Lake Mutanda gorilla safari in Uganda

Planet

Many of Africa's protected wildlife areas were once the domain of trophy hunters. Camps and basic infrastructure were set up to accommodate wealthy hunters and the revenue accrued assured that the areas were protected from cattle farming and habituation. Traditionally, trophy hunting was the only means available to acquire the vast sums of money needed to keep the wildlife lands from being developed.

Thankfully, not any more.

Think of safaris today and one conjures up an image of excited khaki-clad tourists in a traditional game vehicle, stopping to photograph animals and learn about the bush from their guide.

We provide clients with information about environmentally-friendly tourism and choices that can be made while still enjoying a bucket-list vacation – leave sea shells on the beach, don't visit 'petting' parks or go on a shark cage diving. The guides that we work with teach guests the problems associated with feeding wild animals and other important environmental concerns in each specific area of travel.

At Mutanda, we use filtered water to avoid using too much plastic. We use ceramic water filters (Purifaaya) which filter 99.9% of all germs and is as safe a bottled water. This is served in our restaurant and in the rooms without any charge. Of course for the gorilla trekking we do provide bottled water in the packed lunch.

The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is an oasis of forest situated inside one of the most densely populated rural areas in the country with more than 350 people per square km. This means that there is no possibility for a buffer zone at the forest edge apart from a buffer of 4 km2 which was donated by communities at the southern end of the Park to safeguard the site. It is recognized that the site is reduced in size and does not have an ideal boundary configuration, as the boundary area ratio is high and the area of park/people contact requires intensive management. There are several narrow corridors between sectors that will create difficulties for movement of wildlife. Due to human disturbance and clearing of vegetation there is little that can be done to expand the area around these constrictions.

The forest is very significant as a home to almost half of the population (about 340) of the critically endangered mountain gorilla. With over 347 species of forest birds recorded in the Park,at least 70 out of 78 montane forest bird species occurring in the Albertine Rift region are found in the forest, and 22 of the 36 endemics. Overall, Bwindi hosts numerous globally threatened species including high-profile mammals such as mountain gorilla, chimpanzee, l’Hoest’s monkey and African elephant; birds such as African green broadbill, Grauer’s swamp warbler, Turner’s Eremomela, Chapin’s flycatcher and Shelley’s crimson-wing; and butterflies such as African giant swallowtail and Cream-banded swallowtail.

People

We recognises that employment created through tourism helps to stop poaching, raises education and skill levels, and uplifts local communities in and near the tourism hotspots. Our company policy is to use local suppliers that employ staff directly from the communities around them. We use local guides because they are the most knowledgeable specialists in the area, and by employing them, the local community in turn benefits.

A Mutanda, all of the activities support the community. We rent canoes from the community, so every used canoe will support the community here. Mutanda Island, Mukozi Village and Lake Mulehe trip are all activities where we do community visits (like Traditional Healer, Craftmakers, Mushroom farm & local meals). Even if people are not buy anything from the craft maker, our contribution for every visit is in the activity fee.

We have a water pump which fills our water tanks up on the hill. Wwe have 3 tanks for the lodge, but we also placed one for the community. This way the community does not have to walk all the way down to the lake to collect water. Lots of kids and adults come to collect water from this tank.

18 of our staff are from the local community, while some are from a few hours away.
We take on multiple trainees from the local tourism school every year.

Most of our vegetables are bought from the community, but they can’t provide all so we are buying some (locally as well) in Kisoro town.

We support a local chicken project, where we get most of our eggs from. Unfortunately they do not produce enough so we also have to buy from Kisoro town.

We support the local community a lot when we are doing casual work like paintjobs and other maintenance. We always get workers from the community.

On busy nights we ask a local group of people to come and perform local dances at the lodge. They get tips and a small amount of money from the lodge as well.