As the world still grapples with the new global pandemic of corona virus, numerous countries are coming up with new ways they can cope with this new ugly reality of living with this deadly virus that has disrupted the routine of everyone in its own way around the world.

This virus has greatly disrupted the travel and tourism sector of so many destinations around the world as people are sceptical of travelling to new countries since they aren’t sure of the health status of the person seated next to them on the plane, bus or train to their destination.

In a bid to restore faith among travellers, major tourist destinations have had to come up with new travel advisories to keep these destinations together with their respective local populations free from the virus. Here Africa some countries such Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Congo have also come up with their own travel advisories to keep these countries fee from this global epidemic.

Has Rwanda issued any travel advisories in regard to Coronavirus?

The Rwandan government under its Ministry Of Health (MOH) in partnership with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), has issued a new travel advisory to all travellers intending to visit Rwanda in this year as the first line of defence for its citizens and destination which is favoured by the tourists given its epic gorilla adventures that are carried out in Volcanoes National Park. In a document released by the Rwandan MOH, on March 08^th 2020, the following guidelines have been outlined in response to the global outbreak of Coronavirus

• All travellers arriving in Rwanda at all points of entry will be screened
• All travellers presenting one of the COVID-19 SYMPTOMS and coming from countries with confirmed cases of COVID-19 will be considered suspect cases and therefore will be taken for isolation at the nearest hospital for further investigation and laboratory testing procedures
• If tested positive suspected cases become confirmed and is sent immediately to COVID-19 Treatment Center. If Tested negative SUSPECTED CASE remains eligible for active follow up and therefore he/she is advised to provide full identification of continued daily monitoring at the place of self-quarantine for 14 days counted from the day he/she left the country with COVID-19 cases. The location of the SUSPECT CASES has to be accessible by MOH-RBC surveillance teams.
• Suspect case in a self-quarantine condition must abide on the following conditions, wear face masks all the time self-isolate from others in the same household and call 114 for further direction.
• Any asymptomatic traveller coming from countries with confirmed COVID-19 cases will be considered AT Risk and will be recorded in a register and electronic tools for continued daily monitoring for 14 days counted from the day he or she left the country with COVID-19 CASES
• Although asymptomatic traveller is not required for strict quarantine, she/he must take preventive and protective measures and communicated to the nearest health authorities for unusual signs and symptoms that he/she may develop within 14 days counted from the day he/she left the country with COVID-19 CASES
• These new instructions are for immediate implementation by the health staff deployed at all Points Of Entry (POEs) until further notice added the Ministry of Health official Dr Ngamije M Daniel.

Is there Corona Virus in Africa? / Africa still has the lowest cases of Coronavirus on the planet

Africa has defied all odds to still be the only continent with the list number of confirmed cases of Coronavirus 5 different countries of Nigeria Algeria, Senegal, Egypt and Cameroon according to results published the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa.  Many African countries which include Uganda, Rwanda Kenya and many others are yet to register any confirmed case of Coronavirus within their territories.

Rwanda is still free from Coronavirus / Is Rwanda free from Corona Virus?

Yes, at this moment, Rwanda is one of the many other African countries that are yet to register any case of Coronavirus. However, the government under its Ministry of Health is on red alert to combat this new epidemic should there be an outbreak of the viral infection in Rwanda.

Is it Safe to visit Rwanda for a Rwanda Safari Tour Now?

Yes, you can still safely visit Rwanda and engage yourself in an epic Rwanda gorilla safari experience this is because the Rwanda Tourism sector under its governing body The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and many other related agencies such as Rwanda’s Ministry of Health (MOH) have come up with several measures to ensure that tourists who visit Rwanda remain safe and also keeping the safety of animals and the measures come

• All tourist vehicles visiting Rwanda tourists sites should have medicated sanitizers and disposal hand wipes to enable the tourists they carry regular wash their hands
• All tourists who engage in communal activities such as gorilla trekking, boat cruises, should wear nose masks to limit chances of contacting Coronavirus from other clients with whom they engage these activities.
• Observing the 7-meter rule while observing the gorillas so as to reduce chances of either passing on or contacting any disease between the gorillas and tourists.
• Tour operators who have clients intending to visit Rwanda have been advised to encourage their clients come with their own recommended nose masks (N95) type as a mitigation factor to combat the spread of this disease
• Places of accommodation such as lodges/resorts and hotels have been advised to provide handwashing facilities with soap to their clients and also encourage their clients to wash their hands regularly.

In addition to the above guidelines that were issued by the RDB in the immediate aftermath of the Coronavirus outbreak, on 09^th March 2020, the RDB has issued new supplementary guidelines that are to be observed by the Rwanda tourism sector,. These have been curated to in order to help tourists who had already booked their tours in Rwanda but can no longer visit Rwanda avoid incurring loss of their monies as it allows many of them to promptly postpone their trips to future dates when all is calm and travel is less scary as it is now, these new guidelines include the following

• Removal of the 7 days notice prior to visit date for tourist to postpone their gorilla permits (subject to permit availability and submission of documentation).
• Removal of the 30-day requirement for all tour operators to have submitted their final payment for the reserved permits
• Tourists who wish to postpone their park permits because of travel restrictions or flights cancellations being effected due to COVID-19 have up to 2 years to postpone their bookings at no extra cost (subject to submission of official documentation and availability)
• Tourists who purchased low season discounted permits for gorilla trekking are free to postpone and consume them any time within a period of 2 years. (Subject to availability)
• MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) tourists who purchased season discounted permits for gorilla trekking are free to postpone and consume them any time within a period of 2 years. (Subject to availability)

This offer unless otherwise modified is available for 6 months from the date of signature of this announcement and visits to National parks or any other attractions following such permit modifications must be conducted once and within a period of 2 years from the date of the signature hereunder. Reads the document signed by Ms Claire Akamanzi CEO RDB.

Why you should visit Rwanda in 2020?

Rwanda the home of the magical gorillas.

If you are on a search for a destination that will give you stunning encounters with the magical gorillas, then Rwanda is the country you should seriously consider to visit. This is because Rwanda is home to these endangered but wonderful wild beings and they can be seen while on a Rwanda gorilla tour to Volcanoes National Park. Volcanoes National Park is part of the larger Virunga Massif in which has the largest concentration of Mountain gorillas which are 604 in number as per the 2019 gorilla census results that were released late last year 2019. During your Rwanda gorilla trekking expedition, you are in for a face to face encounter with any of the 12 gorilla families that have been habituated to ensure that your gorilla trekking expedition is nothing short of spectacular. After your gorilla tour here, you can also still enjoy a thrilling hiking experience as you scale up the Bisoke volcano or even opt to engage in a birding experience since this park I home to 178 bird species with many of these being endemic to the Albertine region.

Rwanda the home of the big five.

Although Rwanda is ultimately known for its gorilla trekking prowess given the presence of these mystical beasts in Volcanoes National Park, you can still have thrilling encounters with Africa big five Savanna game while Rwanda. This is all possible when you visit Rwanda’s North Eastern park Akagera National Park. Akagera National park sits on the sprawling savanna grassland that are an extension of the dry savanna vegetation from Tanzania and these are home to a wide variety of wild game which includes animals such as the cape buffaloes, Leopards, Lions, African bush elephants, Giraffes and many others. While here you can still engage in a fascinating boat cruise over the calm but turbid waters of Lake Ihema and this gives a possibility to see some of the water-dwelling animals of these waters such as the Nile crocodiles and the water hippos.

Visit the chimpanzees of Nyungwe Forest National Park

Nyungwe Forest National Park is a true haven for chimpanzee encounters as it is home to these incredible wild beings. While in Nyungwe Forest National park, you can also engage in a forest canopy walk which gives you an opportunity to enjoy a magnificent views of this forest.

Explore the sights and sounds of Kigali city

The Kigali city tour gives you a unique opportunity to explore the sights and sounds of Kigali as you traverse this pristine and clean capital of Rwanda. Some of the major attraction sites you will visit during your city tour include the Kigali genocide memorial- A visit to this memorial gives you a unique insight into what really happened during the darkest 90 days of Rwanda during the 1994 Rwanda genocide in which over 1 million people lost their lives during a blood massacre between the Hutus and the Tustis. From the genocide memorial, make your way to the Kimironko market center and encounter day to day local Rwandese try to earn a living by selling a wide variety of stuff ranging from crafts, food items and cloths. This will be a good place for you to buy a souvenir to commemorate this trip with. From here, your next stop will be at the Inema art gallery. While here you will have a chance to meet local artists try to inspire this nation through crafting art pieces with a big story and grand vision message to tell. From here, have lunch then transfer to the airport for your flight back home.

Are you in for a thrilling Rwanda gorilla safari or a Uganda tour? Check out our Rwanda gorilla tracking safaris website. This website gives you a myriad of Rwanda gorilla tour packages. Rwanda gorilla safaris are carried out in Volcanoes National Park, Volcanoes is home to over 10 gorilla families that have been habituated to give you an ultimate Rwanda gorilla tour experience. These gorilla trekking safaris Rwanda have been classified into short Rwanda gorilla tours and these run between 1- 5 days for example 1 day Rwanda gorilla safari tours and 2 days Rwanda gorilla safaris. There are also long Rwanda safari tours, these run between 6-9 days for example 6 days Rwanda gorilla chimpanzee safaris. Since Uganda is also another fascinating Africa safari destination which shares quite similar attractions like Rwanda has, these attractions in range from savanna wildlife attractions that are found in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park Kidepo Valley National Park and Lake Mburo National Park. Uganda is also a gorilla destination and Uganda gorilla safaris are carried out either in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park which can be visited for a spectacular Uganda gorilla tour experience. After a magical gorilla tour in Uganda, you can always visit Lake Bunyonyi Uganda and enjoy the stunning views of this magical lake. A visit to Lake Bunyonyi gives you an opportunity to experience a boat ride on Africa’s second deepest lake.. Regardless of the length of your stay in Africa, you can enjoy either a short Uganda safari tour or a long Uganda safari tour experience visiting several attractions in Uganda. However, if you don’t want to miss out on experiencing what each country has to offer, you can also have a combined Uganda Rwanda safari tours options which will see you visit the two countries of Uganda and Rwanda in a single safari package such as 5 days Uganda Rwanda gorilla trekking safari.

 

 

 

 

Corona Virus (COVID-19) – The Epidemic That Has Paralyzed The World In Less Than 90 Days

As we speak today the world is under a state of disarray and confusion on what to do and how to curb the ever-increasing spread of Corona Virus (COVID-19).  What began as simple flu in a Chinese province of Wuhan has now proven to be a global epidemic with no cure hence living the global village polarized and disorientated on what to do next.

How did CoronaVirus begin?

What is the history of Corona Virus? In the world of pathology, Corona Virus (COVID-19) is not an entirely new virus that has suffered from nowhere at all but rather just a new strain that has evolved from the other Coronaviruses which have existed before such as MERS and SERS. However, Corona Virus seems to be more serial than the former 2 combined given the number of causalities it has on its name. However, this recent outbreak can be traced back to a Chinese province Wuhan about 3 months ago when the virus was first reported among citizens of this province. It is believed this virus originated from animals then it got transmitted to people since it was first discovered in people who were trading in seafood in the city’s seafood market

What are the signs and Symptoms of Corona Virus

The signs and symptoms of Coronavirus are no different from the signs of the common flu or cold and these include

• Fever
• Cough
• Flue
• Shortness or difficulty in breathing
• Muscle pain

People who are at risk of getting Corona Virus

Which people are at risk of contacting Corona Virus? According to health experts, people with weak immune systems are the ones who have the highest chances of contracting this deadly virus however there is no guarantee that you won’t contract the virus if you have a strong immune system.

Is there a cure for Corona Virus?

As of today scientists, there is no proper cure for this deadly virus and the current antibiotics available on the market are of no great use since this is a pneumonia virus which renders the antibiotics treatment ineffective against the virus.

Global update on Corona Virus infections

What is the global number of Corona Virus infections? According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) report issued on 4^th March 2020 on the Corona Virus infections. Since the declaration of the COVID-19 outbreak on 31 December 2020, a total of 93 062 cases, including 3198 deaths (case fatality ratio 3.4%), have been reported globally. As of 3 March 2020, 75 countries outside China are reporting laboratory confirmed COVID-19 cases: Republic of Korea (5328), Italy (2502), Iran (Islamic Republic of) (2336), International conveyance (Diamond Princess) (706), Japan (287), France (212), Germany (196), Spain (151), Singapore (110), United States of America (108), Kuwait (56), The United Kingdom (51), Bahrain (49), Thailand (43), Switzerland (37), Australia (33), Norway (32), Iraq (31), Canada (30), Malaysia (29), Netherlands (28), United Arab Emirates (27), Sweden (24), Austria (24), Viet Nam(16), Iceland(16), Lebanon (13), Oman (12), Israel (12), Croatia (9), San Marino (8), Qatar(8), Denmark (8), Belgium (8), Greece (7), Finland (7), Ecuador (7), Pakistan (6), India (6), Mexico (5), Czech Republic (5), Algeria (5), Romania (4), Russian Federation (3), Philippines (3), Georgia (3), Azerbaijan (3), Portugal (2), New Zealand (2), Ireland (2), Indonesia (2), Estonia (2), Egypt (2), Brazil(2), Senegal (2), Ukraine (1), Tunisia (1), Sri Lanka (1), Saudi Arabia (1), North Macedonia (1), Nigeria (1), Nepal (1), Morocco (1), Monaco (1), Luxembourg (1), Lithuania (1), Latvia (1), Jordan (1), Dominican Republic (1), Chile (1), Cambodia (1), Belarus (1), Armenia (1), Argentina (1), Andorra (1), and Afghanistan(1)

Africa still has the lowest cases of Coronavirus on the planet

Is there Coronavirus in Africa? Africa has defied all odds to still be the only continent with the list number of confirmed cases of Coronavirus infections because as we speak today, only 10 cases of Coronavirus have been confirmed in 3 different countries of Nigeria Algeria and Senegal according to results published the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa.  Many African countries which include Uganda, Rwanda Kenya and many others are yet to register any confirmed case of Coronavirus within their territories.

Uganda is still free from Coronavirus

Is Uganda free from Corona Virus? Yes, at this moment, Uganda is one of the many other African countries that are yet to register any case of Coronavirus. However, the government under its Ministry of Health is on red alert to combat this new epidemic should there be an outbreak of the viral infection in Uganda.

Measures Put up by the Ugandan government to Control the outbreak of Coronavirus in Uganda

Are there any measures undertaken by the government to Control the Outbreak of Corona Virus in Uganda? As the government ready’s itself to combat Coronavirus in case there is an outbreak, several measures have been put in place to ensure that the general population is safe from the spread.  Some of these include the following.

• Mandatory screening of all people entering the country at all official airports.
• Sensitizing the public to do thorough hand washing with soap and this
• Sensitization of the general public about the symptoms of Coronavirus and encouraging people to report suspected cases of Coronavirus to the nearest general hospitals for testing.
• Avoid unnecessary body contacts such as hugging, handshaking, kissing which may aid the spread of the virus

However, Uganda is not new to cases of outbreak of an epidemic disease and more than once the health officials have fought and worn against deadly disease outbreaks such as Ebola & Cholera, this, therefore, makes confident that even when Coronavirus gets here, it will be well managed Uganda health sector that has a quite an impressive record of handling deadly outbreaks.

Why you should visit Uganda this year 2020?

Uganda is one of those countries that offer you a wholistic Africa adventure safari experience as it has everything you need in an epic Africa Safari adventure.

Experience a magical gorilla trekking Uganda experience with a memorable gorilla safari in Uganda to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. A gorilla trip in Uganda, rewards you with a stunning face to face encounter with these incredible humans of the wild as you get to watch them go about their daily activities from point-blank range. This grants you an opportunity to photograph these magical beings in their natural habitat to have this magical reunion captured and immortalized forever. Besides this having an encounter with the gorillas on this gorilla tour you can still engage in a variety of other activities on your Uganda gorilla tour and these include birding since these 2 gorilla destinations have numerous bird species which await you on your birding adventure there, nature hikes and a cultural encounter with the Batwa.  

There is a lot more a Uganda safari can offer to anyone who visits Uganda than just gorillas. This is simply due to the fact that Uganda is also home to a wide variety of mammals which include lions, African leopards, African bush elephants, cape buffaloes and the rhinos and many other wild mammals that can be seen on Uganda wildlife safaris to any of the savanna parks of Uganda such as Queen Elizabeth national park Uganda, Kidepo valley national park Uganda, Lake Mburo national park Uganda and Murchison falls national park Uganda. Uganda’s spectacular and diverse culture which comes with 60 indigenous tribes fascinates many travellers and some of the highly intriguing local tribes in Uganda include the Baganda majorly because of their rich cultural history and food like the “luwombo” which is can chicken/beef/ stew that has been steamed in banana fibres. The Batwa is another tribe of people that intrigues many Uganda safari tours –goers, because these people have managed to co-exist with the giant mountain gorillas in the tropical forests of Bwindi long for over a 1000 years and also because of relative body size as they are relatively shorter than the average people in east Africa. Jinja Source of the Nile which is renowned for various attractions which include the source of the Nile, Itanda falls, birds, Lake Victoria. These give you a base to engage in a number of safari activities in Jinja source of the Nile which include bungee jumping, white water rafting, horse riding, quad biking and kayaking. If you decide to have an overnight stay in Jinja, the town has various accommodations in Jinja source of the Nile you can choose from and these include Explorers River Camp, Nile River Camp, Jinja Nile Resort, Samuka Island Retreat, Source of The Smile Hotel and Guesthouse. Prime safaris has distinguished itself as one of the best companies that offer Jinja day trips/ 1 day Jinja source of the Nile tours/ 1 day Jinja tour in Uganda.

Would you like to visit Uganda and see what makes this country a destination that’s on the rise? Prime safaris offers various safari packages to many of these destinations. Contact us today and we will gladly serve you. Here are some of our best-selling safari packages

At Wild Gorilla Safaris, we strive to meet all your Africa safari needs as we have got virtually the safari packages that will give you a memorable Africa safari experience. For anyone interested in Uganda wildlife safaris packages we have got you covered with wide range of packages that are tailored basing on the number of days you have and the destination you would like to visit on your Uganda safari tour. If you’ve got only a few days, then choose from our short Uganda wildlife safaris which run from 2 days to 5 days such as 2 days Uganda wildlife safari to Murchison falls or 5 days Uganda wildlife safari with chimpanzees and many more. For those that have got more than 5 days, then I suggest pick from our compressive long Uganda wildlife safaris that run from 6 days to as many as 21 days such as

On top of an epic Uganda safari adventure to many of these savanna parks, you have an opportunity to encounter mountain gorillas. Yes, a Uganda gorilla tour experience is very possible when you visit gorilla trekking Uganda destinations Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.  A Uganda gorilla safari to any of these parks gives you an opportunity to meet any of the 19 gorilla families that have been habituated to give you nothing but the ultimate Uganda gorilla tours experience, you can ever think of.

If you’re interested Uganda gorilla safaris these are available in both short Uganda gorilla safari packages such as 3 days gorilla tours in Bwindi and 4 days Bwindi gorilla tour and wildlife in Lake Mburo. There are also long Uganda gorilla tours that run from 6 days to as many as 18 days while featuring many other things along the way to the gorillas. After a magical gorilla tour in Uganda, you can always visit Lake Bunyonyi Uganda and enjoy the stunning views of this magical lake. A visit to Lake Bunyonyi gives you an opportunity to experience a boat ride on Africa’s second deepest lake.

Rwanda is also another gorilla destination you wouldn’t want to miss out on, hence if you are planning for a Rwanda gorilla safari package, check out some of our Rwanda gorilla tours packages which also come in form of short Rwanda gorilla gorilla safaris for those that have got only a few days in Rwanda but those that have got more days, then Long Rwanda gorilla trekking safari packages will do you good as they also give you a chance to visit other Rwanda safari attractions.

Congo as well is another gorilla destination and we have numerous Congo gorilla safari packages that will take you on a Congo gorilla tour adventure to either Virunga National Park for an encounter with mountain gorillas or Kahuzi Beiga National Park where you will encounter Eastern lowland gorillas. Besides gorilla safaris and wildlife encounters in Uganda, you can still explore Uganda’s diversity using any of our wide range of day trips that visit other sites that are near the capital city Kampala or Entebbe international airport such as a Mabamba birding day trip to Mabamba island Kampala city tour day tour Jinja day tour and 1 day Ngamba island chimpanzee safari. Check out our great east Africa safari to such as Kenya safari tours and Tanzania safari tour that take you on an Africa wildlife safari adventure to Kenya and Tanzania respectively.

Here are some popular packages we do offer in Uganda & Beyond

• 3 days Bwindi gorilla trekking safari
• 3 days gorilla safari to Mgahinga National Park
• 5 days Bwindi gorilla tour & Kibale trek
• 6 days Uganda gorilla & chimpanzee trek
• 7 days chimps & gorilla safari in Uganda
• 10 days Uganda gorilla tour
• 1 day Rwanda gorilla tour
• 2 days Rwanda gorilla safari adventure
• 3 days Rwanda gorilla safari to Volcanoes National Park
• 4 days Rwanda gorilla trekking tour
• 4 days Rwanda Adventure safari
• 5 days Rwanda gorilla tour
• 5 days Rwanda gorilla trekking
• 6 days Rwanda gorilla safari 
• 7 days Rwanda gorilla safari
• 8 days Rwanda gorilla safari
• 9 days Rwanda gorilla safari
• 10 days Rwanda amazing gorilla safari
• 3 days Nyiragongo Mountain hiking safari in Congo
• 3 days Congo mountain gorillas
• 3 days Eastern Lowland gorilla safari packages

5 days gorilla safari in Congo & Nyiragongo hiking