyamugenyi sites in Masaka town that are associated with  the legendary Bachwezi who dug the basin and trenches that connect to each other by cause ways, the manmade mounds of ash and bones that also exist at the site make it worth visiting.

There’s also the Nsongezi rock shelter a Stone Age site located along river Kagera in Isingiro district which has pottery that was made by the Stone Age men.

Amabere ga Nyina mwiru are also other cultural sites found in Uganda. These are caves which were named after Nyinamwiru the daughter of Bukuku of the Chwezi Kingdom. It is believed that the Nyinamwiru was not supposed to get married or give birth until her father had told so or has got her a man. However to the surprise of King Bukuku, Nyinamwiru got a man without his consent and as a result, he cut off his breasts. The place where he threw these breasts is where this cultural site is found. The breasts are believed to have grown into rock dipping with Milk or breast like features called stalactites and stalagmites.

UGANDA MOURNS FOR THE OLDEST MOUNTAIN GORILLA IN BWINDI NATIONAL PARK

Uganda’s oldest habituated Silver back Mountain Gorilla passed away from old age. RUHONDEZA (Name of the Gorilla), was found in Bwindi National Park and together with his family (Mubare group) were habituated in 1991 and the group was opened for tourism to visitors in 1993. The news were all over the country and even daily monitor which is one of the leading local news papers had to put it on the front page of the news dated July 3^rd 2012.

As a matter of fact, the name Ruhondeza in the local language of Rukiga and Rufumbira means “The-one-who-likes-to-sleep”. So far this Gorilla was one of the most celebrated and oldest male Gorilla and believed to have lived over 50 years.

Ruhondeza during his regime where he was the leader of the family in his group, he was so jealousy and very protective. However, due to old age, he had lost most of his family members and started living alone on the edge of this wonderful National Park in the village of Rubona. 

The reason as to why he had decided to live a solitary life was the fact that he was forced out of his group by unhabituated Gorilla family that grabbed most of Ruhondeza family members in March 2012.

He was buried at Buhoma Park headquarters by the Uganda wildlife Authority and other community members surrounding the Park. We will remember him for allowing humans to be around his family. RIP Ruhondeza.

Trekking e ascesa dei Monti Rwenzori, cima Margherita

Ho provato a fare una sorta di relazione tecnica delle 2 salite (Margherita e Speke), con alcuni consigli, e accentuando l'attenzione sulle difficoltà, in modo da far capire il tipo di terreno che si incontra. Ovviamente questo è quello che abbiamo trovato noi. In base al meteo e all' innevamento si possono trovare condizioni più o meno difficili. Io però tenderei ad evitare di considerare tutte queste salite come delle semplici passeggiate. Io personalmente non ho avuto difficoltà. Lo dico soprattutto per chi volesse provare a fare alpinismo proprio qui. Non sò quanto un soccorso possa essere efficace, e se ci siano persone competenti.

Come ho detto all'ufficio del parco, una radio per gruppo potrebbe essere una cosa da fare (si potrebbe anche offrire come servizio di noleggio).

Inoltre ho suggerito di tenere un libro-diario di vetta per le guide all'ufficio, in modo che ogni guida, prima di affrontare la salita possa sapere come è stato trovato il ghiacciaio da chi lo ha preceduto, visto che è in continua evoluzione, e di percorrere la via più sicura. Nel mio caso essendo il ghiacciaio dello Stanley completamente asciutto, nella prima parte non c'era una vera traccia visibile, e quindi la guida è andata più o meno a dritto finendo in una zona molto crepacciata e pericolosa. Dopo più in alto abbiamo ritrovato la traccia più sicura che proveniva da sinistra, che abbiamo poi percorso in discesa. Dico questo per evitare che prima o poi non succeda un incidente per una leggerezza.

Una volta il ghiacciaio cominciava poco sopra il Rifugio Helena, a circa 4600m. Adesso dal più elevato rifugio del parco, si deve guadagnare quota prima di entrare sul ghiacciaio e raggiungere cosi lo Stanley Plateau. Per arrivare qui, poco sopra il rifugio, c'è un tratto di rocce appoggiato ma piuttosto liscio, che può diventare molto insidioso con pioggia, neve o ghiaccio. Per agevolare la salita sono state posizionate delle corde fisse, che al momento sembrano in buone condizioni. il ghiacciaio dello Stanley plateau lo abbiamo trovato piuttosto secco, con ghiaccio duro e scuro in superfice, per via delle poche precipitazioni degli ultimi mesi. Non abbiamo usato né ramponi né corda, perchè crepacci non ce ne sono, se non piccole e strette fenditure a nostro avviso non pericolose. Nel dubbio sempre meglio legarsi. Alla fine di questo primo ghiacciaio, in prossimità della stazione meteo posizionata dagli Italiani, si taglia verso destra e, lasciando il ghiacciaio, si comincia a perdere quota su terreno roccioso. Fino a poco tempo fa, si faceva un percorso diretto senza scendere, salendo a dritto sulla spalla roccisa che fa da divisorio tra i due ghiacciai, per poi riguadagnare il secondo ghiacciaio con una scala di ferro che scende dall'altra parte. Adesso, per via del ritiro del ghiacciaio, questa scala penzola nel vuoto, e quindi questa variante diretta non viene più usata. Si è tornati ad usare invece quello che se non sbaglio è l'itinerario originale dei primi salitori. Si perde quindi quota di circa 100m senza grossi problemi, tra roccette e sassi smossi, dove una volta era tutto ghiaccio, e poi si risale verso l'inizio del secondo ghiacciaio, che al momento è quello più impegnativo. Per entrarvi si deve superare una paretina inclinata a 50° di circa 15m, per poi continuare su pendenze nettamente inferiori e da camminata. Abbiamo trovato il ghiacciaio molto asciutto, e quindi in queste condizioni per la presenza di ghiaccio vivo, sono consigliabili buoni ramponi rigidi, e da sconsigliare ramponi ultraleggeri come i modelli da scialpinismo. La prima parte è quella più crepacciata e un pò più ripida. Al momento la via più sicura sembra essere quella che sale seguendo il margine sinistro del ghiacciaio. Nell'ultima parte più in alto i crepacci sono chiusi e non si vedono, la pendenza è inferiore e la via pare essere più sicura. Infine, per guadagnare le rocce finali, si attraversa verso destra il crepaccio terminale, al momento non preoccupante, ma soprattutto si passa sotto un grosso seracco pendente, un pò minaccioso: è meglio quindi farlo velocemente. Le roccette finali conducono senza problemi alla vetta. In conclusione, la scalata della Cima Margherita (5109 metri), per via del ritiro dei ghiacciai, e dell'aprirsi dei crepacci, è da affrontare con rispetto.

Come in tutte le montagne del mondo, si vedono anche qui persone che si improvvisano alpinisti, e che poi distrutti dalla fatica e impacciati nelle difficoltà, finiscono con lo stare troppe ore sul ghiacciaio, aumentando così i rischi legati all'aumento della temperatura nelle ore centrali, e al maltempo. Noi abbiamo impiegato 2 ore e 50 minuti per arrivare in vetta e alle 11.30am eravamo già di ritorno per pranzare. Il giorno prima un gruppo numeroso è rientrato alle 4 del pomeriggio. Si consiglia quindi una partenza verso le 5-6 del mattino, e un allenamento decente. La successiva discesa verso il Rifugio Kitandara è ancora abbastanza lunga.

(di David Orlandi, Febbraio 2012
 

Tuvimos una gran experiencia con Destination Jungle en el mes de Febrero

Tuvimos una gran experiencia con Destination Jungle en el mes de Febrero.

 Subimos desde el Nilo Alberto hasta llegar a las cataratas de Murchison viendo el sorprendente paisaje y aquellas aguas blancas del Nilo.Para esta excursión,eramos 7 personas, la guia Allen, y seis Italianos: Giani,Antonia,Ana,Luciano,Valdo ,Vana y cuando llegamos encima de las cataratas,alli estaba el guia del puesto que nos explico’ toda la historia de las cataratas ,como fueron nombradas,cuando y todo era interesantisimo.Nos quedamos todos satisfechos y contentos y luego al regreso al lodge,pudimos ver  el sol caer. Eso era una otra belleza increible. El dia siguiente hicimos un safari fotografico en el parque Nacional de Murchison  y conocimos tantos animales como los antilopes,elefantes,bufalos,girafas,leones,hienas manchadas,y tantos aves. Nos dimos cuenta que los animales no tenian bastante comida ya que todo estaba seco, pero esperamos que ya con la lluvia ahora,aumente la comida para los animales y tambien que los animales se aumenten en numero.Fue una de las experiencias mas enriquecedoras de nuestro safari  pero claro sin olvidar el trekking de los gorilas en la selva impenetrable de Bwindi con otros dos clientes de Espana: Jose y Susana.El cielo estaba nublado y aquello parecia Europa porque habia niebla en todas las colinas alrededor de nosotros ya que esta parte de Uganda  tiene una estructura casi igual que muchos paises de Europa por ejemplo el clima es fresco en comparacion con el resto de Uganda,tiene muchas Colinas y por eso antes esta misma region de Kigezi se llamaba la Suiza de Africa.Visitamos la familia de ‘’Nshongi’’ y pudimos ver un bebe de dos semanas pero lo mas interesante fue que la mama’ siempre trataba de esconder al bebe  como forma de protegerlo.

 Ya con la conservacion a los gorilas su numero esta’ aumentando y esto es bueno para el turismo sostenible en lo cual creemos aqui en Destination Jungle. ALLEN NATUKUNDA.

I am only the messenger of the government, the messenger of the gorillas

When I heard that the gorilla permits in Rwanda will increase from 500 USD to 750 USD each, my first reaction was nausea. When I realized that nobody was commenting about the reasons for that increase and the benefits for the gorillas, my reaction was silence and depression. It is clear that my job is the messenger of the government, the person who collects the money for the permits from the clients and brings them to the cashier of the government, without asking any question (and only for a small margin of gain in salary).

When my neighbor Peter in Mutungo - Kampala told me that in our compound there is a problem, which is the presence of cats, and when the second neighbor, Mugisha, all sharing the same compound with my, agreed with him about this, I told both of them that myself I had no problems with the cats, actually I told them that “the cats were here before you came and they have the same right to live here as you have”. Not only, while the cats were clean, my neighbors were actually littering all around the garden as if this was nothing for them.

They never talked to me again, which was a pleasure for me. Soon both of them left the compound, while the cats are still there and they are even happier, since the people who dislike them have gone. Moreover, the compound is cleaner, thanks God for the cats.

Only because animals cannot talk, and only for this reason, we sometimes believe to have the right to make decision over them, but this is not a right, it is actually an abuse.

When people surrounding Bwindi Forest are complaining about the presence of the gorillas, they should be told that the gorillas were there far longer before them and so, if they do not like them, they can go elsewhere, since the tropical forest is the habitat of the gorillas. The hypocrisy of those defending human beings, when human beings are millions and the gorillas are only 340, is the same hypocrisy that has spoilt the whole earth, bringing to extinction so many other species, the tigers, the bears to mention only 2 of them.

And who are theese human beings who should be defended? Human beings are often thieves, people without respect for other human beings, causing disasters, careless of anything, making wars and destruction. While the gorillas or the cats were just peacefully living in their habitat. The human beings are those who, shamelessly, killed many innocent gorillas, as well as they are poisoning the few remaining lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park or killing elephants in Murchison Falls National Park in 2012. These are the human beings, God could save us from them.

Only because the gorillas cannot talk, that is why the governments are making decisions over them without any consensus and without even benefits for them.

I would like to know if those who decided (those few people in the government) to increase the gorilla permits to 750 USD have also considered any implications for the benefits of the gorillas. Or maybe they have only considered how to make profit out of tourism, a language that the gorillas do not understand. And who is not so hypocrite that is planning for the benefits of the gorillas, which are only the protection and expansion of their habitat? There is no any or other serious discussion about defending the innocent gorillas from the predatory behavior of the human beings, but to talk about the protection and expansion of their habitat. Today, the few remaining 340 mountain gorillas of Uganda are facing the challenge of extinction, with the rampant deforestation around what is today Bwindi Forest, only 300 square kilometers of surviving forest. The gorillas are chased back to their small forest at any attempt they do to expand their compromised habitat by coming out to open areas. Gorillas cannot win a battle against the human beings, unless the human beings themselves understand their suffering. I doubt they can.

I am only the messenger of the government, the person who collects the money of the permits from the client and take them to the cashier. However, I am not a hypocrite messenger, I still have a conscience, I still have a feeling for justice and I know about injustice, because it is all around me. I am defending physically all the cats from the misery of human beings attacking them in the area of Mutungo, Kampala. My compound is “cat free”, yes, which means the only place where the cats are free, because elsewhere they are hated, beaten up, humiliated.

Thanks God for creating the animals, while the human beings are killing them in your name. While nothing is done to give a future to the gorillas, while some are only talking useless lies - the human beings, so proud -, maybe I am not only the messenger of the government, but I am also the messenger of the gorillas, until they will talk by themselves.

In the movie, “The raise of the Planet of the Apes”, at the end all people are flying away from New York because the chimpanzees have taken over the town making of it a real forest. At the moment, in the reality, we still see people flying away from their places to come here to see the mountain gorillas and chimpanzees here, but what exactly are you telling them about the conservation and the future of the gorillas? Only lies?

Thanks so much to Jane Goodall Institute, their staff and their courage. You are not hypocrite.

Costantino Tessarin

Destination Jungle