After an impressive show against the Democratic Republic of Congo in the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2019 last Saturday, Uganda Cranes is now more focused than ever before to win the remaining group games.
Cranes straight triumph against DRC at the Cairo International Stadium courtesy of goals from Patrick Henry Kaddu and Arnold Emmanuel Okwi took the team top of Group A above hosts Egypt who beat Zimbabwe 1-0 on Friday.
Not considered likely to survive the group stage by the bookmakers, who preferred the chances of Egypt and DRC, Uganda put themselves in with a strong shout of reaching the last 16.
The Pearl of Africa’s next game will be against Zimbabwe on Wednesday at 8pm.
However, did you know that Uganda and Zimbabwe have something in common with respect to tourism?
Uganda and the Southern Africa country have waterfalls; some of the world’s most amazing with beautiful, breath taking sceneries.
Most notably, in the Eastern Africa country, there’s Murchison falls whereas in Zimbabwe, they have Victoria Falls.
Murchison Falls is famous not only for its height which is just 40m but also for its power. The Nile explodes violently through a narrow 6m gorge and upstream, the Victoria Nile hurtles through the rift’s hinterland down an explosive 80km of rapids that rafters consider one of the world’s scariest sections of white water, but provide a unique exhilarating experience.
Also known as Kabalega Falls, Murchison waterfall is between Lake Kyoga and Lake Albert on the White Nile River in Uganda. At the top of it, the Nile forces its way through a gap in the rocks, only seven metres (23 ft) wide, and tumbles 43 metres (141 ft), before flowing westward into Lake Albert. The outlet of Lake Victoria sends around 300 cubic meters per second (11,000 ft³/s) of water over the falls, squeezed into a gorge less than ten metres (30 ft) wide.
Nevertheless, the most dramatic view of the water fall is found at top of the falls where the sight and sound of the Nile crashing through the six metres wide chasm is an unforgettable assault on the senses.
Murchison Falls also has a national park. Murchison Falls Park is by far the largest and oldest national park in Uganda. The park is endowed with several attractions including over 76 mammal species with four members of the big five, the lion, the leopards, the elephants, and the Buffaloes. It is also famous for chimpanzee tracking.
The park is a destination that everyone interested in Uganda Safaris should have on their itineraries.
On the other hand, the Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River, the fourth largest river in Africa, is considered as one of the greatest attractions in Africa.
According tovictoriafallstourism.org, the falls is the only waterfall in the world with a length of more than a kilometer and a height of more than hundred meters. It is also considered to be the largest fall in the world.
The noise of Victoria Falls can be heard from a distance of 40 kilometers, while the spray and mist from the falling water is rising to a height of over 400 meters and can be seen from a distance of 50 kilometers. No wonder that the local tribes used to call the waterfall Mosi-o-Tunya “The smoke that thunders”.
The water level varies throughout the year; it is at its peak in April, at the end of the rainy season when on average 500,000,000 liters of water flow and it is at its lowest level in October and early November.
Interestingly, during the dry season the water level in the Zambezi River drops sharply, and it becomes possible to walk through some parts of the waterfall. However, during the rest of the year Victoria Falls is a roaring machine that strikes anyone with its power.
Like in Uganda, Victoria Falls also has a national park-known as Victoria Falls National Park.
A notable feature of the park is the rainforest which grows in the spray of the falls, including ferns, palms, liana vines, and a number of trees such as mahogany not seen elsewhere in the region. The park is located within the Zambezian and Mopane woodlands eco-region.
Visitors have the chance to view the elephant, Cape buffalo, southern white rhinoceros, hippopotamus, eland and a variety of other antelope herds during drives and walking safaris. A bask of crocodiles may be seen in the river, and a nearby Crocodile Ranch offers a safer view of these dangerous animals.
UTB determined to promote Uganda’s tourism potential;
The Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) has decided to use AFCON;-the biennial international men’s football championship of Africa to promote destination Uganda.
According to the board’s Chief Executive Officer Lilly Ajarova, football is the world’s greatest sport and viewed by millions of fans across the world and in Uganda, the Cranes is the greatest football brand which can be used to build the country’s positive destination brand equity and values.
“We want to open up brand Uganda to the massive sports audience in Africa and the world at large,” she said.
“We have invited dignitaries from all the AFCON 2019 participating nations to our hospitality tent in Egypt and we shall treat them to the Ugandan experience. We have also planned an open day where everyone will be invited to try out the Ugandan cuisine, learn the Ugandan culture as well as experience Ugandan hospitality.”
UTB is a statutory organisation established by the Uganda Tourist Board Statute 1994. The Board’s mandate is to promote and popularise Uganda as a viable holiday destination both locally and internationally in order to increase the contribution of tourism earnings and GDP, improve country’s competitiveness as an international tourism destination as well as increase its share of Africa’s and World tourism market.
So as you enjoy the Wednesday game, keep it on top of your mind that there are interesting tourism attractions to watch out when you visit a country like Uganda.
