Uganda featured on New York Times 52 Places to Go in 2020
Uganda Ranked as one of the 52 Places to Go in 2020 by The New York Times Travel desk
Uganda has been listed on the New York Times 52 Places to Go in 2020, a popular American Newspaper that is trusted by millions of world travelers. Once again Uganda is proving itself as a must visit destination.
Uganda featured on New York Times 52 Places to Go in 2020
On the New York Times 52 Places to Go in 2020, Uganda featured as number three (3) of the African countries on the list and 30th of the 52 places to Go in 2020.
Four (4) other African countries featured on the list and these were Kenya, Lesotho, Egypt and Ethiopia. On the published article, the highlight statement is that,
“A primate capital and birder’s paradise becomes more accessible”
As described by VIVIAN SONG from the New York Times travel desk, Uganda is very well described as;
“Landlocked in east-central Africa, Uganda has long been in the shadow of Kenya, Tanzania and other countries more popular with visitors on safari. But the “Pearl of Africa,” with its own rich wildlife, is set to become more accessible, thanks to the resurrection last summer of the country’s national carrier, Uganda Airlines. Uganda is one of the world’s primate capitals with 15 species (four of which are endangered) and the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, a renowned mountain gorilla sanctuary.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site, in southwestern Uganda, is home to roughly half of the world’s mountain gorillas. The park’s gorilla-trekking safaris limit contact to eight visitors per gorilla group per day, and proceeds from their trekking permits go towards conservation efforts and protecting the animals from poachers.
The dense forest mountain park, which ranges in elevation between 3,810 feet and 8,880 feet, also features a scenic waterfall trail framed by ancient ferns and wild orchids, and is a birder’s paradise, with 350 species of forest birds”.
How the 52 Places to Go in 2020 were chosen
Every year, The New York Times travel desk chooses their list of the 52 Places that tourists can go to in that year out the thousands of spots from the world.
This is done using different strategies, however, for the 2020 list Amy Virshup from New York Times states that;
“Where would you go if you could go anywhere?”
Was the question posed to the members of the Times Travel desk at the beginning of September 2019 at the kickoff launch for the 2020 edition of the annual 52 Places to Go list. From then to the date of publication, there were months of debate, research and as many synonyms for “argument” as you can hope.
The regular contributors, Time’s foreign and domestic correspondents suggested places that seemed newly fresh and compelling.
It is also added that it is not enough for a place to be beautiful, amazing and culturally significant, it also has to answer the question, why now? Why this place, this year.
Surely Uganda answered all of this to its beauty and that’s how it made it to the list of 52 places to Go in 2020. Thanks to the revived Uganda Airlines that is making the destination more seemingly accessible.
Uganda is on the list because it limits the number of gorilla trekking permits in Bwindi Forest and ensures the proceeds help protect the animals. Check full list of 2020 Places to Go here
A detailed Explanation of The New York Times statement on Uganda on their 52 Places to Go in 2020
Uganda is stated as the primate capital and the birder’s paradise, however, do you know much about what this means and the abundance of primates and bird species that Uganda is blessed with? Here Kabira Safaris team gives you an insight of what this means;
Primate capital: Uganda is referred to as one of the world’s primate capital because it is home to 15 primate species.
Chimpanzee Tracking at Kibale National Park | Uganda
Uganda is indeed the primate capital of the world because as across Africa primates are under threat, thousands of them survive in Uganda, mostly at Kibale Forest National Park.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority confirms that Kibale Forest alone has a total of 13 primates including the recently discovered Dwarf Galago.
The primates in Uganda include Chimpanzees, mountain gorillas, black-and-white colobus, red-tailed monkey, grey-cheeked mangabey, L’Hoest’s and blue monkeys, Olive baboons, and golden monkeys. Nocturnal primates include the bush babies and potto.
With the latest results of the mountain gorilla census from Bwindi Forest, Uganda still stands as home to 51% of the world’s total mountain gorilla population.
Find details of the census, numbers and how it was done by clicking this link, Total mountain gorilla population increases in latest 2018 census.
Birder’s Paradise: Avid birders will appreciate the fact that Uganda is a birder’s paradise with almost 50% of Africa’s bird species and 11% of the world’s total.
Birding Uganda is a top choice for many avid birders on Africa birding tours because of about 1,083 confirmed bird species in Uganda including the latest addition being the Pectoral Sandpiper that was spotted at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC).
Birding tours in Uganda offer birding opportunities in the different habitats including forests, swamps/wetlands, savannah parks and water bodies.
Birding Uganda – Rwakobo Rock and Lake Mburo National Park
From the 24 Albertine rift endemics to the predominantly Central African bird species in Semliki National Park can all be seen in Uganda.
If you are interested in knowing more about the birds of Uganda, check out this link on birding in Uganda.
These have by highlighted by The New York Times 52 places to Go in 2020 as must see and do activities and truly they will be rewarding.
However, this is not all Uganda has to offer, there are many more attractions and activities that a travler on safari to Uganda can choose to see and do and these are;
