Don’t you love how football brings everyone together?
During the holidays, the Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust (VSPT) at Kyambura Gorge Lodge organised and hosted a friendly football tournament between the community teams at the Empundu Community Playground, adjacent to the lodge.
As the game played out, you could see the passion in the eyes of the players battling it out on the pitch. Just like professional players, they still managed to smile at each other, despite their eagerness to beat the other team (Ugandans are famous for their winning smiles!)
At the end of the tournament, the participating teams were each given 10 footballs, so they could return home and keep practising for next year’s tournament. The two winning teams walked away with new football kits. The trophy went to the happy winners.
This was one of the highlights of the Christmas and New Year holidays for the village, thanks to funding from Volcanoes Safaris’ clients who support the Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust.
The football tournament at the Empundu Community Playground is just one of the VSPT’s projects. The playground is built on land purchased by the VSPT and provides a safe environment for local children to play and a focal point for the local community.
Other VSPT projects at Kyambura Gorge Lodge include the Omwani Women’s Coffee Cooperative and the Omumashaka Drama and Dance Group.
The Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust actively supports and develops a wide range of community projects. We are immensely proud of the committed VSPT staff at each of our lodges.
Volcanoes Safaris guests are warmly encouraged to visit these projects while staying at Kyambura Gorge and our other three lodges. If you have any questions about VSPT activities, or would like to support our community work, conservation efforts, or Uganda and Rwanda eco-tourism, we would love to hear from you.
Receive news and insights from our lodges and conservation & community projects.
Write to us on [email protected] or send us a message via the form on our contact page.
Rwanda: +250 (0) 252 502 452
Uganda: +256 (0) 414 346 464
Tracking chimpanzees in their natural habitat, as they swing from the branches in the canopy high above the forest floor is nothing short of exhilarating. The chimps effortlessly cross and scamper through the trees above the gorge, and visitors on the other hand must cross the river using natural bridges in order to keep up with the chimps. So although the walk usually lasts only 2–3 hours, descending the steep gorge and crossing the log bridges over the river requires some agility and fitness.
Chimpanzee tracking is also available in nearby Kalinzu, a forest reserve 30 minutes drive from Kyambura Gorge Lodge where there is a community of about 40 habituated chimpanzees.
