UPON ARRIVAL AT ENTEBBE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - Uganda.

Entebbe international Airport is 40 kilometers away from Kampala and 5 kilometers from Entebbe town.Customs and Immigration process is easy and very efficient.For those who require a visa,it normally takes a short time to acquire one.There are forex bureaus,banks and ATM facilities for exchanging money.

HEALTH:

A certificate of yellow fever vaccination is required.All visitors to Uganda and Rwanda should take malaria prophylactic drugs.

DRIVING:

Driving is on the left side.Visitors with no experience of African roads are advised to hire a vehicle and a local driver rather than self drive.

TIPPING:

Tipping is not standard and varies.It is normal to tip about $10 or more in a tourist oriented establishment.
Guides and driver guides should always be tipped $ 10 per person per day spent with clients.

PACKING LIST

• A pair of walking shoes
• A pair of tracking shoes with a good rubber sole for tracking
• Shirts/T shirts
• Smart casual trousers preferably khaki material
• Pairs of shorts/cotton dress for ladies.
• Jersey for cool evenings
• A light water proof jacket
• One sun hut,a towel,toothbrush,toothpaste
• Underwear and socks
• A swimming costume
• Comb and hair brush
• Enough shavers
• Lotion/sunblock
• Lip balm
• Hand cream
• Insect repellant
• Disposable moist tissues
• Sun glasses/spectacles
• Plastic band aids
• Anti-diarrhea pills
• Throat lozenges
• 22.Antiseptic cream
• Anti-malaria pills
• Fungal infection powder
• Some personal medication,consult your pharmacist/physician
• Eye drops,sun screen,moisturizer.

SAFARI VEHICLES

We utilize custom-built 4x4 safari vehicles and offer guaranteed window seats for every client. Communication is by cellular phones owing to the fact that the signal is spread all over the country. The vehicles do have game viewing pop up tops that allows for easy game viewing and photographic wildlife.

TYPICAL SAFARI SCHEDULE.

Your typical day on safari begins with a game drive after breakfast. After lunch you'll have time to nap, swim or read about what you're seeing. Maybe, a mid afternoon boat cruise, around 3:00 or 4:00 p.m., there is usually another game drive, until dusk. On some days, there is the possibility of an early sunrise drive, or even a night game drive or a walking safari depending on park rules. When traveling to new game parks, there are often stops to visit interesting features along the way.

ACCOMMODATION.

Prior to the start of your tour, a number of good hotels are available to choose from in Kampala, Entebbe and all the major National Parks and all areas we shall visit ranging from luxury - mid range - budget.

AIRLINES.

The following airlines service Uganda regularly include:
British Airways,
Egypt Air,
Ethiopian Airlines,
Emirates Air,
SN Brussels,
Kenya Airways/KLM and
South African Airlines.
Most of these connect to Entebbe Air Port through Europe.

ALCOHOL.

Several brands of local beer are available, including Bell, Club and Nile Special. Most spirits and wines are imported and are readily available at slightly elevated prices. There are no legal limitations on the drinking of alcohol in Uganda save for the drivers.

BANKING.

Several international banks operate in Uganda including; Barclays, Standard Chartered and Stanbic.
Many local banks and forex bureau also operate across the country. Generally the banking hours are 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday to Friday, though some institutions are open longer hours and on Saturdays. There are no legal restrictions on foreign exchange transactions and currency is easily convertible. Use only USD notes dated after 2006.

CREDIT CARDS.

You can withdraw money from your Visa/MasterCard but there is a limit on each card per day. Very few establishments accept credit cards and travelers checks apart from the large Hotels in Kampala and some on tour. You can withdraw money from Barclays and Standard Chartered Banks ATMs using your visa card.

CURRENCY.

The Uganda Shilling is the currency used. It is issued in denominations of 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 5000, 10,000, 20,000 and 50,000 UgShs notes. The rates vary from time to time but are readily available from banks and forex bureau. The average rate for 2011 is $1 = 2600 UgShs.

DRINKING WATER.

We recommend that you do not drink tap water. Most hotels and restaurants provide previously boiled drinking water, Bottled water is also available and is provided at no charge in the safari vehicles.

FOODS.

Fresh tropical fruits and vegetables abound throughout the country. A wide range of dishes, both traditional and international, is served in the hotels and restaurants. The food served at most up market safari lodges and tented camps is of the highest quality. Gourmet cooks bake fresh breads, and produce soups, salads, and entrees that could easily grace tables at top restaurants around the world.

LANGUAGE.

The official language is English though Swahili and Luganda are commonly spoken throughout the country.

PHOTOGRAPHY.

Take equipment that you have used before. Take a waterproof pouch to protect your camera from moisture and dust. Take extra batteries and plug-in adapters if you plan to use a video camera. It is smart to take a recharge that works off a vehicle battery. Larger lithium batteries that you can wear on your belt will last longer. We suggest a good 35 mm camera with a 35-70 mm zoom lens, and a longer lens, such as a 80-200 mm to capture the multitude of rare birds you see.

Most lodges and camps have facilities for recharging your batteries. For Wildlife photography we recommend a Bean or a rice bag which can be made locally on tour. Pictures of Military Installations are forbidden. Enough memory cards for digital cameras and Make sure to bring plenty of film 200ASA for plains game and 400-800-1600 ASA for the gorillas and Chimps. You can download pictures at major towns at internet cafes.

TOUR DEPARTURES.

Our tours usually depart with a minimum of two people on a daily basis. This is subject to the availability of accommodations, gorilla permits and others. These tours too can depart with one person after paying a supplement.