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Ndege News - March 2022

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ndege MARCH - MAY 2022

AIRKENYA, AEROLINK UGANDA & REGIONAL AIR INFLIGHT MAGAZINE

Coffee Conserving Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi

NEWS

Regional Air

A Quarter of a Century of Aviation Success

Aerolink Uganda

A Decade of Exemplary Service

BOOK ONLINE

www.airkenya.com www.regionaltanzania.com www.aerolinkuganda.com

Emerging Trends For Travel in 2022


W: www.lakebogoria-hotel.com

Lake Bogoria Spa Resort

@BOGORIAHOTEL

Lake Bogoria Spa Resort


inside

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MARCH - MAY 2022

REGULAR 05

Welcome Note

06

Word From the Editor

10

Airkenya News Update

14

Regional Air at 25 Years

17

Aerolink at 10 Years

18

News Update

15

FEATURES 26. Emerging Trends For Travel in 2022

20

28. Coffee Conserving Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi 32 Find Yourself in Tanzania 34 Film Review: Blow Away The Cob Webs

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26

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WELCOME NOTE

Welcome on board Dear Reader, We have kicked off 2022, with a renewed spirit full of hope and positivity that we are slowly returning to normalcy as the world emerges out of the Covid-19 pandemic. We welcome you onboard our flights and invite you to experience an unparalleled wildlife safari across Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Connecting you from the beaches of Zanzibar to the plains of the Serengeti, then across to the Masai Mara and the beautiful landscapes of Northern Kenya to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda, among many other safari destinations – AirKenya, Regional Air Services and Aerolink, enrich your safari by providing safe, reliable, and convenient flight connections across East Africa. We never stop improving our product to make your safari experience even better. Already this year, we have introduced 3 new services into our flight schedule. These are Finch Hattons Airstrip in Tsavo West National Park and stops at Kamok Airstrip in Ol Pejeta Conservancy and Saasab Airstrip in Samburu. We know that you want to spend your valuable time on safari rather than waiting for flight connections, so we have created more connectivity to seamlessly link the world-famous East African safari destinations. Why not have your breakfast and first game drive of the day at the Masai Mara and enjoy lunch and an afternoon game drive at either Lewa Downs in Northern Kenya or the Serengeti in Tanzania

or even trekking gorillas in Uganda? With the recent renovation of Migori Airport, the transfer into Tanzania has been made quicker and easier, and to enhance your comfort we have deployed two air-conditioned buses to take you across the border from Migori in Kenya to Tarime in Northern Tanzania, where you will catch your connecting flight on Regional Air Services to continue your holiday in Tanzania. Are you traveling in a group or flying across multiple flight sectors? Our Reservations team can work out special discounts depending on the size of the group or number of sectors booked to suit your budget. These discounts are applicable across the three airlines. Need a quick weekend break? Why not try out any of our packages that take care of everything from your flights, transfers, accommodation, and excursions? Write to safaripackages@airkenya.com to book your get-away. If our schedule does not suit you, contact us for a charter quote and we will be able to arrange a charter flight to suit your needs from our varied aircraft fleet ranging from

Cessna Caravans, Twin Otters, Dash 7’s and Dash 8’s. Please visit our websites www.airkenya.com, www. regionaltanzania.com and www. aerolinkuganda.com for more information on our schedules, destinations and special offers. We are so glad to have you onboard and wish you the best safari ever. Share your memorable safari photos with your friends and loved ones and tag us on social media. We will be more than pleased to continue our engagement with you online. Jean Uku Marketing Manager Airkenya

We never stop improving our product to make your safari experience even better. Already this year, we have introduced 3 new services into our flight schedule. These are Finch Hattons Airstrip in Tsavo West National Park and stops at Kamok Airstrip in Ol Pejeta Conservancy and Saasab Airstrip in Samburu.

NDEGE NEWS MARCH - MAY 2022 | 5


WORD FROM THE EDITOR

Karibu

Editor Rupi Gill Publisher The Business Platform Ltd P O Box 103364-00101, Nairobi. Tel: 254 -741 070001 Email: businessplatformkenya@gmail.com Advertising Peter Ondabu Cell: 0722 770367 ondabupeter@gmail.com Design and Layout Digital Colour Business Ltd. info@digitalcolourbiz.com Stories & Photos Rupi Gill NDEGE which means aeroplane in Kiswahili is a quarterly Magazine publication of AIRKENYA Express Limited Wilson Airport P.O. Box 30357 - 00100 Nairobi, Kenya

The plains are green again. Long rains from April to June hit the earth hard for an hour or two and then it’s hot again and still a good time to visit the Serengeti, Lake Manyara and Masai Mara. Huge herds of Wildebeest will be gathering in the Serengeti about now, preparing for their trek to the Mara. And in the Ngorongoro area, game viewing will be excellent. After years of staying home, we’re seeing travellers eager to explore. And that’s something to celebrate. With Regional Air turning 25 this year, our focus is on Tanzania – we’ll be exploring it all the way from the top of Kilimanjaro to beneath its seas. Aerolink turns ten years old, and in this issue, we invite you to investigate the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda - through coffee. 22nd of April is Earth Day. Billions of people around the world will be celebrating the day with activities like picking up litter and planting trees to help protect the planet

from pollution and deforestation. All the camps we feature encourage responsible tourism. This means respecting biodiversity, avoiding waste creation, learning about local customs and impacting the environment only in a positive way. And as climate change makes everything more unpredictable, properly planned agriculture, settlement and infrastructure, resource extraction and new technologies, along with our own population control, are becoming increasingly important. Porini Camps & Gamewatchers Safaris have a Smart Learning project that allows rural teachers and students, online access to learning. Thank you for taking the time to be curious. Enjoy the Wilderness.

Reservations Tel: (254-20) 391 6000 Email: resvns@airkenya.com The magazine focuses on tourism, hospitality, travel, leisure and aviation related news in the East African region and beyond. The views expressed in NDEGE NEWS Magazine do not necessarily reflect those of either AIRKENYA EXPRESS, REGIONAL AIR SERVICES and / or AEROLINK UGANDA. © 2022 All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced by any means without permission from the Publisher.

Rupi Gill, Editor.

COVER PHOTO © KLAUS TIEDGE 6 | NDEGE NEWS MARCH - MAY 2022


Contact us: +254 704 418 651, +254 702 692 648 Email: reservations@atua-enkop.com www.atua-enkop.com

Two nights resident and non - resident air package - Minimum 2 Pax Elephant Bedroom Camp - Samburu Resident

Non - Resident

Kshs. 89,500/=

USD 980

Valid from 21st Dec 2022 - 2nd Jan 2023 Resident

Non - Resident

Kshs. 105,000/=

USD 1,180

Tipilikwani Mara Camp - Masai Mara Valid from 1st October - 20th December 2022 Resident

Non - Resident

Kshs. 75,000/=

USD 820

Valid from 21st Dec 2022 - 2nd Jan 2023 Resident

Non - Resident

Kshs. 89,000/=

USD 1,045

Please note: the rate is per person sharing for 2 nights, minimum 2 pax.

Valid from 1st October - 20th December 2022

Mara Ngenche Safari Camp - Masai Mara Valid from 1st October - 20th December 2022 Resident

Non - Resident

Kshs. 85,000/=

USD 935

Valid from 21st Dec 2022 - 2nd Jan 2023 Resident

Non - Resident

Kshs. 110,000/=

USD 1,500

Inclusions: Return flights, local airstrip transfer, FB accommodation, shared game drive and sundowner. Exclusion: Park entry fees, drinks, gratuities, laundry and exclusive use of game drive vehicle. Terms and conditions apply.

USE PROMOTIONAL CODE [AK/AEA301] TO GET 10% OFF, YOUR FLYING PACKAGES

Mbweha Camp - Lake Nakuru Valid from 1st october - 20th December 2022 Resident P.P.S

Non - Resident P.P.S

Kshs. 9,000/=

USD 185

Valid from 21st Dec 2022 - 2nd Jan 2023 Resident P.P.S

Non - Resident P.P.S

Kshs. 11,000/=

USD 245


AIRKENYA NEWS UPDATE

Airkenya Spreads its Wings to Tsavo National Park Airkenya has expanded its safari network by adding Tsavo National Park to its safari destinations. The new destination is already operational from the Finch Hattons airstrip. From The South to the North and Kili In Between Bask in the glory of “views on end” from the sunrise view over Mount Kilimanjaro to the sunset view on the floor of the Great Rift Valley or the vast Laikipia plateau. With a minimum requirement of just two passengers, the daily service flawlessly connects the South Eastern safari circuit (Amboseli and Tsavo National Parks) to the Maasai Mara and the Northern safari circuit (Nanyuki/Loisaba/Lewa/Meru/Samburu). The service leaves Wilson Airport at 0730hrs to arrive at 0830hrs, routed via Amboseli. The return service departs Finch Hattons at 0845hrs to arrive in Wilson Airport, Nairobi at 0930hrs to connect to the Northern safari circuit on the 1000hrs flight, to the Maasai Mara on the 1030hrs flight or to Tanzania via Kilimanjaro International Airport on the 1330hrs flight. There has never been a better time to rediscover or make memories afresh exploring the vast Tsavo National Park and its vicinage.

Two New Stops in Nanyuki and Samburu Introduction of Sasaab Airstrip Service in Samburu Airkenya introduced scheduled flights to the Sasaab airstrip effective 1st January 2022. This will be its third stop in the larger Samburu National Reserve after Buffalo Springs and Kalama airstrips. The service will operate with a minimum of two passengers and will go a long way to enhance your experience at the destination.

Introduction of Kamok Airstrip Service in Nanyuki Airkenya is bringing you closer to the action in Ol Pejeta Conservancy with the addition of Kamok airstrip to its route network effective 1st January 2022. The service will operate on a minimum of two passengers.

Did You Know? If you combine Samburu, Nanyuki and an additional destination or two you will be eligible for our circuit discounts.

10 | NDEGE NEWS MARCH - MAY 2022


AIRKENYA NEWS UPDATE

Stepping into 2022 in Style Airkenya has restructured its flight timings to allow connection flexibility from all corners within its route network. Unveiling a Brand New North Airkenya has revised the timings of its daily flights to the Northern circuit (Nanyuki/Loisaba/Meru/Lewa Downs/Samburu) effective 1st January 2022. The flights, operating on a minimum requirement of two passengers, will be supplemented by an additional flight during peak season (1st July to 30th September 2022). From North to the Sizzling South in a Jiffy The Northern circuit flights will connect to Maasai Mara directly to arrive in time for lunch. During the low season, the flights may connect to Maasai Mara through Wilson Airport at 1400hrs. The flights will operate on a minimum of two passengers. The Reverse Is Also True Breakfast in Mara, lunch in the North is now a

possibility! Airkenya will make this happen with our new connection from Maasai Mara to the Northern circuit via Wilson Airport. With a minimum requirement of two passengers, the flight will depart Maasai Mara at 0815hrs to land in Wilson Airport at 0945hrs. The passengers will arrive just in time to catch the Northern-bound flight at 1000hrs. The early bird flight to Maasai Mara will now depart Wilson Airport at 0730hrs.

Our Migori-Tarime Service is Back Airkenya resumed the Migori-Tarime service on 10th February 2022 following the green light by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA).

Breakfast in the Maasai Mara, Lunch in the Serengeti – A Possibility Once Again With the resumption of the Migori-Tarime service, our clients can follow the Great Wildebeest Migration from Maasai Mara to the depths of Serengeti the same day. The 45-minute flight to Migori airstrip leaves Mara at 0815hrs to arrive at 0900hrs. Thereafter, the guests are transferred in one of our air-conditioned buses to Tarime airstrip with a brief stopover at Isebania for the immigration process. The onward flight leaves Tarime airstrip at 1010hrs to arrive in Serengeti National Park at 1120hrs, serviced by our subsidiary in Tanzania – Regional Air Services.

NDEGE NEWS MARCH - MAY 2022 | 11


AIRKENYA NEWS UPDATE

Airkenya Celebrates Women Pilots

We celebrate our pilots during the Women of Aviation Worldwide Week (WOAW) . WOAW is a global aviation awareness week for women of all ages observed to mark the anniversary of the world’s first female pilot licence that was issued on March 8, 1910. The week is a call to address gender imbalance in the air and

Airkenya recently flew Eliud Kipchoge, World Marathon record holder and other Kenyan professional long-distance athletes from Eldoret to Nairobi . Eliud and his colleagues were on their way to compete in the Tokyo Marathon to be held on March 6, 2022.

12 | NDEGE NEWS MARCH - MAY 2022

space industry worldwide .The day also coincides with International Women's Day (IWD), a global holiday celebrated annually on March 8 to commemorate the cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements of women worldwide.


CONNECTING SAFARIS IN

EAST AFRICA

MASAI MARA Kenya

SERENGETI Tanzania

BWINDI Uganda Contact Us: +254 20 391 6000 resvns@airkenya.com

NDEGE NEWS MARCH - MAY 2022 | 13

www.airkenya.com

www.regionaltanzania.com

www.aerolinkuganda.com


REGIONAL AIR AT 25 YEARS

A Quarter of a Century of Aviation Success 1997 - 2022

N

elson Mandela, the Nobel laureate and former South African President, flew in a three-year-old airline in 2000 during one of his trips to Tanzania. It was not just a matter of happenstance that the world-revered Mandela, who passed on in 2013, chose Regional Air. “Regional Air, just like its sister airlines, Airkenya and Aerolink, has a strict safety policy,” says Captain Hamza Mwapachu, the airline’s General Manager. It is this safety-first policy that has seen the airline serve dignitaries and A-list passengers over the years, including the former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, The President of Finland Mrs Tarja Kaarina Halonen, His Highness the Aga Khan and Sir David Attenborough. Humble beginnings Regional Air was the first airline to provide scheduled flights in the East African country of Tanzania. The airline started its operation in 1997 with one pilot, the Arusha-born Captain Iris McCallum, and one aircraft, a Piper PA31T3 T1040 Turboprop.

14 | NDEGE NEWS MARCH - MAY 2022

Years

& Beyond Transitioning from the skies to the office was an uphill task that Captain Iris was ready to take in her stride. That meant training under Anna Nzomo, the then Chief Reservations Officer at Airkenya, for the much-needed knowledge in airline operations. This extended to the operation of the Piper aircraft under the stewardship of Captain Geoff Price, the then Chief Pilot at Airkenya. Before joining Regional Air, she had briefly worked with Airkenya back in 1980, when she was awarded the Guinness Stout Effort Award for Bravery. "Whilst flying a Cessna 401, my left engine caught fire on the way to Bura in the Northern part of Kenya," Captain Iris explains the background of her award. She landed the aircraft on a murram road, and got all the passengers, herself included, out safely. She moved on to the humanitarian sector, flying for United Nations International Children's Emergency

Cpt. Hamza Mwapachu General Manager, Regional Air

Fund (UNICEF) and the International Red Cross. Teething Challenges The then-nascent airline’s initial team comprised heavyweights in Tanzania's aviation space. Captain Iris headed the team as the General Manager. She recruited Captain Fred Lawuo as the Chief Pilot, Captain Godfrey Mwella, and Captain Dave Smith, who also trained the ground staff. Brown Francis, who was working at the meteorology department in the airport, took on the role of Chief Operations. The team secured an office on the 7th floor of the International Arusha


REGIONAL AIR AT 25 YEARS

Conference Centre (IACC) in Arusha town. But the building experienced prolonged electricity outages such that everything was almost always out of order, including the lifts. The alternative access to their office was the staircase – hundreds of steps! They later moved to an office located at the Cooper Motor Company and installed a generator to ease their operations. As soon as they registered their only aircraft with the Tanzania Civil Aviation and obtained their Air Operator Certificate, Captain Iris hit the streets. She walked from door to door of every shop advertising safaris around Tanzania in search of clients. The reception was cold at first – remember, it was a period dominated by charter flight services. So a scheduled flight service seemed like a pipe dream. Captain Iris had to get innovative. She promised to offer the service in full even if the travel wholesalers booked just one passenger. What played to their advantage was the speed of their aircraft - it could fly to Seronera Airstrip in the Serengeti from Arusha, a flying distance of 224 km (139 miles), in 30 minutes! The airline’s maiden flight was on 19th June 1997 - circling from Arusha to Kilimanjaro to Ngorongoro Crater and back to Arusha. In its first two weeks of operation, the airline flew 13.1 hours. These increased to 56 hours in July, having chartered for a few hunting companies. She had the market hooked. More business necessitated additional aircraft. A Cessna Caravan B was the second aircraft to join the fleet on 19th July 1997. A year later, the airline procured an 18-seater Twin Otter on 8th January 1998. Captain Ian Gregory, then working at Airkenya, joined the crew since he was the most experienced on the Twin Otter, having flown them solidly for about ten years. It is the only airline to own and operate this

FROM TOP CLOCKWISE: Regional Air’s first aircraft; Former President of Tanzania Jakaya Kikwete welcoming former UN Secretary-General the late Kofi Annan in Arusha in 1999; Former President of South Africa the late Nelson Mandela at Ngara Refugee camp in Tanzania in 2000 after flying Regional Air; Cpt Iris receiving the Guinness Stout Effort Award in 1980.

aircraft commercially in Tanzania to date. Over time, it secured contracts from multi-national conglomerates such as Anglo American, BP, Resolute Mining and Abbot Laboratories. It later expanded its fleet with the addition of a King Air B200 to serve their high-end clientele.

Captain Iris credits the success of Regional Air to the staff. "Our biggest challenges when flying in Tanzania are the airstrips in the rainy season. They become extremely wet and slippery and of course, you have the challenges of trying to land during the migration when the Wildebeest won’t give way for you. The migration brings in huge flocks of birds of NDEGE NEWS MARCH - MAY 2022 | 15


REGIONAL AIR AT 25 YEARS

prey which are also hazardous to aircraft. I was very happy with my flight crew of Captain Fred Lawuo and Captain Godfrey Mwella who were wonderfully experienced with the conditions and were also very diplomatic with passengers”. Captain Iris continues, "I remember Mr John Buckley, the then the Managing Director at AirKenya, giving me the best advice. He told me to employ people who would make me look good. We laughed at that, but it is so true. I found the best of staff and wonderful camaraderie between all of us, and most of all, trust. It is most rewarding to see the youngsters you employed and entrusted aircraft and passengers move to international airlines. The same applies to the reservations staff, either holding senior positions or ventured into business. A large part of one’s life is building other people. Regional Air taught me the value and privilege of that." Captain Iris McCallum steered Regional Air Services as the General Manager from its inception until she retired in 2005. Business re-engineering Captain Hamza Mwapachu, one of the lucky few to work under Captain Cuddles, as they affectionately refer to Captain Iris, was elected to fill her big shoes. There was a period of intense volatility in tourism when terrorism and new airlines into the market brought great uncertainty to

Regional Air's King Air flying out of Arusha in the early days

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Cpt Iris and Cpt Hamza with the President of Finland in 2003

Regional Air’s Twin Otter Aircraft

Regional Air. “We rebounded our performance in 2012 through careful route analysis and cost re-structuring,” says Captain Mwapachu. The airline also procured modern aircraft, becoming the first to own and operate a 37-seater Dash 8. After successfully starting the third airline of the group, Aerolink

Regional Air's Cessna Grand Caravan

Uganda, Anne Hiri joined the Regional Air management team in a dual capacity of Marketing Manager and Head of Operations. Always the trendsetter, the airline repositioned itself to offer a unique and popular service - the Bush to Beach safari packages, their best-seller to date. It relied heftily on its flexibility to navigate through, and thrive during the COVID-19 pandemic. It prides itself as the only airline to seamlessly connect passengers to Kenya with its sister airline, Airkenya. As it celebrates its silver anniversary, Regional Air is well poised to weather the storms as it continues to fly its customers to their destinations in the years to come.


AEROLINK AT 10 YEARS

Aerolink Uganda A Decade of Exemplary Service YEARS ON

YEARS ON

Aerolink celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, having started its operation in 2012 with just ten employees, one aircraft and a single office. Fast forward, they have grown their operations to 3 caravans, 21 employees and three offices at Entebbe International Airport. It was a hesitant start for Aerolink, preceded by five domestic airlines in the scheduled flight sector, with some closing shop after a mere couple of months. Despite teething challenges and a non-receptive market, the airline took off and continued to expand along with

Uganda’s infrastructure. Aerolink’s promise to fulfil its passengers’ dream adventures (even if it meant flying a single passenger) contributed to its rapid growth. Their resilience paid off, and in 2016 the airline began an upward trajectory only to be halted by the COVID-19 pandemic. A commendable achievement has been the employment of female pilots, which gave rise to a female Captain Country Manager and an all-female management team.

New Management at Aerolink At the helm of Aerolink's management is Captain Catherine Mugo, who took over as the Country Manager late last year. She brings a wealth of experience exceeding 13 years within the aviation industry, having moved from our subsidiary, Regional Air Services in Tanzania, where she was the Director of Operations. At the same time, Dorothy Kiprono took over as the Finance Manager bringing in a decade's worth of experience in Finance and Procurement within the aviation industry. She too, moved from Regional Air Services, where she was the Chief Accountant. Expect even greater things from the Aerolink team in 2022! Captain Catherine Mugo Country Manager

NDEGE NEWS MARCH - MAY 2022 | 17


NEWS UPDATE

All Museums Now Open The National Museums of Kenya is thrilled to welcome you back to the Museums after several months of closure. All the Museums and Sites across the country are now open to the public. A few changes have been made to ensure that you can safely enjoy your visit: All visitors are required to wear face masks and maintain social distance. Extra cleaning measures have equally been introduced for your protection. Additionally, staff are always on-hand to advise when necessary besides the many markers throughout the Museum to guide you.

2021 Magical Kenya Elephant Naming Festival During the inaugural Magical Kenya Tembo Naming Festival held at the Amboseli National Park, Kajiado County recently, corporates and individuals were allowed to adopt and name selected elephants after donating funds towards the initiative. This is an innovative way aimed at boosting conservation efforts of the endangered species. The elephants were adopted and named during the event which was officiated by Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Hon. Najib Balala, who lauded the initiative as a move towards the inclusion of the public in conservation as well as providing enough resources for the protection of Elephants in Kenya. The Cabinet secretary noted that the namers in the 2021 Magical Kenya Elephant Naming Festival had set a precedent that the ministry would be working towards achieving every year going forward. During the event, the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife

18 | NDEGE NEWS MARCH - MAY 2022

announced that it had mobilised Kshs.16.5 Million towards this initiative against the target of Kshs100 million within the financial year 2021 – 2022. The goal of the initiative is to secure a future for elephants and their habitats in peaceful co-existence with humans while providing benefits and for posterity. The population of African savannah elephants has plummeted by at least 60% over the past few years, resulting in their classification as "endangered" in the latest update of the IUCN's "danger list". The Amboseli ecosystem is home to about 1,800 elephants with the highest population found in the Tsavo ecosystem, standing at 14,000. In recent years, elephant poaching has however reduced significantly leading to a surge in elephant populations in Kenya. According to the Kenya Wildlife Census Report, Kenya is home to a total of 36,280 elephants, representing a 21 percent growth from 2014, when poaching was at its peak.


NEWS UPDATE

Nairobi National Park Celebrates 75th Anniversary When the British colonialists arrived in Nairobi in the late 19th century, the area had plentiful wildlife. The Maasai who lived here herded their cattle among the wildlife. As Nairobi grew with a population of 14,000 residents by 1910, conflicts between humans and animals increased and the residents of Nairobi were forced to carry guns at night to protect themselves against lions. Its against this background that the Nairobi National Park was established. Officially opened in 1946, Nairobi National Park was the first national park to be established in Kenya. Marking the park’s 75th anniversary , HE. President Uhuru Kenyatta who was the chief guest at the ceremony organized at the Kisembe Site in the park expressed joy at being present at the park which has the singular distinction of being the only national park in the entire world adjacent to a city. He said, “those that came before us made deliberate choices to balance rapid social and economic development with the conservation of our plant and animal life. Because of this foresight, Kenya today prides itself as having a thriving national park system, comprising

23 terrestrial and four marine national parks; six marine national reserves as well as seven national nature sanctuaries,”. The President commended the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife and the Kenya Wildlife Service management, for the job they are doing in ensuring the conservation and protection of Kenya’s national parks and wildlife. Further the President asked the Kenya Wildlife Service to scale up efforts to embrace new technological innovations to address wildlife challenges, particularly poaching.

WWF Donates PredatorDeterrent Lights The WWF has donated 1,800 predator-deterrent lights to KWS in an effort to safeguard livestock owned by communities living adjacent to wildlife sanctuaries. The predators such as leopards tend to kill a whole herd of animals such as goats, yet only devour one which poses grave danger to a pastoralist’s livelihood. This donation is a win-win for all parties, because it creates a good rapport between the Wildlife Service and communities, who understand that KWS and WWF are empathetic to their welfare beyond simply facilitating compensation for loss. Livestock losses to predators since 2016 amounted to approximately 56 million shillings. Predators have a night time visual ability that is ten times higher than that of humans, but the flashing lights render them temporarily blind. Their pupils are thus unable to determine whether it is day or night, and this stops them because they can neither pinpoint a target nor calculate risks. By using the lights Predators become disoriented from their targets consequently allowing them to turn their attention to other sources of food. The battery lights have a three to four-year lifespan and are constructed to be resistant to elements of weather. A demonstration on the efficacy of the predator-deterrent lights was conducted by Coexistech Ltd, a company which focuses on co-existence technology for wildlife, community and innovation. NDEGE NEWS MARCH - MAY 2022 | 19


NEWS UPDATE

Safari Rally, a Big Boost to Nakuru Hotels Hoteliers in Kenya's newest city, Nakuru have started receiving bookings for the Safari Rally in June, as residents brace for increased business. The local administrative unit of Nakuru city, Nakuru county signed a pact to keep the event in the World Rally Championship until 2026. This year the rally is scheduled to be held between June 23 - 26, 2022. In this year’s event, The Safari Rally has applied for a waiver from the FIA to increase its competitive distance from 198 to 226 miles, a move which would make it the World Rally Championship’s longest event since 2018. The FIA’s current limit for each WRC round is 350km (217 miles). Much of the proposed

increase for the event comes on a planned final day that runs to 60 miles, the longest final day in recent memory. East African Safari Classic Rally held in February 2022 went through nine grueling days of rough terrain traversing Laikipia, Amboseli and Tsavo. It brought a host of international drivers, crews and spectators to the region. The race was won by Kenya’s Kabras Sugar Team driver Baldev Chaggar navigated by Drew Sturrock in a Porsche 911. Kenya’s Datsun team driven by Nish Lakhani and navigated by Teeku Patel was awarded the Spirit of the Rally’s most meritorious trophy. This rally is the second largest classic car race in the world, after Dakar.

International Hotel Chains Revive Plans to Invest in Uganda In 2020, Uganda was ranked the sixth most popular MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) destination in Africa by the International Conference Association. International hotel brands are angling for the Ugandan market amid efforts to jump-start the tourism sector. At least five international hotel brands wanted to open new facilities in the country between 2020 and 2022, but the unrelenting Covid-19 pandemic derailed those plans. The country's growing MICE sector has attracted International hotel brands such as Marriott International, Golden Tulip, Radisson Blu and Hilton International. Tourism is Uganda’s biggest foreign exchange earner, attracting close to 1.6 million international visitors and brought in US$1.6 billion at its peak in 2019.

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NEWS UPDATE

AEROLINK UGANDA

From the tracking of Gorillas to the footprints of the Big Five Scheduled Flights from ENTEBBE to: KASESE / MWEYA / SEMLIKI / KIHIHI / KISORO / PAKUBA / CHOBE / KIDEPO / BUGUNGU / MASAI MARA

For more information, contact: Tel: +256 317 333000 www.aerolinkuganda.com

www.airkenya.com

www.regionaltanzania.com

info@aerolinkuganda.com NDEGE NEWS MARCH - MAY 2022 | 21


NEWS UPDATE

H.E Samia Suluhu Earns Tourism Award

Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania

The African Tourism Board (ATB) has honored H.E President Samia Suluhu Hassan - The President of the United Republic of Tanzania with the Continental Tourism Award for her tireless contribution to the country’s tourism sector. The continental tourism board singled out President Samia’s role in taking part in the recording of the Royal Tour documentary, which is meant to promote Tanzania internationally, as a gesture worth being emulated by other Heads of State on the continent. Due to President Samia Suluhu;s resolute leadership at the height of the Corona virus pandemic, hordes of tourists are now flocking to Tanzania raising hopes for the country’s hardest-hit tourism sector, which is emerging from the effects of the global pandemic. The African Tourism Board was established in 2018 to promote Africa as a single prime tourism destination. The African Tourism Board is currently working with International Tourism Investment Conference (ITIC) for a continental investment drive in promoting tourism development in Africa.

Serengeti Named Africa's Leading National Park During the just concluded World Travel Awards, 2021,Serengeti was named Africa's leading National Park for three years in a row 2019, 2020 and 2021.The Serengeti hosts one of the largest terrestrial mammal migration in the world. Each year around the same time, the circular great wildebeest migration begins in the Ngorongoro conservation area of the southern Serengeti in Tanzania and loops through the Serengeti National Park and north towards the Masai Mara game reserve in Kenya. This migration is naturally triggered, by the availability of fresh grazing fields during the rains on either side of the two countries. The initial phase lasts from about January to March, when the calving season begins, a time when there is plenty of rain-ripened grass available for the wildebeest. The Serengeti is home to the world’s largest populations of Wildebeest, Zebra, Cape Eland, Lion, Cheetah, Hyena and Gazelles among other wildlife. The scenic beauty of the sky with cool nights and warm days makes your visit to this remaining home for great migration of large mammals incredible. The Serengeti is also renowned for its large lion population and is one of the best places to observe large prides in their natural environment

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NEWS UPDATE

Uganda Launches New Destination Brand As the world starts to recover from the effects of the pandemic and opening up borders and skies to global tourism, Uganda, has refreshed its tourism destination brand promise, with the unveiling of a new brand identity that promises both domestic, regional and global tourists, an adventure of a lifetime. The new brand dubbed “ Explore Uganda, The Pearl of Africa”, draws upon Uganda’s global reputation as one of the most endowed destinations, famous for its thousands of

President Museveni launching the new brand

plant and wildlife attractions, as well as vast and beautiful landscapes, temperate climate, warm people, and cultural diversity. The brand identity—Explore Uganda, The Pearl of Africa, was unveiled on January 21, 2022, by president, H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni . The new brand promise seeks to re-emphasize Uganda’s rare and precious range of tourism attractions to the world, thereby earning destination Uganda competitive market share. “Explore Uganda the Pearl of Africa,” is an invitation to touristsboth domestic, regional and international to rediscover the magnificence of the Pearl. Speaking at the launch, President Museveni urged the world to Explore Uganda, The Pearl of Africa saying that, the uniqueness of her attractions guaranteed a better experience and higher return on investment. He particularly extolled Uganda’s unique terrain, that made the country a “roof of Africa” where Lake Victoria sits, giving birth to the Mighty River Nile that flows through various Ugandan lakes on its way to Alexandria in Egypt. He also highlighted Uganda’s abundant vegetation, temperate climate, variety of wildlife, strategic location on the Equator, cultural diversity, community tourism, peace and security, among others.

Uganda Investment Authority Looking for Investors AMOUNT: US$3,000,000, LOCATION: 10 NATIONAL PARKS The project will construct 100 cottages for tourist accommodation. The project seeks to address bed shortage in Bwindi, Mgahinga, Queen Elizabeth, Rwenzori, Semuliki, Kibale, Elgon, Murchison falls, Kidepo & Lake Mburo. In the high tourism season, there’s a 50% shortage of beds in the national parks. AMOUNT: US$150 Million, LOCATION: SOURCE OF THE NILE, JINJA

AMOUNT: US$ 1 - 55 MILLION, LOCATION: COUNTRYWIDE

The project is meant to build infrastructure around the source of the Nile such as public infrastructure (beautified), Cultural centres, Entertainment facilities, Hotel and recreation, Tourism water activities , Zip lines, Information Centre, Monuments and floating restaurants, alongside an improved golf already in existence for socio- economic benefits. Target market are tourists from all over the world, so the investments are to be first class.

There are numerous investments which can be undertaken in different national parks and en-route to national parks. These opportunities include Luxury hotels, tented camps and cottages; House Boats, Cruise Launches on the Nile and Sport fishing on the Albert, Edward and George; Walking Safaris in the wilderness areas and the volcanic craters; Canopy Walkways in tropical forests and sky trams.

NDEGE NEWS MARCH - MAY 2022 | 23


NEWS UPDATE

Smart Learning Project by Gamewatchers Safaris & Porini Camps Despite the downturn in tourism due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Gamewatchers Safaris and Porini Camps in Kenya remained fully committed to their community projects and launched a Smart Learning Project in collaboration with the PD Foundation in 2021, around the remote Selenkay conservancy in Amboseli. The Smart Learning project seeks to empower students and the local community on the use of ICT learning thus providing equal opportunities for learning. Teachers were trained to support digital learning in rural schools where power and internet connection are challenges. The unique mobile learning introduces simple tools such as tablets, projector, server for offline library and a portable solar charger to enable students and teachers access to knowledge. Thousands of libraries and story books, relevant to Kenya’s curriculum library (MsingiPack) are now digitally available on an offline server for free. It is a ground breaking project, the first in Kenya to align curriculum with Government approved lessons from Grade 1 to 4 and Class 5 to 8. Made possible by funds from PDFoundation who helped acquire the license for MsingiPACK Academy and wiLearn 4 Life. The Project’s target is to expand to a total of 17 schools; 5 around Selenkay and 12 around Ol Kinyei conservancy. The Maasai community has adopted the idea of digital learning with great enthusiasm. This was also noted with the employees at Porini Amboseli Camp who huddled

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around the library every evening if they were given the chance to access the tablets. They are hungry for information and expressed their thankfulness for receiving the opportunity to learn with tablets in a

new and exciting way. More details along with a full WiLearn4Life report by Ronald Diethelm can be found online. www.porini.com.


NEWS UPDATE

Photographic Hide at Porini Rhino in Ol Pejeta Becoming a part of nature and getting close to wildlife safely in Porini’s new photographic hide has proved popular already. Immersed in the bush, a little patience will reward you with incredible sightings of animal behaviour. Unobtrusive, the hide blends into the surroundings where the wildlife come to drink at the waterhole. It offers a great experience for guests to get close up photographs of the animals. Frequent visitors to the watering hole include rhinos, elephants, lions and giraffes; with more joining as it gets drier. All of the Big 5 are found in Ol Pejeta which is home to 110 critically endangered Black Rhinos and two of the world’s last remaining Northern White rhinos. Porini Rhino Camp is an intimate camp, with only eight tents including two new 2-roomed family units each featuring an interconnecting lounge. The Camp is helping accomplish the Conservancy’s aim of generating profits from wildlife tourism which is, in turn, reinvested into the development of the surrounding community. The camp staff is drawn from different Kenyan communities including members of the Maasai community from the Porini conservancy projects at Selenkay in Amboseli, Olkinyei and Olare Motorogi in the Masai Mara. Porini Rhino Camp adheres to strict eco-friendly and responsible eco-tourism principles. To get to Porini Rhino Camp, take an Airkenya flight from Wilson Airport to Kamok airstrip in Ol Pejeta Conservancy.

New Family Units in Porini Camps – Amboseli, Ol Pejeta & Masai Mara A Wildlife safari is a perfect experience for families, and a lovely way to create life-long memories. Children aged over 8 years are welcome at all Porini Camps, either sharing a tent with adults or for older children, in their own tent. For families wanting more space we have added to our Family Tents that have been high in demand. Rhino River Camp in Meru, Porini Lion Camp, Porini Amboseli Camp and Porini Rhino Camp now feature 02 family units each with the smaller Porini Mara Camp in Ol Kinyei Conservancy featuring 1 family unit. The family units comprise of two Twin / Double tents connected together by an additional private lounge area. These are ideal for families with children, extended families or groups of adults travelling together.

NDEGE NEWS MARCH - MAY 2022 | 25


FEATURE

Emerging Trends For Travel in 2022

A

s we look towards the future of travel, several hotel trends in 2022 are emerging. Aylott + Van Tromp, a United Kingdom based experience driven design and strategy company specializing in the interaction of people, brands and places has identified key trends that are expected to emerge in the hospitality industry this year. Two years of the global pandemic have altered traveler’s needs. Mass-market holiday may not be everyone’s cup of tea with the challenges of Covid 19. Smaller localized get-aways easily reachable by charter flights, small aircrafts,

car, bike, or foot will get good business. More travelers will be opting for increasingly isolated accommodation, as social distancing habits are here, for the long haul. Travelers are looking for off-grid destinations with an abundance of private space to allow them to remain in their own social bubbles, while still enjoying all of the amenities they would expect from a traditional hotel complex. For years the main cities have been the focal point of hospitality and rightly so; people would head to big cities as a treat, visiting traditional tourist sites or seeing a show. Times however have changed, and the trend is heading

Travelers will continue to seek escapism and comfort that retains a raw feeling capturing the emotive sense of camping in the wild and being close to nature.

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towards low-key, softer tourism. Alongside off-the-grid locations, cultural centers with an abundance of history, are becoming fashionable because they match people’s ideals. People want to experience something different and unique, far from huge crowds. Travelers will continue to seek escapism and comfort that retains a raw feeling - capturing the emotive sense of camping in the wild and being close to nature. To reinforce this, travelers will seek hotel rooms or camps that blend seamlessly into their natural surroundings, offering an immediate connection to nature through the use of oversized windows with minimal or no concrete walls. Sustainable design led cabins created specifically for the hotel and leisure industry will become highly sought-after, delivering both off-the-shelf designs and bespoke branded cabins for hoteliers and leisure operators alike. Along with industry essentials like contactless technology, the hospitality industry is adapting to new rhythms of travel and


NEWS UPDATE

reimagining their hotel spaces. The most prominent hotel trend for 2022 is contactless technology. Prior to the pandemic, features such as contactless check-in offered convenience to guests. But these solutions have now become critical. The ability to check in, order meal delivery, or seek concierge support remotely now plays a key role in helping guests avoid crowded spaces and stay healthy. For some hotel brands, digital transformation has been well underway for years. Virtual Reality technology (VR) is also now a 2022 hotel trend, especially for travelers engaged in the booking process. Increasingly, hotels and resorts are using VR to create virtual tours of their suites and amenities. In addition to

bringing the aesthetics of a hotel to life, these technologies also provide booking confidence. Travelers are not only seeking clean accommodation, but also security that is going above and beyond for their guests. This includes the use of digital keys, enforcing strict vaccine requirements and having flexible cancellation policies. While it is true that many hotel brands have implemented remarkable tech solutions and cleaning protocols throughout the pandemic, it will be some time before travelers feel fully confident in a hotel environment. As vaccinations and boosters increase, trips booked for both business and leisure are expected to rise. Along with more workers

than ever seeking remote work opportunities, the number of travelers with the ability to book trips and still continue to work, is expected to increase. The remote workforce will still be on the rise as a hotel trend in 2022, which was growing for years before the pandemic, and millions more workers shifted to working from home in 2020. Across the hospitality industry, the reimagining of hotel design, aligned with shifting traveler values will be a key trend. While some travelers feel more secure in a vacation home away from crowds, others feel more confident with the professional cleaning protocols and contactless features that a hotel can provide. With this in mind, hotel brands that offer extra spacious or standalone units, like timeshares, cabins, or beach cottages, may be of great interest to travelers seeking socially distanced holidays. Amenities like in-suite kitchens can also be very helpful to guests, as they limit the need to engage with busy public spaces multiple times a day. As the hospitality industry navigates the years ahead, health and safety must be woven into every detail. Innovative new tech solutions will play a key role here, and are an investment in the rebuilding of the hotel sector.

NDEGE NEWS MARCH - MAY 2022 | 27


FEATURE

Coffee Conserving Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, best known for its Mountain Gorillas, with just under half of the World’s estimated 1063 remaining endangered Mountain Gorillas, is also home to Gorilla Conservation Coffee, Uganda’s only premium and specialty coffee expressly created to protect the magnificent Mountain Gorillas. Gorilla Conservation Coffee was established in 2015 as a social enterprise of Conservation Through Public Health, a grassroots Ugandan NGO and non-profit, which promotes biodiversity 28 | NDEGE NEWS MARCH - MAY 2022

conservation by enabling people, gorillas and other wildlife to coexist through improving their health and livelihoods in and around Africa’s protected areas. Surrounding Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are isolated and impoverished communities, with limited access to health services and very few livelihood opportunities. Due to their close proximity both inside and outside the national park, preventable infectious diseases, including COVID-19, can easily spread between humans and gorillas. This, along with illegal entry

into the forest in search of food or fuelwood, is threatening the existence of the mountain gorillas. Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH) works to address the threats to mountain gorillas, including by providing alternative, sustainable livelihood options for the community members living in proximity to the gorillas. Gorilla Conservation Coffee is one such alternative livelihood which provides coffee farmers living adjacent to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest with a guaranteed market and higher price for their coffee.


FEATURE

When Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Conservation Through Public Health and Gorilla Conservation Coffee’s founder, visited farmers living near the park, she learnt they were not being given a fair price for their coffee and were struggling hard to survive, forcing them to use the national park to meet their basic family needs for food and fuel wood. It was then that concept for Gorilla Conservation Coffee was born. Gorilla Conservation Coffee pays a premium of $0.50 per kilo above the market price to coffee farmers living around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Gorilla Conservation Coffee further supports the farmers through training in sustainable coffee farming and processing. This helps to improve the coffee quality and increase production yield. Supporting local farmers helps to protect the endangered gorillas and their fragile habitat. Gorilla Conservation Coffee makes a special effort to support women coffee farmers, helping to OPPOSITE PAGE: Gorilla Conservation Coffee and view of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. THIS PAGE: The Gorilla Health and Community Conservation Centre with the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park view.

provide opportunities for women’s economic empowerment, disrupt male financial dominance and break ingrained stereotypes in the communities. ‘I started growing Arabica coffee in 2002, but had one major challenge – we had no market. We are grateful to Gorilla Conservation Coffee for getting us market for our coffee.’ Sulait Mugaye, Coffee Farmer of Bwindi. ‘I was lucky to have been introduced to Gorilla Conservation Coffee. I requested for a loan to invest in my farming, which I was able to get. I fully serviced the loan and made profits from sales of the coffee. I always use the profits to pay school fees for my children.’ Vincent Butamanya, Coffee Farmer of Bwindi. In addition, $1.50 per kilo of roasted branded coffee purchased is donated to help save mountain gorillas by directly supporting the work of Conservation Through Public Health, ensuring that benefits to Bwindi’s gorillas and communities are maximized. With this and other support, Conservation Through Public Health implements a One Health model which focuses on preventing and controlling disease transmission

between closely genetically related species such as people and gorillas, and livestock and wildlife, and promoting a better quality of life that reduces local communities’ dependence on fragile habitats to meet their basic needs. Conservation Through Public Health’s multidisciplinary approach includes working with community volunteers and training them as Village Health and Conservation Teams (VHCTs). VHCTs visit households around Bwindi, disseminating information and services to improve health and conservation practices including around hygiene, sanitation, safe waste disposal, tree planting, energy efficient stoves and the risks associated with eating bush meat. In addition, VHCTs provide family planning advice and administer injectable contraceptives to those who would like them, and improve attitudes towards conservation. VHCTs report homes visited by gorillas and help to prevent and control infectious diseases particularly those that can spread between people and gorillas. They also provide referral advice and, recently during the COVID-19 pandemic, have been providing home based care support and

NDEGE NEWS MARCH - MAY 2022 | 29


FEATURE

Dr. Gladys with Mugaya Sulait, coffee farmer of Bwindi and Butamanya Vincent, coffee farmer of Bwindi

contact tracing. Conservation Through Public Health also engages community members as Gorilla Guardians – human and gorilla conflict resolution team volunteers who provide human-wildlife conflict support including safely herding wild animals which have strayed into community land back into the forest. Gorilla Guardians also work with the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to support routine gorilla health monitoring through the collection of fecal samples from night nests for analysis at Conservation Through Public Health’s Gorilla Health and Community Conservation Centre which houses a field laboratory, the only one of its kind in Bwindi. Fecal samples are collected regularly and analysed for pathogens, particularly those of zoonotic concern. This provides an early warning system

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in the case of an infection having spilled over from the human population to the gorillas. Gorilla Guardians are also trained by Conservation Through Public Health in clinical observation of the gorillas, to enable quick identification of any health issues of concern amongst Bwindi’s gorilla population. Gorilla Conservation Coffee Gorilla Conservation Coffee’s Kanyonyi coffee brand is 100% premium Arabica that is selectively harvested for only red ripe cherries, hand-picked, wet processed and dried under shade. Our coffee is tested for quality parameters at every level. The coffee is roasted medium and packed to the highest quality standards. The first brand is named after Kanyonyi, the former lead silverback of the Mubare gorilla group located in Bwindi

Photo © Jo Anne McArthur - UnboundProject

Impenetrable National Park, Uganda – it has a unique aroma with hints of dark chocolate, caramel, butter notes and almond, with a citrus taste and a sweet finish. In 2018, it was placed amongst the top 30 coffees globally by Coffee Review in California, USA. Coffee Safari If you are looking for something different to do whilst in Bwindi, why not join a Gorilla Conservation Coffee Safari to learn how coffee helps small farmers and saves Uganda’s mountain gorillas? You’ll learn how the coffee is grown, harvested, dried and processed; meet the farmers; and get to taste the award-winning coffee. Gorilla Conservation Camp Visitors to Bwindi can make an extra impact by staying at the Gorilla


FEATURE

Conservation Camp, Conservation Through Public Health’s beautifully appointed camp overlooking the Bwindi forest canopy. Choose between one of the self-contained rooms or opt for ‘glamping’ in a furnished tent. Of course, what better way to start your days at the camp than with a delicious cup of Gorilla Conservation Coffee? Gorilla Conservation Café Don’t miss the Gorilla Conservation Café in Entebbe – stop in for a delicious brew whilst in Entebbe. The Gorilla Conservation Café, located at Plot 13 Portal Road in Entebbe serves a range of coffees, snacks and meals - and you can enjoy them all guilt-free knowing that you purchase is helping to save the endangered mountain gorillas!

Blackback gorilla in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Where to buy? Gorilla Conservation Coffee is widely available in Uganda, Kenya and internationally. You can pick some up from the Gorilla Conservation Café, at the Entebbe International Airport Duty Free Shops, AidChild Equator Shop, Ark Organics, Muti

Garden Café, and lodges at Bwindi including Gorilla Conservation Camp, Ride for a Woman, Buhoma Lodge, Mahogany Springs Lodge, Haven Lodge, Bwindi View Lodge, Gorilla Forest Camp, Buhoma Community Restcamp and Batwa Empowerment

Photo © Jo Anne McArthur - UnboundProject

Project, Queen Elizabeth National Park visitor information centre and CTPH Telecentre and online in Uganda at SimbiMall. The coffee is available in Kenya through Safari Lounge, Greenspoon or Carrefour, amongst many other stores. Gorilla Conservation Coffee USA is our supplier in the US and MoneyRowBeans in the UK. For a full list of suppliers, check https:// gorillaconservationcoffee.org/ where-to-buy/ With daily flights to Bwindi offered by Aerolink, there is nothing stopping you from booking that once in a lifetime trip to see the mountain gorillas, and when you do, be sure to visit Conservation Through Public Health’s field office in Buhoma, get a tour of the Gorilla Health and Community Conservation Centre and book a coffee safari to learn more about the work they are doing to save gorillas, one sip at a time. For more information visit www. ctph.org and www.gccoffee.org

CTPH volunteer, Emily De Moor harvesting our single origin, 100% Arabica coffee

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FEATURE

Find Yourself in Tanzania You need to venture below the surface to truly understand the way the seas, the earth and its creatures are truly connected. Tanzania has many tourist attractions including 17 national parks, 29 game reserves, 40 controlled conservation areas and marine parks. Approximately 40 percent of Tanzania's land area is set aside in protected areas for conservation. Tanzania is also home to Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest Mountain in Africa and a major hiking and climbing destination. Tanzania’s signature park is The Serengeti , one of Africa's leading National park that stretches over 14,800 km2 and well known for the largest annual wildebeest migration in the world . The Serengeti is also home to the world’s largest populations of wild animals such as Wildebeest, Zebra, Cape Eland, Lions, Cheetah, Hyena and Gazelles among others.

Tanzania has 40% of its land - the highest percentage in an African country, under protection - fully set aside for wildlife and conservation. 32 | NDEGE NEWS MARCH - MAY 2022

Tanzania's is in the top ten countries for its biodiversity housing 1‚100 species of breeding birds. All of Southern Africa has 800. The "Cradle of Mankind." is at Olduvai Gorge - evidence of ancient hominids who lived here over three million years ago. Tanzania has miles of pristine beaches‚ and exotic islands like Zanzibar‚ Mafia and Pemba. If you’re interested in discovering the secrets of the oceans that surround the Swahili coast, take a look at these ideas from Seas4Life.

Spice Islands

Exclusively explore the Clove + Spice Islands on your very own 60ft Catamaran or 60ft East African Dhow, away from the crowds and entirely on your own schedule + customizable itinerary. Think mobile camping on sea with the freedom to explore + stop wherever you want, whenever you want.

Spice Island highlights: Zanzibar: explore the historical Stone Town, embark on a Spice Tour, visit amazing beaches, explore Jozani National Park with chances of seeing Zanzibar Red Colobus Monkeys. Prison Island: relax with Giant Aldabra Tortoises and then learn all about VooDoo/WitchCraft. Ras Nugwi: visit a turtle nesting project, connect with local scientists and witness how Dhows are made. Mnemba Island: stunning coral reefs perfect for snorkeling and diving. Pemba Island: a place forgotten in time. Explore this remote island, its flying foxes, and endangered large coconut crabs.


A trip all about exploring from your own exclusive boat with a uniquely customised itinerary. Whether you have 7 days, or 3 days, we will take you to the hidden gems of the Spice Islands (including the David Attenborough-esque Latham Island).

Magical Mafia

Visit this stunning tropical paradise for a true ocean escape. You can choose to live on land from a selection of hotels we have handpicked and visited for you, or aboard a 60ft catamaran where nothing stands in your way. Mafia highlights: Swimming with Whale Sharks - the advantage of traveling with Seas4Life is that we will connect you to the whale shark scientists for an exclusive experience. Scuba Diving and Snorkeling Mafia is famous for its stunning coral reefs and top notch diving spots. With us, you can escape the crowds, visit untouched areas and sail further afield to nearby islands.

Option wind/weather dependent - sail to Zanzibar through Latham Island (a hidden treasure of the Indian Ocean - enter a David Attenborough-esque world) Whilst there are no schedule flights, Regional Air can fly you via charter to breathtaking Lupita island in Lake Tanganyika where you can

spend your days diving/snorkelling with some of the 250 endemic species of the vibrant cichlids, you can water-ski, kayak and fish whilst exploring the hidden gems of this great lake. Also visit the historical and cultural sites around Lupita. www.seas4life.com

Regional Air Services offers daily flights from Arusha to the popular safari destinations in the Northern safari circuit – Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Lake Manyara, Mt Kilimanjaro, and the beach destinations in Zanzibar, Mafia, Pemba and Dar es Salaam. It also serves Selous National Park from Zanzibar on a regular charter basis. Regional Air easily connects Serengeti to Maasai Mara and other Kenyan safari destinations in conjunction with Airkenya through Tarime and Migori airstrips. Kilimanjaro International Airport is the gateway to Tanzania, and the second connection point to Kenya’s safari destinations.

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FILM REVIEW

Blow Away The Cob Webs As 2022 began, we looked for uplifting stories that would blow away the sadness and insecurities of the last two years. And since digital, online and remote were a big part of our lives, even more quality information was discovered on YouTube. Here are three highly recommended films that will bring you up to date with modern culture. Two thrilling documentaries on gender equality:

Akashinga:The Brave Ones

Featuring women with guns against armed men willing to kill elephants and anyone who stands in their way. By National Geographic with executive producer James Cameron. From being trapped in powerless positions, these women endure intense physical and mental

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training, including starvation, to test their determination to rise above their circumstances and become a phenomenal force of nature. They stand up to men who threaten to rape them and destroy their families. Their trainer, former Australian Special Operations military sniper, Damien Mander says in the film “We’ve been so blinded by our ego from seeing the most powerful force in nature and that’s a woman’s instinct to protect.” Damien Mander is also winner of the 2019 Winsome Constance Kindness Trust Gold Medal- a global initiative which emphasises ethics, compassion and co-operation opposing cruelty to humans and non-human animals. In 2020, it had initiatives in 40 countries.

Further evidence of women’s valuable work in an illegal world full of dangerous men out to make big bucks comes from the multi award winning:

Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit

These courageous women rangers save rhinos in South Africa. They face a real war with poachers who are often ex-military, and have a network of bribed game wardens, drivers, police and immigration officials in several countries behind them. One interviewee said his boss makes in excess of £100,000 on the Asian markets per trip. He has carried five suitcases, two or three of them full of rhino horn, from


FILM REVIEW

Tenkaraki Ilowuarak – Because of the Predators

South Africa, through Pakistan to the Chinese cities of Guangzhou, Shanghai and Hong Kong without any baggage checks. This is clearly not a small boys game. When Rhino horn became worth as much as gold, diamonds and cocaine, the poaching crisis rose from 2008 until 2015 when it was at its worst. Current levels are down to how they were in 2009, much better but still too high and a problem for the survival of rhinos. Whilst sniffer dogs are being used and arrests are being made, getting convictions is still a challenge. Head warden Craig Spencer tells the presenter Evan Williams on the outskirts of Kruger National park that when he came began working in 2006, rhino poaching was not a problem, then suddenly they started to find carcases dotted about. “nothing has actually worked drones, thermal optics, satellite tracking, real life tracking of this that and the other, the only thing that has actually shown any return for investment is the Black Mambas..”

The Black Mambas started in 2017 as 26 women from villages around the park who signed up to take on the poachers. The film shows that once again, their secret weapon is how everyone underestimates women and their natural instinct to protect. Here’s one excellent film on Community Conservation:

Narrated by Maasai Dickson Kaelo, directed by Joan Poggio, and produced with the help of African Wildlife Foundation and Kenya Wildlife Trust’s Mara Predator Conservation Programme. A Maasai elder tells us that predators had no benefit except for Moran to show their bravery by hunting them after they had attacked a person or their livestock. But in those days, he says people were few and the threat of extinction remote. Now as large populations settle, non hunting tourism has turned the fate of the predators. Viewing predators in the Mara ecosystem is now so popular, bringing large amounts of revenue to communities whose ancestral lands these are, that it makes sense to save them from extinction. Other job opportunities have also arisen. Mainly guides and in the camps – as managers, waiters, chefs, cleaners and the sale of traditional bead crafts. Along with employment, schools, water wells and clinics have been established closer to homesteads, increasing the quality of life by offering security.

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Valentine's Day 2022


Sunrise in Zanzibar

Sunset in the Serengeti

ZANZIBAR - ARUSHA - SERENGETI MORNING SCHEDULE Zanzibar AM Arusha 7:30 9:05 Kogatende 7:30 10:30 Lobo 7:30 10:30 Sasakwa 7:30 10:30 Seronera 7:30 10:30 DAR ES SALAAM - ARUSHA - SERENGETI MORNING SCHEDULE Dar es Salaam AM Arusha 8:00 9:05 Kogatende 8:00 10:30 Lobo 8:00 10:30 Sasakwa 8:00 10:30 Seronera 8:00 10:30 Timings above are estimates and will vary depending on aircraft routing

Resumption of Tarime Route We are pleased to inform you of the resumption of Tarime flights effective 11th February, 2022 and this service will operate with a minimum of 2 passengers per airstrip. The Serengeti – Maasai Mara service seamlessly connects with our sister company Airkenya Express Ltd hence enabling clients to enjoy breakfast in Serengeti and lunch in Maasai Mara or vice versa.

Operations: ops@regional.co.tz / +255 (0)753 500 300 / (0)786 021 102 Reservations: resvns@regional.co.tz / +255 (0)754 285 754 / (0)784 285 753 www.regionaltanzania.com


JINJA

KISUMU MBARARA

LAKE MBURO NAT. PARK

LAMU

MALINDI

DIANI

1. Amboseli 2. Finch Hattons - Tsavo 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, Mweya and Semliki 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. Dar es Salaam 3. Fort Ikoma 4. Grumeti 5. Kilimanjaro 6. Kogatende 7. Lake Manyara 8. Lamai

9. Lobo 10. Ndutu 11. Sasakwa 12. Serengeti South 13. Seronera 14. Wasso 15. Zanzibar 16 Tarime


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 and 1 Engineer) Passengers: Maximum 50 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: 3


AIRKENYA FLIGHT SCHEDULE 2022 FLT NO

FROM

TO

AMBOSELI P2 883 P2 884

WILSON AMBOSELI

AMBOSELI WILSON

DEPART

ARRIVE

07:30 08:15

08:05 09:30

• Daily Service; minimum of 2 pax to operate • The Inbound Amboseli -Wilson service via Finch Hattons immidiately connects to Nanyuki, Lewa Downs, Samburu, Meru, Loisaba at 10:00;connects the Maasai Mara at 10:30 and Kilimanjaro at 13:30 FINCH HATTONS - TSAVO P2 883 WILSON FINCH HATTONS 07:30 08:30 P2 884 FINCH HATTONS WILSON 08:45 09:30 • Daily Service; minimum of 2 pax to operate; Starting 01st January 2022 via Amboseli • The Inbound Finch Hattons -Wilson service immediately connects to Nanyuki, Lewa Downs, Samburu, Meru, Loisaba at 10:00; connects the Masai Mara at 10:30 and and Kilimanjaro at 13:30 KILIMANJARO P2 821 WILSON KILIMANJARO 13:30 14:25 P2 822 KILIMANJARO WILSON 14:40 15:35 • Daily Service, minimum of 4 pax to operate; • This airport is your gateway to a safari between Kenya & Tanzania as it easily connects to Arusha, Manyara, Grumeti, Seronera,Kogatende, Lobo, Fort-Ikoma and Sasakwa with Regional Air Services at 14:30 • Kilimanjaro To Wilson inbound service connects Masai Mara at 1600hrs between 01st July and 30th September 2022 LEWA DOWNS P2 861 WILSON LEWA DOWNS 09:00 10:25 P2 871 WILSON LEWA DOWNS 10:00 11:00 P2 872 LEWA DOWNS WILSON 11:10 13:25 P2 862 LEWA DOWNS MASAI MARA 10:35 12:00 • Daily Service; minimum of 2 pax to operate • Flight into & out of Lewa Downs, operate into Multiple Airstrips and timings may vary depending on aircraft routing • Flight from Lewa to Masai Mara may route via Wilson to connect Masai Mara Service at 14:00 in the low season • The inbound flight Lewa to Wilson connects Kilimanjaro at 13:30 and to Masai Mara at 14:00 • You can now connect to Lewa from Masai Mara via Wilson on the morning flight at 10:00 LEWA DOWNS (ADDITIONAL FLIGHT) P2 863 WILSON LEWA DOWNS 08:00 09:25 P2 864 LEWA DOWNS MASAI MARA 09:35 11:00 • Daily Service; minimum of 2 pax to operate. The flight will operate between 01 July - 30 September 2022 • Flight into & out of Lewa operate into Multiple Airstrips and timings may vary depending on aircraft routing. • Inbound pax to Wilson can use the Service Lewa - Wilson at 11:10. LOISABA P2 861 WILSON LOISABA 09:00 10:25 P2 871 WILSON LOISABA 10:00 11:30 P2 872 LOISABA WILSON 11:40 13:25 P2 862 LOISABA MASAI MARA 10:35 12:00 • Daily Service; minimum of 2 pax to operate • Flight into & out of Loisaba, operate Multiple Airstrips and timings may vary depending on aircraft routing • Flight from Loisaba to Masai Mara may route via Wilson to connect Masai Mara Service at 14:00 in the low season • The inbound flight Loisaba to Wilson connects Kilimanjaro at 13:30 and to Masai Mara at 14:00 • You can now connect to Loisaba from Masai Mara via Wilson on the morning flight at 10:00 LOISABA (ADDITIONAL FLIGHT) P2 863 WILSON LOISABA 08:00 09:25 P2 864 LOISABA MASAI MARA 09:35 11:00 • Daily Service; minimum of 2 pax to operate. The flight will operate between 01 July - 30 September 2022

FLT NO MASAI MARA P2 851 P2 852

FROM

TO

WILSON MASAI MARA

MASAI MARA WILSON

DEPART

ARRIVE

07:30 08:15

08:10 09:45

P2 853 WILSON MASAI MARA 10:30 11:10 P2 854 MASAI MARA WILSON 11:15 13:00 P2 951 WILSON MASAI MARA 14:00 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 frontier 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 (ADDITIONAL FLIGHT) P2 953 WILSON MASAI MARA 16:00 16:40 P2 954 MASAI MARA WILSON 16:45 18:15 • These flights would operate with minimum of 2 pax between 01st July and 30th September 2022 • Flight into & out of Mara, operate Multiple Airstrips and timings may vary depending on aircraft routing MERU P2 861 WILSON MERU 09:00 09:55 P2 871 WILSON MERU 10:00 12:00 P2 872 MERU WILSON 12:10 13:25 P2 872 MERU NANYUKI 12:10 12:35 P2 872 MERU SAMBURU 10:20 10:40 P2 862 MERU MASAI MARA 10:05 12:00 • Daily Service; minimum of 2 pax to operate • Flight into & out of Meru, operate Multiple Airstrips and timings may vary depending on aircraft routing • Flight from Meru to Masai Mara may route via Wilson to connect Masai Mara Service at 14:00 in the low season • The inbound flight Meru to Wilson connects Kilimanjaro at 13:30 and to Masai Mara at 14:00 • Meru - samburu is a one direction service • You can now connect to Meru from Masai Mara via Wilson on the morning flight at 10:00 MERU (ADDITIONAL FLIGHT) P2 863 WILSON MERU 08:00 08:55 P2 864 MERU MASAI MARA 09:05 11:00 • Daily Service; minimum of 2 pax to operate. The flight will operate between 01 July - 30 September 2022 • Flight into & out of Meru, operate into Multiple Airstrips and timings may vary depending on aircraft routing • Inbound pax to Wilson can use the Service Meru - Wilson at 12:10 NANYUKI / KAMOK P2 861 WILSON NANYUKI 09:00 09:35 P2 871 WILSON NANYUKI 10:00 10:35 P2 872 NANYUKI WILSON 12:45 13:25 P2 871 NANYUKI MERU 10:45 12:00 P2 862 NANYUKI MASAI MARA 11:00 12:00 • Daily Service; minimum of 2 pax to operate • Flight into & out of Nanyuki operate into Multiple Airstrips and timings may vary depending on aircraft routing • Nanyuki to Masai Mara may route via Wilson in low season to connect Masai Mara 14:00 departure. • The inbound flight Nanyuki to Wilson connects Kilimanjaro at 13:30 and to Masai Mara at 14:00 • Airstrips served Nanyuki Civil & Kamok Airstrips • You can now connect to Nanyuki from Masai Mara via Wilson on the morning flight at 10:00


AIRKENYA FLIGHT SCHEDULE 2022 FLT NO FROM TO DEPART ARRIVE NANYUKI/KAMOK (ADDITIONAL FLIGHT) P2 863 WILSON NANYUKI 08:00 08:35 P2 864 NANYUKI MASAI MARA 10:00 11:00 • Daily Service; minimum of 2 pax to operate. The flight will operate between 01 July - 30 September 2022 • Flight into & out of Nanyuki operate into Multiple Airstrips and timings may vary depending on aircraft routing. • Inbound pax to Wilson can use the Service Nanyuki - Wilson at 12:45 SAMBURU P2 861 WILSON SAMBURU 09:00 10:25 P2 871 WILSON SAMBURU 10:00 11:30 P2 872 SAMBURU WILSON 11:40 13:25 P2 862 SAMBURU MASAI MARA 10:35 12:00 • Daily Service; minimum of 2 pax to operate • Flight into & out of Samburu operate into Multiple Airstrips and timings may vary depending on aircraft routing. • The inbound flight Samburu to Wilson connects Kilimanjaro at 13:30. Samburu to Masai Mara may route via wilson in low season • Airstrips served Samburu Buffalo & Kalama. Samburu to Masai Mara may route via Wilson in low season to connect Masai Mara 14:00 departure. • You can now connect to Samburu from Masai Mara via Wilson on the morning flight at 10:00 SAMBURU (ADDITIONAL FLIGHT) P2 863 WILSON SAMBURU 08:00 09:25 P2 864 SAMBURU MASAI MARA 09:35 11:00 • Daily Service; minimum of 2 pax to operate. The flight will operate between 01 July - 30 September 2022 • Flight into & out of Samburu operate into Multiple Airstrips and timings may vary depending on aircraft routing • Inbound pax to Wilson can use the Service Samburu - Wilson at 11:40. SASAAB P2 861 WILSON SASAAB 09:00 10:25 P2 871 WILSON SASAAB 10:00 11:30 P2 872 SASAAB WILSON 11:40 13:25 P2 862 SASAAB MASAI MARA 10:35 12:00 • Daily Service; minimum of 2 pax to operate; Starting 01st January 2022 • Flight into & out of Samburu Sasaab operate into Multiple Airstrips and timings may vary depending on aircraft routing • Flight from Sasaab to Masai Mara may route via Wilson to connect Masai Mara Service at 14:00 in the low season • The inbound flight Sasaab to Wilson connects Kilimanjaro at 13:30 and to Masai Mara at 14:00 • You can now connect to Sasaab from Masai Mara via Wilson on the morning flight at 10:00 SASAAB (ADDITIONAL FLIGHT) P2 863 WILSON SASAAB 08:00 09:25 P2 864 SASAAB MASAI MARA 09:35 11:00 • Daily Service; minimum of 2 pax to operate. The flight will operate between 01 July - 30 September 2022 • Flight to Sasaab operate into Multiple Airstrips and timings may vary depending on aircraft routing. • Inbound pax to Wilson can use the service Sasaab - Wilson at 11:40 MIGORI & TARIME P2 454 MIGORI MASAI MARA 11:35 12:40 P2 453 MASAI MARA MIGORI 08:15 09:00 P2 453 MASAI MARA TARIME 08:15 10:10 P2 454 TARIME MASAI MARA 10:30 12:40 • Daily Service; minimum of 4 pax to operate • Service operates into multiple airstrips therefore timings may vary depending on aircraft routing • The service connects Serengeti services and Masai Mara with Regional Air and Airkenya Services. • Contact Airkenya reservations if connecting Auric and Coastal Aviation

FLT NO FROM TO DEPART ARRIVE MASAI MARA - SERENGETI - MARA VIA MIGORI/TARIME P2/8N 453/422 MASAI MARA SERONERA 08:15 11:20 P2/8N 453/422 MASAI MARA NDUTU 08:15 11:45 P2/8N 453/422 MASAI MARA KOGATENDE 08:15 11:20 P2/8N 453/422 MASAI MARA LOBO 08:15 11:20 P2/8N 453/422 MASAI MARA FORT IKOMA 08:15 11:20 P2/8N 453/432 MASAI MARA MANYARA 08:15 12:00 P2/8N 453/422 MASAI MARA SERENGETI 08:15 11:20 SOUTH P2/8N 453/422 MASAI MARA SASAKWA 08:15 11:20 P2/8N 453/422 MASAI MARA GRUMETI 08:15 11:20 8N/P2 431/454 MANYARA MASAI MARA 08:40 12:40 8N/P2 115/454 NDUTU MASAI MARA 08:00 12:40 8N/P2 421/454 FORT IKOMA MASAI MARA 09:15 12:40 8N/P2 421/454 LOBO MASAI MARA 09:15 12:40 8N/P2 421/454 SERENGETI MASAI MARA 09:15 12:40 SOUTH 8N/P2 421/454 SERONERA MASAI MARA 09:15 12:40 8N/P2 421/454 SASAKWA MASAI MARA 09:15 12:40 8N/P2 421/454 KOGATENDE MASAI MARA 09:15 12:40 8N/P2 421/454 GRUMETI MASAI MARA 09:15 12:40 • Daily Service; minimum of 4 pax to operate • 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 Serengeti services and Masai Mara with Regional Air and Airkenya Services. • Contact Airkenya reservations if connecting Auric and Coastal Aviation MASAI MARA - UGANDA VIA KISUMU/ENTEBBE P2 551 MASAI MARA KISUMU 08:15 09:20 P2 551 KISUMU ENTEBBE 10:00 11:00 P2 552 ENTEBBE KISUMU 11:45 12:45 P2 552 KISUMU MASAI MARA 13:25 14:00 P2 551 MASAI MARA ENTEBBE 08:15 11:00 P2 552 ENTEBBE MASAI MARA 11:45 14:00 P2/A8* 551/121 MASAI MARA KIHIHI (BINP) 08:15 14:40 P2/A8* 551/ 121 MASAI MARA KASESE/MWEYA 08:15 14:15 (QENP) P2/A8* 551/121 MASAI MARA SEMILIKI 08:15 14:15 P2/A8* 551/121 MASAI MARA BUGUNGU/ PAKU08:15 13:00 BA/CHOBE (MFNP) P2/ A8* 551/ 131 MASAI MARA KIDEPO (KVNP) 08:15 14:45 A8*/P2 112/552 KIHIHI/KISORO MASAI MARA 09:45 14:45 (BINP) A8*/P2 112/552 KASESE/MWEYA MASAI MARA 10:20 14:45 A8*/P2 112/552 SEMILIKI MASAI MARA 10:20 14:45 • Flights are daily with a minimum of 4 pax to operate. • 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. • BINP -Bwindi Impenetrable National Park • QENP - Queen Elizabeth National Park • MFNP - Murchison Falls National Park • KVNP - Kidepo Valley National Park • Kidepo Service will require a minimum of 7 pax and will operate on Wed, Fri and Sun

HIGH SEASON: 21 DEC 2021 - 28 FEB 2022; 01 JUNE 2022 - 31 OCT 2022 LOW SEASON: 01 MARCH 2022 - 31 MAY 2022; 01 NOV 2022 - 20 DEC 2022 Valid from 21st Dec 2021 to 20th Dec 2022 • CHECK IN TIME is 60 minutes before flight time in Nairobi (Wilson), Kilimanjaro, Kisumu and Entebbe Airports. • Gate closes 30 minutes before departure time after which passengers will not be allowed to check in. • Check in time from all bush airstrips is 30 minutes before departure time. • Airkenya Operations can be reached on the morning of schedule flights 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

Call Centre - +254 (0)20 391 6000 / +254 (0) 20 3925000 Operations: +254 (0) 706 085534 / +254 (0) 727 131977 Email: resvns@airkenya.com / marketing@airkenya.com Website: www.airkenya.com


REGIONAL AIR SERVICES FLIGHT SCHEDULE 2022

SCHEDULE VALID FROM 1ST JANUARY 2022 UPTO 31ST DECEMBER 2022 FROM Arusha AM

TO Fort Ikoma Grumeti Kogatende Lobo Manyara Ndutu*** Sasakwa Seronera SGS Wasso

ETD 08:00 08:00 08:00 08:00 08:00 08:00 08:00 08:00 08:00 08:00

ETA 10:05 09:30 09:55 09:25 08:25 09:05 10:05 10:30 TBA 09:55

Arusha PM

Kilimanjaro Manyara Seronera

13:00 16:00 16:00

13:15 16:25 17:15

COMMENTS

FROM TO ETD ETA COMMENTS Manyara AM Arusha 11:50 12:15 Dar 11:50 16:40 High Season Only Dar 11:50 15:20 Low & Mid Season Only Fort Ikoma 08:40 10:05 Grumeti 08:40 09:30 Kilimanjaro 11:50 13:10 Kogatende 08:40 09:25 Lobo 08:40 10:20 Ndutu *** 08:40 09:05 Sasakwa ** 08:40 10:05 Seronera 08:40 10:30 Tarime 08:40 10:15 Connects with Airkenya at Migori Zanzibar 11:50 16:00 High Season Only Zanzibar 11:50 14:35 Low & Mid Season Only Manyara - Zanzibar flight in the high season is via Ausha and will have a lay over of 2 hours and connect on the 1500hrs flight to Zanzibar

Arusha Dar Arusha Zanzibar Zanzibar

LOW AND MID SEASON (1ST JANUARY – 14TH JUNE 2022 AND 16TH SEPTEMBER - 31ST DECEMBER 2022) Dar 13:00 15:20 Arusha 15:50 17:40 Zanzibar 13:00 14:35 Dar 15:00 15:20 Arusha 15:00 17:40

Arusha Dar Arusha Zanzibar Zanzibar

HIGH SEASON SCHEDULE (15TH JUNE 2022 - 15TH SEPTEMBER 2022) Dar 14:30 16:20 Arusha 16:40 17:50 Zanzibar 14:30 15:35 Dar 16:05 16:20 Arusha 16:05 17:50

Zanzibar AM

Dar es Salaam AM

Grumeti AM

ZANZIBAR - ARUSHA - SERENGETI MORNING SCHEDULE Arusha 07:30 09:05 Kogatende 07:30 10:30 Lobo 07:30 10:30 Sasakwa 07:30 10:30 Seronera 07:30 10:30 DAR ES SALAAM - ARUSHA - SERENGETI MORNING SCHEDULE Arusha 08:00 09:05 Kogatende 08:00 10:30 Lobo 08:00 10:30 Sasakwa 08:00 10:30 Seronera 08:00 10:30 Arusha Dar Dar Kilimanjaro Kogatende Lobo Manyara Ndutu *** Sasakwa Tarime Seronera Zanzibar Zanzibar

09:50 09:50 09:50 09:50 09:50 09:50 09:50 09:50 09:50 09:15 09:50 09:50 09:50

12:15 13:10 15:20 13:10 10:10 10:35 11:35 11:20 10:00 10:15 10:30 12:30 14:35

Arusha ** Manyara** Seronera** Kogatende** Lobo** Ndutu**

15:30 15:30 15:30 15:30 15:30 15:30

15:45 16:25 17:15 TBA TBA TBA

Arusha Arusha Dar Dar Grumeti Kilimanjaro Lobo Manyara Ndutu *** Sasakwa ** Seronera Tarime Zanzibar Zanzibar

09:00 10:00 10:00 10:00 10:00 10:00 10:00 10:00 10:00 10:00 10:00 09:15 10:00 10:00

10:10 12:15 13:10 15:20 10:25 13:10 TBA 11.35 TBA 10:15 10:30 10:15 12:35 14:35

Seronera AM Arusha Dar Dar Grumeti ** Kilimanjaro Kogatende Lobo Manyara Sasakwa ** Tarime Zanzibar Zanzibar

11:00 11:00 11:00 09:30 11:00 09:30 09:30 11:00 09:30 09:15 11:00 11:00

12:15 12:35 15:20 10:00 13:10 09:55 09:50 11:35 09:45 10:15 12:35 14:35

Seronera PM Arusha * Arusha*

17:30 12:45

18:30 13:40 High season only

Lobo AM

09:45 09:45 09:45 09:45 09:45 09:45 09:45 09:45 09:45 09:45 09:15 09:45 09:45

12:15 13:10 15:20 10:25 13:10 09:55 11:35 10:15 10:05 10:30 10:15 12:35 14:35

Kilimanjaro PM

Kogatende AM

Arusha Dar Dar Grumeti Kilimanjaro Kogatende Manyara Ndutu *** Sasakwa ** Seronera Tarime Zanzibar Zanzibar

Manyara PM Arusha * Grumeti * Sasakwa *

18:05 16:40 16:40

18:30 TBA TBA

Ndutu AM

Arusha *** Dar *** Dar *** Grumeti *** Kilimanjaro *** Kogatende *** Lobo *** Manyara *** Sasakwa ** Seronera *** Tarime *** Zanzibar *** Zanzibar ***

11:35 11:35 11:35 09:20 11:35 09:20 09:20 11:35 09:20 09:20 09:15 11:35 11:35

12:15 16:40 15:20 09:50 13:10 10:00 09:50 12:00 09:50 10:30 10:15 16:00 14:35

SGS

Tarime Arusha

09:15 TBA

10:15 TBA

Sasakwa AM

Arusha Dar Dar Kilimanjaro Kogatende Lobo Manyara Ndutu *** Seronera Tarime Zanzibar Zanzibar

10:15 10:15 10:15 10:15 10:15 10:15 10:15 10:15 10:15 09:15 10:15 10:15

12:15 13:10 15:20 13:10 TBA TBA 11:15 11:20 10:30 10:15 12:35 14:35

High season only Low & Mid Season Only

Connects with Airkenya at Migori

Wasso AM

Arusha **

10:00

12:15

Fort Ikoma AM

Arusha Dar Dar Kilimanjaro Lobo Manyara Ndutu Tarime Zanzibar Zanzibar

10:00 10:15 10:15 10:15 10:15 10:15 10:15 09:15 10:15 10:15

12:15 13:10 15:20 13:10 TBA 11:35 11:20 10:15 12:35 14:35

Ndutu** Kogatende** Lobo**

16:00 16:00 16:00

TBA TBA TBA

High season only Low & Mid Season Only

Arusha PM High Season Only All Year Schedule High Season Only Low & Mid Season Only

High Season Only Low & Mid Season Only

Connects with Airkenya at Migori High Season Only Low & Mid Season Only

High Season Only Low & Mid Season Only

Connects with Airkenya at Migori High Season Only Low & Mid Season Only

High Season Only Low & Mid Season Only

Connects with Airkenya at Migori High Season Only Low & Mid Season Only

Arusha 11:00 13:40 Fort Ikoma 11:00 TBA Grumeti 11:00 TBA Kogatende 11:00 11:15 Lobo 11:00 TBA Manyara 11:00 TBA Ndutu 11:00 TBA Sasakwa 11:00 TBA Seronera 11:00 12:10 SGS 11:00 TBA Above Rates to and from Tarime are exclusive of road transfers charged at $ 55 per person and the sector Mara - Migori - Mara is operated by Airkenya Express

Tarime

Connects with Airkenya at Migori High Season Only Low & Mid Season Only High Season Only Low & Mid Season Only

Connects with Airkenya at Migori High Season Only Low & Mid Season Only

High Season Only Low & Mid Season Only

Connects with Airkenya at Migori High Season Only Low & Mid Season Only

Arusha Nairobi, Wilson 13:00 15:20 Grumeti 9:50 15:20 Kilimanjaro 14:25 15:20 Lobo 9:45 15:20 Kogatende 10:00 15:20 Manyara 11:50 15:20 Ndutu 11:35 15:20 Sasakwa 10:15 15:20 Seronera 11:00 15:20 Kilimanjaro - Wilson Sector Operated by AirKenya Express Nairobi, Wilson

Arusha 13:15 15:45 Grumeti 13:15 TBA Kilimanjaro 13:15 14:10 Manyara 13:15 16:25 Sasakwa 13:15 TBA 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.

Operations: ops@regional.co.tz / +255 (0)753 500 300 / (0)786 021 102 Reservations: resvns@regional.co.tz / +255 (0)754 285 754 / (0)784 285 753

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 1

DHC 6-300 (TWIN OTTER) Manufacturer: Crew: Passengers: Description: No in Fleet:

Dehavilland, Canada 2 pilots Maximum 18 STOL (short take-off & landing) aircraft with fixed landing gear ideal for African bush flying 1

BOMBARDIER DHC 8-202 (DASH 8) Manufacturer: Crew: Passengers: Description: Fleet No.:

Bombardier 2 pilots 1 flight attendant Maximum 37 Pressurized cummuter aircraft 1


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: 3


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

www.aerolinkuganda.com

www.regionaltanzania.com


Fun Inspired Holidays

When you think of travel, think of Safari Herd Holidays. Image credit: Governors Camps

Safari Expert Safari Herd founders are native Kenyans who live in Africa along with the rest of the team and are available to consult for whatever need arises when planning to travel to East Africa.

Safari Destinations We offer a carefully curated selection of the best safari destinations in East Africa; Kenya and Tanzania – along with gorilla encounters in the rainforests of Uganda and Rwanda, and the tropical beaches of Zanzibar.

Safari Lodges Safari experience requires quiet and seclusion of remotely located camps and lodges where luxury is defined as much by proximity to wildlife, comfort, and amenities, which we are focused to make your dream holiday successful.

Value Guaranteed By choosing us as your preferred choice, you will receive our exclusive quality and value guarantee which is above the average expectations. We will ensure in our services that our guests return home with unforgettable memories.

Emergency Evacuation Services of East Africa’s flying doctors are included in every safari program as part of Safari Herd's comprehensive client protection, ensuring emergency transportation is available to the nearest medical facility should the need arise.

Image credit: Chem Chem Camps, Tz

Safari Herd Holidays - Nairobi, Kenya. Reservation Office; Block A2, Karuna Road Westlands. Nairobi - Kenya. Telephone: +254 710 450 638 / +254 768 139 488, Email: info@safariherd.co.ke, Website: www.safariherd.co.ke


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