The Uganda Wildlife Authority has launched “Open Park Days” in a move to promote domestic tourism and create a connection between Ugandans and natural heritage.
According to UWA, the Open Park Day will run for two days, including October 17th and 18th, 2024.
Sam Mwandha, the Executive Director of UWA, urged Ugandans to take advantage of the open park days to embrace their natural heritage, discover the beauty within their borders, and change the narrative that Ugandan tourism is for foreigners.
By offering free access, UWA believes that the youth will be inspired to become conservationists who will protect the environment and ensure that Uganda’s natural heritage is safeguarded for the future.
“By opening our national parks free of charge during Open Park Days, we aim to encourage Ugandans from all walks of life to experience these wonders first-hand. We must also recognize the educational value of these visits because national parks are places where young Ugandans can learn about the importance of biodiversity and the urgent need for conservation,” Mwandha said.
Uganda’s national parks will be open to the public, free of charge, for two days to give citizens a unique opportunity to explore the country’s beautiful landscapes and wildlife.
The open park days will also foster good relations with the neighboring local communities who are the stewards of the land surrounding the parks because inviting them inside demonstrates UWA’s commitment to transparency.
Under this arrangement, Ugandans can have free access to the most famous national parks like Queen Elizabeth, Lake Mburo, Murchison Falls, Kidepo Valley, and Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve.
Uganda’s national parks are blessed with animals such as mountain gorillas, olive baboons, common warthogs, African buffalo, black and white colobus, African beetles, and many more. Strict rules and measures have been put in place to guide the tourists as they navigate the free park days.
