Mountain Club of Uganda presents #superholympics with the support of Kayak the Nile (U) Ltd.
Superhole Olympics is a day filled with fun and crazy events in kayaks on and around Superhole Wave on the Nile River. You don’t need to be a pro kayaker to compete, this is an event for intermediate and advanced paddlers alike. No pressure just good fun. Also great for spectators with a floating bar!
MCU is heading rock climbing once again at Luwazi. Climbers of any level of experience are welcome.
The trip is roughly one hour outside of Kampala in a village near Gayaza, called Kijjo. All gear is rentable through the club at the rock; just remember to bring lunch, sunscreen and about 5 litres of water. Prices for the trip and gear are as follows:
Rope: 10,000UGX
Harness + belay device: 10,000UGX
Shoes: 10,000UGX
Fuel: approximately 10,000 (return) unless you make your own way
MCU membership card (annual): 50,000 (necessary for all MCU trips and available for purchase in the parking area)
Sign up here https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/1/d/1FjMwTWA8uZCBBNQc_CVkff8b9H80nWxn2o836hvHfo8/edit?usp=sharing and email Laura for any questions!
The Source of the Nile Trail Running Challenge is a prestigious race with the most stunning and scenic trail you will probably ever run in your life! Set at the source of the Nile in Jinja, Uganda, the different running trails will not only take you along the banks of the great River Nile but upon rocky paths past the rapids and up to the scenic hills overlooking lake Victoria and down through villages and banana plantations. The inaugural race is proudly organized by Activate Uganda on the 25th of September 2016. For more information check out www.sourceoftheniletrailrunchallenge.com
Nile River Explorers (NRE) is once again dedicating a day to conservation with the intent of selling EVERY SEAT on EVERY BOAT and giving all the proceeds of the day to the Uganda Conservation Foundation & Rhino Fund Uganda. Why are they doing it? Simply because they can!
Over the era of Idi Amin and the civil wars that followed, severe poaching across Uganda resulted in the violent demise of Northern white rhino and elephants in Uganda. Uganda went from having more mega-herbivores per square kilometer than anywhere else in Africa – with famed herds of thousands of elephants – to seeing rhinos become extinct and elephants dropping to their lowest ever population of just a few hundred. The future looked bleak for Uganda’s elephants and rhinos.
Uganda Conservation Foundation (UCF) is a UK registered charity (no 1087295) and Uganda non profit organization. UCF works closely with the Uganda Wildlife Authority and park-adjacent communities to develop practical solutions to conservation problems with primary objectives of recovering and reconnecting habitats, supporting anti poaching and law enforcement, mitigating human wildlife conflict and promoting conservation education and livelihoods . UCF currently have active projects in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Kibale National Park and Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve, and will soon start working in Kidepo Valley National Park. Since their inception in 2001, UCF has earned a reputation for being a proactive organization who strive to make every penny, dime or shilling count, and after all the decades of war and neglect, have helped UWA generate a slow but steady growth in Uganda’s elephant population. Increased ranger patrol coverage – made possible via UCF-built ranger posts and marine ranger stations – and improved law enforcement has resulted in a reduction in snares and increased conviction rates of 97%. If UWA and UCF can successfully protect conservation areas, Uganda’s elephant population could go on to triple in the next ten years, with their recovery also benefitting many other species.
Rhino Fund Uganda was established in 1997 with the ultimate goal of reintroducing the rhino back into back into the National Parks of Uganda through a breeding and release program. Rhino Fund Uganda (RFU) is responsible for raising adequate funds and gaining international recognition for the upkeep of Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary at Nakitoma, 170km north of Kampala, as an interim step towards the reintroduction of the rhinos into protected areas. Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary strives to protect the rhinos through community education and tourism while at the same time providing a safe sanctuary for rhinos to live and breed.
A security force of 80 Rangers of which many are armed, patrols the fence, guard the gates, and monitor the rhinos 24 hours per day. The sanctuary is not only home to the rhinos but also to approximately 20 other species of wildlife as well as 300 different bird species highlighting Uganda’s unique biodiversity and emphasizing the importance of conserving it. The conservation effort is proving successful as we see the numbers of wildlife growing within the sanctuary and particularly the rhinos. A total of 9 births (June 2009 and April 2014) make Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary one of the most successful breeding programs of rhinos in the world.
All of these efforts to conserve the wildlife of Uganda have to be funded. Building a new ranger post to help recover a key elephant habitat costs circa US $40,000; training and equipping an anti-poaching ranger patrol costs $5,000; a security force of 80 Rangers of which many are armed, patrols the fence, guard the gates, and monitor the rhinos at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary 24 hours per day. These initiatives may cost money – but they are working. Uganda’s elephant numbers have increased by 600% since their lowest point in the mid-1990s, and we are the only country in Africa who can claim zero poaching of rhino since their reintroduction in 2005 / 2006
It’s not too late for Uganda to return to having the famed herds it once had! And it begins with You!
FIRST – Please join us for the 2016 global march and raft right here on the White Nile. If you cannot join us on the day why not sponsor a UWA or RFU Ranger to take you place. All profits from the day will go directly to Uganda Conservation Foundation & Rhino Fund Uganda.
SECOND – Educate yourself and share the knowledge. Get everyone you know involved. Send this event invitation to ALL of your Facebook friends. Also share this event by posting it on your Facebook walls as much as you can. And don’t forget to LIKE the Nile River Explorers, Uganda Conservation Foundation and Rhino Fund Uganda Facebook pages to stay up to date on all their news.
FINALLY – Stay tuned for details as they develop closer to September 24th. Thank you so much!
PLEASE JOIN US AND HELP MAKE THIS BIG! ONLY IN NUMBERS WILL OUR VOICE BE HEARD!
Questions? Email us here:
leslie@raftafrica.com
emmanuel.aupal@ugandacf.org
angie@rhinofund.org
Find out more about UCF & RFU:
www.ugandacf.org
www.rhinofund.org
Like Us On FACEBOOK:
www.facebook.com/NileRiverExplorers
www.facebook.com/UgandaConservationFoundationUCF
Follow Us On TWITTER:
@NRERafting
@UgandaCF
@Rhinofund
Are you looking to join a trip that is a little different and offers options for people of all levels of fitness and ability who like to get outdoors in beautiful surrounds?
If so….. then this is the trip you have been waiting for!!!!!
We are planning on heading to Mabira Forest, about 1.5 hours drive east of Kampala. The Mabira Forest is a rainforest area covering about 300 square kilometres (120 sq mi) (30,000 hectares (74,000 acres)) in Uganda, located in Buikwe District, between Lugazi and Jinja. It has been protected as Mabira Forest Reserve since 1932. There are options to bird watch, trek to see Mangabey monkeys, hike (both relaxing and long and adventurous options available) and bike through the forest and nearby sugar cane and tea plantations, or just simply come to relax with the sounds of the forest…
The trip will run from Saturday 27th August to Sunday 28th August, which gives ample time to explore the serene forest and surrounds.
Accommodation:
We will stay at the basic, but peaceful, Griffin Falls camp (also known as Mabira Forest Camp). As part of the MCU, we have been fortunate to be able to negotiate some great savings off their normal prices and rates, and we have all been offered a FREE 2-hour forest walk! (Normal price UGX15k). Longer hikes are also available (UGX10k per person).
The accommodation options are:
Please mention that you are part of the MCU when booking to take advantage of these discounted rates. To get in touch with the camp, please contact them on 0754 031 769, 0751 949 368, 0712 955 671 or 0752 920 515. Alternatively, you can email them on griffinfalls@yahoo.com.
Cold showers are available, and there are eco-friendly toilets. And if you ask nicely, they will heat a bucket of water for you to enjoy a warm shower under the forest canopy.
Food:
Catering wise, the staff at the camp can prepare local meals (UGX10k a plate), and we are also planning on cooking a BBQ on the Saturday night. Please bring your own meat/ vegetables to put on the BBQ, and we will bring some staples (sauces, bread etc). There will be a nominal charge for the BBQ, to cover these costs in addition to the charcoal, UGX5k – UGX10k per person, depending on numbers.
The staff will also prepare a campfire for us in the campsite area. If you have musical talent, feel free to bring along instruments/ voices for us to enjoy whilst we sit around the campfire etc…
Breakfast (eggs/ fruit/ bread/ coffee and tea) can be purchased from the camp for UGX7-10k per person.
Beers and sodas are available for purchase at the camp, although there are no refrigeration facilities, so if you are partial to a cold drink, a cool box/ esky might be a good idea.
Points to Note:
There is a park fee of UGX30k per person for the weekend.
If you would like to bike, the camp does not have bikes for rent, so please bring your own.
And please also remember bug spray/ insect repellent
Directions: The camp can be found on google maps- however, we recommend do not take the “recommended route”, which basically takes you almost through people’s houses… Instead, continue past the recommended turn off the road to Jinja, and in Lugazi, turn left just before the Minnah/ Minah restaurant on a corner on the left in the town. This road is MUCH better than the other one, especially if it has been raining, and there are various signs to the camp along the way to assist- but do keep a watch on google maps, as not every turn is signposted.
Please note: there are options for zip lining in the forest for USD$50 a person. Should you wish to do this, please note that this activity is not supported by the MCU, as we are not able to guarantee the safety of the activity.
Contact: Any questions or if you would like to come but are struggling to find transport, please contact Sally Holbrook at madsally@hotmail.com or on 0752 184057.
Please follow the link to book (please only complete if you are 100% sure you will be attending): Mabira Forest Trip 27th– 28th August 2016: Sign Up Sheet
Hope to see you there!
Our next MCU kayaking weekend will be on August 6-7th in Bujagali!
Once a month MCU heads to Jinja for discounted group lessons with the stellar team at Kayak the Nile. Paddlers of all levels – including beginners – are welcome. It’s always a fun weekend out of the big city! More info and sign up at the link below:
http://kayakthenile.com/mcu-weekend-booking-form/
Depending on demand there might be the option to take a safety lesson for slightly more advanced kayaker – a decent whitewater roll is required for this. Email Laura if you are interested.
Non-kayakers are more than welcome to join and enjoy a chilled out weekend.
The MCU is running another overnight climbing/camping trip to Luwazi this weekend July 23-24. Luwazi (actually called Insita) is a rock near Gayaza, in a village called Kijjo ( I think thats the spelling :P). It is roughly an hours drive outside of Kampala. We will meet up at Oasis mall near Centenary park at 7.30 on Saturday morning and we will climb until Sun afternoon.
The rock has a number of different sport routes of varying abilities. If you do not have your own climbing gear then gear can be rented from the Club for the trip. Email Nicky Young at stuckin1984(AT)hotmail(DOT)com
Since 2006, the Reel Paddling Film Festival World Tour has been showcasing the very best paddling films. The World Tour screens in more than 120 cities around the world. This year for the first time it will be held in Uganda and is currently the only place in Africa.
The Festival will be held at the Nalubale Tea House in Jinja at 6.30pm for a 7pm start on Saturday the 16th July. We would like to highly thank our sponsors Nalubale Rafting Base & Tea House and Kayak the Nile (U) Ltd for their help with this event.
Join us for this year’s best paddling films. You’ll be inspired to explore rivers, lakes and oceans, push extremes, embrace the paddling lifestyle and appreciate the wild places.
For event details please visit http://
Once a month MCU heads to Jinja for group discounted lessons with the stellar team at Kayak the Nile. Paddlers of all levels – including beginners – are welcome. It’s always a fun weekend out of the big city! More info and sign up at the link below:
http://kayakthenile.com/mcu-weekend-booking-form/
After we get off the river, we’ll be heading to the Reel Paddling Film Festival at the Nalubale Tea House in Jinja at 6.30pm for a 7pm start on Saturday the 16th July. Tickets cost 8,000ush for Ugandan Citizens and 15,000ush for everybody else. Tickets can be bought on the door on the night.