One weekend, when our Safari Specialist Embarked on a Learning Experience at Agartha’s Taste of Uganda in the Ishasha Sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, Shakira went south by aerolink with our trade partners to get familiar with the sector and nothing was as remarkable as learning about Agartha’s Taste of Uganda. For the love of African culture, Agartha’s Taste of Uganda Tour experience is one not to miss while on your journey between Bwindi and Queen Elizabeth National Park along Ishasha road, Shakira Says.

What To Expect While On Agartha’s Taste of Uganda

Seated under her thatched hut, Agartha takes you through the great tales of Bakiga women and all their cultural practices. With the help of her team, she goes on to demonstrate the process of sorting, pounding, willowing and grinding millet which is considered to be a staple crop adored by the entire Bakiga tribe. Out of this millet, one gets to make porridge locally known as Bushera and its flour is also used to make a delicious dish known as Kalo. For the famous local beer parties, with the millet flour one can produce the local drink known as Enturire.

While at Agartha’s, one has a chance to taste all the delicacies and also the opportunity to take part in making them which is considered to be the highlight of this activity for many visitors.

Award Winning Initiative in Uganda, Ishasha

Due to the great work done by this initiative, they were able to win an award in 2015 as the best community tourism initiative.

Why Was Agartha's Taste of Uganda Tour Created

As sustainability is fronting the travel behaviours of most travellers this great initiative not only offers a cultural experience but also considers environment conservation and community development. Agartha’s Taste of Uganda Experience generates funds to operate the Ishasha Community Uplift Group stationed within the vulnerable community living at the edge of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The team focuses on raising loans to start businesses and engaging the community in goat and chicken farming projects as a way of keeping them occupied to discourage poaching, drunkenness and many other unproductive habits.

With community tourism revenue feeding into this pot, loans are much bigger allowing members to afford necessities for their families. The savings and credit scheme is monitored by an educated and well-trained committee. This is a beautiful example of self-help within the community generating funds for development. The initiative has also inspired the startup of wildlife clubs in the various primary and secondary schools around the community for example Zendaire primary school which is a 5 minutes’ walk from Agartha’s. The wildlife clubs help in creating a long-term attitude change and appreciation for the environment and wildlife hence creating a generation of environment conservationists, not poachers.

Future Goals of The Initiative

The initiative plans to construct a nearby clinic within the community to improve health services, with the continued goat and chicken farming, the initiative aims at completely putting an end to poaching around Queen Elizabeth National Park in Ishasha.

If one is not in a rush to see the tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector and the trek the gorillas in Bwindi Forest, then Agatha’s Taste of Uganda is one incredible cultural experience not to miss while on your Journey in Uganda.