Rwanda raise costs for gorilla permits

Effective 01st of June 2012, gorilla permit fees, excluding permits already pre-booked until the time of the announcement, will be increased from the present US Dollars 500 per person to US Dollars 750 per person as announced by the Rwanda Development Board.

‘This increase comes at a time when there is significant growth of the gorilla population as well as an increasing demand for gorilla tourism. We are very committed to sustain our efforts in conservation in order to protect their environment as well as the rich biodiversity that exist in our national parks.”  Mr. John Gara, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board which falls under the Rwanda Tourism and Conservation board said.

The extra charge is being subjected to further strengthen protective measures for the prized Gorillas, fund conservation, research, community outreach projects, all of which depend on income from the tourists who come to visit / track gorillas.

Mr. Gara also stated that Rwanda's gorilla conservation had shown significant success, saying that at present they had ten gorilla families that could accommodate a maximum of eight tourists per day per family a number that indicated a double over the past five years.

The Rwandese move has however sparked an open debate with their tri- "gorilla" nation Uganda and Congo DR, particularly Uganda who only last year had reneged from a uniform approach to the permit fees, subsequently reducing the costs to attract more tourists.

Rwanda whose tourism is on a high zenith compared to all her neighbouring East African countries, has immense tourism attractions such as mountain climbing at Volcanoes National Park, visiting Rwanda’s Genocide Memorial Sites: Kigali Memorial Site; Murambi Memorial Site; Nyanza Kicukiro Memorial Site; and Ntarama Memorial Site, canoeing, kayaking, and wind surfing on Lake Kivu at the edge of Rwanda’s Western Province and many other attractions. 

NB: For gorilla or chimp tracking safaris, refer to our website www.uniglobeletsgotravel.com 

 or email us info@letsgosafari.com

King of the Jungle Endangered

Known for its majesty and prestige, the lion, nicknamed "the king of the jungle" is an animal know of it's strength and beauty. For centuries, the lion has been one of the main attractions in any game park or reserve across the globe. Lions have fascinated people from all walks of life with documentaries and  movies such as the Lion King keenly emphasising on the lion and their families.

Lions vary in colour but commonly are those that sport a light yellow-brown coat. Mature male lions are unique among big cats due the thick brown or black manes that encircle their necks and protect them while fighting, whereas the mature female lions are the pride's primary hunters, often working together to prey upon antelopes, Zebras, wildebeest and other animals in the naked wild.

The Lion population in Africa has rapidly reduced since the early 1950's and today fewer than 21,000 remain in all of Africa. As a fact lions are facing an indirect threat from climate change called co-infection and periodically face outbreaks of the disease distemper though this causes few death with an exemption of the period 1994 - 2001 which caused massive die-offs with researchers saying the epidemic was due to the occurrence of a server drought. This would then factor in the issue of deforestation by humans which causes weather change and as a result drought is experienced. It is warned that droughts such as the ones that bring about co-infection in lions are predicted to become more as the climate warms which we can rightfully say,  indirectly humans are the cause of the weather change.

Lions are also facing many more human threats such as population growth and agricultural expansion, resulting in loss of natural habitat, hunting, poisoning and poaching just to name but a few.

Facts about the Lion:

• Lions are about 4 feet (1.2m) (males) in height and approximately 5-8 feet (1.5-2.4m) (males), length. 
• They weigh 330-500 lbs (150-227 kg) (males) in general, female lions are smaller than males. 
• Their lifespan is placed at 10-14 years in the wild, however if in captivity can last for over 20 years!
• Lions top speed is rated at 50 mph (81 km/hr), for short distances . 

Defenders of wildlife and conservation groups are continually advocating for the life of lions, with campaigns being put across, blogs, news papers and magazine articles being written among many other channels including Social Media. We however feel that we can do more by educating people on the topic using simple viral methods or simply, planting a tree to help sustain the environment. 

"Visit one of Kenya's parks today and see a lion and the other big five. http://www.uniglobeletsgotravel.com "

Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley

I was recently reading some of Yahoo Travel's articles and one in particular caught my eye. The heading read; 10 new Earthly wonders and among the wonders number three (3) was a stunner! The Kenyan Lake system in the Great Rift Valley!

"Set in Kenya's Great Rift Valley region, the area around three inter-connected shallow lakes—Lake Bogoria, Lake Nakuru and Lake Elementaita is home to a stunning arena of bird and mammal life. The Great Rift Valley is considered the most important foraging site in the world for the lesser flamingo (the smallest species of flamingo at 3 feet tall)—countless of which can be spotted there—and it's also a top nesting and breeding ground for great white pelicans. Black rhino, lions, Rothschild's giraffe, greater kudu and cheetahs quench their thirst at the lakes." written by Sandra Ramani  

The facts:

About 20 million years ago, the earth's crust weakened and tore itself apart creating a jagged rift, thousands of kilometres long, across the African continent. The land on either side erupted creating great volcanic mountains, while the valley floor gradually sank into a low flat plain. This geologic phenomena, dubbed the Great Rift Valley by the Scottish explorer John Walter Gregory, divides Kenya neatly down the length of the country essentially separating east from west. Subterranean movement is common today as the Rift Valley is home to thirty active and semi-active volcanoes and countless hot springs along its length. 

This string of alkaline lakes and boiling springs northwest of Nairobi includes Lake Baringo, Lake Bogoria, Lake Nakuru, Lake Elementaita, Lake Naivasha, and Lake Magadi in the south. These lakes are unique because their water is highly concentrated sodium carbonate

. 

This is caused by the high alkalinity from the surrounding volcanic rocks coupled with poor drainage outlets due to the steep sides of the valley. The high evaporation of the surface lake water results in sodium carbonate which creates an ideal breeding ground for algae that serves as an attraction for several species of fish, in particular tilapia. In turn millions of birds flock to the soda lakes to feast on the abundant food supply of algae and fish.

Library: yahoo travel & jambokenya.com

Here comes the Wildebeest Migration!

Masai Mara is arguably the world's most known game reserve, with numerous implausible wildlife documentaries filmed there, such as the Big Cat Diary or movies such as the most recently filmed Disney African Cats. Masai Mara is also known as a top choice holiday destination for anyone wanting to spend their holidays in Kenya, especially after the game reserve was named a world wonder due to its astonishing annual Wildebeest Migration!

Each year thousands and thousands of Wildebeest cross the Mara river into the Mara game reserve, from Tanzania's Serengeti park. This makes for a spectacular experience, nicknamed the "greatest show on earth" and is a must see for anyone on an east Africa safari.  The herds enter the Mara from the west and gather on the plains for a few months until the rains break on the southern plains of the Serengeti in December, when they return south.

The exceptional game viewing, the short grass, the huge lion population are all among the many contributory factors that make the Masai Mara in Kenya such a popular East Africa safari destination that entices people from all over the world to visit Kenya and witness this astounding "show"!  

Each year the migration creates a buzz with lodges and camps all located in the park keeping everyone abreast of where the wildebeest are and where they are moving. This creates excitement that undoubtedly reminds me of a wedding scenario, where the wildebeest replace the bride and all we hear is people echoing; Here comes the migration!