Posted by admin | Camping | Posted on October 2nd, 2009
Henry Morton Stanley had never been here but the immense ice plateau we had crossed earlier to reach Margherita Peak bears his name. Stanley had claimed the mountains for himself refusing to listen to claims by his men of snow-covered peaks a few days earlier.
Ironically he could not enjoy what was now laid before us. The steaming jungles, forest elephant and chimpanzees lay at our feet, giant heather forests and elusive Ruwenzori turacos were at ankle level (or so it seemed) and above them Lake Bujuku glistened in the early morning sunshine.
It really felt like the top of the world and Ptolemys ‘Mountains of the Moon’ are one of the most extraordinary and interesting mountains ranges I have ever climbed.
In 350AD the philosopher had drawn a chart showing the Mountains of the Moon and an immense inland sea as being the sources of the Nile; the source of Egypt’s life giving water.
The accuracy of his map is nothing short of totally remarkable as the Rwenzori Mountains are indeed the highest source of the mighty Nile. The storms that regularly engulf Africa’s highest mountain range dump huge volumes of water and every drop of that water (regardless of where it lands on the range) flows into the watershed of the Nile and some of it finds its way to quench the insatiable thirst of the deserts in Northern Sudan and Egypt.
Rwenzori Park Mountaineering begins from the park headquarters 5,400ft (1,646m) walking past typical “mud and wattle” Bakonzo homes and gradually moving upward through elephant grass and garden plots. It takes approximately 40minutes to reach the park boundary.
The trail then follows the Mubuku River crossing recent landslide areas and involves climbing over rocks and a bluff, before reaching the Mahoma River in about two and half-hours.
After crossing the river there will be a steep climb through open bracken fern slopes and Podorcarpus Forest up to Nyabitaba Hut 8,700ft (2652m).The total time for an average hiker from Nyakalengija to Nyabitaba is about 5 hours and total elevation gained is 4,000ft (1,200m).
During this part of the trip, you may be able to hear chimpanzees and sometimes you may have a glimpse of the black and white colobus and blue monkeys behind the hut or the brilliantly coloured Rwenzori Turaco bird. After 5-6 hours mountaineering one has to rest for a second trip starting at Nyabitaba
Day Two
From Nyabitaba Hut the trail leads West ward for half a kilometer then drops steeply to Kurt Shaffer Bridge, crossing below the confluence of the Bujuku and the Mubuku rivers. By turning right to the bridge you begin to climb the central circuit anti-clockwise since the clockwise direction is much more difficult and risky.
After the Kurt Shaffer Bridge, the muddy slippery trail climbs steadily up through bamboo forest. After one and half-hours you are face to face with slippery boulder hopping and if you are not strong and determined you may change your mind (but just kidding )mountaineers are ever prepared for the worst terrains.
After 5hrs of traveling from Nyabitaba you reach the hut at Nyamuleju and its accompanying rock shelter which may be a good night stop over. This point also marks the start of giant lobelia and groundsel zone. This remarkable vegetation type is found no where in the world except high-altitude tropical mountains.
The 1hour walk to John Matte Hut (11,200ft/3,414m) is through a challenging bog, full of extra ordinary plants and the slow pace can be a delightful chance to examine and photograph this unique environment.
Typical time to reach John Matte is 7 hours.The loss of altitude to Kurt Shafer Bridge means the total elevation to be gained on this day is about 3,000ft (915m). Hikers who feel they have reached their limits by this point should consider John Matte as a reasonable stopping point.
Posted by admin | Camping | Posted on April 11th, 2009
The world’s best skiing holidays are available in Europe. The French Alps is an excellent place for winter ski. There are number of resorts and modern skiing lifts available in French Alps. This makes the skiing holidays wonderful for the ski lovers.
The snow condition in French Alps is great to spend ski holidays. The sceneries are fantastic which help the skier to get unforgettable experience. The French resorts are available at different rates suitable for families and youngsters.
Brides-les-Bains: This is one of the wonderful places in French Alps, which is ideal for skiers. There are eight superb skiing resorts offering various skiing programs for beginners, intermediates and advanced skiers. Skiing holidays in Brides-Les-Bains will be excellent with comfortable restaurants. Residence Cybele is one among them, which has bar, restaurant, games room heated swimming pool and so on.
Courchevel 1650: Courchevel is a peaceful village, which is most suitable for skiing. There are good restaurants, shops and bars in this village, which will help you to spend your time happily. This skiing resort has features to teach children to ski. Hence, it is an ideal place for family skiing.
Courchevel 1550: This is an exact place for ski lovers. It will provide real value for your money. The ski runs have lot of trees and you will enjoy the beauty of nature here. This is more suitable for family skiing, as there are different programs for adults, children above 5 years and seniors.
The only artificial ski slope in Ireland is Kilternan, which is situated in County Dublin. The ski club of Ireland is opened for Ski lovers throughout the year. The club is a non-profit organization, which aims at promoting the sport of skiing. This is an exact place for spending your skiing holidays joyous.
The club will provide skiing instructions. The club also offers skiing courses. The equipments will be given free of cost at he practice session. There are four different slopes in the Kilternan club. The slopes will not be covered by snow. A bristle surface lubricated with misting spray.
Instead, a substance called Dendix is used. Dendix is a bristle surface lubricated with misting spray. You can have lot of fun in the Kilternan skiing club. Since it is safe, you can enjoy the fun of skiing without any fear.
Skiing holidays with British airways: British airways help you to plan for skiing holidays independently. They help in choosing a right skiing spot. If you are a beginner or advanced skier, you can choose your skiing holiday places that suit your level.
British Airways list the advanced skiing resorts for those who want to meet some challenges in skiing. All you need is to simply select the country you want to go for skiing. Then the skiing resorts will be listed to you.
Family skiing resorts are also available to enjoy skiing holidays with more fun. The ski resorts have excellent facilities to train children of all age in skiing. Hence, select any country and the resort you want. Then go for skiing holidays and enjoy the fun and thrill of skiing.
Posted by admin | Camping | Posted on February 10th, 2008
India is rapidly climbing up the global tourism ladder and figures prominently among the elite class of tourism hotspots. The landscape of India is especially endowed with a resplendent geography complete with vast expanse of beaches, mountain ranges, waterfalls, whitewater rapids and an extensive network of rivers and backwaters. These geographic marvels combined with the eternal quest for adventure inherent in man have made India, a mandatory pit stop on any adventure seeker’s itinerary.
Kerala, arguably India’s most enchanting state, was recently declared as one of the 50 must-see destinations of a lifetime by National Geographic Traveler. Primarily renowned for its immense cultural contributions to the world, Kerala is steadily emerging as a world player in adventure tourism. The landscape of Kerala is dotted with innumerable mountain peaks, rivers, backwaters, lakes and other natural wonders and nowhere is this more evident than in the beautiful district of Wayanad. The terrain of this breathtaking place poses a challenge to even the most dauntless among adventure seekers.
Trekking, a staple among adventure sport activities, is indeed a challenge anywhere in the world and in Kerala, it takes on new meaning. A trek to Chembra peak, Wayanad, is generally considered a risky proposition which can take up an entire day. The peak at 2100 meters above sea level is the tallest in Wayanad and reaching it is a challenging endeavor fraught with risk, but the reward is a panoramic view of the breathtaking beauty of Wayanad. Tourists can stay for a day or two at temporary facilities maintained by the district tourism promotion council and even set up a campfire to ward off the biting chill of the night in authentic adventure style.
Rock climbing is another sport that is a permanent fixture on the adventure tourist’s to-do list. A watered down version of mountaineering, rock climbing covers a broad range of recreational, sporting and adventure activities and involves the scaling of steep rocky massifs using only one’s hands and feet. Soochipara falls, one of the four prominent waterfalls of Wayanad, is an excellent destination for rock climbing, with the cliff facade providing the ideal terrain for pursuing this exhilarating activity.
For the adventurer who prefers to take to the waters rather than staying on terra firma, Wayanad has a whole range of water-based adventure activities including rafting, canoeing, and white-water surfing. These activities are centered around the picturesque Kabini River, the rapid currents of which will ensure that budding as well as battle hardened helmsmen get their share of action, with the mesmerizing vista of the lush green forests thrown in as a bonus.
Wayanad has not yet been affected by the menace of mass tourism, and has successfully managed to retain its old world charm. The enterprising traveler can indulge his adventurous streak here with élan and be assured of a heady rush of adrenaline in this modern day Narnia.
Posted by admin | Camping | Posted on November 26th, 2007
Which is the best place for adventures in the world? Guess? The right answer is “India”. India is one of the special lands in this planet that has been bestowed with such unparalleled natural beauty. Sky beating Himalayas in the north, lush blue Indian Ocean in the south, warm Thar in the west and the rainy North-East; no corner of India is left without adventure. And that is not all; wildest wildlife, rocky cliffs, swift streaming rivers, glary white glaciers and many others are few of the additional highlights of India adventures.
What are the adventures you can enjoy in India?
The right question should have been which adventure you cannot enjoy in India? Here you get abundant of adventure opportunities for adventures like mountaineering, sports, hiking, trekking, biking, river rafting walking and many more.
Trekking in India: –
If you carry a passion for exploring and facing the truest nature then trekking is the best option. Trekking can be best done in the northern parts of India. Laddakh, Garhwal, Himalayas are some of the most loved trekking destinations. Tourists from every corner of the globe come here to trek and explore new dimensions of adventures. Sikkim is also one of the best trekking destinations in India. Every region offers a new challenge for adventure hence it is popular phrase tagged for India- “If you have dare and will-power then only think of trekking in India.”
Camping in India:-
Camping is one of the most popular adventure activities in India. The best thing about camping is that anyone can enjoy it. Camping in suburbs and remote areas of India is really a wonderful experience. You get to learn about new cultures, lifestyles and people which you may never come across in your city. Himalayas, northeast, Uttarakhand are some of the best camping locations in India. Several campers from all round the globe come here to adventure regardless extreme weather and conditions.
Safari in India:-
You must have heard of enriched wildlife in India. Now you can explore them on own. Safari is one of the favorite activities of adventure lovers from all around the globe. Jeep Safari, Camel Safari or any other; you get plentiful options to choose the style of your safari. Safari in Thar Desert or in dense forests of India is simply extra ordinary experience. Do not forget to observe the enriched Indian wildlife that includes galore of species of Flora and fauna.
There are several more thrilling adventures that can be equivalently enjoyed and experienced. Glacier tours, river rafting, diving, biking, cycling, mountaineering and so on, there are thousands of activities to be enjoyed here.
Posted by admin | Camping | Posted on June 25th, 2007
Although at times it seems frustrating, this adventure remains by far the most enjoyed adventure travel in Uganda. Mountaineering in Uganda take place on 3 Ugandan mountains namely Mount Rwenzori normally called the “mountains of the moon”, Mount Elgon one of Uganda’s dormant volcanos and Mount Muhabula where Ugandan gentle giants “Gorillas” live.
Some visitors come to visit these gorillas but end up going for mountaineering. The people around these places are friendly to visitors and some are ready to volunteer to help to guide you to the top of the mountain
Although all the three are good for mountaineering, Mount Rwenzori in western Uganda remains the best for mountaineering in Africa.
This adventure takes a minimum of 6 days to reach to the top of the mountain. The top of this mountain is covered with ice thus making it the only place where you can find ice on the equator.
Mountaineering passes through the national park which gives you the chance to see wildlife. After many stories from those who had gone there before me, I was encouraged to try it. And now I’m waiting for another chance to go there again.
The best thing is that you pay for mountaineering and you are guided by park ranger for the 6 days up the mountain.
This park accommodated birds and wildlife that is not found any where in Africa. for those who are not used to coldness this place is always cold. There are accommodation facilities along the way and for that matter no worry for shelter at night.
Another thing is that the mountaineering gear is given before the journey starts. These people (guides) know what you will need for your successfully mountaineering vacation therefore no need to worry for planning and preparations . They are ever ready for any shortcomings. So next time you plan to visit Uganda, don’t forget to put mountaineering On Mount Rwenzori among your plans.