TOUR d EAC 2017 | The tourism circuit |East African Bicycle Tour

 

The East African bicycle tour is an expression of unity, oneness, togetherness, and Peace. By riding

through all the East African countries (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda), we renew

and strengthen the ties that bind East Africans together. This is what our fore fathers, Nyerere,

Obote and Kenyatta wanted to see. This event is not about Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda or

Burundi, it’s a generational report of change. This event welcomes every East African from whatever

part of the region and yes our agreement as a group will grow to embrace the whole Region standing

as one block.

In August of every year, Campfire Logs Guild organizes and manages a cycling expedition that goes

through all the East African member states, starting from any of the East African states. T h e

2 0 1 7 t heme: “Fostering the integration by unlocking the potential of the East African

community”. A team of 40 people both cyclists and service team from all the East African member

states ride bicycles approx. 100km every day, meeting and interacting with different communities

along the way, sensitizing and creating awareness of the benefits of the east African community.

There are several activities we do to support in order to emphasize the theme “Enhancing the

East African Community” we are very positive that this will bring Understanding of East African

Community conception to all citizens of East Arica.

 

OBJECTIVES OF THE EVENT:

1. Raise awareness and support for the East African Community.

2. Celebrating your/our achievements as citizens of the East African community.

3. Increase sociability and enhance our relationship as citizens of East Africa with all the

development partners.

4. Raise awareness for safe Environment while p r o m o t i n g a healthy and active professional

lifestyle.

5. Promote tourism within East African Community. 6. And being part of a greater History made in association with your Brand.

 

THEME TOUR D`EAC 2017:

The 42-day, 4500km bicycle ride is themed “Unlocking East Africa’s Tourism potential through an

effective and efficient Integration Process”.

 

RATIONALE FOR THE THEME:

Following the very first Tour d’EAC 2016 which took place from August 1-September 3 2016, we

realized that the entire region blessed with many tourism attractions – diverse cultures, nature,

recreation and the warmth resilience of the hardworking people – all of which help to lure tourists.

If marketed effectively and efficiently, tourism has the greatest potential to develop EAC.

 

THE ORGANIZERS:

Tour D EAC is organized by Campfire Logs Guild which is an Initiative of idealized young East Africans

with diverse adventure background committed to the development of young people through

Adventure Learning/training programs. We began our journey in 2011 as active scouts. Since then

we have worked with over

300 young people, students and corporate clients throughout East Africa. A large number of

who have been with us since our inception.

We now only provide adventure based outdoor programs under contract for individuals, families,

government institutions, schools, churches, o r g a n i z a t i o n s a n d corporate c o m p a n i e s.

We w o r k w i t h groups of 2 to 100 people. Programs range in duration from 1 to 30 days.

We run programs locally and internationally at the various locations with participants experiencing

forests, rivers, caves, lakes, cliffs, mountains and villages.

1. Successes to date

1. Campfire Logs Guild is known for record breaking in Uganda, (in 2011 while in active scouting,

members of Campfire Logs Guild organized a cycling expedition and a team of 12 young men rode

bicycles from Uganda to attend the 22nd World Scout Jamboree at Rinkaby in Sweden, The theme

was Peace and safe environment for all and event was sponsored by KCB Bank and the Italian

Scouts.

2. Campfire Logs Guild in 2015 successfully organized a hiking expedition and a group of 56 young

men and women walked over 350km in 10 days in commemoration of 100 years of scouting in

Uganda. The event was sponsored by: Urban TV, Angeo Expression, Trees for the Future and

Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC);

3. Campfire Logs Guild in 2016 successfully organized a cycling Expedition to create awareness of

the East African Community integration process branded as Tour de EAC. The expedition lasted

31 days and covered all the 5 East African Member States.

 

TOUR D`EAC 2017:

The 2nd East African Bicycle Tour (Tour d`EAC 2017), will feature 60 cyclists from Uganda, Kenya,

Tanzania, Rwanda Burundi, South Africa, Denmark, Netherlands and Canada. The event is expected

to grow to over 100 participants in the coming years, offering significant economic boost to host

countries and especially communities along the route. Cyclists will camp, cook and take part in

scheduled program activities throughout the entire expedition, taking them through different

communities daily.

Each day, riders will experience not more than 130kilometres of East Africa, complete with its history,

culture, and people. In the evenings, cyclists will camp in the Tour d`EAC village, erected in an area

allocated by the local Authorities or communal zone of each host community, eating meals

sometimes prepared by community organizations and serving seasonal, locally sourced foods.

Wherever possible, support services, provisions, entertainment, and meals will be procured from

host and route communities to benefit the local economy.

All ministry of East African Partner states are looking forward to hosting Tour D EAC village in the

capitals of each partner state.

Tour d` EAC is the latest, longest and most ambitious undertaking of the Bicycle tour in the region.

It’s not competitive in nature and all activities involved are aimed at promoting the EAC integration

Agenda?

The Team w i l l always have one or two days rest and organize dialogue in form of (workshops or

press conferences) While in the capital of every member state. The team will hold public

meetings in major towns of every member state to discuss with different communitiesthe benefits

of the East African regional integration. This event is a community based cycling event, it is not

competitive, the team bonds with locals, and creates awareness for the integration of the East

African partnerstates, engage in activitiesthat help emphasize and support the Theme. Why Cycling:

We chose the Cycling event because we know that a peddling event does not only provide an

opportunity for people to ride together and experience the route or sight, it is a powerful way

to build a sense of community and strengthen social networks within the East African

Community, and because most East African citizens lack awareness of the regional

integration process, they cannot as such articulate the benefits that can be drawn from the

integration of the EAC partner states.

 

Design of the route: The design of the expedition route is as shown below;

START… KAMPALA - UGANDA

END… KAMPALA – UGANDA V I A NAROBI – KENYA, ARUSHA TANZANIA, DAR RESALAM – TANZANIA, BUJUMBURA –BURUNDI AND KIGALI – RWANDA. MODE OF TRANSPORT TO AND FROM: BICYCLE. DISTANCE: APPROX 4500KM

We are very convinced that by cycling throughout the region, we shall be extremely visible and shall

attract both local and international tourism through media coverage hence making news within the

Region and on the international scene. The news shall be, that a group of young men and

women from East Africa changed the world by being the first group to ride over 4500km, creating

awareness about the EAC, sharing with different communities, bonding and interacting with

different communities within the region. THE TEAM WILL THEREFORE BE:  Flagged off at EAC offices in every memberstate.  Visit the East Africa headquarters and parliament in Arusha - Tanzania.

 The cyclists shall deliver the East African Community message to every Ministry of East

Africa.

 We shall hold meetings and or gathering or press conferences on the resting day in each

memberstate.

 Every member state shall be represented by only 10 cyclists and 2 officials every year.

 All cyclists shall fly their country flags alongside the EAC flag on their bicycles.

 All participants including the officials are expected to arrive at least 3 days before the

actual flag off for orientation. Squads will then be formed and trained squad leader attached

to each squad. In every squad, there shall b e members from all member states to

make a complete squad East Africa.

 All activities shall be carried out according to squads and the Expedition Administration team.  To encourage Team work, emphasize Discipline, time management, Endurance and task

completion, the Administration team will award marks to different squads which shall be

awarded at the end of the event. a. Teamwork

We are cycling because we want to celebrate the fact that we are all sons and daughters of the

same land and the fact that the formation of the East African community boosts development within

the region. We further want to send a message to our leaders that the East African community

Belongsto all of us not only leaders.

 

LOCATIONAND INFRASTRUCTURE:

The preparatory activities for tour d eac 2017 are managed under Campfire Logs Guild Offices

Located at Kabalagala.

 

PARTICIPATION:

 Participation is open for all citizens of east Africa and other parts of the world who are

enthusiastic about Adventure and would wish to Challenge them.

 All Partner States are expected to facilitate each participant with 2500USD.

 Orientation workshops will be organized and conducted by specialists on key issues of

community service, expedition safety skills, emergence response, first aid and basic

bicycle repair skills to acquaint participants with the route and the rules of the game. Participants are screened, scrutinized, examined and assessed to make sure they qualify

for the task before they are allowed to join the Team.

 

REQUIREMENTS:

To participate, one will have to fill a consent form committing them to the event and pay

participation fee, this fee will cater for water, feeding, expedition t-shirt, scarves, expedition

booklets, awards, memory packs, airport pickups and other emergencies. FOOD: we shall cook our own lunch and dinner while breakfast will be parked light food for

participants and will be distributed to everyone, every three days in the evening at 10:00pm.

Water: For purposes of safety, every participant is required to have at least two (2) water cans and

three (5) litres of water will be provided every day.

Accommodation: All participants including Administrators and organizing team will camp or sleep as

shall be directed by the Expedition route manager or the Expedition Administrator.

Emergency: trained Squad Leaders are attached to each squad equipped with skills in expedition and

safety management and necessary first aid kits provided. Several hospitals will be used or contacted

for referral purposes. Medical teams will be put on standby.

Safety: The EAC secretariat has contacted all member states to ensure our safety and security.

 

CHALLENGE ACTIVITIES:

Below are the activities we shall do in the 45 days of the EAS AFRICAN CHALLENGE,

ACTIVITIES FOR THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY CHALLEGE. 1. Recruitment

2. Carry out training and test routes

7. Prepare promotionalmaterial for the event

8. Assemble equipment’s

9. Orientation workshops and screening of participants.

10. Beginning of Trial (trail).

Activities during the Actual Cycling:

11. PROPAGATION: cyclists will sensitize different communities along the way on

various concerns of the East African Community. This includes Media coverage both in print, digital and social media.

12. CHALLENGE COURSE: all participants will enter a reality where they will be dared with

various challenges. Cyclists in their squads will take part in physical activities with games

to test their mind. They will climb over trees, escape traps, turn rough the forest and

explore the dare trails as they solve puzzles. Cyclists shall be tasked with various obstacles,

mind games and survival tests.

13. PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION: Cyclists are expected to upload at least three pictures

or selfies on our social media platforms and the more likes one gets wins them an award.

This is intended for the participants not to miss out on any important captions along the

trail.

14. KWESANA: the term kwesana is brain child of a 7year young happy Scout Jim Bennett

which he always uses to mean playing with other young Scouts. In this case, Campfire Logs

Guild adopted the term to refer to Mixer-ability, entertainment, interaction, networking

and any other activity that brings us together.

15. GRAND FINALE, AWARDS AND RECOGNITION: this is an annual event where our

participants are awarded with various awards, certificates and recognized for various endeavors’.

 

CONTACT DETAILS:

CAMPFIRE LOGS GUILD

2ND East African BICYCLE TOUR 2017

Email: campfirelogsguild@gmail.com

etourdeac@yahoo.com

FB page: tour d`eac

Twiter: @eactour

Whatsapp: +256702677436