Avia Flu Outbreak In Uganda Is Bad News For Travel, Tourism And Safaris

An Avia Flu outbreak in Uganda is bad news, also for the travel and tourism industry. However, tourists heading to Uganda have been reassured that they are most unlikely to come into contact with infected birds and need not fear or resort to canceling their safari vacations in Uganda or anywhere else in East Africa for that matter.

Tests carried out on dead birds found on the shores of Lake Victoria between the capital Kampala and Entebbe, the location of the international airport, but also in Masaka District, have proved positive of avian flu, government officials confirmed late yesterday and earlier today.

A formal press conference is taking place right now at the Uganda Media Centre where Minister of State of Agriculture, Hon. Kibazanga, has confirmed the presence of the disease in East Africa.

Neighboring countries also bordering Lake Victoria are said to have instituted prompt measures to raise surveillance and monitoring on local and migratory bird populations to determine if the disease has also spread to their own shores.

Lutembe Bay, a major migratory bird route waypoint into and out of Africa, is one of the locations where dead birds were found.

Global organizations are also said to be preparing emergency support measures for Uganda to contain the outbreak and fight the further spread of the disease.

Uganda is among the countries in sub-Saharan Africa that face a high risk of a bird flu outbreak because it is crisscrossed by several routes for migratory birds, which are carriers of the virus.

Bird flu or avian influenza is an infectious disease of birds caused by type A strains of the influenza virus, according to World Health Organization.

The infection can cause a wide spectrum of symptoms in birds, ranging from mild illness, which may pass unnoticed, to a rapidly fatal disease that can cause severe epidemics.

According to the global health body, avian influenza viruses do not normally infect humans but there have been instances of certain highly pathogenic strains causing severe respiratory disease in humans.

Sources close to government are concerned,  it is the type of avian flu not known to spread to humans but, nevertheless, have officials called to be careful not to handle domestic chicken and other poultry and in particular not to touch any birds found dead to avoid any possibility of the virus crossing over to humans.

Alerts have been raised before in Uganda mainly because the country is part of the migratory bird corridor into Africa and past training will come in handy now to tackle the outbreak here in Uganda.

African Safari Alternatives That Don't Cost A Fortune

The Big Five (buffalo, lion, leopard, elephant and rhinoceros) sometimes elude safari goers in more ways than one. Rates for a five-night luxury safari - including guided wildlife drives, sunset cocktails, and tents with more puffy pillows than London's Ritz Hotel - can cost anywhere between US$5000 and US$12,000.

But contrary to what many believe, you don't have to remortgage your house to tackle an African safari; there are cheaper alternatives to the luxury packages, especially for the more adventurous traveller.

Go it alone

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An assortment of animals congregate around a shrinking waterhole in Namibia. Image by Peter ten Broecke / E+ / Getty Images

Farside Africa (farsideafrica.com) specialises in tailor-made trips for clients on different budgets. Director Vicky Stirling says heading out on your own is the cheapest way to do a safari.

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In South Africa, it's possible to access some parks, such as Kruger National Park, in a standard 2WD hire car thanks to well-maintained networks of roads plus a decent, if modest, array of accommodation. Real penny-pinchers can take their own food, too.

While you may save your pennies, there are pitfalls to going solo - the state of the roads, for one. While South Africa and Namibia have decent roads, road conditions in Botswana and Zambia are generally poor. This rules out regular cars, so you need to be able to handle a 4WD. In Zambia, a fully equipped 4WD with pop-up roof tent costs around $250 per day.

Another downside of going independently is not having a guide. Experienced guides spot everything from miniature chameleons to leopard prints (mere 'blobs' to the average person). Stirling says: 'Without a guide, you are always going to miss things, so self-drive trips tend to suit people who've been on safari before and have guide books and [a better awareness of] animals and birds.'

There’s also the safety aspect to consider. Predicting how wild animals behave and the 'rules' of driving are crucial; blocking an elephant from its path, for example, will make it agitated and extremely aggressive. A good compromise is to arrange wildlife drives through public campsites (obviously, private lodges are off limits - these offer drives exclusively to guests).

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White rhinos grazing in iSimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa. Image by Ann & Steve Toon / Robert Harding World Imagery / Getty Images

The upsides of going alone? You can go at your own speed, there's no one else sharing the vehicle, and you are free to do what you want, whether it be searching for buffalo or sitting by a waterhole watching animals coming to drink.

For the easiest self-drives, Namibia's parks are recommended. The flat roads mean you can see which animals are around, and the lack of forest means fewer surprises popping out from behind bushes. Stirling recommends Etosha National Park in particular: 'There, you can drive in and sit by a waterhole. People love that because they can do it in their own time, and are not rushed by others in the vehicle.'

Namibia also has a good range of lodges in national parks. 'Etosha National Park's two lodges at the main gate have both cheap and expensive rooms - a good mix of accommodation. Plus you can do as much driving as you like. And at camp there's a massive waterhole so you can watch the animals come in at night,' says Stirling.

For more experienced travellers who want 'deeper and darker Africa', Stirling recommends the desertscapes of Moremi Reserve in Botswana for great value campsites. These are good, well-equipped camping spaces, with ablution blocks and firewood. (The same goes for South African campsites.)

Go in low season

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Young elephants getting to grips with each other in Botswana. Image by Claire Gribbin / CC BY 2.0

Carefully consider when to go - this is especially important for those eager to find cheaper deals. During the low (wet) season - from mid-November to the end of March - lodges, such as those in Botswana, cut rates by half. 'The ideal time is the beginning of the low season. It's a lovely time to go. The grass hasn't had time to grow up so it's still easy to spot animals, there's a smattering of fresh shoots coming up, and some animals drop their young around this time. Plus it never rains much more than thunder bursts,' says Stirling.

It also means lower air fares, fewer crowds and no 'car parks', where over 40 vehicles crowd around a lion or a herd of impala, a frequent criticism of Kruger National Park during the school holidays.

Stay outside a reserve

For those who don't need the glamping (luxury camping) or lodge experience and who are good self planners, base yourself outside a wildlife reserve and enter the reserve - or different reserves - each day.

St Lucia, in the South African region of KwaZulu Natal is an excellent base for its varied accommodation and the diverse parks nearby, according to Kian Barker, director of Shakabarker Tours (shakabarker.co.za) and B&B owner. 'Travellers have access to a nice bouquet of parks with different eco-systems - from Hluhluwe-iMfolozi National Park to iSimangaliso Wetland Park.' (iSimangaliso, formerly known as the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, is a Unesco World Heritage Site, comprising 328,000 hectares and stretching for 200 kilometres along South Africa's north-eastern coast.)

'One day, you can be watching an elephant herd in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi and the next spotting a whale along iSimangaliso's coastline and hippos in the lusher wetland grasslands,' says Barker.

Volunteer

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A hippo playing in a waterhole in South Africa's Kruger National Park. Image by Derek Keats / CC BY 2.0

For those who don't need their sheets turned back or sundowners by a waterhole, volunteer options are an excellent alternative to experience wildlife in situ and you get an experiential bang for your buck.

African Impact (africanimpact.com) offers 65 short-term volunteering projects in 10 destinations around Africa. Projects generally run between two and four weeks (though volunteers can stay for up to 12 weeks), and start at around US$1200 for a two-week placement. The organisation's animal welfare projects range from elephant conservation (Namibia) and lion rehabilitation projects (Zambia) to community based projects (Kenya).

According to Greg Bows, African Impact's Managing Director, 'the core of what we do is to create amazingly fun experiences on projects that actually need volunteer assistance.' The company's Thanda Wildlife Photography and Conservation Education project, for instance, allows keen photographers to get close to animals and the environment (the photos depict anything from the animals to snares and litter, and are used by NGOs in their promotional or report materials).

Guests bunk down in chalet accommodation that is, in Bows' words, 'fairly simple and clean but comfortable', but it's possible to upgrade to a lodge for an extra fee.

The advantages of volunteering extend way beyond the rates - they also offer a more holistic view of conservation, its issues and complexities. 'On a general safari, travellers may spend a lot of money to see the Big Five, whereas volunteers leave a lot more educated. They are more aware of an endangered status and of the community side of conservation and how fits in with wildlife, and what can be done to help these things. On a short-term holiday safari you don't gain this. You might hear rhinos are endangered, but not why or how you might help them,' says Bowes.

While African Impact's volunteer projects lack the tableclothed-breakfast-in-the-bush experience, its sister company runs a high-end tented camp, Encounter Mara (encountermara.com), in Kenya's Masai Mara (US$625 per person per night in high season). Some of these high-end safari guests become converts. 'We actually get people who've stayed at the luxury camp who come back to volunteer,' says Bowes.

by Kate Armstrong

Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/africa/travel-tips-and-articles/african-safari-alternatives-that-dont-cost-a-fortune#ixzz3vRnGVIZ4

G Adventures And National Geographic Partner To Offer New Line Of Travel Experiences

Pioneering travel companies join forces to offer National Geographic Journeys with G Adventures

National Geographic and award-winning Canadian tour operator G Adventures have joined forces

 to launch National Geographic Journeys  with G Adventures, a new line of experiential

trips to destinations all over the globe. With similar core values, an aligned sense of social

 responsibility, and a shared belief in the positive impact that  travel can have on the world,

 these two renowned brands will together offer  travelers a meaningful and accessible way

 to experience the world.

This travel partnership—which coincides with G Adventures' 25^th anniversary—combines National

 Geographic's more than 125 years of global exploration, science and storytelling with the fun,

 authentic experiences for which G Adventures is internationally recognized. The initial collection

 of 70 trips is designed for travelers who appreciate the freedom to roam, but seek the structure 

and security that comes with travelling in a group. Each group will be led by a knowledgeable local 

guide, and most will be limited to 16 guests. Travelers will have the opportunity to connect with

 local people and cultures while discovering places where National Geographic's scientists and

 storytellers have shaped history. 

"We are thrilled to be working with National Geographic—an organization that shares our values

 and a similar approach to travel—to offer our guests unique experiences that will forever change

 their expectations of travel," said Bruce Poon Tip, founder of G Adventures.

These two travel pioneers have worked closely together to create special experiences that bring

 travelers behind the scenes in incredible destinations—be it practicing a centuries-old tradition

 of throwing pots on a visit to a women's cooperative in Belize or joining a researcher on safari in

 South Africa to learn firsthand about a National Geographic-sponsored initiative to protect cheetahs

 and other big cats.

Forging true human connections will be an integral component of National Geographic Journeys

 with G Adventures. Travellers will have the opportunity to spend time in a family home in Jaipur,

 India; share a meal with a local author and her storytelling troupe in Botswana; meet a traditional

 weaver in Ecuador; and sip homemade limoncello with a farmer at his lemon orchard in Italy.

A 14-day trip to Costa Rica, priced from $2,099, includes meeting with a researcher from the

 Sea Turtle Conservancy, co-founded by a National Geographic grantee. Many trips will feature

 visits to projects sponsored by G Adventures' nonprofit organization Planeterra, which develops

 sustainable projects to support local communities. As with all National Geographic travel

 programs, a portion of the proceeds will support the National Geographic Society's nonprofit

 work in conservation, exploration, education, and cultural preservation.

"Our partnership with G Adventures adds an exciting and accessible range of travel opportunities

 to our portfolio of extraordinary ways to explore the planet. We're excited to invite travelers around

 the world to experience the destinations they've dreamed about, get to know people in other

 cultures and make a positive impact while doing it," added Gary E. Knell, president and CEO

 of the National Geographic Society. 

The new line will join National Geographic's suite of travel programs, which includes National

 Geographic Expeditions, National Geographic Adventures, National Geographic Student

 Expeditions, National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World, and more.

Next year's lineup of National Geographic Journeys with G Adventures will be published 

on Dec. 15, 2015, with departures beginning Jan. 5, 2016.

About National Geographic Travel National Geographic Travel is the travel arm of the National Geographic Society, one of the world's

 largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations, founded in 1888. National Geographic 

Travel creates authentic, meaningful and engaging travel experiences through National Geographic

 Traveler magazine; National Geographic Expeditions; National Geographic Unique Lodges of the

 World; digital travel content; travel books; maps; and travel photography programs. National 

Geographic Traveler (eight issues per year) is the world's most widely read travel magazine

 and has 17 international editions. National Geographic Expeditions, the travel program of the

 Society, offers a variety of unique travel experiences led by top experts to more than 80 destinations

 across all seven continents. Travel opportunities include family and student expeditions, active

 adventures, private jet trips, and voyages on the six expedition ships in the National Geographic-

Lindblad fleet, as well as photography workshops, expeditions, and seminars. The 

National Geographic Travel digitalgroup shares its inspiring and authoritative digital content 

such as trip ideas, photo galleries, blogs, and apps with its @NatGeoTravel community of 7

 million. National Geographic Travel books bring readers curated travel advice, photography,

 and insider tips. Follow National Geographic Travel @NatGeoTravel on Twitter, Facebook,

 Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram, and Google+.

About G Adventures Celebrating its 25^th anniversary in 2015, G Adventures is an adventure travel pioneer offering

 the widest selection of affordable small group tours, safaris and expeditions to more than 100

 countries on all continents. It was the first adventure travel company to offer 100% guaranteed 

departures in 2013. Powered by an international team of passionate travelers, the award-winning

 trips embrace authentic accommodation, exotic cuisine and local transport to put travelers on a 

first-name basis with the planet's people, cultures, landscapes and wildlife. The intimate, authentic

 and sustainable approach to small-group travel introduces travelers to the highlights of a destination

 while offering the freedom to explore it on their own. Whatever age, interest, ability or budget, G 

Adventures has a genuine life-changing experience.

For more information, please visit gadventures.com/journeys or nationalgeographicjourneys.com.