Kampala Executive Aviation (KEA) Launched 3 times weekly flights to Bwindi
It’s now three weeks since Kampala Executive Aviation launched direct flights from Entebbe Kajansi airstrip to Bwindi impenetrable Forest (Kihihi) to boost the major tourism activity in Uganda that is Gorilla trekking.
The flights are scheduled three times a week that is every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and have registered a great boost after a good number of travelers opted more for the flights than bearing with the 9-hour drive on the road from Kampala to Bwindi, taking only one and a half hours while in the air.
When asked to comment on the cost, the executive director said the flights are affordable to many, as it’s only $236 per person, and the booking time before the flight is only 48 hours, and one can easily get the flight availability.
As promised early during the launch of the flight, the director still maintains his words that they will add more routes soon after seeing the high demand from the clients, they have opened direct partnerships with some big luxury and midrange lodges in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and also Tour operators who are now given discounts or commissions after booking for their guests.
Kampala Executive Aviation is a Kajansi-based Aviation Company and had promised to deliver the best services to their guests and this has been witnessed after speaking to some of the guests who have ever used them. The guest said they enjoyed the best services of international standards and had a good aerial view of the park before landing or when taking off.
When asked about the challenges faces
She outlined that the greatest challenge is that most of the airstrips at the national parks are too short with bad terrain, for example Kisoro, Queen Elizabeth and others. This affects the take off mostly and this has made us take half board yet we can land full board. But we are having discussions with the government and other private stakeholders to see how some of these airstrips can be upgraded in the near future.
The Uganda wildlife Authority said they sell around 43,000 gorilla permits every year and this year we have almost sold all, meaning they have received more sales than any other year. With our introduction of flights, which will alternate with other flights, all ages above 15 years can now track gorillas in bwindi as many old ones feared the long drive.
She encouraged Ugandans also to take part in this tourism potential; it’s a shame that even some of the tour consultants sell the product that they don’t know and only hear about theoretically yet they are given discounts. We plan to give an extra gift to operators who give us business to fly all their staff to trek gorillas and bring them back to Kampala.
