Kibale Association for Rural & Environmental Development (KAFRED)

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Kibale Association for Rural and Environmental Development (KAFRED) is a registered community based organization (CBO) with over 120 members and is managed by a community committee of seven people. The Association is situated 40km from Fort Portal on Kamwenge road and it offers a unique swamp walk in and around Magombe sanctuary, with 200 bird species and 8 primate species. The Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary, located in the Magombe wetland, is a major eco-tourism attraction in the Kibale Forest area. The Sanctuary is operated by KAFRED.

Bigodi village is situated in the highlands of western Uganda, in the shadow of the Rwenzori Mountains, the famous “Mountains of the Moon”. KAFRED is located about 40 kilometers south of the town of Fort Portal, and borders Kibale Forest National Park, which has the highest density of primate life in the world.

The income from the swamp walk is used to promote conservation by reinvesting it into community development projects such as education, health, sanitation, roads etc. By allowing the community to benefit from conservation, it provides them with incentives to conserve the wild lands for the future generations.

Due to excellence, KAFRED has won the UNDPs Equator Initiative Award twice; being the only community to win it in Uganda and the only ever double winner.

Activities and experiences

Guided Swamp walk for birding and primate watching tours.
Interpretive village walk.
Home-stay and traditional meals.
Handicrafts sales.

Highlights

Traditional dance and music performance (with interpretation).
Crafts demonstration (basket weaving and recycled-paper beads).
Guided nature walks.

Responsible Travel

Study tours are used to increase the understanding and interpretation of natural and cultural values in the community, particularly in schools.
The community strives to promote local history.
The dance and drama performances and weaving workshops promote local culture.
The profits from tourism activities benefit the local community.
Dance: All performers are local and share the performance fees
Walks: 100% of the net profit (after all expenses), is spent on community development and conservation projects.
Home stays and traditional meals: Income goes to support household income and promote traditional crops and organic methods of farming.
Crafts: 90% of the income goes to the women who make the items and 10% into community development. Women have used the fund to build and meet administration costs of a pre-primary school.
Community development projects have been funded with income from tourism which have helped to increase awareness and appreciation within the community of the importance of conservation.

How to get there:

KAFRED is located about 40km from Fort Portal on Kamwenge road. Drive past the national park on the side of Bigodi trading center.

Contact us to book:

+256 (0) 77 246 8113

Email: tinkabigodi@gmail.com

Website: http://www.bigodi-tourism.org

Or contact:

UCOTA/Pearls of Uganda

Phone: +256(0)414-501-866/+256(0)772-657-700

E-mail: info@pearlsofuganda.org

Website: www.pearlsofuganda.org

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