Hello everybody
I just came back from Uganda and Rwanda. Before my trip, I posted some questions about traveling independently in Uganda and got some recommendations, which I appreciated it. I wanted to give you guys some insight from my trip and I hope it does help others. I will begin to say that Uganda is AMAZING though :)
ABOUT INDEPENDENT TRAVEL: My original plan was to visit Uganda without a tour operator. I wanted to go on my own in order to have more flexibility and save some money. However, after visiting Uganda, I strongly recommend to take a tour because with your own car and driver you probably would see more than if you were on your own figuring where to go and how to get to. And very important because it is very likely than it will save you some money if you go with a package. There is public transportation between the towns but there isn’t between the towns or the parks, so you will need to hire it locally and it may sum up at the end of your trip as much or more than if you have paid a tour from the beginning. Plus, the park's entrances are not so close from the towns, and the roads to get to the park are usually rough. So I would recommend you to get a package. Having said that, WATCH OUT with the tour operators because there are TONS of agencies charging INSANE amounts of money for tours, so you just need to look and compare quotes until you find one that fits your budget. I got about several quotations, and find two that were the cheapest, the one I used was very reliable and I would strongly recommend it. Here it is the info...
TRAVEL AGENCY & LOCAL CONTACTS
After months of struggling with agencies, I found Travel Hemispheres (www.travelhemispheres.com) The reason why I picked this tour operator was because it sent me one of the two cheapest quotations. There was no reviews in any travel sites, but I have to say that I was very pleased with its services and the value for the services provided. Very reliable and well-organized tour. I was staying in Budget accommodation and was better than what I even expected. I was also very lucky to have had the BEST guide of Uganda. If you travel with Travel Hemisphere, ask to have Ronald “Ronnie” Lukwago as your guide. He knows Uganda inside out, but most importantly he truly loves Uganda and will go the extra mile to show you the best of his country. He was for me not just a guide, but more like a local host, which made a tremendous difference on my trip. If Ronnie is not available, ask for Eddy or Patrick, both are great guides I met during the trip, and the people who traveled with them were also very happy with them as guides.
For TRAVEL HEMISPHERES, contact:
Frederick Bukenya
Address: Off Entebbe Highway Najjanakumbi, Nyanama Road , Ndiwa Medical Center. P.O. Box 12112, Kampala , UGANDA
Tel. 256 772 571698, 256 414 382357, 256 312 282 303
Email: info@travelhemispheres.com/hinterland_4@yahoo.com
You can also contact Ronnie directly. His full name is Ronald “Ronnie” Lukwago Kiggundu. Email: kiggundu_ronnie@yahoo.com Cell phones 256-782-505-408/ 256-701-505-408
The other tour operator -I didnt use but was a bit cheaper- was Inside Uganda Tours Ltd (info@insideugandatours.co.ug). Again, I can't recommend it because I don't know about the service, but cheapest quotation I got.
ACCOMMODATION:
In Kampala:
For really cheap in the center of the town: New City Annex Hotel (7 Dewinton Rd). Rooms are tiny and bathrooms are shared. Good location though. The restaurant downstairs is good. Can’t miss the Spiced African Tea!
For nicer but pricier: The lovely hotel Le Bougainviller (www.bougainviller.com) or Tel. 0414-220996
In Bwindi: There are all sorts of accommodation in Buhoma. I stayed in the budget option, which was a tent and personally loved it! It was a big tent and it had a bathroom attached to it. you will feel you are truly camping in the wilderness :)
In Queen Elizabeth: I stayed at Mweya Farmland Resort Safari Lodge. It was brand new, clean and very comfortable. It was located out of the park, a bit isolated actually, but the hotel as such was impeccable and comfortable. If you have a flexible budget, stay at the Mweya Safari Logde (www.mweyalodge.com or Tel. 0312-260260) for luxury accommodation. It is inside the park and with stunning views of Lake Edward and the Kazinga Channel. Mewya also has a hostel and a camping site, but it seems it is not a good value for the price (well certainly you are not paying there for the place but for the location!)
MONEY: US Dollars are taken anywhere. Although credit cards (especially VISA) are widely accepted in the cities, it is recommended to take plenty of cash. There are many ATMs but many times the system is down. Also most ATMs work with VISA ONLY so watch out, if you have a Mastercard for your debit card, you may struggle to find a ATM that works with Mastercard!
BESIDES TRACKING GORILLAS AND GAME DRIVE, OTHERS “MUST-DO”:
Bwindi Orphans Center (BODEC): Just outside the entrance of the park, there is an orphanage. Watching these kids dance, sign and laugh was one of the highlights of my trip to Uganda, do NOT miss it. You can probably go and see them after tracking the gorillas. For more info, reach them at bwindiorphans@yahoo.com
Bwindi Waterfalls: If you have time, take for 10US$ a three hours trek to visit the waterfalls in Bwindi. Beautiful walk into the forest. It can be arranged on site.
Craters zone in Queen Elizabeth: Tourist-free and spectacular is the craters zone of the park. Not all guides not this area well, but it is worth visiting as it is very scenic and absolutely breathtaking at sunset.
Whitewater Rafting in the Niles, Jinja: If you want to experience one of the best white water rafting, you can’t leave Uganda without going on a full day tour with Adrift (http://www.adrift.ug) for US$125 per person. It was intense, but it was a lot of fun and absolutely breathtaking. It is an easy day tour from Kampala. Adrift provides the round trip transportation and it is included in the tour cost. Book your tour by sending an email at info@adrift.ug
If you have any questions, feel free to PM me. Again, Uganda is WONDERFUL!
This is a sneak peak video of my trip to Rwanda and Uganda (most footage is from Uganda) so if you are planning to go there, this will prepare you to the adventure you are about to take!
http://diariesofabackpacker.com/2010/10/15/sneak-peak-a-journey-to-africa/
Safe travels!
mdz