Provision of transport services in protected areas in Uganda: evidence from Kidepo Valley National Park
Abstract
The study was aimed at assessing transport services provisioning in protected areas
with specific emphasis on Kidepo Valley National Park (KVNP). It was guided by the
following specific objectives; (1) to identify the existing transport services to and
within Kidepo Valley National Park; (2) to identify the problems associated to each
existing transport service to and within KVNP; and, (3) to examine different ways on
how to improve the transport situations to KVNP. The study employed a case study
design with a sample size of 60 respondents which was purposively sampled and
included 26 tourists, 9 tour guides 2 conservation managers, 12 local people and 11
tour drivers. The results revealed that travelers to KVNP were mostly attracted by
wildlife, hot springs, birds, landscape and cultural tourism. The study results showed
that there are different transport services used by tourists to and within KVNP. The
study found that private cars were mostly used by the tourists into the park (35.3%),
out of the park 32.3% and within the park 21(32.3), 3.8% of the tourists used public
vehicles especially taxis and buses to move to Kidepo Valley National Park.
It was found out that 19.2% used public vehicles out of the park and only a small
percentage of tourists 7.6% used charter planes to enter the park. The study further
revealed that private cars were mostly used in game drives, viewing hot springs,
community visits. 100% of the respondents used private cars for game drives; while
30.7% use them for viewing hot springs.
The study results also indicated different problems such as heavy rains and floods
(88.3%) that make the roads impassable,bad road conditions both into and within the
park (80%) as major problems associated with private and public cars to tourists are
using the park.
The study further found out that development of better infrastructure and improving
the existing ones in general, improving on security and reduction on park entry fees
for visitors’ cars, making transport facilities more reliable and cost effective
especially charter planes are crucial in addressing transport problems faced by those
who travel to KVNP.