Uganda to host first avitourism event: African Birding Expo

UGANDA (eTN) – Uganda’s first birding expo is set to be held in Uganda from November 27-29 at the luxuriant Botanical Gardens located in Entebbe.

UGANDA (eTN) – Uganda’s first birding expo is set to be held in Uganda from November 27-29 at the luxuriant Botanical Gardens located in Entebbe.

The event is the initiative of Herbert Byaruhanga, one of Uganda’s pioneering birders, who has been at the helm of promoting avitourism in the region for the past two decades.

Byaruhanga, who doubles as President of the Uganda Tourist Association and Chairman of the Uganda Safari Guides Association, announced that the African Birding Expo will be attended by a whole spectrum of the bird-watching community within and outside Africa. He said that with support from the Uganda Tourism Board, “international travel writers, celebrities, and press shall be targeted in order to draw interest from the public and exhibitors outside Uganda,” adding that the selection of Entebbe was ideal because there are several accommodation choices and attractions in the area.

Sponsored by the Uganda Tourism Board and Uganda Tourist Association, the exhibition is largely inspired by the annual British Bird Watching Expo fondly described as the “Birders Glastonbury” that the Board has participated in since 1997.

The exhibition shall provide the opportunity for buyers and sellers to meet under one marquee, showcasing products related to birdwatching and nature conservation including cameras, binoculars, guide books, birding trails and itineraries, foods, outdoor gear, arts and handicrafts, and related products.

The exhibition shall attract clubs, associations, institutions, and organizations including Wildlife Clubs of Uganda, Nature Uganda, Uganda Society, Uganda Young Birders’ Club, and Uganda Women Birders’ Club. The expo shall also include fun-filled activities including face painting of favorite birds, a bird quiz, imitating common bird calls and sounds, and other forms of entertainment like traditional dances, pre and post tours to experience Kampala’s night life, cultural sites, and a taste of local cuisine.

Established in 1898 by British curator, A. Whyte, along the shores of Lake Victoria, Entebbe Botanical Gardens hosts a variety of plant, bird, reptile, and primate species including the rainforest zone which formed the backdrop to scenes from Tarzan films starring Johnny Weissmuller shot in the 1940s.

Other attractions within the precincts of Entebbe include The Uganda Wildlife Education Center (the former zoo) hosting over 120 out of Uganda’s 1,056 bird species and wildlife, Jane Goodall’s Chimpanzee Island Sanctuary, the equator crossing, State House Entebbe, relics of colonial and missionary monuments, resorts, beaches, and fishing villages.

Entebbe International Airport is also the gateway to the country and the regional hub for United Nations operations within the East and Central Africa regions.

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Avatar of Linda Hohnholz

Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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