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HOME > Uganda > tips

    Travel tips

 
  1. PREPARATION
      Documents
      Health
      Money
      Equipment

  2. GENERAL TIPS
      It's not a very cheap country!!
      People calling you MZUNGU!!
      Use local guides
     Matatu (minibus)
      Rafting in Jinja
      Off limits areas


PREPARATION

Documents:
Visa: at the airport it’s possible to get the visa on the spot for 30$, but just single entry or transit visa. No multiple entry visa are issued there.


Health:
No compulsory vaccination for italian citizens. Considering from Uganda I was heading to Rwanda I got vaccinations for:
-yellow fever (compulsory in Rwanda)
-meningitis
-hepatitis A/B 
-atyphus 
-tetanus 

Besides I got Lariam pills to prevent malaria, I didn't have any particular side effect due to Lariam as it's said, left out some depression after the last pill back from the travel...I didn't figure out if the depression was for Lariam or for the end of the travel or just a psychological influence. Anyway I didn't commit suicide ;-)
My suggestion is to prevent from mosquitos to bite using repellents, a mosquito net and a burning spiral
Watch out from bathing in every charming lake you will find; unfortunately Bihlarzia is quite spread. Ask to the locals.

Money:
I changed Dollars, but even euros are commonly accepted.
The only one ATM from where it’s possible to withdraw money by VISA is in Kampala

Equipment:
I'll list just the main stuffs:
-mosquito-net
-mosquito repellent spray
-mosquito repellent burning stuff
-a flash lamp with batteries change
-a good knife... to eat bananas ;-)
-I do not reccomend trekking shoes. I had sport shoes
-long linen pants and short ones

GENERAL TIPS

It's not a very cheap country!!
.Forget travelling with less than 30 euro/day, unless you don't travel walking, sleeping on the side of the road and eating bread ;-),... Accomodation are the main expense.

People calling you MZUNGU!!
You'll hear a lot of people calling you MZUNGU, it means white man. To me it doesn't sound so friendly, depite  their aim is not to offend you. Anyway it's not as bad as in Mali, Senagal and Rwanda

Use local guides
Getting a local guide is often the best way to avoid bothering people but the risk then, is that to be stuck in a turistic root.

Matatu (minibus)
For most of the connection between the main towns there’re the public minibus and the private ones. I suggest you the formers, since, even if slightly more expensive, faster and relatively more comfortable.

Rafting in Jinja
Rafting in Jinja is great but also really expensive: I did it with the company Adrift for 95$ the whole day breakfast, dinner and night accommodation not included. I’ve to admit that the safety support was good, but for me quite expensive. I don’t know if with the same safety standards, but I met a guy who did it with another company (he didn’t know the name) paying 30$. You can get info at the hostel backpackers in Kampala.
The company Equator rafting at Speke camp charges 85$, with dinner and one night accommodation included, but I couldn’t do since we didn’t reach the minimum number of 4 people, if you get a leaflet promoting the rafting for 65$ be aware it’s old stuff.

Off limits areas
Keep away from the off-limit areas like the Congolese borders. Ask about the latest news.

 

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