The potentials for Uganda’s tourism industry are categorized as;
- Mountain and drainage scenery (landscape). This include physical features of Uganda such as;
• Great rift valley/western rift valley and its associated features of escarpments like Butiaba and kicwamba, Rwenzori horst, rivers like Mubuku, lakes like George and Edward. These attract tourists to western Uganda.
• Volcanic features of Mt. Muhavura, Elgon, and Moroto, Napak caldera, explosive craters of Nyungu, Katwe, hot springs of Kitagata and geysers.
• Glacial features of Pyramidal peaks like Margarita, arêtes, glacial troughs like Lac du Speke, Lac Catherine, all on Mt. Rwenzori with activities of ice skating and mountain climbing.
• Coastal features such as spits, cliffs and caves like on Kasenyi landing site on L. Victoria, beaches such as Lutembe, Lido, Aero and Botanic, on L. Victoria.
• Blue water lakes of Victoria and Kyoga where swimming activities take place, game fishing, boat rides, etc.
• Rivers such as Nile, Katonga, Aswa with spectacular attractive waterfalls of Owen falls, Karuma and Bujagali on R. Nile, Sezibwa falls, Siipi falls Kisiizi falls, etc. - Wildlife (fauna and flora). These include;
• Fauna, Uganda has a variety of wild animals which are gazetted into National parks and game reserves. Such parks include Mt. Rwenzori N.P, Queen Elizabeth N.P, Kidepo N.P, L. Mburo N.P, Mgahinga N.P, Bwindi Impenetrable N.P, Semuliki N.P, Kibale N.P and Toro N.P.
The game reserves include Pain-upe, Bukora, Karuma, Matheniko, Bugungu, Kigezi, etc. there are also sanctuaries in Uganda such as Jinja sanctuary for hippopotami, Entebbe sanctuary, Bwindi impenetrable forest for Mt. golliras, Mt. kei in Arau for white Rhinos. Also zoos like Entebbe Wildlife Education Centre.
Uganda has got avi-tourism i.e. bird watching with various bird species along Kazinga channel, Queen Elizabeth N.P, Semulik N.P, etc.
• Flora, Uganda has got an impressive vegetation cover which attracts tourists from abroad. These include the dense tropical rain forests like Mabira in Mukono, Budongo, Kalinju, etc,Also the swampy vegetation along rivers like Mpologoma and Katonga, the dry savannah of Kitgum, Kaabong, Moroto and savannah grass land in the western rift valley all attract tourists. - Climate, the tropical climate of Uganda in districts of Kampala, Wakiso, Mpigi has attracted tourists from abroad for sun bathing activities on beaches of Nabinonya, Aero on L. Victoria. Also tourists during November-February come for ‘refugee’ in Uganda due to the winter season thus benefiting from Uganda’s tropical climate.
- Culture potential, Uganda is rich in cultural heritage of traditional dances of Baganda, dressing style of Banyankole, traditional dishes like ‘Oluwombo’, burial grounds like Kasubi tombs of Buganda kingdom which all attract both local and foreign tourists.
Other heritages include Namugongo martyrs shrines in Wakiso, Nyero rock paintings in Kumi, artifacts, wood carvings and hand crafts all attract tourists. - Historical attractions, these include Uganda museum in Kampala, Sango bay, Oruchinga valley, Bigobyamugenyi and Kagadi in Mubende, Lugard’s fort at Old Kampala all attract tourists.
The equator, many local tourists and foreign visit areas in Uganda where the equator crosses for photographs and feel of the equator thus important tourist potential. Map of Uganda showing its tourist potentials.
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