Three Ugandans to spend five month walking around Uganda's borders

Compared to other means of exploring a destination, especially driving and flying, walking tours could be the most fulfilling. Unlike the other options, it unfolds at a slow-but-steady pace. This allows one to absorb the various sights and sounds their encounter in detail. The experience also enables travelers have extensive chats with locals thus giving them (travelers) a priceless opportunity of the inside story.

In a move aimed at promoting walking tours around Uganda, #Ondaba, a domestic tourism movement is embarking on a 5-month walkathon along Uganda’s border with its neighbours. Dubbed “On the Pearls edge’’ the expedition will see three Ugandan tourism enthusiasts traverse 47 local districts and interact with over 30 tribes that border Sudan, DRC, Rwanda, Tanzania and Kenya. Beyond promoting destination Uganda, the event is meant to encourage industry investors and stakeholders to upscale their involvement in the tourism industry.

Tourists beholding Sabinyo and Mgahinga some of the mountains at the borders of Uganda Rwanda and Congo that the team will traverse

According to Herbert Opio, team leader of the expedition, they will walk 15-30kms a day attempting a 2,800km trek traversing lakes, rivers, mountains, tropical forests, 7 national parks and 2 game reserves.

The 32 year old who also doubles as one of the co-founders of Ondaba observes that in view of the daunting nature of the expedition, they will be under the care of an eight man team including a doctor, a 2-man security team as well as a 2-man logistics support team. The support team will drive ahead.

Herbert Opio(in-blue)with colleagues taking at Namirembe-Cathedral, one of the attractions they visited during a recent walk around Kampala

Joshua Sewankambo and Edwin Birungi, some of the participants note that while on this journey, the team will also cross the Equator twice and go through the lowest point in Uganda (Lake Albert at 621m) and the highest (Margerita Peak at 5,110m).

“Liaising with district officials in the 47 towns, we shall map out the best routes to use on the trek, staying as close to the border as possible while striving to bring out the best Uganda has to offer.” he adds

Much as the objective is to stay at the border, the team will use the locals’ knowledge of the area to guide them to the most interesting landscapes, cultures and economic activities along the way.

Through this approach, they look forward to discovering forgotten ethnic cuisines, stories, plateaus, escarpments, cultures and beliefs.

“Primarily, we intend to create a positive impression on the societies they traverse and leave a positive tourism imprint that lasts for generations.”Birungi elaborates

To accomplish the above, they will be recording different cultural experiences, scenery, towns and villages, people and sites from the word go. They will also share captivating photos and compelling stories on social media in such a way that combines both the local and international aspects of Ugandan tourism into one compelling story.

THE JOURNEY

The trek will go through 8 sections with each section taking about 3 weeks to accomplish. Starting from where Busia district touches Lake Victoria, Opio and team will weave a story along the Uganda border counter clockwise and ending at the same spot we started. Carrying video and still cameras, camping gear, dry rations, medical kit, GPS systems, walkie talkies, a pedometer and a map, the 5-man team will start at Section 1 in Busia and end at Busia through Lake Victoria 5 months later, accomplishing a 360 journey around the Pearl.

TOURIST PARTICIPATION

Any interested five local or international tourists will be able to join the trek for a particular section, handing over to the next batch of 5. At the end of each section, there will be a handover party as the last 5 share their bit of the journey with the new 5, over a BBC (barbeque, bonfire and cocktail) in the bush.