Leading tour operators, travel agents and media personalities from Canada yesterday started on the anticipated 10-day familiarization trip around Uganda.
Organized by the Uganda High Commission in Canada in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, its agencies and the tourism private sector, the trip is aimed at capturing the attention of the Canadian travel market through the eyes of its very players.
Among the experiences lined up for the tour is mountain gorilla trekking, chimpanzee encounters, big-game safaris, whitewater rafting at the Source of the Nile, and immersive cultural engagements.
According to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism Wildlife and Antiquities, Doreen Katusiime “Uganda is one of the world’s most extraordinary destinations and this familiarization trip is an opportunity for Canada’s travel industry to witness that first-hand. From the mountain gorillas of Bwindi to the shores of the Nile, we are confident that our guests will return home as passionate ambassadors for the Pearl of Africa.”
Speaking about the trip, Ambassador Allan Kajik, the Charge’ D’Affaires at the Uganda High Commission in Ottawa, Canada noted that by bringing influential travel professionals and media voices directly to Uganda, the initiative is creating the most powerful form of personal advocacy experience.
“We are confident that our guests will return to Canada not just inspired, but determined to send their clients here,” he said.
The familiarization trip started in Kampala with religious tourism and cultural immersion sessions; including visits to the Namugongo Martyrs Shrines, the Gaddafi National Mosque, and the UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site – Kasubi Tombs.
The delegation now heads southwest for mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, home to roughly half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas, followed by a Batwa cultural trail and traditional campfire entertainment.
Next on the itinerary is Queen Elizabeth National Park where guests will enjoy a sunrise game drive and a four-hour boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel, one of Africa’s great wildlife spectacles, where buffalo, hippos, and a staggering diversity of birds crowd the water’s edge.
A visit to Kibale National Park follows, offering chimpanzee trekking and a stop at the Sempaya Hot Springs.
The final stretch takes the group to Jinja, Uganda’s adventure capital, where activities at the Source of the Nile include a boat cruise and tubing the Nile.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, travel journalist Lucas Aykroyd said the trip is an opportunity to experience Uganda’s beauty “first hand.”
Lucas, who visited Uganda in 2019, says the country “has it all”, reminiscing his encounter with gorillas, the diverse culture and the food.
“I expect to see incredible wildlife again. I have been to Egypt, South Africa and many other destinations but Uganda has it all,” he said.
Before departing, delegates will hold high-level meetings in Kampala with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Tourism and her agencies and representatives from the private sector, “underscoring that this is, as much, a business mission, as it is a showcase,” as per the Ministry’s statement.
The trip will conclude on April 18th 2026 with a visit to the Uganda Wildlife Conservation and Education Centre in Entebbe before the delegation flies home.
The Tourism Ministry and partnering organisers are optimistic the initiative will generate significant media coverage across Canada and the North American market, and translate into measurable growth in tourist arrivals in the months that follow from the 10,370 visitors recorded in 2025.
“Canada, with its large and well-travelled middle class, represents a significant untapped market, and this trip is Uganda’s most deliberate step yet towards changing that,” the Ministry noted in a statement on the trip.
Uganda has been steadily building its international tourism profile in recent years, with mountain gorilla trekking, in particular, drawing visitors from around the globe.