THE PEARL OF AFRICA

After 15 years of stability, tourists are now able to access one of Africa's most beautiful countries - Uganda. Deep in the heart of the continent, lush, green and tropical, it offers a complete and marked contrast to the open grassland plains of Kenya and Tanzania. Nick-named the "Pearl of Africa" by Winston Churchill, Uganda's attractions are truly dramatic. While it is most well known as a last haven for the great apes and one of the finest birding destinations, these descriptions are just part of Uganda's attraction. Uganda offers a fascinating mosaic of landscapes from thick forests to plains studded with crater lakes, to verdant mountains and valleys. What also sets Uganda apart is the range of activities that one can participate in besides traditional vehicle-based game drives. Bush walks, game boat cruises on the Nile River and Lakes Albert and Edward, night game drives, forest tracking, gorilla trekking, and world class white water rafting are just a few.

As a showcase to its diversity, Uganda has a number of national parks and game reserves. The rain forests of Mgahinga and Bwindi are the natural habitat of the last surviving mountain gorillas in the world, and the Kibale Forest contains the highest density per square mile of primates in the world, including the infamous chimpanzees. Queen Elizabeth National Park, with its wide-open plains, gigantic lakes and ancient volcanic craters, offers visitors a chance to see a full spectrum of African game. With over 520 bird species recorded here, the bird life is also profuse.

Murchison Falls National Park, bisected by the mighty Nile, offers the chance to see the rare and enigmatic Shoebill Stork and game cruises by boat are rewarded with sightings of giant Nile crocodile, hippo, and a host of plains game that come down to the water's edge to drink. To crown it all are the Murchison Falls - a location where the entire river is forced through a gap in the rock only six meters wide.

Visitors can end their safari with an active adventure rafting the source of the Nile. This activity offers rapids of up to grade 5 in what must be one of the world's greatest locations. A safari including any of these places is guaranteed to thrill even the most discerning traveler.