Jaunted - ug

A Royally Good Jump In Uganda

amandak — 2008-11-25T15:35:19-05:00

Choosing a scenic spot like the Nile River in Uganda sounds like a good way to combine a death-defying plunge with some camera-happy moments.

The Nile High Bungee (five out of ten for the pun) has a platform about 140 feet above the river, and jumpers can choose to use a bungee cord long enough to dip them in water or just to dangle above it.

Perhaps the most famous tourist to ever jump here is Prince William who did a tandem bungee jump with a mate here a couple of years back. Wills only jumped once, but if you do two jumps ($75) then you get a third jump within the same 24 hours for free--just in case you haven't got the whole jumping thing out of your system by then.

Related Stories:
· Nile High Bungee [Official Site]
· Wills Takes a 140-Foot Bungee Jump [Daily Mail]
· Uganda Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: kscshearon]

WHO Warns Against Ugandan Caves

pbb — 2008-07-14T10:30:16-05:00

Looks like you'll need to cancel your Ugandan spelunking trip! A Dutch tourist on a cave tour in the African nation came down with the Marburg virus and later died. Now the World Health Organization is warning people against entering caves where bats live, as they are the suspected vector for the virus.

A WHO spokesman tells the BBC:

People should not think about amending their travel plans to Uganda but should not go into caves with bats.

The fatal Marburg virus is similar to Ebola and suffice it to say it's not something you want to catch. If terrifying ailments aren't your thing, perhaps a wildlife spotting trip to neighboring Rwanda is more your speed?

Related Stories:
· Cave Warning on Uganda Bat Virus [BBC]
· You Can Try Uganda, Too [Jaunted]
· Summer Vacation with an Edge: Meeting Your Ape Relatives in Rwanda [Jaunted]

You Can Try Uganda, Too

amandak — 2007-12-20T09:00:02-05:00

Pop quiz time: what's the capital city of Uganda? To tell the truth, we failed too, but after reading this week's UK Times report on a trip to the city of Kampala, it's a name we'd like to remember for a future trip.

Kampala may not be a rich city, but it's got the largest mosque in East Africa, a huge set of markets named Owino and even an extensive and apparently interesting Uganda Museum. But what sounds most captivating about Kampala is the chaos. There's no public transport to speak of, so travelers simply hail motorbikes to get where they're going.

The Times reporter did leave us a warning, though, to be careful about giving out your cell phone number (half the city started calling him to offer him taxi rides) and to keep an eye on your personal belongings--he was robbed when he took his eyes off his wallet for just a minute. We'll add our own warning--beware of the elephants.

Related Stories:
· Uganda's Bustling Capital [UK Times]
· Elephants on the Offensive [Jaunted]
· Exotic Luxury in Uganda [HotelChatter]

[Photo: Stefan Gara]

Elephants on the Offensive

johnrambow — 2006-02-20T15:44:22-05:00

It's a longstanding folk belief that elephants never forget, especially when it comes to matters of revenge. Now some scientists are speculating that "post-traumatic stress order" caused by widespread poaching and killing in the 1970s and 80s may be why the beasts are so much more cranky today. In parts of Uganda, villagers won't risk passing elephants that have been increasingly blocking roads, since in recent years entire villages have been attacked; similar incidents have been happening in India's West Bengal state. You've been warned.

Related Stories:
·   Elephants remember to take revenge [Age]
·   Elephants never forget, cannot forgive" [London Times]
·   Elephants Might Seek Revenge [CBS47, via Fark]
·   Elephants Attack as Humans Turn Up Pressure [Nat. Geo.]