- A Safari trip to Uganda well known as the ” Pearl Of Africa ” is one to experience in a life time. But most importantly before one travels, he or she must have a plan . This plan should guide the traveler to pack the most important items before the departure date. There fore the following steps should considered before the depature date.Before travelling .
1. Validity of your passport.
Make sure your passport is up to date. atleast it should have more than six months remaining from the departure time befrore it expires. 2. Apply for a visa in advance.
Endavour to get a visa in advance before you travel to a foreign destination atleast apply with in 3 months
The current fee for a three-month tourist visa obtained upon arrival at Entebbe Airport is $50.00. East Africans (Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi) do not need visas to enter Uganda, but they need to have valid travel documents! You also find out if there is a Ugandan Embassy/consulate in the city near you and apply for a visa through the embassy.
3.Get insured
Health Insurance – Many foreign medical facilities and providers require cash payment up front and do not accept U.S. insurance plans. Medicare does not provide coverage outside of the United States. Check your U.S. health care policy to see if it will cover you overseas. If not, consider buying supplemental insurance. Make sure the insurance you purchase covers any special medical needs or risks you anticipate on your trip.
Emergency Evacuation – Evacuation for medical treatment or to leave a crisis area in another country can cost more than $100,000. You should strongly consider purchasing evacuation insurance in case of emergency overseas.
Unexpected Expenses – Trip interruption or cancellation, flight delays, lost or stolen luggage, and other unexpected travel costs can add up. Check with your credit card and homeowners insurance companies to see if they provide coverage. If not, consider additional insurance.
Get information about your destination.
Research entry/exit requirements, visas, laws, customs, medical care, road safety, etc. in the countries you will be visiting at travel.state.gov/destination. Write down contact details for the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate to carry with you in case of emergency while traveling.
4.Get Vaccinated
Routine vaccinations for influenza, chickenpox, measles and tetanus are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (wwwnc.cdc.gov) for travel outside the U.S. At least four to six weeks before traveling to Uganda get vaccinated for East African travel. Yellow fever vaccines received within 10 years of the date of entry are considered current, but those who get a new shot must allow 10 days for the vaccine to become active. Polio is prevalent in Uganda; vaccinations or booster shots for those previously inoculated are recommended. Malaria is also present in the country, and travelers who become ill upon returning home should seek immediate medical treatment. 5.Stay Safe
Make reservations in advance and stay in developed tourist areas. International hotel chains Sheraton (starwoodhotels.com/sheraton) and Serena (serenahotels.com) offer resort accommodations in Kampala that are within walking distance of local attractions, casinos and nightlife. Keep abreast of Ugandan news and check with the U.S. Embassy for any alerts before traveling to areas of potential unrest, particularly in northern, eastern or southwestern Uganda. Street crimes and robberies, while not uncommon, can be avoided by using common sense. Follow the lead of the U.S. Embassy (kampala.usembassy.gov) and do not plan road trips outside Kampala or other cities after dark.6.Convert currency.
While travelers checks are accepted at many businesses in the capital of Kampala, they are much harder to cash in other communities. U.S. currency is accepted at most hotels and at popular tourist destinations. Conversion of other monetary units into Ugandan shillings can be completed at banks and foreign exchange bureaus. Unless you plan to bargain with market owners, there is no need to convert bills to coin; large transactions are rounded to the lowest paper denomination. Citibank (citibank.com) has a branch in Kampala, but Barclays Bank (group.barclays.com) has 53 branches and 80 ATMs throughout the country.
7. Plan ahead for personal purchases.
Please note that credit cards and ATM are generally usable in Kampala but there will be some extra charges incurred for using your credit/debit card. You may withdraw money using your cards at any of these banks: Barclays Bank, Crane Bank, Citibank, and Standard Chartered Bank. All these banks are situated in the city centre, but as I mentioned above, the charges are very high! Most banks are open from 9AM-4:30PM during the week days, and 10AM-3PM over the Saturdays. All banks are closed on Sundays. All banks have ATM outlets allover the city that are open 24/7. There are Money Exchanges at Entebbe International Airport and they are open 24 hours. Therefore, if you would like to change money, the airport would be the best place to do it upon arrival. There are also Money Exchanges (Forex Bureaus all over Kampala city). Please bring what money you expect to need while in Kampala. Getting additional cash is not difficult, but it is very expensive, and sometimes can be time consuming.8.Plan ahead for how to call home – Calling directly from a landline in Uganda can be expensive. Check with your mobile phone carrier to see if your phone/plan can make international calls. You can also purchase a simple mobile phone and local SIM cards at Entebbe Airport or in Kampala and the vendors can help to set up your phone. If you would rather use your phone, be sure to check with your provider to make sure this is possible with your phone. You may also want to consider using a calling card or your computer (Skype) to make calls (when internet is available). There are also affordable ways to get access the internet. You may use internet cafes or purchase an internet modem. Orange Telephone company, Uganda Telephone Company, MTN Telephone Company all sell internet modems that can be inserted into your computer.
Destination Information – Research entry/exit requirements, visas, laws, customs, medical care, road safety, etc. in the countries you will be visiting at travel.state.gov/destination. Write down contact details for the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate to carry with you in case of emergency while traveling.
what to carry with you durin g the journey.
- A passport valid for six months beyond your arrivaland make copies out of it.
- Travel and medical insurance information
- Passport sized photos. You’ll need these when connecting local phone lines, or for tourist visas arranged on the go.
- Medical Evacuation Card if you have any
- Copy of Medical Care Coverage (If Applicable
- Printed return airline ticket. Our border guards don’t always accept screen shots.