{"id":666,"date":"2026-07-27T12:50:05","date_gmt":"2026-07-27T12:50:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/monkey.ug\/?p=666"},"modified":"2026-07-27T12:50:07","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T12:50:07","slug":"ctc-conservation-centre-showcased-as-hon-nakawuki-urges-ugandans-to-explore-tourism-beyond-national-parks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/monkey.ug\/index.php\/2026\/07\/27\/ctc-conservation-centre-showcased-as-hon-nakawuki-urges-ugandans-to-explore-tourism-beyond-national-parks\/","title":{"rendered":"CTC Conservation Centre Showcased as Hon. Nakawuki Urges Ugandans to Explore Tourism Beyond National Parks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The CTC Conservation Centre has emerged as one of the attractions being highlighted in Uganda&#8217;s domestic tourism drive after State Minister for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities Hon. Nakawuki encouraged Ugandans to look beyond national parks and traditional game reserves when exploring the country&#8217;s wildlife experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The minister made the call during a familiarisation visit to the Conservation Through Community (CTC) Conservation Centre in Lukalu, Butambala District, where she toured the privately run wildlife attraction and interacted with several of its animals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Located about 15 minutes from Mpigi Town and approximately 36 to 43 kilometres southwest of Kampala along the Kampala-Masaka Road, the CTC Conservation Centre offers guided conservation tours designed to bring wildlife experiences closer to communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The centre has become part of a growing conversation around Uganda tourism, particularly efforts to encourage more citizens to discover attractions that are easily accessible from the capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During the visit, Hon. Nakawuki interacted with a range of wildlife at the centre. She fed lemurs, giraffes and zebras during the tour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She also came into close contact with a lion as part of the guided experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The conservation facility is home to lions, hyenas, giraffes, lemurs, snakes, crocodiles, tigers and zebras.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It also houses a zonkey, described by the source as a hybrid between a zebra and a donkey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Reflecting on the visit, the minister urged Ugandans to take advantage of the country&#8217;s diverse tourism experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;I invite Ugandans to enjoy their country and explore the different tourism experiences that Uganda has to offer,&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She also praised CTC proprietor Thomas Price for creating a conservation model that brings wildlife closer to surrounding communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the minister, partnerships involving government, the private sector and local communities remain important in strengthening conservation efforts while expanding Uganda&#8217;s tourism sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond offering wildlife encounters, the CTC Conservation Centre combines conservation, education and guided tours intended to help visitors, particularly children and young people, develop a greater appreciation for nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During the visit, proprietor Thomas Price outlined plans to expand the conservation facility. He said the centre intends to acquire an additional 52 acres of land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Price, the proposed expansion is intended to support the future development of an elephant sanctuary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;The vision is big. We want to expand the habitat and create an even bigger space for wildlife,&#8221; Price explained that education remains at the heart of the centre&#8217;s activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He said visitors are introduced to wildlife through responsible and supervised interactions designed to promote conservation awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He also said such encounters can leave a lasting impression on younger visitors. &#8220;It is an experience that stays with you forever, especially for children,&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The source states that the CTC Conservation Centre forms part of a broader movement promoting conservation through community participation while supporting domestic tourism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Its proximity to Kampala also offers an option for visitors who may not be able to travel to Uganda&#8217;s traditional safari destinations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The centre therefore combines wildlife experiences with educational opportunities in a setting that is accessible through the Kampala-Masaka Road before continuing to Lukalu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The minister said private conservation initiatives have the potential to broaden Uganda&#8217;s tourism offering while encouraging greater appreciation for wildlife conservation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That message aligns with ongoing efforts to encourage domestic tourism Uganda by showcasing destinations beyond the country&#8217;s established national parks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The source also indicates that community-based conservation initiatives are playing an increasingly visible role in the country&#8217;s tourism landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Confirmed plans indicate that the CTC Conservation Centre intends to expand by acquiring an additional 52 acres of land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Thomas Price, that expansion is expected to support the future development of an elephant sanctuary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, the source does not confirm when the land acquisition will take place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It also does not state whether funding has been secured or when construction of the proposed sanctuary could begin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For now, the centre continues offering guided conservation tours while positioning itself as an accessible destination for wildlife experiences near Kampala.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As Uganda continues promoting domestic travel, the CTC Conservation Centre is seeking to demonstrate that conservation, education and tourism can work together beyond the country&#8217;s better-known safari parks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While the proposed expansion remains at the planning stage, the minister&#8217;s visit highlighted the growing role that community-based conservation initiatives can play in widening Uganda&#8217;s tourism offering and encouraging more citizens to discover wildlife closer to home.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The CTC Conservation Centre has emerged as one of the attractions being highlighted in Uganda&#8217;s domestic tourism drive after State Minister for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities Hon. Nakawuki encouraged Ugandans to look beyond national parks and traditional game reserves when exploring the country&#8217;s wildlife experiences. The minister made the call during a familiarisation visit to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":667,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[79],"class_list":{"0":"post-666","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-travel","8":"tag-tourism"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/monkey.ug\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/666","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/monkey.ug\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/monkey.ug\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monkey.ug\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monkey.ug\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=666"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/monkey.ug\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/666\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":668,"href":"https:\/\/monkey.ug\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/666\/revisions\/668"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monkey.ug\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/667"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/monkey.ug\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=666"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monkey.ug\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=666"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monkey.ug\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=666"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}