Visas:
It's quick
and easy to get a visa for Uganda, so no problems there. Depending on yur travel
plans it might be worthwhile to check into a multiple-entry visa - Rwanda to the
south offers some prime gorilla-watching
opportunities.
Packing:
- The weather isn't really that hot
- the temp remains right around 30C most of the year - but it is quite humid and
sticky. Best clothing choices are loosely-fitting, loose-weave cottons. Take
sandals, as well as some sturdy walking shoes if you plan to go off the beaten
track at all.
Health:
- Malaria is endemic and chloroquine
resistance is widespread, so take a good antimalarial. You will sleep much more
comfortably with a net in this environment, but wait and buy one there if you
decide to get one.
- Probably it's best to stick with bottled water. I forgot
and drank from the tap several times and nothing happened, but I wouldn't want
to make a habit of it though.
- Salads and unpeeled veggies in more upscale
places in Kampala, Entebbe or Jinja (in fact, in any of the larger cities) will
be fine to eat. Otherwise, if you can't peel it or cook it, don't eat
it.
Money:
A couple of the larger banks in Europe have
branches in Uganda, so I called and asked them if I'd have any trouble using the
ATMs there. They said no, so I went out with minimal cash (and some travellers
checks for backup, thank god for that), expecting to use mainly ATMs, but
couldn't make any of them work for me - instead, I ended up cashing in all the
trav's checks and also getting a cash advance on my visa, which is something I
try to avoid. Keep this in mind when organizing your money for a trip to
Uganda.
Getting Around:
- "taxis" - these are actually the
little minibuses you see all over East Africa, called "matatus" in Kenya - what
most of us think of as taxis are known as "private" or "special hire" taxis
there. I would never ride these in Kenya but in Uganda both the roads and the
drivers seem a lot better. They are used for cheap, easy transport both within
and between towns, and work exactly like buses do; just stand at the side of the
road, flag one down when you see it approach, and tell the driver where you want
to go. If he's not going you're way he'll tell you where to find your taxi. The
conductor will periodically ask for afres, but try to hang on to your money
until you reach your destination to avoid being charged twice if he "forgets"
you already paid.
In Kampala and other larger towns, there are areas
called "taxi parks", which are the starting areas for all the taxis. Rather than
taxis keeping to a schedule, they will sit in the taxi park and wait to fill up
before leaving, so you might have to sit there for 15-20 minutes waiting for
other passengers. The taxi parks in Kampala are a big chaotic mess - imagine
hundreds of minivans all crammed into huge lots, with people milling about
everywhere. Taxis going to specific areas will always park in the same area, and
if you don't know where the ones you want are, just start yelling out your
location as you're walking through, and people will direct you to where you need
to go.
- "boda-bodas" - these are motocycle or bicycle taxis, NOT with a
little cart behind them like the bicycle rickshaws you sometimes see elsewhere,
but with a little rack on the back where you perch. The motorcycle boda-bodas
are usually found in cities, and bicycle boda-bodas are found in smaller towns
and rural areas. The bicycle ones are cheap and safe, and a good way of getting
around shorter distances. If you want one and don't see one around, just cup
your hands round your mouth and yell "BODA-BODA!" and any within earshot will
come find you.
To do:
Kampala:
- National Museum
(there's not a lot else to do in Kampala other than change money, book a gorilla
or other tour, and do a bit of shopping)
Elsewhere:
- Ssesse
Islands in Lake Victoria - there are campsites and bandas available for
overnight stays, and a chimpanzee sanctuary that is worth seeing
- Gorilla
viewing - this is possible in several of the national parks in the mountains to
the south, but a woman I met there told me the small park of Mgahinga near her
home village is one of the best, as the permits are cheaper and it's not so
crowded.
- Murchison Falls
- The source of the Nile, near Jinja - there
are two campgrounds along the Nile there, the one I stayed at was Whitewater
Explorers, which was $15/night for a banda when I was there. You can either set
up a tent, or rent one of the open-air bandas. Really nice place, and they also
run river tours, as the name suggests.
Prices:
- Exchange
rate as of 31 Jan 03: 1.00 USD = 1,872.60 USh
- Don't pay any more than $20
for a special hire taxi from the airport in Entebbe to Kampala
- 500 Ugandan
Shillings from the taxi park in Kampala to outlying areas; most inner-city
travel will be 300-400 USh
- about 1500 USh for a domestic
beer
Internet access:
There are lots of places to check
email in the larger towns, but a lot of them have extremely slow
connections. I best place I found in Kampala was the Fran.com internet cafe in
Pioneer Mall off Kampala Road, which was about 1000USh for ten minutes -
expensive, but also faster than any other place I found.
Ideas for
accommodation in Kampala:
- The Protestant Medical Bureau is about
$US 8 per night for a single. They have a generator and hot showers in the
communal bathing area. Supposed to be very safe and very helpful:
Uganda
Protestant Medical Bureau
Physical Location - Plot 877 on Balintuma Road just
around the corner from the main gate to Mengo Hospital
Fax
256-41-341413
Phone - 256-41-271776
- The Red Chilli Hideaway, off
Port Bell Road.. Very clean, very friendly, have a full bar and
restaurant.
Phone 077-509150; or 077-502306; or 077-483202.
email:
chilli@infocom.co.ug
Uganda
