Dear Friends,
Ruth here, from Engo Tours and Adventures, hoping that you are safe and well, and that life will start to return to normal for you as quickly and safely as it is possible to do so.
Although we at Engo Tours are usually quite flexible and adaptable to changing circumstances, who could have imagined what a dramatic global challenge we would be facing in 2020! This Covid-19 outbreak has given all of us an enormous challenge to meet, and a whole new way to think about our connectedness to our global community.
Just like you, here in Uganda we are staying at home and observing personal distancing. Local travel is quite limited, schools are closed, large gatherings are prohibited, and no one has any idea how long this will continue.
East Africa was fortunate in that it was one of the last areas to be affected, so our government benefitted from the mitigating approaches taken in China and Europe, and so was perhaps a bit more prepared to stop the spread of coronavirus before it could gain a foothold here. As of this writing, Uganda has had 53 confirmed case, but no deaths, and the curve has remained flat for several days. That’s all very good news.
The tourism sector has been very hard hit. The parks are closed, and gorilla/chimp tracking has been suspended, as they are quite susceptible to our illnesses. Most, if not all, of the accommodations we normally book with are closed as well. In Ugandan society at large, people who subsist by selling fruits and vegetables and other goods at street markets are in a very desperate situation.
Small operators like Engo Tours must face the reality that we, along with some of our suppliers, may not be able to survive an extended shut-down. However, we are nowhere near that point! For those of you who have had to cancel your tour for this year, we hope that you will not give up on your plans to visit with us as soon as it is safe and responsible to do so.
While we wait, I’m using this time to develop new marketing plans, to design new tours, and to work on our website. Specifically, I have started a photo gallery on the website, so if you have traveled with us before, please consider sharing your photos. Send them to gallery@engotoursandadventures.com and we will post them with your credit.
How about you? What are you doing to pass the time? Once you are able to travel again, where do you want to go? What do you want to see?
Please keep in mind that, when you book with Engo Tours, your trip is managed by me personally from the day you make your first inquiry, to the day we deliver you safely back to Entebbe for your flight home. If your future travel plans include Uganda or other destinations in East Africa, we would love to hear from you. In the meantime, be safe, and be patient.
All the best,
Ruth
Engo Tours and Adventures
