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DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024
AIRKENYA, AEROLINK UGANDA & REGIONAL AIR INFLIGHT MAGAZINE
NEWS
Saving Uganda’s Endangered Pangolins A Marathon of Dedication Supporting Rangers through Lewa's Wildlife Race
A Taste for Travel at 70!
A Solo Escape to Cottar's 1920s Camp
Bwindi's Wonders Chasing Waterfalls, Meeting Gorillas
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NDEGE NEWS | DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024 | 1
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Located in some of the most iconic destinations on Tanzania's legendary northern safari circuit, our three lodges embody everything that's special about this region of East Africa. Each makes the most of the vast landscapes, breathtaking scenery, and pristine wilderness areas that surround them, filled with charismatic wildlife species. And each shares an overarching ethos of respect for people and planet.
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inside
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REGULAR 05
Welcome Note
06
Editor's Note
07
Cover My Story
09
News Update
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Airkenya News Update
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Regional and Aerolink News Update
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FEATURES 24 A Marathon of Dedication: Supporting Rangers through Lewa's Wildlife Race 28 Saving Uganda’s Endangered Pangolins, One at a Time. Part One of Two 32 Beyond Safari: Pioneer Hospitality College Nurturing Skills & Changing Lives in the Maa Community 36
Bwindi's Wonders: Chasing Waterfalls, Meeting Gorillas
40 A taste for Travel at 90: A Solo Escape to Cottar's 1920s Camp
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WELCOME NOTE
Welcome on board Dear Reader, While we reflect on the year that was 2023, as the AirKenya group we find ourselves being infinitely grateful for the support of our travel industry partners, stakeholders and loyal customers in supporting us through the revival of the travel industry. Our group reached new heights this year in being recognized internationally and locally for our commitment to service excellence and sustainability in our operations. We are honoured to have received prestigious accolades at the World Travel Awards for being Kenya's Leading Domestic Safari Carrier and at the Eco Warrior Awards for Promoting Best Practices in Operations under the Air Safari Operators Category. These awards showcase our continuous commitment to not only giving our customers the best safari-flying experience but also ensuring that we operate efficiently behind the scenes. Giving back to the communities we operate in, has always been a prime focus. As part of our annual tradition, AirKenya proudly supplied stationery to Emarti School in the Masai Mara, aiding candidates sitting their final year exams. Regional Air Services in Tanzania was also actively involved in community building this last quarter, sponsoring swimming competitions to nurture young talent, participating in World Cleanup Day to promote environmental conservation and sponsoring a 4x4 rally in honour of the Arusha Giraffe Centre.
Our journey this year, while filled with accolades, has also been a learning curve. We acknowledge the challenges and value your feedback. Your trust in us fuels our determination to provide an unparalleled travel experience and make a positive impact in the regions we serve. As we prepare to embark on another year of exciting journeys, we look forward to welcoming you on board, offering not just a travel service, but an experience that uplifts communities and preserves our beautiful East African heritage. Here’s to a prosperous and impactful 2024!. Jean Uku Marketing Manager
We are honoured to have received prestigious accolades at the World Travel Awards for being Kenya's Leading Domestic Safari Carrier and at the Eco Warrior Awards for Promoting Best Practices in Operations under the Air Safari Operators Category NDEGE NEWS | DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024 | 5
EDITOR’S NOTE
Karibu Dear Safari Goers, As we take to the skies once again in this edition of Ndege News, I'm reminded of the wonderful journey we embarked upon together. I am delighted to continue the role of Editor for your in-flight magazine, a publication that, I hope, has become a cherished companion on your voyages across East Africa. In my inaugural edition, I expressed my passion for storytelling, my love for Africa, and my commitment to bringing you the captivating tales that define our vibrant region. Today, I am thrilled to report that this mission continues with even greater fervour. Our East African landscape, diverse cultures, and remarkable people have provided us with an endless wellspring of stories waiting to be unveiled. As your trusted editor, I remain dedicated to sharing these stories with you, making each of your flights not merely a journey but an enthralling adventure. Ndege News is more than just a magazine; it's a canvas on which we paint the vivid tapestry of Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. It's a stage on which we spotlight the breathtaking beauty and diversity of our destinations. It's a bridge that connects you, our intrepid travellers, with the heart and soul, the flora and
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fauna of the places we are honoured to serve. In the editions that follow, we are committed to upholding this cherished tradition. We will continue to bring you authentic, engaging, and enlightening stories. These narratives will be brought to life through photographs that capture the very essence of the experiences we share. However, let's not forget that this is a journey we are taking together. I wholeheartedly invite you to become a part of our storytelling adventure. Share with us your own remarkable experiences, your new discoveries, and the moments that left you in awe. Because in our world, every journey is a story, and every traveller is a storyteller. Thank you for choosing to fly with us, for making Ndege News an integral part of your journey, and for being a cherished contributor to our unfolding story. Here's to the countless shared adventures and stories that lie ahead! Wishing you safe and memorable travels,
Editor Publisher Hollie M’gog The Business Platform Ltd P O Box 103364-00101, Nairobi. Publisher Tel: 254 -741 070001 The Business Platform Ltd Email: businessplatformkenya@gmail.com P O Box 103364-00101, Nairobi. Tel: 254 -741 070001 Advertising Email: businessplatformkenya@gmail.com Peter Ondabu Cell: 0722 770367 Advertising ondabupeter@gmail.com Peter Ondabu Cell: 0722 Design and770367 Layout ondabupeter@gmail.com Digital Colour Business Ltd. info@digitalcolourbiz.com Design and Layout Digital Colour Business Ltd. in NDEGE which means aeroplane info@digitalcolourbiz.com Kiswahili is a quarterly Magazine publication of AIRKENYA Express Limited NDEGE which means aeroplane in Kiswahili Wilson is a quarterly AirportMagazine publication of AIRKENYA P.O. Box 30357 - 00100 Express Nairobi, Limited Kenya Wilson Airport Reservations P.O. BoxTel: 30357 - 00100 (254-20) 391Nairobi, 6000 Kenya Email: resvns@airkenya.com Reservations Tel: (254-20) 391 on 6000 The magazine focuses tourism, Email: travel, resvns@airkenya.com hospitality, leisure, conservation and aviation related news in the East TheAfrican magazine focuses on tourism, region and beyond. hospitality, travel, leisure, conservation The views expressed in NDEGE NEWS and aviation related news in the East Magazine do not necessarily reflect those African regionEXPRESS, and beyond. of either AIRKENYA REGIONAL views expressed in NDEGEUGANDA. NEWS AIRThe SERVICES and / or AEROLINK Magazine do not necessarily reflect those of either AIRKENYA EXPRESS, REGIONAL © 2023 AIR SERVICES / or AEROLINK All rights and reserved. No part ofUGANDA. this magazine may be reproduced by any 2023 means without©permission from the All rights reserved. No part of this Publisher. magazine may be reproduced by any means without permission from the Publisher.
ndege
FREE COPY
DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024
AIRKENYA, AEROLINK UGANDA & REGIONAL AIR INFLIGHT MAGAZINE
NEWS
Saving Uganda’s Endangered Pangolins A Marathon of Dedication Supporting Rangers through Lewa's Wildlife Race
Hollie M’gog
A Taste for Travel at 70!
A Solo Escape to Cottar's 1920s Camp
Bwindi's Wonders Chasing Waterfalls, Meeting Gorillas
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Editor, Ndege News
BOOK ONLINE
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Cover My Story Martin Aijuka Depories
“I don't remember when I started art, but I found myself doing children's art in clay, drawing on the ground in dust, drawing in ruled books that were meant for other subjects and by fourteen years I considered myself to be a ‘real’ artist!”
Most visitors save for many years for two maybe three treks that will allow them a peek into the lives of the Mountain Gorillas who’s only remaining habitat lies in the Virunga massif, shared by Uganda, DRC and Rwanda, or in Uganda’s famous Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Martin has merged two intense passions – wildlife and art, specifically the iconic mountain gorilla. Born in 1981 to a master-basketand-mat weaver, his mother, and an artistic father, he found that society outside his home placed no value on his blossoming artistic skills. His schools discouraged it saying it was for the dull and lazy and, with the backing of his father and hobby-weaving mother, Martin doggedly pursued his art to bachelor level at Makerere University in Kampala. ‘I am surrounded by unlimited inspirations in nature,’ Martin says, ‘art refreshes my mind and I use it as my leisure activity. I eat, I pray, I think art!’ Indeed, Martin’s art shows just how deep his appreciation of the gentle gorilla is, he also showcases cultures, traditional dress, playing children and his natural surroundings, including soils, vegetation and weather, mostly in charcoal which is his preferred medium, but oil and acrylic, realism and abstract are all forms he experiments with. It may not be easy to obtain materials at the time he needs them, but returning visitors bring art supplies that he is unable to obtain in-country. Many of those returnees have one, two or even three of Martin’s drawings, framed
and hung with pride to remind them of lifetime experiences in the forests of East Africa. Martin is one of the few rural creatives who makes a living now as a full-time artist, but he has no plans to let this luck stay only with him. He teaches and works with other young artists to encourage them to give back to their communities by documenting their lives in their own rural villages. He makes a point to visit villages that never receive any form of art exposure to encourage those with potential, he supports them with paper, crayons, pens and pencils, but also opens their eyes to the free mediums around them – clays and resins, natural dyes and other raw materials. Children are naturally curious and creative and often bubble over with new ideas that they creatively mould into art. His only sadness that his own village has still not adopted fresh outlooks on the value of artistic skills despite his own journey and ability to earn more than a living. Martin’s art gives him his identity. He wears this with pride and as a badge of honour. He loves to sit quietly, the birds and the insects all around him, watching, thinking, creatively inspiring new art, new perspectives and new ideas in his own mind, that hopefully, one day will greet the world in new canvases for sale to those who wish to take home more than photographs. Aijuka Martin Depories: gorillasart@gmail.com
NDEGE NEWS | DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024 | 7
BOOK REVIEW
Don't Shake the Mango Tree - Tales of a Scottish Maasai – Author Graeme Forbes-Smith - General manager of a luxury Amboseli NP safari lodge At age fifty, Graeme and Candy have a mid-life crisis! They abandon their comfortable Edinburgh life and move to Tanzania where they rent a cottage on a deserted beach near the abode of an old friend whom they find themselves burying when he tragically dies. Out of the blue they accept a job to manage a luxury safari lodge in the middle of the wild African bush. Surrounded by witch doctors and an array of eccentric and exotic friends, they set out on a new career while surviving bouts of malaria, scorpion stings and encounters with lions. As the years pass, their life becomes an exciting rollercoaster of emotions and madcap adventures as they are submerged into the local culture and gradually become respected members of the Maasai community. Floating on the surface like swans, they paddle furiously below water as they cater to their international guests' every whim. Life is not dull. Each tale is told with a touching blend of humour, tragedy, gratitude and joy. Graeme and Candy fell in love with Africa. Reading this book, it is impossible not to do the same. www.dontshakethemangotree.com Voted best book to read on holiday for 2023/ 2024 by Justonefortheroad.com International travel website. Amazon reviews : Nancy – USA This book is a must read for anyone going on safari or looking for an insiders experience living and working in the bush…… SMC – USA- I read a few pages a night; it was like word candy. I savored every page, every phrase, every image. The book gave me a mental framework for what I felt in my heart in visiting east Africa: the delightful wonderful people — Maasai and others— an homage to the layered soul of Africa that resonates in all of us………
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Amanda – Australia Such a great read of someone falling in love with the African bush, it’s people and culture. I thoroughly enjoyed Graeme’s honest, direct storytelling that perfectly created a mind picture of all the characters and hilarious situations he and Candy experienced as newcomers to this incredible continent.. Anne E – USA This book is so densely packed with extraordinary tales and an array of emotions from joy to hilarity to tragedy I want to read it again, word for word, to experience it even more fully. It's a book that will make you laugh out loud at times and at other times it will take your breath away with poignancy. Libby –UK Some books are a slow burn - this is not one of them! Right from the off Graeme had me entranced and I don’t think I’ve ever felt so many emotions in the first chapter of a book …. it was a rollercoaster that had me laughing one minute, sobbing the next. Beautifully written, with humour, compassion and a deep rooted love for East Africa.
NEWS UPDATES
Collaring of Grevy Zebras Grevy Zebras are the most threatened of the three species of zebra. Of the other two species, the plains zebras are common in most game reserves in Africa, while the mountain zebra (Cape and Hartmann’s) occur in the Western and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa and in south-western Angola and western Namibia respectively. According to The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) fewer than 3,000 Grevy individuals remain globally making their conservation crucial. Historically, the species inhabited the semi-arid scrublands and plains of Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti and Kenya. However, due to rapid declines in their population, they are now confined to southern Ethiopia and northern Kenya. Collars, which incorporate GPS and other tracking technologies monitor the movement patterns of the zebras. By tracking their movements, conservationists can identify potential conflicts and implement measures to mitigate any adverse impacts on the zebras in their natural behaviour or habitat. In order to strike a balance between conservation and development, this exercise seeks to demonstrate that infrastructure projects like LAPSSET can coexist with the protection of endangered species and their habitats. Understanding how the zebras interact with these developments will help inform conservation strategies and ensure that their needs are considered in the planning and execution of such projects.
The areas covered in the exercise include Shaba, Buffalo Springs and Samburu National Reserves, Lojuk and Baragoi, which are critical habitats for Grevy’s Zebras. This collaborative effort exemplifies the importance of balancing development and conservation efforts to protect endangered species and their ecosystems while pursuing economic growth and regional integration in Kenya.
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KWS Receives Equipment from WWF to Aid Conservation KWS Director General Dr Erustus Kanga has received donations from World Wildlife Fund (WWF) worth over 38 million shillings to aid rangers in operations to protect wildlife. The equipment will be a big morale booster to rangers, translating to enhanced protection of wildlife. The equipment includes, amongst other things sleeping bags, bed rolls, raincoats, cape ponchos, mosquito nets, day sacks, mole bags, camelbacks, mess tins, tactical torches and binoculars. Some of the donated equipment will go to rangers in Ol Jogi and Ol Pejeta private Conservancies. The donations are part of Rangers Technology, Tools and Training to Counter Wildlife Trafficking in Kenya project that was conceptualised in 2021 by WWF, and is envisioned to be completed by December this year. The project aims to strengthen Kenya’s domestic anti-poaching ranger force, that brings together KWS and private conservancies, to be better trained and equipped with modern night vision thermal technology to successfully protect Kenya’s wildlife and enforce wildlife trafficking laws.
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AIRKENYA NEWS UPDATE
Tuesday, 24th October, marked a special day as the #airkenyateam, guided by Maryanne Ng’anga, Reservations Manager, brought essential supplies to Emarti Primary School students in Maasai Mara, supporting them as they prepared for their final exams.
Twice as Nice in 2023: In addition to wining the World Travel Award for Best Domestic Safari Carrier, AirKenya shined again to win, Receiving the Ecowarrior Award for Best Air Safari Operator in Promoting Best Practices in Operations
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REGIONAL AIR / AEROLINK NEWS UPDATE
Regional Air team came together for a#WorldCleanUp Day! On September 16th, our team and their families transformed cleanup into a day of joy and unity, showing that caring for our planet can be a fun family affair.
Cheerful Smiles Light Up the Tanzania National Swimming Open Championship held at IST Masaki! As proud sponsors we joined the kids as they competed and happily donated tickets to Zanzibar.
Aerolink's Country Manager Captain Catherine Mugo and Sales Manager Rajah Njeri visit Oribags, exploring innovative partnerships for a greener future
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ADVERTORIAL
Give Your Child a Different View on the World Around Them at Pembroke House Fresh from my teacher training, Pembroke House School, was my first qualified post. Inspired by a gap year coaching cricket in Zimbabwe, I knew that East Africa was still calling and so as a young, considerably fitter and overly enthusiastic geography teacher I returned to a part of the world that I was keen to call home again. Those three years at Pembroke House cemented my love of the teaching profession and crucially set the bar high with how I perceived ‘outstanding’ boarding schools should be. Roll on 25 years and I have recently chosen to return to this wonderful IAPS Prep school but this time with my family in tow, to relive the ‘African Dream’. Since my original time in Gilgil, the school has grown considerably. From a new theatre space and an inviting library, to a school café and lots of new touches such as a climbing wall and astro turf to revamp the sports hall, yet the Pembroke quirks that I so fondly remembered still remain. Shack land, the boatie lake and the dinky safari race are still much part of the school life. And crucially, the same Pembroke spirit is very much alive. So are the guinea fowl who dart around the school lawn. Sports continue to be a strong focus at Pembroke and we can still hold our own against the Nairobi schools. I think our parents still shout the loudest from the touchline! We are also beginning to shout loudly about the schools’ commitment to a sustainable future with a strong environmental drive that will see the creation of the school’s own farm and plans to re-wild parts of the site to increase the biodiversity. Numbers on roll have increased with the introduction of the Pre Prep department a few years back and with representation from 28 different nationalities, the school is rich in diversity yet still united in its sense of community.
The school also now welcomes a number of ‘sabbatical’ pupils who join us for a single term to experience a completely different schooling experience and widen their perspective on the world. What a remarkable opportunity! The school really is as unique and the children as spirited and inquisitive as I remember. My girls have quickly embraced their new surroundings and the opportunities available to them – learning to wobble board on the skate track, building confidence in their horse-riding lessons, training with the swim quad, performing with the Martlet Band, representing the school in cricket and hockey, trialling the new motoX course, being part of the senior play performance and being ‘flexi’ boarders that suits our family life. They have also had remarkable school trips to Laikipia and my eldest has climbed Mt Longonot in preparation of her Mt Kenya climb in Year 8. As Head of STEAM, my second ‘innings’ at Pembroke sees me based in the brand new STEAM centre – a creative, stand -alone building kindly funded by the Pembroke Foundation. This light and bright learning space is also the
digital hub of the school where children can work from desktops or their chrome books – learning coding or working on creating their own digital profiles, ready for senior school applications, with most children now venturing back to the UK or South Africa to continue their studies, often with top scholarships in place. STEAM combines the core subjects of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths into a dedicated lesson where the children work together on projects that are designed to bring together their skills in a more modern day approach that will prepare them well for their future careers. Whether they are designing their dream house or building aeroplanes in my class, they may also just become the architects or pilots of the future! Pembroke House will be celebrating its centenary in 2027 and if the last 100 years is anything to go by then it will continue to evolve and grow beautifully, just like the campus on which it sits in the heart of the Rift Valley.
www.pembrokehouse.sc.ke registrar@pembrokehouse.sc.ke @pembroke_house_school
NDEGE NEWS | DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024 | 15
A Global Community Comes Together for A Water Point in Samburu Samburu is known for the beautiful desert-like landscape, big herds of elephants, oryx, Grevy’s zebras and of course the striking Samburu people. Their colourful shukas and beaded collars are an arresting sight in the browns of the desert landscape. Samburu is, like many regions across the world, on the front line of climate change. Rainfall patterns have changed and the people who call this region home, say the rain no longer comes as often or stays as long. Enter The Samburu Project. Every year, this small organisation works to provide clean-water access to ten communities suffering from extreme drought. This year, one of those communities is Konyek, located in
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the Westgate conservancy in the heart of Samburu East.
an ambitious project. Finally, early this year, that donor found TSP.
Members of the Konyek community applied to The Samburu Project for water relief in 2020, during the height of the pandemic. A hydrogeological survey was conducted of the surrounding land, and the findings were good. There was water! The community didn’t believe it. Other organisations and even the government had promised them water in the past but no water had ever come. The bad news: The water was very deep and would require twice the funding as a standard handpump. Throughout the pandemic, TSP looked for a donor who would be willing to support such
Earlier this year a German tourist travelled to Samburu to fulfil a childhood dream of riding a camel from which this generous citizen of the world experienced first-hand the beauty of the Samburu desert. He also learned about the dramatic effects that climate change is having in this part of the world. Compelled to take action, he pledged his support to the TSP to fund a water project for the people he met there. With the geological work already complete The Samburu Project was able to quickly set the wheels in motion. Drilling began in June to
great fanfare as the locals watched the drill-rig arrive at their village. Over a week, the drillers worked and the rig drilled deeper and deeper into the earth. Finally, the water came spurting out of the ground! There was great joy and celebration, dancing and songs of gratitude. The community immediately started filling their jerry cans with clean water.
Joyce Lenakapa could not believe water would be found in this dry place; ‘clean water is something I have not seen often and now we have it our children will no longer get sick. I can start a business with the new time I have found and my community can focus on starting a school for the young children.’ The well at Konyek is a ‘clear-water’ example of how a global community can come together to have a positive and life-changing effect in the lives of communities against climate change. Businesses, non-profits and private citizens came together to provide the vital resource of water to a rural community in Kenya. You can learn more and see the moment the water came out of the earth in Konyek in The Samburu Project’s video A Water Story on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=xpE1ek9PE64&t=8s WaterIsLife.
AirKenya is a proud partner of The Samburu Project.
NDEGE NEWS | DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024 | 17
NEWS UPDATES
BLOSSOMS & BEYOND
Scadoxous multiflorus An incredibly beautiful sub-Saharan lilly that grows from a "rhizomatous bulb." It will start to appear just after the rains, often at the base of the trees. Often seen in the Masai Mara, in Kidepo and Murchison falls and of course all of Northern Tanzania from Tarangirie to Rubondo island on Lake Victoria. That globe-shaped top is called an umbel and can have up to 200 little flowers. There are three recognized subspecies. Strongly toxic like other Scadoxus species, it has been used traditionally as a concoction used to coat the tips of poison-arrows, also in fishing poisons and of course in traditional medicine. You’ll see in my ‘editor’s photo’ I am posing with six umbels - this is the first time I have seen so many and thus I had to stop and get the obligatory photo! 18 | NDEGE NEWS |DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024
Fireball Lilly
NEWS UPDATES
THE BIRDS & THE BEES
Ficus spp This is one of nature’s most incredible stories. The world has nearly 900 species of figs (ficus) and therefore nearly 900 species of fig-wasps. Yes, that’s right - each fig species is pollinated by only one species of fig-wasp. This is called co-evolution and means that neither species can exist without the other. Inside each fig fruit is a secret garden of flowers. Yes, the flowers are on the inside! Wasps mature from eggs deposited inside among these flowers. Blind, wingless males emerge and search out a female, still in her egg. He chews a hole and mates with her before she has even hatched! He may then dig an escape tunnel for the female just before he dies – never leaving the fig. The female uses the tunnel, in departing, she passes by many male flowers and emerges covered with pollen. During her brief adult life (as short as two days), she flies into the forest to fertilise another fig and deposit another generation of fig wasps. 20 | NDEGE NEWS |DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024
The Fig Wasp
NDEGE NEWS | DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024 | 21
The Triad: Lion Conservation, Communities and Coexistence With the help of supporters, the Born Free Foundation, an international wildlife charity, is working with local communities to protect threatened wild animals, including lions, in Meru Conservation Area, Kenya. In 2014, Born Free launched a major conservation programme to protect and monitor lions in Meru Conservation Area. Pride of Meru aims to safeguard the lions’ future by protecting ecologically viable populations, as well as their prey and their habitat, through an enhanced human-carnivore ‘coexistence model’ – helping people and lions to live together without conflict. Born Free’s team works hard to monitor and understand the lions and driving along Meru National Park roads taking photographs of individuals encountered. They focus on the head of each lion, because Born Free uses whisker spot patterns for identification. Every lion has a distinct, unique pattern of whisker spots, rather like human fingerprints.
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Other identifying features are noted, including any nose scars or broken teeth, as well as each lion’s size and colour. Born Free maintains a comprehensive database of lions, updating whenever new individuals are identified. Based on available data, Born Free approximates Meru National Park’s 870km2 is currently home to between 70-90 lions. Routine lion monitoring also helps the team understand the lions’ social structures, their ‘demographic status’ (the characteristics of the population), ranging patterns, prey preferences and availability, as well as any interactions between lions and humans, and the challenges the lions face. This information helps shape Born Free’s conservation work for these apex carnivores. Lions are iconic. However, these magnificent predators can become injured when hunting – buffaloes use their horns to defend themselves, while giraffes have a powerful and potentially
deadly kick. As every individual lion is precious to the population and to us, Born Free’s team responds to any incidences of sick or injured lions, contacting the resident Kenya Wildlife Service vet to administer suitable treatment. Over the years, Born Free’s Pride of Meru team has also helped rescue several lions from deadly wire snares, set illegally to trap wild animals for meat. Recent rescues include Cheri, a young lioness in a large family of Meru lions known as Elsa’s Pride, who was found with an injury on her head in July 2023. This was probably the result of a skirmish with another lion. Then in September 2023, another lioness Chebby – from the Bisanadi Pride and mother to a pair of three-months old cubs – was found with an injury on her lower jaw, probably due to a kick from a buffalo. Thankfully, she and Cheri were both successfully treated in the field and the Born Free team is following up on their recovery. To
strengthen
their
community
ADVERTORIAL
conservation work, Born Free has recruited a team of five Conservation Ambassadors, from local ‘conflict hotspots’, who help manage negative interactions between people and carnivores in Meru. They work to protect the communities and lions across five locations, recording conflict events and helping develop practical, humane solutions. The work of the conservation ambassadors includes: • Monitoring and reporting human-wildlife conflict • Implementing simple and cost-effective solutions • Monitoring wildlife movement within community areas around Meru • Educating people on the need for peaceful coexistence with wildlife • Giving advice for local finance solutions such as Village Savings and Loan Associations. The Ambassadors work in collaboration with the local administration, who often invite Born Free to their barazas (public meetings). Born Free seizes every opportunity to promote coexistence between people and wildlife! The Ambassadors are strengthening Born Free’s bond with the communities around Meru and showing how it is
PHOTOS © GEORGE LOGAN
possible to develop solutions to help people, lions and other carnivores, to live peacefully alongside each other. Meru’s neighbouring communities are largely agro-pastoralists and lion home ranges can extend to community lands. So, it is important to put mitigation mechanisms into place to reduce the adverse effects of carnivore depredation on livestock. Born Free has deployed various innovative techniques to mitigate such conflict and promote co-existence. One such technique is ’predator deterrent lights’, which have been found to be effective in significantly reducing livestock loss due to depredation by lions and other carnivores. In the areas where the lights have been installed,
livestock farmers reported an incredible reduction in carnivore attacks of cattle, goats and sheep inside the livestock bomas. Born Free has installed 192 predator deterrent lights around the perimeter of 24 bomas (traditional livestock enclosures). Meanwhile, the low-cost ‘cow eye technique’ mitigates human-lion conflict in grazing fields during the daytime. Painting artificial eyes spots on cows’ hindquarters deters ambush predators like lions and leopards, significantly increasing the cows’ survival and thus reducing people attacking predators in retaliation. Born Free has painted eyes on the rumps of 138 cows to discourage lion attacks. Born Free is also trialing predator proof bomas in Meru ecosystem – reinforcing traditional bomas with strong metal posts and chain-link fencing to help prevent lion attacks - which have already proven successful in Amboseli. If found to be effective in Meru, this will be rolled out on a larger scale. To encourage good community relationships, Born Free also held six ‘Humour-to-Conserve' sessions in collaboration with the Kangaroo Actors organisation, using humour to tell stories and encourage involvement in conservation. Born Free organised 15 local football matches in the ‘Kick-to-Conserve' initiative amongst communities bordering the park. Sporting activities can be a vital tool for conservation, so Born Free has embraced football to enhance awareness among players and fans alike. Before matches commence, Born Free gives a talk that embraces conservation, such as taking care of the natural environment and growing trees, as well as avoiding harmful practices such as hunting wildlife for bushmeat. If you would like to find out more about Born Free’s conservation work in Meru visit www.bornfree.org.uk/ where-we-work/kenya/ and you can support this work by adopting Elsa’s Pride of lions at: www.bornfree.org.uk/ adopt NDEGE NDEGE NEWS NEWS | | DECEMBER DECEMBER 2023 2023 -- FEBRUARY FEBRUARY 2024 2024 | | 23 23
FEATURE
A Marathon of Dedication Supporting Rangers through Lewa's Wildlife Race Harriet James The courageous rangers stood in a straight line, poised, each with a 22-kg bag full of stones. They were filled with anticipation; their minds were focused; the tension in the air was palpable, their nervousness clearly visible on their faces. These tireless and resilient heroes would be running in a team of four, each drawn from the eleven conservancies that signed up, and their greatest test would be that of endurance. To prove how fit they are and how well they can run together as one. They explode into motion at the sound of the starting gun. Between June and September 2023 that gun started more than 1,500 rangers off in 103 teams from 20 African countries, carrying 22kg for 21 kilometres. Could you do that? This challenge is the fourth annual Wildlife Ranger Challenge,
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coordinated by Tusk and the Game Rangers Association of Africa (GRAA). It is a multi-million-dollar fundraising initiative that features a series of fitness challenges that culminate in this endurance run. The initiative is meant to unite them in a call for funding and awareness of the plight of rangers on the continent. Despite the fact that conservation rangers work tirelessly day and night, putting their lives on the line across Africa’s harsh terrain to protect our planet’s endangered species and ecosystems, they face a myriad of challenges: Long hours and nights under the open skies, harsh weather and the threat of animal attacks, low salaries without benefits or insurance. I ask again – would you protect our last wilderness spaces for these returns? And nor should they be asked to leave families in homes far away for so little acknowledgement.
Of the 89 percent of rangers surveyed across Africa, 40 percent were not covered by health insurance, 50 percent had no life insurance, and 60 percent had no long-term disability insurance. 2023 saw the instigation of regional races, with events taking place in Uganda, Zambia and South Africa, giving ranger teams the opportunity to compete directly with their counterparts. Thousands of rangers took part virtually too from their respective protected areas across the African continent. In Kenya, the event took place at Lewa Conservancy. “It has been exciting to see the growth of the Wildlife Ranger Challenge amongst our profession. For the first time ever, we hosted teams from different areas who enjoyed gathering to test themselves against their colleagues. The competition built camaraderie and fostered a sense of collaboration
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and togetherness amongst ranger teams. Even as they competed, they ran together in solidarity. It is inspiring to see the passion, tenacity and teamwork on display as rangers unite for a common cause across the continent,” says Andrew Campbell, Chief Executive at the Game Rangers’ Association of Africa. Launched in 2020 to fundraise and support the welfare of rangers affected by the pandemic, the Wildlife Ranger Challenge campaign has so far raised over $16 million and connected hundreds of rangers from 24 African countries with many thousands of supporters from more than 90 countries around the world. “As the campaign enters its fourth year, we are inspired to see such exponential growth in collaboration, competition and goodwill amongst our protected area partners. We are grateful for the extraordinary philanthropic support provided by the Scheinberg Relief Fund, EJF Philanthropies, and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance." Franco Kasana, a ranger and team leader at Loisaba, has been training with his team for the past two months to ensure that they are fit
FRO TOP: Lewa team who emerged the third; Rangers queuing as their luggage is weighed for the race
for the challenge. ‘It is waking early and running for two hours at 6am in tough terrain and all this before work!’ he grins in a way that betrays his tough fitness. ‘And it all paid off,’ he smiled triumphantly ‘we won the event! This is because of the determination and dedication from my team. Our leaders also gave us morals to do this, and that’s how we got here. Carrying the heavy bag required patience, tolerance, and endurance, and that’s what made us win. We would cheer each other up whenever we saw our friends in the race being defeated by the challenge.
We had the slogan kazana twende, and we would tell each other, and that made us have one spirit,” recalls Franco. The 24-year-old was inspired to be a ranger one year ago after failing to be selected to be part of the police unit. Now, he has found a new passion to live for and something that puts food on the table: being a ranger. But despite the passion, the job comes with its own share of challenges. “Sometimes we go on patrol and meet wild animals, before I was
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afraid and feared they would want to kill us, but now we have learned to read their behaviours and to move quickly to safety. In this job we learn more about wildlife and the tactics to escape any danger.’ Others have spoken of the danger in facing poachers, but many are most proud of bringing peace and stability to communities by helping to solve the cattle raiding. Edwin Kinyanjui, head of the conservation and education department at Mount Kenya Trust, believes that the challenge was a great way of uniting rangers across the world and assisting in creating awareness of their plight. ‘We are used to being by ourselves, but the challenge has brought us together as rangers. The different segments are also useful as they have enabled rangers to utilise their free time well, now we engage in exercises, and the quizzes have assisted rangers to become knowledgeable in world affairs.’ Edward Nderitu, the head of the antipoaching unit in Lewa, believes that the challenge instilled discipline in the team and showcased the tough training that rangers in Africa go through to carry out their role. A role that perhaps more safari visitors should be aware of. ‘This race was more about showing off how fit our rangers are! We want to show the world that the difficult terrain we work in, the training we undergo, the donors who support us allow us to conserve for future generations.’ He added that presently, because of awareness, rangers are becoming recognised, starting with the award that he himself received in 2015. “I would say that governments presently recognise rangers, and in
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Loisaba team members who emerged the winners at the event
some countries like ours, during the pandemic, a kitty was set aside for them. Even now, in the community, people are appreciating our work and knowing that we are here to preserve the wildlife and to keep them safe. Travelling outside of Kenya to collect my award was a privilege. I shook the hand of Prince William of the Tusk Trust and he in turn learnt of my work in Lewa. I felt that I was honoured. It was good. I realized that we are not alone in this journey and that people recognize our work.’ On top of the $16 million, the founding donor, the Scheinberg Relief Fund, generously committed $1 million in matched funds to support those rangers most in need in 2023. In addition, a global, collaborative public fundraising campaign for the Wildlife Ranger Challenge has the additional goal of raising $3 million to support
thousands of as-yet-unsupported rangers in the field. ‘By having rangers participate in these stacked challenges, we increase awareness of the difficulties they face. With the funds, we have managed to improve infrastructure facilities and medical equipment training for rangers. We are instigating a ranger insurance scheme. Our aim is to ensure that a ranger is a recognised profession in the world, to do this we must change the public perception of what it means to be a ranger. They are not just men in boots with guns; they are ecologists, community education officers, mothers, fathers. Their job is all-encompassing,’ concludes Sara Watsman, director of programs for the Tusk Trust and the organizer of the Wildlife Ranger Events.
How to get there AirKenya operates daily flights from Wilson Airport to Lewa and its surrounding conservancies.
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Saving Uganda’s Endangered Pangolins, One at a Time Part One of Two (Part Two in March 2024 Edition) By Anne Calcagno
“I formerly worked as a ranger in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, protecting the gorillas. I left due to a work injury. I became the Ugandan representative on behalf of the organization Global Rights for Elephants and Rhinos. Perhaps you’ve heard of the yearly Global March Against Extinction of Elephants and Rhinos? It occurs in over 130 cities in the world – literally from Hong Kong to Washington. While working for them I discovered the high rate at which pangolins were going extinct. I developed presentations to build awareness of them. I began receiving calls about captured pangolins needing rescue.” Moses Arineitwe may be a maverick. But one entirely dedicated to pangolins. A Pangolin on a tree
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PHOTO © MOSES ARINEITWE
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I land at Uganda’s Kihihi airport where experienced tour guide Gordon Kwikiiriza awaits with his safari vehicle. I’ll be settling into Gorilla Bluff Lodge in Bwindi before going on safari drives that will exceed my wildest dreams. From the life-changing experience of standing feet away from habituated Mountain gorilla troops in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, to groggily waking up in the dark to spot lions at dawn in Queen Elizabeth National Park, to sighting a leopard sprinting across the savannah and another lounging majestically in a sausage tree. I encounter the national animals heralded on Ugandan currency: grey crowned cranes and elegant kob antelope. On safari, we will come upon a parade of elephants, baboons carrying babies, black-andwhite Colobus and blue monkeys swinging through trees, trotting warthogs, African buffalo flanked by white egrets, and later, in the Kazinga Channel, noisy bloats of submerged hippopotamuses. In Kibale National Park, I spend hours tracking fast-moving chimpanzees. Relating all this to a local, I was challenged, “But have you seen a pangolin?” I research a number of Internet sites and discover, repeatedly, the statement: Pangolins are the least known, and most illegally trafficked mammal in the world.” I am mortified I was not aware. Uganda is home to three of the four pangolin species found in Africa: The Ground Pangolin, Giant Pangolin, and the White Bellied Pangolin, (also known as the Tree Climbing Pangolin). WildAid estimates that, world wide, over 200,000 pangolin a year are poached. In Uganda, two important Pangolin rescue operations – a community operation in Rotango, and an NGO in Kampala with close ties to the highly respected Tikki Hywood Foundation
Moses Arineitwe
– apply very different conservation philosophies to rescuing this criminally endangered species out of the hands of traffickers. In this, Part one of a two-part piece on Pangolin rescue, I focus on the Centre in Rotango. The Pangolin Rescue Centre is a twenty-minute drive north from Bwindi, down a bumpy narrow red clay road. A simple wooden house awaits in a clearing. Inside, a small fund-raising store sells T-Shirts, carved wooden pangolin models, drawings and baskets. Informative posters reveal a creature that looks like a cross between a squat armadillo and a pointy-nosed weasel, its nature described as shy, solitary and largely nocturnal. Founder Moses Arineitwe greets me. Slender and clear-spoken, Moses explains, “Pangolins are so rarely spotted in the wild that its precarious situation lacks enough global mobilization against its extinction. We work diligently with the Ugandan Wildlife Authorities, wishing to be at the
forefront of saving it.” His operation is community-based, boots on the ground, and very locally connected, but it is not an NGO. Since 2015, this operation has rescued and released 158 pangolins. In 2019, BBC Newsday positively featured Moses’ endeavors. Recently, he was the subject of Ellie Stones’ conservation documentary “The Pangolin Man.” In an area of dire poverty, where animal needs must be tackled in relation to real human needs, Moses has inspired an expanding community of farmers, wildlife lovers, and reformed traffickers to act as unpaid informants for the sake of saving pangolins. Warmed by the golden afternoon light, I accompany Moses on tour of the grounds. We pass secured outdoor enclosures where pangolin are first treated in isolation. “Some have been handled carelessly in the wrong hands, they arrive injured or suffering from high stress levels. Delivering them back out immediately in the wild like that, they might die.” NDEGE NEWS | DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024 | 29
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Along the way, hand painted white signs informs me: “Pangolin babies ride on their mother’s backs.” And, “A pangolin’s tongue is as long as its body.” But they have no teeth. Moses guides me to the rehabilitation area where healed pangolins readjust to nature – which is when a visitor like me can observe (but not handle) them – before their release into the wild. Different pangolin rescue operations discourage outsider visits, fearing the possible spread off zoonotic diseases. Moses assures me there have been no such cases under his watch. “I believe that when people see them, they are really moved to activate for their protection.” One pangolin peers from an open crate, cautiously sniffing out this environment’s new smells. Another is circling the roots of a tree, claws
digging madly, head plunged down to extricate delicious termites, its brown scales flexing in delicate synchronicity with its body’s twists and turns. Its eyes close intermittently in an expression of what I think is pure bliss, but in fact pangolins must protect their eyes & nostrils from the stings of soldier ants. Moses points to a tree’s crown. High up, hard to spot because it camouflages so perfectly with the trunk’s bark, a pangolin clambers up and down, nose and snout investigating choice insects, its long tail wrapping around limbs. The Centre’s staff keep an eye on each pangolin. Wiping his brow, Moses explains, “Their most serious threat comes from poachers. Pangolins are the
only mammals wholly covered in scales. Only their soft undersides have sparse fur. Their overlapping scales tighten and curve so it can roll up into a tight, still ball. This is their primary defense, effective against most predators except humans. Like the Rhino’s horn, their scales are made from keratin, the same protein that forms human hair and fingernails. They get slaughtered for their scales, which are illegally sought after by Asian dealers, to be ground down into traditional local medicine. How can there be special medical value in harvesting the equivalent of fingernails?” Walking back to the Centre, anger rises in me over the fate of these inoffensive burrowers who pose no threat to humans. Besides, they work so hard at being extremely efficient agents in controlling the extensive ants and termites of Uganda’s ecosystem. The Pangolin Rescue Centre depends on donations, and, in the world of animal conservation, following an organization’s money trail is one of the best ways to discover fund misappropriation. Arineitwe’s has never been found guilty of such. “Many people believe that only NGOs are legitimate. But running a non-profit is more expensive than I can afford.” He doesn’t add what I believe to be true, which is that too few African-run rescue operations are helped to grow, rebuffed as they are from getting essential international funding.
Child visiting PRC
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And he has been quite inventive. Because he works closely with reformed poachers, “some of whom it gives me deep pleasure to have hired here, we understand that even they must still make a living to meaningfully sustain themselves and their families.” This is why, on the Centre’s land, I encounter
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Pangolin Rescue Centre
a bee-keeping and beeswax soap-making, a large vegetablegrowing garden, a man-made catfish pond replenished twice-yearly, and a women-led oyster-mushroom cultivation project. To fight any worthy cause, is also to discover all the more that could be done. I think back to what brought me to Uganda. I was drawn to its strict small-group safari policies and forward-thinking protocols for protecting its rich and rare endangered wildlife. And, in every way, my trip exceeded my expectations. And then, like the best of surprises, I have this life-changing experience of meeting Ugandan Moses Arineitwe. As dusk falls, tree shadows lengthen, birds flit and call. I imagine pangolins
PHOTO © ANNE CALCAGNO
dreaming about nights when they may roam freely again. I ask Moses about the future. He ponders: “I have so many dreams and hopes. We’re very grateful donors helped us buy a motorcycle that permits us to procure termite-full clumps of wood to feed the pangolins while they’re healing. But we need more, and money for fuel. We have no on-site veterinary care. Vets generously offer me guidance in treating wounded pangolins, using our limited supplies, mostly iodine and basic antibiotics. You can imagine how this is insufficient. But then again we are blessed that we are continually releasing rehabilitated pangolins into strictly protected wilderness parks.” The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has become essential for
AeroLink Uganda flies to major national parks on schedule and charters across East Africa.
Anne Calcagno with Bwindi Impenetrable National Park porter
release of African white-bellied (or tree-climbing) forest pangolins. Queen Elizabeth National Park is providing instrumental safety for the savannah-loving Giant Ground pangolin and Temminck’s Ground pangolin. Moses hopes someday there will be funds enough to radio tag and track released pangolins so as to follow up on their needs and progress. “So little is known about this species, it would help pangolins everywhere.” I think to myself; I’ve been to both parks witnessing the bountiful heritage of Uganda’s wise and eco-conscious wild animal preservation. Yet, little did I know that there, unseen, pangolins are fighting for the very right to their existence.
To visit or support, contact: arineitwemoses2014@gmail.com +256 (782) 386-972 Instagram page: pangolinrescuecentreuganda
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FEATURE
Beyond Safari: Pioneer Hospitality College Nurturing Skills & Changing Lives in the Maa Community Laurine Koech
Exemplary success story a MEC alumni sharing first-hand experience with the director after landing himself a job at Kichwa Tembo lodge
A glimpse at the savannah and adjacent Acacia woodland and one would hardly imagine the presence of Maasai Educational Centre, a hospitality training college which was the first of its kind over a decade ago. The Style Hotel School is stylish indeed. The school-cum-lodge is located at the Oreteti Mara Lodge in the 32 | NDEGE NEWS |DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024
Maasai Mara National reserve. It was established in 2011 and has trained over 500 graduates to date. The institution boasts of a 95 percent employment rate in the over 50 lodges across the Maasai Mara National reserve. They aim to change the livelihoods of the community at large by providing a quality education in the hospitality field at an affordable cost.
This then is the 11th year of graduating students and both Mariska Appelman and Adri Hillegers, the co-founders of The Style Foundation, were there with me as I partook in so many proud student moments on behalf of Air Kenya. Mariska Appleman nicknamed “Nashipai’, meaning happiness, by the local residents, is a philanthropist from the Netherlands,
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Triumphant Graduates Celebrate Success at Oreteti Mara with student Interns from Netherlands and MEC Directors,
‘what originated as an idea from an Oloiboin spiritual elder’, she says ‘came into fruition after undertaking thorough research and deliberations. It was hard to make that decision to go ahead! I managed to source for funds from partners and later got a boost from the Dutch government to set up this institution – one that I
really feel has been a game changer in the community.’ A bold step that has changed the lives of so many – local Maa and guests who benefit from the training. ‘We also run exchange programs with students from the Netherlands who come for internships to gain practical
MEC directors sharing beautiful smiles with graduating students
experience and to absorb the warmth and hospitality of a culture so very different to ours.’ ‘And the future?’ I ask, as soon-tograduate interns mingle around us with a fervour of excitement. Nashipai considers carefully. ‘We will maintain the number of students admitted per intake. We will do this in order to sustain the quality of education. Here every student is able to get internships and the manageable number helps us to remain a close-knit family.’ Grow a Tree – Build Our Future The environmental conservation agenda is also a top goal in this training lodge. Trainees will graduate today with knowledge of how to engage in tree planting activities, they will move into their future understanding why and how tree felling causes environmental degradation, how the interconnectedness of life means these activities take a toll on the
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ecology essential to human health and well-being. ‘There are plans’ Nashipai tells me, ‘to set up nine more ecological lodges!’ She does acknowledge that COVID-19 showed that this dependence on tourism for training, jobs and education is possibly unstable. With the reduction of tourist numbers in those years many students were unable to get enough practical experience. On a brighter note though, for most, the time lost was recovered after the pandemic receded. Beyond the Founders Founders open doors but leaders allow people to walk through those open doors. Steve Kibagendi is pacing the floor excited and honoured for this, the 11th year of graduations. He emphasises that the learning is realistic and rounded: Culinary arts, tour guiding, hospitality, front office, computer applications, management, and a cultural program amongst others. ‘All of our trainees’ he tells me ‘come specifically from the Maa community. Those who score a mean grade of C at their O’level examinations can apply and look forward to diploma programs in various hospitality fields. The students sit for IBM examinations which is internationally recognised hence the graduates can work anywhere in the world…. Exciting, isn’t it?’ The excitement contagious.
is
definitely
My experience amongst these soonto-graduate trainees and their mentors was a learning experience in itself. I was amazed at how well culture is merged with education, something perhaps unique in Kenya? There is a 97-year-old tutor who teaches practical traditional knowledge on Maasai cultures, teaches traditional names of different trees species in
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The oldest student Oloiboni gracing the graduation ceremony
terms of bee keeping and medicinal purposes. A leadership exercise is instructed and led by an Oloibon elder who is a Maasai spiritual leader. He instills knowledge on the seven stages of creating respect and wisdom according to the community. In this way traditional knowledge is preserved. ‘Of course, challenges exist’ the principal tells me thoughtfully. ‘There has been a low rate of enrolment, especially of female students. Then comes the times, like now, when applications are overwhelming and yet we can only accept 50 students per intake. Any more and the education drops in quality.’ I wondered how the students viewed their experiences, what would they have to say? Eunice Njapit has completed a one-year diploma course in culinary arts and is jubilant. ‘It has been my
dream to work in hospitality and to look back now on the successful admission, my internship, my leaders …’ she is slightly overwhelmed by the moment and stops mid-sentence. ‘I was lucky,’ she quietly added, ‘my family did not marry me off young, they believed in my future, in my education … now I can be a champion.’ And indeed she can aim high as already she has been offered a full-time position in one of the neighbouring lodges. Jackson Rakwa is 23, suited and booted and ready for a beckoning future. To have scored a diploma in Culinary Arts is a very fine achievement indeed. ‘I entered wanting to be a tour guide,’ he said, ‘it is what I knew, and I discovered through the amazing training that perhaps culinary art was more for me. Others may never get to make those self-discoveries.’ Jackson too was heading into a secured job, this one with Abercrombie and Kent.
For more information: +256 31 733 3000 /+256 776 882205
in aerolinkuganda
+256 776 882203
@aerolinkuganda
info@aerolinkuganda.com
www.aerolinkuganda.com
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www.aerolinkuganda.com
www.airkenya.com
www.regionaltanzania.com
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Bwindi's Wonders Chasing Waterfalls, Meeting Gorillas By Hollie M’gog Bwindi is made up of four known tourist access sections: Buhoma, Ruhija, Nkuringo and Rushaga. Aerolink flew me, fit-and-ready for my gorilla trekking, direct from Murchison Falls into Kihihi which is closest to Buhoma. Uganda offers the visitor so much but travel days detract from the ability to really explore what is on offer. Aerolink really solves that with its direct and scenic flights to all the four corners of the Pearl of Africa: Kidepo Valley in the North-East, Murchison Falls in the North-West, forests, tea and chimps in the West and mountain gorillas in the southern section of the country, either in the Virunga massif or in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Bwindi is a place I have visited again and again. It is a place where nature's wonders seamlessly blend. Bwindi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is celebrated for its extraordinary biodiversity and its crucial role in the conservation of one of the world's most endangered species: the mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei). The Buhoma section is a significant hub for gorilla trekking, offering a unique opportunity to encounter these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat. Somehow or other though, it is visited almost exclusively by trekkers keen to share magic moments with the mountain gorilla; and yet there is so much more: Crystal clear streams and waterfalls to picnic beside, to swim in, butterflies that murmurate in clouds, bird species that would get any novice birder applying for bird clubs, and a culture that permeates the very history of the forest itself.
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The Enchantment of Bwindi's Waterfalls Waterfalls are always enchanting but when they are hidden within the emerald embrace of a forest, they somehow hark back to a time forgotten, to never-ending stories of fairy-lanterns, fireflies and forest sprites. The chuckle of pebbles as they rattle beneath clear splashing water, the lure of little wooden bridges over rushing streams, the croaking frogs and the ever-moving chatter of small forest birds, flashes of turaco-red, kingfisher-blue and pitta-green create a living, pulsating world that pushes away stress and all the real-world considerations that take up our time. We come away from home for adventure, for holiday, for a glimpse into new worlds and for an ability to step back and take on new perspectives. Yes, the mountain gorillas give you that ability but they are still managed and timed, narrated and accompanied. Streams, waterfalls, birds and forest walks give us that oh-so-important ability to listen to silence. To become a part
of the world around us. To not be constantly on-watch, to be able to lie back on chequered picnic blankets … and just be! Mountain Gorillas: The Soul of Bwindi No matter how spell-binding the forest streams, the mountain gorillas are not to be missed. With fewer than 1,000 mountain gorillas left in the world, encountering them in Bwindi is a privilege and a conservation success story.
Extreme conservation is the daily protection of individual gorillas and their families. It is species management, intervention, data collection, medic checks and careful tourism management. Gorillas are, what we in the ecological world call a conservation-dependent species. Without our interventions there would be no conservation success story to tell.
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Team members collect feces at a nest site for genetic evaluation. PHOTO © DR. WINNIE ECKARDT OF THE DIAN FOSSEY GORILLA FUND
Although we, the esteemed gorilla visitors are allowed only one strict hour with them, researchers, trackers, guides, vets and others are always there doing painstaking headcounts, overseeing snare removals, collecting faecal samples that are tested for new or stubborn parasites, checking and recording body conditions, health of the young, keeping an eye on any injuries that may have happened through natural means and conducting DNA analyses that allow for clear gorilla identification. This is overseen by reputable organisations such as the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund whose photos illustrate the great work they do in the Virunga’s specifically. All family lineages are known, characters, temperaments, triggers and more. Those involved in this vast data collection work as and alongside the gorilla habituation teams in 12hr days, trekking through wet forests, down into rocky and vine filled ravines, up and down mountain sides – all this behind-the-scenes means
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we are able to have a safe, memorycreating hour with a species that has been brought back from the brink of extinction. A species that we are able to visit and sit amongst without jeopardising because so much work has been done over the decades to understand the passage of disease transmission between these, some of our closest relatives, and us, a planet-wandering ape with a diet so devolved from the bamboo and leaf munching gorillas of Africa’s two remaining forests: The Virunga’s and Bwindi. Beyond the Gorillas The trekking experience in any part of the forest is not just about seeing gorillas; it's a journey through the moss and lichen filled forests of Bwindi, through a symphony of forest sounds. Knowledgeable guides lead the way, sharing insights about the gorillas they have come to know so well, their behaviour and the challenges they face in the wild. It's a chance to gain a deep appreciation
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for the importance of preserving these magnificent primates and their habitat. Once you find a gorilla family, the magic truly begins. Watching these gentle giants go about their daily lives is a humbling experience. You'll see them play, groom and interact with one another. The interactions and expressions on their faces are surprisingly human-like, making it easy to connect with them on a profound level. Gorilla trekking is not just about the hour you spend with the gorillas. It's about the entire experience, from the hike through the dense forest to the moment you lay eyes on these gentle giants. It's about understanding the conservation efforts and the challenges of protecting these incredible creatures. Conservation and Community Bwindi's conservation efforts are strongly tied to the support of local communities. Revenue generated from gorilla trekking permits contributes to the conservation of mountain gorillas and the preservation of their habitat. Moreover, the park creates job opportunities for the local population, fostering a sense of pride and motivation to protect this natural treasure. Visitors are encouraged to engage with the local communities by participating in cultural experiences, visiting craft shops, and learning about their way of life. This interaction not only adds depth to your journey but also reinforces the connection between responsible tourism and conservation.
you explore this extraordinary part of the world, you'll leave with a heart full of memories, a deeper understanding of the importance of preserving our planet's wonders, and a lasting appreciation for the enchantment of Bwindi.
Bwindi is a place where nature thrives within managed boundaries, where the conservation of an endangered species is a shared responsibility. As
Buhoma of course offers a range of accommodation, from the luxurious to the simple, but Trackers Lodge
Accommodation fit for a Trekker
is something special. Wooden walkways, enormous rooms, hot, spacious showers and a roaring fire in a cosy lounge after a meal that puts all those calories back on! The staff were not only friendly and competent but full of suggestions and ideas that complemented all that I intended to do in my short stay there. A place I cannot recommend enough.
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FEATURE
A Taste for Travel at 70! A Solo Escape to Cottar's 1920s Camp Janet Manuel An AirKenya booking, 40 minutes and an early morning – that is all it takes! Seamlessly you are transported from Wilson and a grey, damp November Nairobi to the Mara plains. A panorama of endless vistas, blue skies and herds of plains game. This is exactly how solo travel at 70 should be... and Cottar’s 1920s Camp delivered like dream. Enock and Giza were not only cheerful and welcoming as I stepped from my 12-seater set of wings, but they are both a tome of wildlife knowledge and expert story-tellers, skills in a wildlife guide that mark excellence. Cottar’s 1920s Camp is situated in the wildlife rich and private Olderkesi Conservancy, bordering the famous Masai Mara National Reserve and the vast Serengeti Plains of Tanzania. They are proudly part of “The Long Run,” a global membership organization which joins tourism with conservation. The Long Run 4Cs framework has been developed to protect the wilderness through a holistic balance of Conservation, Community, Culture and Commerce. The benchmark of success is attaining the prestigious Global Ecosphere Retreat status, and Cottar’s 1920s Camp is one of only ten properties worldwide to have gained this GER recognition. An early morning flight and a host of meagre meals alone at the TV meant that the tastes and tales that accompanied my bush breakfast beneath one of the many iconic sausage trees (Kigelea africana) in the Black Rock Valley were a delight.
40 | NDEGE NEWS |DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024
Morning Coffee
Before me, the plains were dotted with impala, wildebeest, Thomson’s gazelles and zebra. Elephants plodded gently across the horizon as I indulged in a full English breakfast, good conversation, a vista of ages and birdsong all around me; I immediately felt at peace.
looking topi and the more unusual smaller creatures; the leopard tortoise, the agama lizards bobbing on the rocks, banded mongooses going about their business and the many beautiful birds. My highlight, a lifer as they say: A rosy-throated longclaw!
If the tale is in the journey, then mine had only just begun as, over the next few hours, Enock pointed out the Coke’s hartebeest, the befuddled
To travel to Cottar’s 1920s Camp is to travel back in time, to be removed from the mundane and ordinary everyday life and be transported
FEATURE
its cuisine and deservedly so. Bonny, the chef, has complete access to the camp's organic garden, where 80% of the camp's vegetables and fruits are sourced. A passionate gardener himself, Bonny and has made another smaller kitchen garden where he grows micro-greens, herbs and edible flowers to use in his salads and dishes and to decorate the exquisite desserts he serves. My luxurious family tent came with a safari lounge, an open log fire and comfy armchairs beside photographic books for those cold Mara nights; a huge verandah with 180-degree views, a canvas bush bath under the trees and total privacy. Serenity ensured. Daybreak in the bush is a golden moment, and as I dragged myself from a luxurious sleep and into a waiting vehicle, the dawn chorus accompanied us to a coffee stop on top of a high ridge with spectactular views over the Masai Mara plains into the vast Serengeti. Enock found us lions, elephants, giraffe, warthogs, gazelles and more. As we wound along bush tracks we learnt too of different species of flora and plantanimal-insect symbioses.
Bush Breakfast with Enock and Ian
to the old that has become novel and new. The camp feels as if you are stepping into the pages of “Out of Africa,” an era of Karen Blixen and Denys Finch Hatton, an age of glamour, pioneers and explorers. Everywhere were beautiful antiques and relics of a bygone age, old safari trunks, vintage family photos and Persian rugs decorate the tents and mess areas. But the ethos of Cottar’s Safaris is far from 1920s, it is all about the future of safari, about conservation, sustainability, community development and the local Maa culture. It was the very people who have called this land home for many thousands of years who greeted me, by name, as if I were family returning home, and perhaps I was, as immediately I felt at ease – all the trepidation of solo travel seeping into the emerald grasslands. Solo travel at 70 is about new faces, places and activities. Meeting people one might not cross paths with at any other time, learning from them,
As we rounded a leafy corner in a small forest, our thoughts on breakfast, we were met with beautifully laid tables and Mukaka, our bush chef, greeting us from his wild kitchen! Every possible culinary option was laid out for us and Mukaka cooked our choice of eggs to perfection.
Author in a hot tub under the trees
of new cultures and tasting new dishes. But it is also about the luxury of curated peace. Cottar’s 1920s Camp prides itself on
Established in 1919, Cottar’s Safaris is the longest operating family safari business in East Africa, and so is itself part of history. Calvin Cottar, the 4th generation of his family to be in the safari business, hosted us at dinner that evening. Calvin himself is a Kenya Gold Guide and, on several
NDEGE NEWS | DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024 | 41
FEATURE
occasions has been voted best guide in Africa. His story telling is second to none and matches his passion for conservation, sustainability and community development. Cottar’s 1920s Camp is a family friendly camp with lots of educational activities for children and adults alike. The Explorers Tent is full of jars with exciting and fascinating snakes, bugs and butterflies for the children to discover, not to mention the poo table where animal droppings are exhibited and and can be handled and identified by parents as well as their children. It contains many old photos of times gone by, old books including a few first editions and many other Masai and natural history exhibits to browse through. Also on offer is the Masai Warrior School where children and adults can hone their archery and spear throwing skills. A morning of learning with the female conservation rangers, a star gazing experience complete with telescope to discover the African night skies. A medicinal bush walk, a coffee tasting experience and frequent sustainability talks and experiences. In addition guest also have the option to try Masai beading with resident beader Mama
42 | NDEGE NEWS |DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024
TOP FROM LEFT: Camp Lounge; Explorers Tent and Molo Honeymoon Tent
Nashiro, learn about cheetah and elephant projects in the Masai Mara with experts, visit a local Masai village or enjoy an immersive raptor experience with KBoPT ( Kenya Birds of Prey Trust).
and working hard towards being net carbon zero. All waste from the kitchen is recycled and most of the power is solar. Electric vehicles are the next goal.
The Cottar’s Spa offers a full range of treatments from reflexology to hot stone massages and everything in between. Phanice, the Spa Manager uses only organic african ingredients, oils, herbs and essential oils to massage away your stress and jet lag! The camp is proudly plastic free
Cottar’s 1920s Camp is an immersive experience into wildlife and the Masai culture for discerning travellers. It is not a tick-box destination for tourists. As a single, more mature solo traveller I felt welcomed and embraced at all times by the friendly staff who always made sure I was looked after and never felt isolated.
NDEGE NEWS | DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024 | 43
Q&A
From Check-In to Flight Ops to the Sky Get to know Seth Omache a Pilot at AirKenya
biggest threat to our natural wonders. We should also adhere to the regulations stipulated by the relevant authorities while enjoying these facilities as well as promoting the national initiatives that aim at conserving these natural wonders.
1. What is one question you wish people would ask you about your experiences in nature or travel? The question I wish people would ask is “What is the most interesting sighting in your travel?” This provides an opportunity to look back and appreciate that one outstanding feature, phenomena or wildlife that made your travel experience memorable. It makes us appreciate what nature has for us to enjoy. 2. What is your dream destination in terms of cultural experience and why? While I have actualised some of my dream destinations within East Africa, currently, the Caribbean Islands of Dominica, Antigua and Barbados are my dream destinations. I long to experience their distinctive rustic island life, Bajan cuisine and their different musical styles. Their diverse cultural backgrounds from different parts of the world is also something worth experiencing. 3. What is the most awe-inspiring natural phenomenon you've witnessed during your travels? There are a few but the Wildebeest migration across the Mara River tops the list. It is inspiring how millions of wildlife migrate annually without fail to fulfil an important ecological function. This also comes with an epic feast for the crocodiles and the land predators, mostly the lions. It’s definitely my jaw dropping phenomena during the Masai Mara Safari.
44 | NDEGE NEWS |DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024
Seth Omache
Beyond direct conservation efforts, educating the younger generation on how to conserve these wonders and their importance, both ecologically and economically, will ensure their existence for generations to come.
4. Can you share an experience from a place you've visited that made you realize the importance of conservation and preservation?
6. How do you think the experience of flying with AirKenya enhances the journey for travellers heading to these unique destinations?
My recent stay at Naboisho Camp, Naboisho conservancy, Masai Mara, was a good experience and an example on what conservation efforts can achieve. Through the collaboration of the Masai communities, land and wildlife conservation has been achieved and effectively led to an increase of wildlife, especially the Elephant population within the conservancy.
At AirKenya, it’s undoubtedly true to say that the exciting destination mood starts at our Check-in lounge. The warm hearted staff that welcome our travellers through the security and seamless check-in process leaves them only wanting a cup of coffee as they wait for their boarding call. Exactly what a traveller expects.
I appreciated the initiative taken by the camps to promote indigenous tree planting, and community involvement in the running of the conservancy not only for their own benefit but also to the ecosystem at large. 5. What steps do you think we should take now to ensure that the natural wonders of these regions can be enjoyed by future generations? Upholding self-discipline and minding our immediate environment will contribute towards stabilizing and reducing the global warming effects we are experiencing. This is by far the
With well trained and experienced crew with good knowledge of destinations, features en-route and impeccable customer service, AirKenya ensures that the travellers have a safe flight, while enjoying the best sceneries up to their destinations. AirKenya prides its self with the most reliable aircrafts in the region for their task. With our fleet and their individual capabilities, AirKenya ensures that its charter travellers have a wide range to choose from depending on their needs, while the schedule traveller is more than assured of getting to their safari destination on time. Our well-equipped engineering department takes credit for in-time aircraft delivery to service.
Q&A
7. Can you share a story about a time when a passenger's excitement or joy at reaching their destination impacted you? This was on a charter flight from Kilimanjaro to Seronera Airstrip in Serengeti on the Dash 7. I was a flight attendant at that time and we had picked the passengers from a private Jet. The travellers were relatively young and could not stop singing throughout the flight out of their excitement. It was their first time in Serengeti. It was emotional seeing them sigh at every Wildlife they saw. It left me appreciating on how much that safari experience meant to them. 8. How has working with Air Kenya influenced your understanding and appreciation of the diverse cultures within Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania? In my 8 years at AirKenya, I have interacted with people from different cultures within East Africa, either
directly or indirectly. While flying to these destinations, I have had an opportunity to interact, experience and even taste aspects of the different community cultures that host these destinations. In Kenya, I have been blessed to interact with the Samburu culture in the north to the Masai culture in the southwest which has gained fame throughout the world with their red clothing. In Uganda, the pearl of Africa, flying to the west, Gorilla trekking destinations such as Kisoro and Kihihi have enabled me to interact with the Bunyore and Batonkole cultures and even enjoy their “Matoke” delicacies. While in Serengeti, we have been hosted by the Masai cultures and the indigenous communities that live among them. This has helped me to appreciate diversity. Learning and appreciating the different cultures around east Africa would not have been possible without working with AirKenya and I am forever grateful for that. 9. Can you describe a moment when you were reminded of the importance of human connection in your job? AirKenya founded, Emarti School, is blessed to have candidates sit for their national exams each year. Giving
all support that these young students need and having a day out with them before their exams reminds me of human connection. Through this initiative, the students feel appreciated and recognised and builds confidence to face not only the examinations but life challenges. This not only improves the resilience of the children but also lead to a better mental health as it gives them a sense of belonging. I was lucky to be one of the crew who flew those that represented the team this year to Keekorok airstrip, together with the presents for the children. 10. How do you hope to inspire a love for nature and travel in your children or future generations? I will forever tell the tales about safari destinations to those would like to travel and encourage young people to travel and support destinations that promote conservation. It is my hope that we would have collected enough souvenirs that will encourage our children to visit where we got them from. I encourage young people to join the aviation industry and hope that we are a living testimony of what aviation career has to offer. At a personal level, we have a group of young aviators, who advocate for sustainable aviation, which ensures we are mindful of the environment as we also enjoy travelling to our desirable destinations.
NDEGE NEWS | DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024 | 45
AIRKENYA FLIGHT SCHEDULE 2024 AMBOSELI FLT NO FROM TO DEPART ARRIVE P2 883 WILSON AMBOSELI 07:30 08:05 P2 884 AMBOSELI WILSON 08:15 08:50 • Daily service; minimum of 2 pax to operate. • Flight from Amboseli to Wilson connects to Nanyuki, Lewa Downs, Samburu, Meru, and Loisaba at 10:00; Maasai Mara at 10:30 and Kilimanjaro at 13:30. KILIMANJARO FLT NO FROM TO DEPART ARRIVE P2 821 WILSON KILIMANJARO 13:30 14:25 P2 822 KILIMANJARO WILSON 14:40 15:35 • Daily Service; minimum of 4 pax per sector to operate. • Kilimanjaro service is non-operational between 16th March – 15th May and 1st Nov – 20th Dec. • This airport is your gateway to a safari between Kenya & Tanzania as it easily connects to Arusha, Manyara, Kogatende, Lobo with Regional Air Services at 15:30. LEWA DOWNS FLT NO FROM TO DEPART ARRIVE P2 861 WILSON LEWA DOWNS 09:00 10:00 P2 871 WILSON LEWA DOWNS 10:00 11:00 P2 872 LEWA DOWNS WILSON 11:15 13:25 P2 862 LEWA DOWNS MASAI MARA 10:15 12:15 • Daily service; minimum of 2 pax to operate. • Arrival and departure times to/from Lewa Downs may vary significantly by up to 45 minutes depending on aircraft routing over multiple airstrips. • Flight from Lewa to Masai Mara may route via Wilson in low season to connect on the 14:00 flight. • Flight from Lewa to Wilson connects to Kilimanjaro at 13:30 and to Masai Mara at 14:00. • Flight from Masai Mara connects to Lewa via Wilson at 10:00. • Call Airkenya operations on departure date to confirm arrival and pick up times for various airstrips. FLT NO P2 861 P2 871
FROM WILSON WILSON
LOISABA TO LOISABA LOISABA
DEPART 09:00 10:00
ARRIVE 10:00 11:00
P2 872 LOISABA WILSON 11:15 13:25 P2 862 LOISABA MASAI MARA 10:15 12:15 • Daily service; minimum of 2 pax to operate. • Arrival and departure times to/from Loisaba may vary significantly by up to 45 minutes depending on aircraft routing over multiple airstrips. • Flight from Loisaba to Masai Mara may route via Wilson in low season to connect on the 14:00 flight. • Flight from Loisaba to Wilson connects to Kilimanjaro at 13:30 and to Masai Mara at 14:00. • Flight from Masai Mara connects to Loisaba via Wilson at 10:00. • Call Airkenya operations on departure date to confirm arrival and pick up times for various airstrips. FLT NO P2 851 P2 852 P2 853 P2 854 P2 951
FROM WILSON MASAI MARA WILSON MASAI MARA WILSON
MASAI MARA TO MASAI MARA WILSON MASAI MARA WILSON MASAI MARA
DEPART 7:30 08:15 10:30 11:15 14:00
ARRIVE 08:10 09:45 11:10 13:00 14:40
P2 952
MASAI MARA
WILSON
14:45
16:15
• • • • • •
Daily Service; minimum of 2 pax to operate. The inbound flight Masai Mara to Wilson arriving at 09:45 connects to our Wilson-Northern Kenya Services i.e Lewa Loisaba, Meru, Nanyuki and Samburu at 10:00. Masai Mara services operates into multiple airstrips, therefore timings may vary depending on aircraft routing. The arrival and departure times depict the first stop. Call Airkenya operations on departure date to confirm arrival and pick up times for various airstrips.
MASAI MARA *SPECIAL* FLT NO
FROM
TO
DEPART
P2 851
WILSON
MASA MARA
07:30
08:10
P2 952
MASAI MARA
WILSON
14:45
16:15
• • • • • • •
ARRIVE
Daily Service; minimum of 2 pax to operate. Special offer applies to flight departing Wilson at 07:30 and from Mara at 14:45. The inbound flight Masai Mara to Wilson arriving at 09:45 connects to our Wilson-Northern Kenya Services ie. Lewa, Loisaba, Meru, Nanyuki and Samburu at 10:00. Loisaba, Meru, Nanyuki and Samburu at 10:00. Masai Mara services op erates into multiple airstrips, therefore timings may vary depending on aircraft routing. The arrival and departure times depict the first stop. Call Airkenya operations on departure date to confirm arrival and pick up times for various airstrips.
MERU FLT NO
FROM
TO
DEPART
ARRIVE
P2 861
WILSON
MERU
09:00
10:00
P2 871
WILSON
MERU
10:00
11:00
P2 872
MERU
WILSON
11:15
13:25
P2 861
MERU
NANYUKI
10:15
11:00
P2 861
MERU
SAMBURU
10:15
10:30
P2 862
MERU
MASAI MARA
10:15
12:15
• • • • • • •
Daily service; minimum of 2 pax to operate. Arrival and departure times to/from Meru may vary significantly by up to 45 minutes depending on aircraft routing over multiple airstrips. Flight from Meru to Masai Mara may route via Wilson in low season to connect on the 14:00 flight. Flight from Meru to Wilson connects to Kilimanjaro at 13:30 and to Masai Mara at 14:00. Flight from Meru to Samburu is a one-direction service. Flight from Masai Mara connects to Meru via Wilson at 10:00. Call Airkenya operations on departure date to confirm arrival and pick up times for various airstrips.
NANYUKI / KAMOK FLT NO
FROM
TO
DEPART
ARRIVE
P2 861
WILSON
NANYUKI
9:00
10:00
P2 871
WILSON
NANYUKI
10:00
11:00
P2 872
NANYUKI
WILSON
12:30
13:25
P2 871
NANYUKI
MERU
11:15
12:00
P2 862
NANYUKI
MASAI MARA
10:15
12:15
• • • • • •
Daily service to Nanyuiki Civil and Kamok airstrips; minimum of 2 pax to operate. Arrival and departure times to/from Nanyuki/Kamok may vary significantly by up to 45 minutes depending on aircraft routing over multiple airstrips. Flight from Nanyuki Civil/Kamok to Masai Mara may route via Wilson in low season to connect on the 14:00 flight. Flight from Nanyuki Civil/Kamok to Wilson connects to Kilimanjaro at 13:30 and to Masai Mara at 14:00. Flight from Masai Mara connects to Nanyuki Civil/Kamok via Wilson at 10:00. Call Airkenya operations on departure date to confirm arrival and pick up times for various airstrips.
AIRKENYA FLIGHT SCHEDULE 2024 MASAI MARA - UGANDA VV (VIA KISUMU/ENTEBBE)
SAMBURU FLT NO
FROM
TO
DEPART
ARRIVE
P2 861
WILSON
SAMBURU
09:00
10:00
P2 871
WILSON
SAMBURU
10:00
11:00
P2 872
SAMBURU
WILSON
11:15
13:25
P2 862
SAMBURU
MASAI MARA
10:15
12:15
• • • • • •
Daily service to Samburu Kalama; minimum of 2 pax to operate. Arrival and departure times to/from Samburu may vary significantly by up to 45 minutes depending on aircraft routing over multiple airstripes. Flight from Samburu Kalama to Masai Mara may route via Wilson in low season to connect on the 14:00 flight. Flight from Samburu Kalama to Wilson connects to Kilimanjaro at 13:30 and to Masai Mara at 14:00. You can now connect to Samburu Kalama from Masai Mara via Wilson on the morning flight at 10:00. Call Airkenya operations on departure date to confirm arrival and pick up times for various airstrips.
MIGORI / TARIME FLT NO
FROM
TO
DEPART
P2 453
MASAI MARA
MIGORI
08:15
ARRIVE 09:00
P2 453
MASAI MARA
TARIME
08:15
10:10
P2 454
TARIME
MASAI MARA
10:30
12:40
P2 454
MIGORI
MASAI MARA
11:30
12:40
• Daily Service; minimum of 2 pax to operate except 1st April - 31st May & 1st Nov - 20th Dec requires minimum 4 pax. • Service operates into multiple airstrips therefore timings may vary depending on aircraft routing. • The service connects AirKenya Masai Mara services with Regional Air /Auric Air/ Coastal Aviation Serengeti services. MASAI MARA - SERENGETI VV (VIA MIGORI/TARIME) FLT NO
FROM
TO
DEPART
P2/N8 453/422
MASAI MARA
SERONERA
08:15
ARRIVE 11:20
N8/P2 421/454
SERONERA
MASAI MARA
09:15
12:40
P2/N8 453/422
MASAI MARA
KOGATENDE
08:15
11:20
N8/P2 421/454
KOGATENDE
MASAI MARA
09:15
12:40
P2/N8 453/432
MASAI MARA
MANYARA
08:15
12:00
N8/P2 431/454
MANYARA
MASAI MARA
08:40
12:40
P2/N8 453/422
MASAI MARA
FORT IKOMA
08:15
11:20
N8/P2 421/454
FORT IKOMA
MASAI MARA
09:15
12:40
P2/N8 453/422
MASAI MARA
NDUTU
08:15
11:45 12:40
N8/P2 115/454
NDUTU
MASAI MARA
08:00
P2/N8 453/422
MASAI MARA
LOBO
08:15
11:20
N8/P2 421/454
LOBO
MASAI MARA
09:15
12:40
P2/N8 453/422
MASAI MARA
SERENGETI SOUTH
08:15
11:20
N8/P2 421/454
SERENGETI SOUTH
MASAI MARA
09:15
12:40
P2/N8 453/422
MASAI MARA
SASAKWA
08:15
11:20
N8/P2 421/454
SASAKWA
MASAI MARA
09:15
12:40
P2/N8 453/422
MASAI MARA
GRUMETI
08:15
11:20
N8/P2 421/454
GRUMETI
MASAI MARA
09:15
12:40
• Daily Service; minimum of 2 pax to operate except 1st April - 31st May & 1st Nov - 20th Dec requires minimum 4 pax. • Flight services route via Migori and Tarime. • AirKenya provides road transfer and handling between Migori and Tarime. • Service operates into multiple airstrips therefore pick up and drop off timings may vary depending on aircraft routing. • The service connects AirKenya Masai Mara services with Regional Air /Auric Air/ Coastal Aviation Serengeti services.
FLT NO
FROM
TO
DEPART
P2 551
MASAI MARA
KISUMU
08:15
ARRIVE 09:20
P2 552
KISUMU
MASAI MARA
13:25
14:30
P2 551
MASAI MARA
ENTEBBE
08:15
11:00
P2 552
ENTEBBE
MASAI MARA
11:45
14:30
P2 551
KISUMU
ENTEBBE
10:00
11:00
P2 552
ENTEBBE
KISUMU
11:45
12:45
P2/A8* 551/121
MASAI MARA
KIHIHI (BINP)
08:15
14:40
A8*/P2 112/552
KIHIHI
MASAI MARA
09:45
14:30
P2/A8* 551/ 121
MASAI MARA
KASESE/MWEYA (QENP)
08:15
14:15
A8*/P2 112/552
KASESE/MWEYA
MASAI MARA
10:20
14:30
P2/A8* 551/131
MASAI MARA
BUGUNGU
08:15
13:00
P2/A8* 551/131
MASAI MARA
PAKUBA/CHOBE (MFNP)
08:15
13:00
P2/ A8* 551/ 131
MASAI MARA
KIDEPO (KVNP)
08:15
14:45
P2/A8* 551/131
MASAI MARA
PAKUBA/CHOBE (MFNP)
08:15
13:00
P2/ A8* 551/ 131
MASAI MARA
KIDEPO (KVNP)
08:15
14:45
• • • • • • •
This Service operates between 01st-June- 30th September. Mara - Entebbe - Mara Service requires a minimum of 4 pax per sector to operate. Entebbe - Kasese Service will require a minimum of 2 pax while Entebbe-Mweya service requires a minimum of 4 pax to operate. Entebbe - Kidepo Service will require a minimum of 7 pax and will operate on Wed, Fri and Sun. Flight services route via Kisumu and Entebbe Airports for Customs and Immigration. Service into multiple airstrips therefore pick up and drop off timings may vary depending on aircraft routing. Maasai Mara-Entebbe flight service connects the same day to all AeroLink Airstrips except Kisoro which strictly operates in the morning. Early morning flight Kisoro-Entebbe flight service, however, connects the same day into the Masai Mara.
BINP QENP MFNP KVNP
-
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Queen Elizabeth National Park. Murchison Falls National Park. Kidepo Valley National Park.
HIGH SEASON: 21 DEC 2023 - 28 FEB 2024; 01 JUN 2024 - 31 OCT 2024 LOW SEASON: 01 MAR 2024 - 31 MAY 2024; 01 NOV 2024 - 20 DEC 2024 Valid from 21st December 2023 to 20th December 2024 • CHECK IN TIME is 60 minutes to departure time in Nairobi (Wilson), Kilimanjaro, Kisumu and Entebbe Airports. • Passengers will not be allowed to check in 30 minutes to departure time. • Check in time for all bush airstrips is 30 minutes before flight departure time. • Contact Airkenya Operations department on the morning of the scheduled flight to get approximate arrival and departure times for various bush airstrips. • Airkenya guarantees all its connecting flights within Kenya and across East Africa in conjunction with its subsidiaries; Regional Air Services and Aerolink Uganda. • Contact the Charter department for tailor-made services or if the scheduled service does not meet your requirements: charters@airkenya.com • AirKenya reserves the right to change departure times or carrier when so required for operational, weather or safety reasons. Email resvns@airkenya.com or call +254 (0)20 391 6000 for further clarification.
Contact the Charter department for tailor-made services or if the scheduled service does not meet your requirements: charters@airkenya.com
Call Centre - +254 (0)20 391 6000 / +254 (0) 20 3925000 Operations: +254 (0) 706 085534 / +254 (0) 727 131977 NDEGE NEWS | DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024 | 47 Email: resvns@airkenya.com / marketing@airkenya.com Website: www.airkenya.com
AIRKENYA AIRCRAFT FLEET
BOMBARDIER DHC 8-202 (DASH 8) Manufacturer: Bombardier Crew: 5 (2 pilots, 1 flight attendant, 1 engineer, 1 Baggage Master) Passengers: Maximum 37 Description: Pressurised aircraft ideal for both African bush and city flying No in Fleet: 1
DHC 7-100 (DASH 7) Manufacturer: Dehavilland Canada Crew: 5 (2 Pilots, 2 Flight attendants, 1 Engineer and 1 Baggage Master) Passengers: Maximum 49 Description: Pressurised STOL (short take-off and landing) aircraft ideal for African bush flying No in Fleet: 2
DHC 6-300 (TWIN OTTER) Manufacturer: Dehavilland Canada Crew: 2 pilots Passengers: Maximum 18 Description: STOL (short take-off & landing) aircraft with fixed landing gear ideal for African bush flying No in Fleet: 3
CESSNA GRAND CARAVAN C208B Manufacturer: Cessna Aircraft Company Crew: 2 pilots Passengers: Maximum 11 Description: STOL Aircraft with fixed undercarriage ideal for African bush flying No in Fleet: 2
48 | NDEGE NEWS |DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024
ROUTE NETWORK
JINJA
KISUMU MBARARA
LAKE MBURO NAT. PARK
LAMU
MALINDI
DIANI
1. Amboseli 2. Kilimanjaro 3. Lewa Downs 4. Masai Mara 5. Meru 6. Nairobi 7. Nanyuki
8. Samburu 9. Migori 10. Loisaba 11. Kisumu 12. Entebbe
1. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest - Kihihi and Kisoro airstrips 2. Queen Elizabeth National Park - Kasese and Mweya airstrips 3. Murchison Falls National Park - Pakuba, Bugungu and Chobe airstrips 4. Kidepo National Park - Kidepo Airstrip 5. Lake Mburo National Park - Mbarara Airstrip 6. Entebbe - Mara Via Kisumu
1. Arusha 2. Kilimanjaro 3. Kogatende 4. Lake Manyara 5. Lobo 6. Ndutu 7. Seronera 8. Zanzibar 9. Tarime
2
REGIONAL AIR SERVICES FLIGHT SCHEDULE 2024
YEARS
1997-2022
FROM Arusha AM
Arusha PM
Arusha Zanzibar
Kilimanjaro PM
Kogatende AM
SCHEDULE VALID FROM 1ST JANUARY 2024 UPTO 31ST DECEMBER 2024
TO Kogatende Lobo Manyara Manyara Ndutu *** Seronera Kogatende Kogatende seronera Seronera
ETD 8:00 8:00 8:00 9:50 8:00 8:00 7:00 9:50 7:00 9:50
ETA COMMENTS 9:55 9:25 8:25 10:10 Operated only July & August 9:05 10:30 7:45 operated only July & August 11:10 Operated Only July & August 8:25 Operated Only July & August 11:50 Operated Only July & August
FROM TO Manyara AM Arusha
Seronera
10:30
11:50 Operated only July & August
Kilimanjaro Manyara Seronera Kilimanjaro
13:00 16:00 13.00 13.15
13:15 16:25 17:15 13:30 Operated Only July & August
Zanzibar
11:50
14:35
Zanzibar
13:05
15:35 Operated only July & August
Arusha ***
11:35
12:15
Kilimanjaro ***
11:35
13:10
Kogatende ***
9:20
10:00
Zanzibar Zanzibar Arusha Arusha
13:00 14:30 15:00 16:00
Ndutu AM
14:35 15:35 Operated Only July & August 16:35 17:05 Operated Only July & August
Arusha Manyara Seronera
15:30 15:30 15:30
15:45 16:25 17:15
Arusha Arusha Arusha Kilimanjaro Kilimanjaro Lobo Manyara Manyara Ndutu *** Seronera Seronera Zanzibar Zanzibar Tarime Masai Mara
10:00 8:05 11:30 10:00 11:30 10:00 10:00 11:30 10:00 10:00 8:05 10:00 11:30 9:15 9:15
12:15 9:25 Operated only July & August 13:35 Operated only July & August 13:10 13:45 Operated only July & August TBA 11.35 12:55 Operated only July & August TBA 10:30 8:25 Operated only July & August 14:35 15:35 Operated only July & August 10:15 12:40 Connects with Airkenya at Migori
Seronera AM Arusha Arusha Arusha Kilimanjaro Kilimanjaro Lobo Manyara Manyara Zanzibar Zanzibar Tarime Masai Mara
11:00 8:45 12:20 11:00 12:20 9:30 11:00 12:20 11:00 12:20 9:15 9:15
12:15 9:25 Operated only July & August 13:35 Operated Only July & August 13:10 13:45 Operated only July & August 9:50 11:35 12:55 Operated only July & August 14:35 15:35 Operated Only July & August 10:15 12:40 Connects with Airkenya at Migori
Lobo AM
9:45 9:45 9:45 9:45 9:45 9:45 9:45 9:45 9:45 9:45 9:15 9:15
12:15 13:35 Operated Only July & August 13:10 13:45 Operated only July & August 9:55 11:35 10:15 10:30 14:35 15:35 Operated only July & August 10:15 12:40 Connects with Airkenya at Migori
Arusha Arusha Kilimanjaro Kilimanjaro Kogatende Manyara Ndutu *** Seronera Zanzibar Zanzibar Tarime Masai Mara
Operations: +255 753 500 300 ops@regional.co.tz
Reservations: +255 754 285 754 resvns@regional.co.tz
ETD ETA 11:50 12:15
COMMENTS
Arusha
13:05
13:35 Operated only July & August
Kilimanjaro
11:50
13:15 13:45 Operated only July & August
Kilimanjaro
13:05
Kogatende
8:40
9:25
Kogatende
10:30
11:10 Operated only July & August
Lobo
8:40
10:20
Ndutu ***
8:40
9:05
Seronera
8:40
10:30
Lobo ***
9:20
9:50
Manyara ***
11:35
12:00
Seronera ***
9:20
10:30
Tarime ***
9:15
10:15
Masai Mara***
9:15
12:40 Connects with Airkenya at Migori
Zanzibar ***
11:35
14:35
Kogatende
8:15
TBA Connects with Regional Air at Tarime
Lobo
8:15
TBA Connects with Regional Air at Tarime
Ndutu***
8:15
TBA Connects with Regional Air at Tarime
Seronera
8:15
TBA Connects with Regional Air at Tarime
Kilimanjaro PM
Ndutu***
15:30
17:15
Arusha PM
Ndutu ***
16:00
17:15
Arusha
Nairobi, Wilson
13:00
15:20
14:25
15:20
Lobo
9:45
15:20
Kogatende
10:00
15:20
Manyara
11:50
15:20
Ndutu***
11:35
15:20
Seronera
11:00
15:20
Masai Mara
Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro - Wilson Sector Operated by AirKenya Express Nairobi, Wilson
Arusha
13:15
15:45
Kilimanjaro
13:15
14:10
Manyara
13:15
16:25
Seronera
13:15
17:05
Wilson - Kilimanjaro Sector Operated by Airkenya Express
NOTES • All timings are estimates and will vary depending on aircraft routing more • *ON REQUEST means we will only operate where there is sufficient traffic to justify the operation and timing or when extra cost is covered • **ON INDUCEMENT means flights which we will operate at scheduled rates for 4 passengers or more • ***SEASONAL is June to October and December to March • ****TBA means time to be advised depending on flight plan that day • A minimum of 2 pax is required for RAS to operate into any airstrip that’s not on inducement or request.
Charters: +255 675 285 753 charters@regional.co.tz
Sales/Marketing Depatment: +255 783 718 441
www.regionaltanzania.com
REGIONAL AIR FLEET
CESSNA GRAND CARAVAN C208B Manufacturer: Crew: Passengers: Description: Fleet No.:
Cessna Aircraft Company, USA 2 pilots Maximum 12 STOL Aircraft with fixed undercarriage ideal for African bush flying 2
DHC 6-300 (TWIN OTTER) Manufacturer: Dehavilland, Canada Crew: 2 pilots Passengers: Maximum 18 Description: STOL (short take-off & landing) aircraft with fixed landing gear ideal for African bush flying No in Fleet: 1
BOMBARDIER DHC 8-202 (DASH 8) Manufacturer: Bombardier Crew: 2 pilots 1 flight attendant Passengers: Maximum 37 Description: Pressurized cummuter aircraft Fleet No.: 1
NDEGE NEWS | DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024 | 51
DISCOVER BEING
ON-TOP OF
FLIGHT SCHEDULE
THE WORLD
LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK
BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST NATIONAL PARK (SOUTH)
BOOK OUR TIMELY, DAILY SERVICE FLEXIBLE, FLT NO FROM TO & COMFORTABLE FLIGHTS A8* 111 ENTEBBE KISORO
DAILY SERVICE
DEPART
ARRIVE
0700
0810
A8* 112
KISORO
ENTEBBE
0825
1125
A8* 117
ENTEBBE
KISORO
1015
1125
A8* 118
KISORO
ENTEBBE
1140
1400
FLT NO A8* 117 A8* 118
DEPART
KISORO FOREST0700 BWINDIENTEBBE IMPENETRABLE A8* 112 KISORO ENTEBBE 0825 NATIONAL PARK (NORTH)
ENTEBBE KIHIHI
DAILY SERVICE
ARRIVE 0810
FLT NO A8* 111
FROM ENTEBBE
TO SEMILIKI
1125
A8* 112
SEMILIKI
ENTEBBE
A8* 117
ENTEBBE
SEMILIKI
DAILY • Timings maySERVICE vary depending on aircraft routing. • Kisoro prevailing weather conditions FLT flights NO are subject to the FROM TOand strictly morning flights. A8*has 111 ENTEBBE KIHIHI • Kisoro a surcharge of USD 70 per person. • From Kisoro can connect to: - Kihihi, Mweya, Kasese, Mbarara, A8* 112airstrip passengers KIHIHI ENTEBBE Semliki airstrips on request at seat rate. A8* 117 ENTEBBE KIHIHI • Flight 112 from Kisoro, passengers can connect to Maasai Mara Via Entebbe and A8* 118 KIHIHI ENTEBBE Kisumu for Immigration A8* 121 A8* 122
DEPART 1015 1245
KIHIHI ENTEBBE
FLT NO A8* 121 DEPART A8* 122 0700
Park - QENP, BINP &SNP
DAILY SERVICE FROM TO ENTEBBE FLT NO MURCHISON FROM ARRIVE ENTEBBE BUGUNGU/ 1005MURCHISON A8* 121
DEPART ARRIVE 1200 1300 ARRIVE DEPART 1315 KASESE/MWEYA 1315 1615 1415
TO
PAKUBA/ CHOBE KIHIHI/SEMLIKI • Timings vary depending on aircraft routing. 1020 may 1125 • Minimum to operate 1015 of 4 passengers 1205 • Timings may vary depending on aircraft routing. • From1220 Murchison, passengers •can connect to:- Kasese, Minimum of 2 passengers to operateMweya and Kihihi airstrips 1330
A8* 118 SEMILIKI ENTEBBE DEPART ARRIVE QENP - Queen Elizabeth National Park (Kasese and Mweya airstrips) A8* 121 ENTEBBE SEMILIKI 1200 1415 0700 0845 BINP - Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park (Kihihi airstrip) SNP - Semuliki National Park (Semliki airstrip) A8* 122 SEMILIKI ENTEBBE 1420 1615 0945 1125 DAILY SERVICE 1015 1155 • Timings may vary depending on aircraft routing. FLT NO FROM TO DEPART ARRIVE 1215 1400 • Minimum of 2 passengers to operate A8*to121 BUGUNGU/ KASESE/MWEYA 1315 1415 1015 1155 • Flight 112 from Semliki passengers can connect onwards Masai Mara Via Entebbe PAKUBA/ CHOBE KIHIHI/SEMLIKI 1215and Kisumu for Immigration 1400
MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK - QENP & BINP Kidepo Valley National Park
• Flight 117/118 operate daily except April, May and November WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY AND SUNDAY • Flight 121 may route via Murchison Falls National Park subject to loads. • Timings may vary depending on aircraft routing. • Timings may vary depending on aircraft routing. • From and Semliki airstrip for passengers can connect to:- Mweya, Kasese, Kihihi, Mbarara • Flight 112 from Kihihi passengers can connect onwards to Masai Mara Via Entebbe Kisumu Immigration • Minimum of 4 passengers to FLT operate NO FROM TO and Kisoro airstrips on request at seat rate • Flight 117/118 operate daily except April, May and November QENP - Queen Elizabeth National A8* 131 Park (Kasese ENTEBBE and Mweya KIDEPO airstrips) • Flight 121 may route via Murchison Falls National Park subject to loads
BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST NATIONAL PARK (NORTH)
BINP - Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Park (KihihiENTEBBE airstrip) A8* 132 National KIDEPO
• FromSERVICE Kihihi Airstrip passengers can connect to: - Kisoro, Mweya, Kasese and Mbarara airstrips on request at DAILY seat rate.
Lake Mburo 0845 National ParkPARK KIBALE FOREST NATIONAL PARK AND QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL
FLT NO A8* 111
FROM ENTEBBE
TO KIHIHI
DEPART 0700
ARRIVE
A8* 112
KIHIHI
ENTEBBE
0945
1125
A8* 117
ENTEBBE
KIHIHI
1015
1125
A8* 118
KIHIHI
1140
1330
DAILY SERVICE FLT NO
FROM
TO
ENTEBBE
ARRIVE 1100 1400
Murchison falls National MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK (PAKUBA, CHOBE, BUGUNGU AIRSTRIPS)
Semuliki National Park
TO
TO MBARARA ENTEBBE
FLIGHT SCHEDULE
BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST NATIONAL PARK (SOUTH) FROM
FROM ENTEBBE MBARARA
• Timings may vary depending on aircraft routing. • Minimum of 4 passengers to operate • Flight 117/118 operate daily except April, May and November • From Mbarara airstrip, passengers can connect to:- Kisoro, Kihihi Mweya and Kasese airstrips on request at seat rate
• Timings may vary depending on aircraft routing. • Kisoro flights are subject to the prevailing weather conditions and strictly morning flights. • Kisoro has a surcharge of USD 70 per person. • From Kisoro airstrip passengers can connect to:- Kihihi, Mweya and Kasese airstrips on request at seat rate. • Flight 112 from Kisoro, passengers can connect to Maasai Mara Via Entebbe and Kisumu for Immigration. • FlightSERVICE 117/118 operate daily except April, May and November and may delay due to prevailing weather DAILY DAILY SERVICE conditions
FLT NO A8* 111
Valid: January to December 2024
A8* 111 ENTEBBE KASESE ENTEBBE KIHIHI 1200 1440 A8* 112 KASESE ENTEBBE KIHIHI ENTEBBE 1445 1615 A8* 117 ENTEBBE KASESE A8* 118 KASESE ENTEBBE • Timings may vary depending on aircraft routing. A8*112 121 ENTEBBE KASESE • Flight from Kihihi passengers can connect onwards to Masai Mara Via Entebbe and Kisumu A8* 122for Immigration KASESE ENTEBBE
A8* 121 A8* 122
1330
1400
1530
KIDEPO VALLEY NATIONAL PARK
WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY AND SUNDAY
FLT NO FROM TO A8* 131 ENTEBBE KIDEPO DEPART ARRIVE Masai Mara-Entebbe 1015 1100 0700A8* 117 A8* 132 KIDEPO ENTEBBE DAILY SERVICE MBARARA ENTEBBE 1245 may vary 1330 depending on aircraft routing. 1020A8* 118 1125 • Timings 1015 • Timings may vary1205 operate NO FROM TO depending on aircraft routing. • Minimum of 7 passengers to FLT ARRIVE FROM ENTEBBE 1005
ARRIVE
1200
• Timings may vary depending on aircraft routing. • Minimum of 7 passengers to operate
DAILY SERVICE
DEPART FLT NO
DEPART
TO MBARARA
1220 • Minimum of 2 passengers 1400 to operate 1200 • Flight 117/118 operate 1415daily except April, May and November • From Mbarara Airstrip passengers can connect to: - Kisoro, Kihihi, Mweya, Kasese 1420 and Semliki airstrips 1615 on request at seat rate
P2 551
MASAI MARA - ENTEBBEP2 552
• Flight 117/118 operate daily except April, May November • Timings may vary depending onand aircraft routing. • Flight 121 may route via Murchison Falls National Park subject to loads • Minimum of 2 passengers to operate • From Kihihi Airstrip passengers can connect to: - Kisoro, Mweya, Kasese, Mbarara • Flight 112 from Kasese/Mweya passengers can connect onwards to Masai Mara Via Entebbe and Semliki airstrips on request at seat rate.
DEPART 1200 1400
ARRIVE 1330 1530 DEPART
ARRIVE
MASAI MARA
ENTEBBE
0815
1100
ENTEBBE
MASAI MARA
1145
1430
*KISUMU
0815
0920
MASAI MARA P2 551 SEASONAL SERVICE - JUNE - SEPTEMBER
*KISUMU MASAI MARA 1430 P2 552 FLT NO FROM TO DEPART 1325 ARRIVE *KISUMU ENTEBBE0815 1000 1100 1100 P2 551 P2 551 MASAI MARA ENTEBBE ENTEBBEMARA *KISUMU 1145 1145 1430 1245 Murchison falls and Kisumu for Immigration P2 552 ENTEBBE P2 552 MASAI • Flight 117/118 operate daily except April, May and November National Park P2 551 MASAI MARA *KISUMU 0815 0920 • Timings may vary depending on aircraft routing. • Flight 121 may route via Murchison Falls National Park subject toDAILY loads.SERVICE P2 552 *KISUMU • *Routes Via MASAI MARA 1325 1430 Kisumu for Immigration • From Kasese Airstrip passengers can connect to: - Mweya, Kihihi, Kisoro and Mbarara P2 551 *KISUMU • Minimum of 4ENTEBBE 1000 1100 passengers to operate FLT NO FROM TO DEPART ARRIVE airstrips on request at seat rate. Masai Mara passengers can connect to: - Kihihi, Mweya, Kasese, Semliki, Queen Elizabeth ENTEBBE • From *KISUMU 1145 1245 A8* 121 ENTEBBE PAKUBA/CHOBEP2 552 1200 1300 Pakuba, Bugungu, Chobe and Kidepo airstrips National Park • Timings vary depending on aircraft routing. A8* 122 PAKUBA/CHOBE ENTEBBE 1315 may 1615 QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK DAILY SERVICE • *Routes Via Kisumu for Immigration • Timings may vary depending on aircraft routing. DAILY SERVICE • Minimum of 4 passengers toNotes operate • Minimum of 2 pax to operate FLT NO FROM TO DEPART ARRIVE • From Pakuba/Chobe airstrip passengers can connect• to:Kasese,Kihihi, FLT NO FROM TO DEPART ARRIVE From Masai Mweya Mara, passengers can connect to:- isKihihi, Mweya, to Pakuba, Bugungu, • CHECK IN TIME 60 minutes departure time inChobe, A8* 111 ENTEBBE KASESE/MWEYA 0700 1005 and Semliki airstrips A8* 111 ENTEBBE MWEYA 0700 1005 Kidepo and Kasese airstrips Entebbe International Airport. A8* 112 KASESE/MWEYA ENTEBBE 1020 1125 A8* 112 MWEYA ENTEBBE 1020 1125 • Check in time for all bush airstrips is 30 minutes before A8* 117 ENTEBBE KASESE/MWEYA 1015 1205 A8* 117 ENTEBBE MWEYA 1015 1205 Notes A8* 118 KASESE/MWEYA ENTEBBE 1220 1330 flight departure time. Murchison falls 1400 A8* 118 MWEYA ENTEBBE 1220 • CHECK IN TIME is 60 minutes departure time in Entebbedepartment International Airport. A8* 121 ENTEBBE KASESE/MWEYA 1200 1415 • ContacttoAeroLink Operations on the morning A8* 121 ENTEBBE MWEYA 1200National Park 1415 • Check in time for all bush airstrips is 30 minutes before flight departure time. A8* 122 KASESE/MWEYA ENTEBBE 1420 1615 of the scheduled flight to get approximate arrival and DAILY SERVICE A8* 122 MWEYA ENTEBBE 1420 1615 • Contact AeroLink Operations department on the morning of the scheduled flight to get departure various bush airstrips. approximate arrival and departure times for times variousfor bush airstrips. • Timings may vary depending on aircraft routing. • Timings may vary depending on aircraft routing. FLT NO FROM TO DEPART ARRIVE AeroLink guarantees its connecting within • AeroLink guarantees all• its connecting flights withinall Uganda and acrossflights East africa in • Minimum of 4 passengers • Flight 112 from Kasese/Mweya passengersto canoperate connect onwards to Masai Mara Via A8* 121 ENTEBBE BUGUNGU 1200 1300 conjunction with Airkenya Express. Entebbe and112 Kisumu for Immigration Uganda and across East Africa in conjunction with its • Flight from Kasese/Mweya passengers can connect onwards to Masai Mara Via Entebbe A8* 122 BUGUNGU ENTEBBE 1315 1615 • Flight 117/118 operate daily except April, May and November • Flight to/from Jinja to Kisoro/Kihihi/Kasese/Mweya/ Murchison Falls on request at a surcharge subsidiary; Airkenya Express. and Kisumu for Immigration • Flight 121 may route via Murchison Falls National Park subject to loads. • Flight 117/118 operate dailycanexcept April, May andKihihi, November • Timings may vary depending on aircraft routing. of USD 1000. • From Kasese/Mweya Airstrip passengers connect to: - Mweya/Kasese • Flight to/from Jinja to Kisoro/Kihihi/Kasese/Mweya/ of 2 passengers to operate • AeroLink reserves the right to change departure times or carrier when so required for operational, Kisoro, Mbarara Semliki airstrip on Murchison request at seat rate. • Flight 121andmay route via Falls National Park subject to•• Minimum loads. Murchison Falls on request at a surcharge of USD 900. From Bugungu airstrip passengers can connect to: - Kasese,Kihihi, and reasons. weather Mweya or safety • From Mweya Airstrip passengers can connect to: - Kasese, Kihihi,Semliki Kisoro and Mbarara airstrips • Contact the Charter department for tailor-made services or if the scheduled service does not meet airstrips on request at seat rate. Valid: January to December 2023 your requirements: info@aerolinkuganda.com
+256 31 882205 733 3000 +256 +256 31 31 733 733 3000 3000 /+256 /+256 776 776 882205
52 | NDEGE NEWS |DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024
aerolinkuganda
aerolinkuganda
+256 776 882203
+256 776 882203
info@aerolinkuganda.com info@aerolinkuganda.com
@aerolinkuganda @aerolinkuganda in aerolinkuganda @aerolinkuganda @aerolinkuganda in aerolinkuganda
www.aerolinkuganda.com
www.aerolinkuganda.com
AEROLINK AIRCRAFT FLEET
CESSNA GRAND CARAVAN C208B Manufacturer: Cessna Aircraft Company, USA Crew: 2 pilots Passengers: Maximum 11 Description: STOL Aircraft with fixed undercarriage ideal for African bush flying No in Fleet: 2
NDEGE NEWS | DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024 | 53
NAIROBI Airkenya Express Limited, Wilson Airport P.O. Box 30357 - 00100 Nairobi, Kenya Telephone numbers: Call Centre (Reservations) +254 (0)20 391 6000
Airkenya Express
@airkenya_official Administration:
(Operations, Sales Marketing & Accounts) +254 (0) 20 3925000, 6005745/6, +254 (0) 206005730 Mobile: +254 (0) 721 415346, 0733 731865, +254 (0) 727 131977 E-mail: resvns@airkenya.com, operations@airkenya.com charters@airkenya.com & helicopters@airkenya.com
@AirKenyaExpress
www.airkenya.com
AEROLINK ENTEBBE INTERNATIONA AIRPORT - UGANDA P.O. BOX 689 Entebbe RESERVATIONS Tel: +256 31 7333000 OPERATIONS Tel: +256 776 8882205 ADMINISTRATION Tel: +256 31 733000 Email: info@aerolinkuganda.com
www.regionaltanzania.com 54 | NDEGE NEWS |DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024
www.aerolinkuganda.com
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