Uganda Reopens Its National Parks
Uganda Reopens Its National Parks :On 5th June, 2020, the government of Uganda reopened its national parks for tourism. In a public statement released on Saturday by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), all the savannah national parks in the country have been opened for tourism.
This news comes as ray of hope for many operating in the tourism and travel industry in Uganda who since the Covid-19 lockdown had seized taking tourists to the national parks. Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in Uganda, the organization in conjunction with the Government of Uganda, suspended all tourism activities in all its national parks in order to prevent the spread of the deadly virus to its wildlife, especially to the primates which are said to be at a high risk of contracting the virus from humans.
Although all the savannah national parks in Uganda are open to tourists, the organization said that its primate national parks will remain closed till further notice. This means that parks such as Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Kibale Forest National Park will remain closed for the time being.
On the bright side, tourists who wish to make up for time lost during the long lockdown can book Uganda safari packages to Uganda and explore any of its savannah national parks such as; Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Mount Rwenzori National Park, Mount Elgon National Park and Kidepo Valley National Park. You just can’t miss this opportunity to explore the wild savannah lands of Uganda and view all its stunning wildlife animals in the various national parks.
Tourists planning to visit Uganda should know that all tourism activities within the various national parks shall be carried out in a manner that ensures all guidelines by the Ministry of Health and the directives by the President of Uganda are followed. Here are some of the guidelines to follow by all tourists visiting the protected areas;
- Mandatory temperature screening using non-contact infra-red thermometers at the key entry gates of the different national parks.
- Mandatory hand washing or sanitizing at the entrance points of all UWA premises and protected areas.
- All tourist vehicles and boats in all the national parks shall carry half capacity. This will also apply to concessionaire delivery vehicles entering and exiting the parks.
- Saloon car vehicles shall not be permitted to carry out game drives activities in the protected areas.
- Large groups exceeding 25 people shall not be permitted in the parks at the same time for the same activities.
- Events such as destination weddings shall not be permitted in the national parks till further notice.
- Tourists visiting the national parks are encouraged to carry their own hand sanitizer and facemasks.
Apart from the above set guidelines, the organization has also gone an extra mile to provide its entire staff with the appropriate wear in order to protect them as well as its visitors from any possible infection.
All tourists visiting the savannah national parks will be sensitized on the approved general government COVID-19 operational guidelines. This will also include guidelines developed and approved by the management of Uganda Wildlife Authority.
Even with the primate parks still closed, there is so much for visitors to do when visiting Uganda’s savannah national parks such as; guided game drives, boat cruises, guided nature walks, horseback riding in Lake Mburo national park, sport fishing, mountain climbing, birding, community cultural tours, top of the falls hike and so much more.
Do get in touch with our team of experienced travel consultants and book a trip to any savannah national park in Uganda. Check out our tour packages for the best offers.
