New Batwa Trails Walk In UgandaÂ’s Mgahinga National Park Educates Travelers About the Pygmy Batwa Culture

(EMAILWIRE.COM, May 20, 2010 ) Uganda - Mgahinga National Park in Uganda recently announced the opening of the Mgahinga Batwa Trail, a hike through the forest to the Garama Cave which gives travelers a fascinating glimpse into the life of the local Pygmy Batwa culture. Visitors that are on safari with award winning safari company Volcanoes Safaris can experience this unique activity as part of their stay at Volcanoes Safaris Mount Gahinga Lodge.

The Pygmy Batwa people are a hunter-gatherer group, who traditionally lived within the forests and survived off small mammals and plants. When Mgahinga National Park was gazetted in 1991, the Batwa were forced to leave the forest and were no longer able to enter the park to gather food. Given their traditional way of life and their dependency on the forest for food, this resulted in various socio-economic problems and the Batwa communities remain largely marginalized and are one of the poorest communities in Uganda. This activity gives the Batwa people an opportunity to re-enter the forest in coordination with the park authorities while creating awareness about their culture among the travelers that participate in the hike.

The hike starts at a base camp 30 minutes drive from our Mount Gahinga Lodge, also the starting point for those setting out on the stunning hike up the sides of the Muhavura or Gahinga volcanoes. Members of the Batwa community and guides from the Ugandan Wildlife Authority take travelers through the dense forest and educate travelers by teaching them about the Batwa way of life. This walk offers a great example of local communities and park authorities in Uganda working together to ensure local people earn a livelihood from tourism. Volcanoes Safaris are supporting this project and others like it by including it in the activities offered from our Mount Gahinga Lodge.

To learn more about this activity or Volcanoes Safaris, visit the website or contact Stephanie Moreland at Stephanie@atmstravelnews.com

Volcanoes Safaris
Stephanie Moreland
832-755-7661
stephanie@atmstravelnews.com