Travel Answers

From what I have been reading on line, most of the people are very religious with the largest number being "Born Again" and Evangelical, and don't drink or smoke. Which brings up my question to you who know or have stayed with local people. Would it be appropriate to bring a deck of cards as a gift. This deck of cards is special as it has beautiful photos of where I live the Island of Kauai.
However, it might be an considered an insult if it was looked on as an item for gambling and is against their religion? Of course, some of our hosts could be Catholic, which would then be acceptable., unless it is against their culture as well.??
I would most appreciate hearing from some Ugandans
traveling with Aloha
the coconut wireless

Aloha from Kauai Hawaii
I wil be visiting Uganda in June. I have a question, I hope you might be able to help me with. My husband and I are strict vegetarians. We will be staying with some local people who we will meet for the first time and I want to know how to tell them we do not eat meat without offending them. I am especially concerned if we were offered some and then had to refuse. We have the same situation with alcohol.

How much would it cost to stay in Kampala for six weeks?

I will arrive at 22.30 in Entebbe on Saturday. Is it safe to take a taxi to Kampala at that time or should I find a hotel near the airport? Is there a hotel near the airport.

Hi Everyone, I'm going to Kampala in June 2013 and I am researching the gorilla trek - I only want to be in and out of the country as part of a bigger Africa trip, so I am looking for a 3-day trek which includes a visit to the gorillas in Uganda (not Rwanda or the DRC). Rwanda has visa complications for me and the DRC is currently a no-go zone for most operators due to the civil situation. In Uganda, I've found lots of tour operators offering a 3-day tour. These are the four best that I can find: African Pearl Safaris - USD$1300 Gorilla Tours Uganda -USD1290 Enjoy Safaris Africa -USD1490 Insight Safari Holidays -USD1090pp for two (willing to advertise my tour dates to see if they can get another person to sign on) I've gotten in touch with each of them by email and they reply quickly, in great English and have confirmed their prices. That passes my initial sanity check. However, there are zero reviews on the web about any of these companies. That makes me nervous, because I know there are stories going around of tour operators getting your payments for the gorilla permits in advance (all companies do this) then simply taking that money and running. I need VT's help! Have any of you had dealings with any of these companies? Thanks in advance. Leon

Has anyone ever heard of a place to stay in or around Kampala named Jokes Hotel /Motel?

Hello, Can anybody recommend a venue for an early breakfast near the airport in Entebbe? We will arrive at 3:30am and do prefer to travel at daytime, therefore would like to have an early breakfast in Entebbe before moving on to our final destination in Jinja. Any suggestions? Many thanks! B

we are a group of five indian families..we will be in Entebbe on the night of 22 Jun, staying at the Ndere Centre. Next day we intend doing a Kampala sight seeing and then moving to ssese islands for two nights. We will be arriving back at Ferry site on 25 Jun and have a half day to see around before taking a morning flight to Nairobi. Request if some suggestions can be given regarding good and safe place to stay, places to see (there are ladies and children also in the group) and restaurants to eat in. We are looking at budget or mid range options. Is the Entebbe Zoo a good option?

I WANTED TO BOOK ROOMS FOR APRIL. HOW DO I GO ABOUT IT. PHONE NUMBERS AND EMAIL ADDRESS PLEASE.

Hi all! I am a Swedish agroecology student who is going to do field work in Uganda 8 weeks in feb-march next year. I will be based at Uganda Martyrs University in Nkozi, Mpigi district west of Kampala. I have never been to Uganda and have lots of questions! First I was wondering if anyone out there has any experience of Nkozi and the area around? Been trying to find info but there's very little, not even about how big the town is etc. I would also love to have some tips on what to see & do while there. I'm hoping to have some free time every now and then to explore the country, and am also planning to stay an extra week or so to travel with my boyfriend. The gorilla trekking seems to be no1 for most people but it'so expensive and I don't feel super interested in it for whatever reason. Have a soft spot for savannah type ecosystems & wildlife and Murchison Falls NP looks very tempting, will definitely try to get there. If anyone has advice on tour operators that are good & affordable please share! And any other thoughts that come to mind, food, safety, etc are most welcome too! ~elsa

At begin of december,coming by bus from Nairobi,i have 7 days to spend in Uganda before get Tanzania overland,i wonder if you can suggest a itinerary to follow. thank a lot. fabio

I am in Kampala for a couple of days next year and while I'm there would like to do either a half-day or full day tour of Kampala. I've already done some searches on google and made contact with some companies but all are quoting ridiculous prices. They range from200 -400!!!! And that is just for a tour and nothing else! Now maybe this is the going rate for a tour in Kampala, but I doubt it. I will be alone for the tour. Can anyone else recommend anyone?

My husband will be traveling to Uganda shortly on work. Could you please suggest specific shops where we will find things for the house, like masks etc that are of good quality. What else could one shop in Uganda?any suggestions welcome... thank you,

Me and my girlfriend are planning to go gorilla watching in November. Haven't pinned a date yet, so this is open for suggestion. The sites I found on the internet all have very expensive arrangements but have found one agency that's more cost efficient. Short outlines of the scheme ----------------- THREE DAYS GORILLA SAFARI (BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK) Day 1 Depart Kampala Backpackers at 7am to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, going through the rolling hills of kibale forest to stop over for lunch in Fortpotal. After lunch you will continue through Queen Elizabeth National Park viewing some of the wildlife that could be in sight at the moment, to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Dinner and Over night Buhoma Community Rest Camp. FB Day 2 Early morning wake up to have breakfast at 5:30am, and with packed lunch at 6am exactly we start our driving to the starting point in Ruhija. The trekking session starts at 8am or 9am according to UWA ranger guides and it goes between one and eight hours according to how far the Gorillas would be at the moment Incase you come back early you will head on to an afternoon Nature walk through the villages of Bwindi and seeing how the local people lead their normal day to day lives. Coming back in the evening for dinner and overnight at Buhoma community Rest camp. (FB) Day 3 Transfer to Kampala, stopping over in Mbarara for lunch after which we will head on to stop at the Equator for some pics and drum makers. Expected time of arrival is 6pm. Gorilla safari (Bwindi Impenetrable National park) 3days Activities Gorilla tracking Nature walk Prices per person in Euros Price in USD 1pax E 9901495 2pax E 7951165 3pax E 7301070 4pax E 7001025 5pax E 680995 6pax E 665980 8pax E610895 16pax E610895 Prices are inclusive of 4x4 safari car, one gorilla permit, nature walk, English speaking guide, Full board accommodation. Price excludes flights to and from Uganda, visas, medical or travel insurance, drinks, laundry, tips and gratuities to porters, waiters, guides and safari guide. The more the merrier :)

please tell me what time zone you are in. we live in canada and ours is central standard, and just not sure what yours might be. thanks for all your help. brenda rousset

Hi i fly to Uganda on the 2nd of august to volunteer just wondering if anyone has any tips or recomendations for me?! Im currently having my jabs, so i guess that side is sorted...thanks x

Hello I am arriving in Kampala in the next few days and staying for a week. Kampala has recently been in the news over here and again today about the unrest there at the moment. How is it? Just thinking of safety. Many Thanks.

Hey there. This year hubby and I will be spending a few months in Kenya, so we are thinking about doing a couple of weeks in Uganda, have a look around and also see the gorillas. Any advice on best bus company, obtaining NP fees etc and any valuable info such as best places to go etc. would be greatly received. Many thanks Cheers Denise :)

Hi, I am thinking of visiting Kampala for a couple of days in April 2011 but have read that this is smack in the middle of the rainy season and is in fact the wettest month. Now I can handle a bit of tropical rain, but what I'd like to know is whether the rain will be 'that' bad. I mean, will it be thrashing down non-stop making it impossible to step outside, or is it like other places where it will rain heavily for a couple of hours around noon? Any help with this will be greatly appreciated. Regards Jason

Can someone please tell me the name and address of a lovely restaurant in Kampala that is up a winding hill. The restaurant is open plan (ie the sides are open) and at the same level as the tree tops, so it looks like you are amongst the tree tops. It may be part of a small hotel. Lots of NGO workers go to eat there. Also, can you tell me the names of some nice European style coffee shops/cafes for westerners in Kampala cente? Thanks.

Hello all, I live in the UK and am soon to embark on a 9 month period of voluntary work in Uganda. I am currently searching for long stay travel insurance cover, which hopefully won't cost me more than the trip itself! I have found several insurance providers which tick most of the boxes, but so far they only insure baggage/possessions up to around £150 for a single item. Ideally I am looking for at least £500 single item cover which would help replace a lost/stolen camera, laptop etc.. Hope someone can help. Thanks, Steve

We are looking for fellow travellers on a low budget who would like to share 4WD transport and guide costs from Kasese to: 1) Ishasha to see the tree-climbing lions; 2) do a guided forest walk in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park; 3) visit Lake Bunyonyi. Dates are from 5-10 December, 2010. Please contact me if you would like a more details about the itinerary and the prices we have been quoted. Cheers, Camille

Hi all, I'm off to see the Gorillas in a month (yay!) and have a couple of questions. Firstly, what's the weather actually like? None of the websites tell me anything useful. I'll be travelling all over. hot? wet? tropical? or cold in parts? Second, I have one night in Kampala and am confused as to which hotel is better. Cassia Lodge or Le Petite Village. Suggestions? Thanks!

Hi all, Does anyone have any information on buses from Kampala to Kigali? So far all I have been able to find is traveluganda.co.ug/businfo.a... and the only bus is Kampala leaving at 3:00am! (and Kampala buslines reviews are a little daunting). I'd like to travel on a Saturday or Sunday morning. I think Akamba and Starways (or perhaps these are now one company) do the trip but have been unable to confirm the time. The Akamba website does not list Kigali, and does not reply to an email request. Any help will be really appreciated. Thanks Marg

Hi everyone I will be in Arusha, Tanzania for 1 month this October, and am trying to find out it is feasible/possible to take a short trip to see the gorillas in Uganda and to arrange this once I arrive with a local tour operator? I am aware that I need to purchase a permit and that my plan depends upon the availability of these permits. Can anyone recommend any tour companies that would be suitable for a single traveller to use? I might be doing it alone if I haven't found anyone else who wants to go as well! Thanks :) Maz

Hi all. It is just one month to go to Uganda, and we are starting to feel ansioux about that. Being carefull with the water you drink is one of the rules they keep telling us constantly. I know we should carry with us bottles with water when posible. I wonder if we should buy some pills to make water "drinkable" or is it easy to find bottled water all over Uganda. I understand that weather is very humid in Uganda, in general, so it makes you thristy and sweaty, so you need to drink a lot every day. Thank you for your attention.

Hello All, Traveling to Uganda in August or September, Since I will be there for about 2 weeks I was planning to go for a 3 day Safari. Since I am not in good physical condition I am not going for the Gorilla trek. That leaves me with 2 options either the Queen Elizabeth National Park or Murchison Falls National Park. I am more interested in Game viewing than Birding. I am also traveling alone. Which one of the parks do you suggest? Please give me your valuable feedback. I have written to a couple of tour operators and have got some quotes. Thanks in advance.

Greetings all! I posted before (and thanks to all who responded!) and have another quick question. So my husband and I will be arriving in Kampala the night of the 13th and are trying to find accommodation for anywhere from three nights until maybe the end of the month, when we move into an apartment in Kampala. Right now we've placed Banda Inns at the top of our list. We know its not in Kampala center but it looks really nice at least for the first three nights. Then we would like something in the city where we could easily walk places i.e. restaraunts, makerere, etc. We are also looking at the Lodge, College Inn, La Fontaine, and Red Chili. We want a Single room for the two of us with ensuite facilities, safe, friendly, and under50/night. Please give suggestions! Personal stories/ experiences would be especially great. Thanks!!!

Hi all, me and a few friends are off to Uganda in October and are time over there will include a few weeks stay in Masaka so I need to know what there is to do there, where to stay, where to eat and a bit of information about the culture. We are planning to travel to Jinja at the weekends so any advice on how to get there would also be welcome.