The organisers on Sunday launched the Mountain Gorilla Festival at the Home of Kigezi Museum in Kisoro, a three-day event set for November 20 to 22 that will feature the Virunga Gorilla Marathon.
The marathon will be run on November 21, starting at 6am, with races over 6, 10, 21, 42 and 112 kilometres.
Mr Kenneth Kamukama, who is hosting the festival and the marathon, told the media that the festival is aimed at promoting the mountain gorilla in Kigezi region.
This festival will put together a series of events and activities all geared towards promoting the mountain gorilla that we have in the Bwindi here in Kisoro,” he said.
Kenneth Kamukama speaking to the media in Kisoro
Mr Kamukama said that the Marathon will include a 6-kilometre fun run and is open to people who do not run regularly and aren’t able to run for many kilometers.
“We invite all runners and the six kilometer fun run is something that you can do even if you’re not a runner or one that runs every week,” he said.
The organisers and partners include the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), the Uganda Tourism Board, Stanbic Bank, Tusker Lite, Pepsi, the European Union, CarbonSafe and Airtel Uganda.
Mr Nkusi Gerald, the director of the Home of Kigezi Museum, said the Museum will let visitors experience the culture of Kigezi and understand the ecosystem of the Virunga.
Influencers and journalists at Home of Kigezi Museum in Kisoro
“This is a place where people come to experience the culture of Kigezi and then also they can be able to understand the ecosystem within the Virunga,” he said.
Mr Nkusi added that the marathon participants can visit the museum to learn how people lived in Kigezi in the past and how they live today, as well as about efforts to restore parts of the ecosystem in the landscape.
“So when you come here for the Virunga marathon you can also be able to learn how people used to live in Kigezi and how they are living today, plus also how we are working towards restoring some of the ecosystem within this landscape,” he said.
Mr Kamukama said Kisoro has a lot to offer tourists, from tracking gorillas in Bwindi and Mgahinga and golden monkeys in Mgahinga to boat cruises on Lake Mutanda aboard the Amazing Grace boat and hikes such as the Three in Three hike. He added that packages combining these activities are being put together, and that visitors can see what is on offer on the organisers’ social media platforms
