Are you looking to travel to Africa, below is a recommended travel checklist.
First and most is to have a valid passport for at least 6 months after your travel return date. You cannot travel anywhere without a passport, so if you don’t have one, the begin the long process of getting one.
Have all your travel documents photocopied and have your copies in your language as you travel for your safari. This will be your starting point incase you lost any of your travel document while on tour.
Acquiring Visas
For all visitors visiting Rwanda, you require to have a visa except for nationals of USA, Germany, Sweden, United Kingdom, Kenya, Hong Kong, Burundi, DRC, South Africa, Mauritius, Uganda and Tanzania for a period of only 3 months. For other nationalities you must apply for a Rwanda Visa online at https://www.migration.gov.rw/index.php?id=28.
A Rwanda Visa is issued at the airport on arrival and across borders at the entry point but application has to be made before arrival.
A Rwanda tourist’s visa costs USD 30 Valid for 3 months and Single East Africa Visa allowing you to cross to Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya costs USD 100
Uganda Visa
For tourists to enter Uganda, they require a Visa, which is issued from the airport on arrival and at the border when entering the country. A Uganda tourists Visa recently goes for USD 100 FOR 90 days in the country. If you plan to cross to Rwanda or Kenya on your safari, it’s best to opt for a single East Africa Visa costing USD 100.
Health
It’s very necessary to keep health on your safari by taking the necessary health precautions before you travel. Uganda and Rwanda comprise of a tropical climate with mosquitoes in particular. You don’t want to catch malaria during your tour so you need to take preventative medication. Its necessary to go check with your doctor, common malaria drugs includes Malarone, Mefloquine, doxycycline to mention but afew. Its also necessary to carry a mosquito repellent too.
Yellow fever immunization certificate is a must requirement to obtain a Ugandan Visa and to enter Uganda. Other recommendations include vaccination against DTP – Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio and Hepatitis.
Banking and Money
While on safari, its important to have some local currency or small bills of US Dollars. Dollar currency is the most generally accepted currency in Rwanda and Uganda. You will need this money to buy souvenirs, pay hotels and food, use in shops, tipping.
Banks always open by 08:00 AM and close 5:00 PM standard time in East Africa. Most banks accept to charge VISA cards, Master cards, America Express but banks are mostly found in capital cities and big towns upcountry.
Use of ATM Machines to charge your card only goes for Visa cards. Other card is charged directly from the bank tellers. Keep in mind that you Visa card via ATM Machine has a limit on the amount of money it can withdraw per day.
Best Time to travel
Uganda has a tropical climate with average temperatures ranging within 21 – 25 degrees with two a rainy season and a dry season. The rainy seasons cover months of March to May and October to November. The dry season covers from Mid December to February and June to September.
Therefore the best time to travel is during the dry season as rain can make gorilla trekking slippery and tough, wildlife viewing is fantastic during the dry season, as you will find concentration of wildlife along water resources.
During the wet seasons gorilla permits in Uganda are got at a reduced promotion price of USD 350 because theses season receives few people coming to visit the endangered species.
In general traveling in Uganda is possible all year round ad even in the dry season i can rain and it may not rain on a given day of the wet season.
Rwanda is also known as the Land of a thousand hills because of her mountainous nature, which makes her have a tropical climate. Average temperatures range between 17 to 25 degrees. Rwanda is a year round travel destination with a rainy season and a dry season. The best time to travel to Rwanda is during the hot season as gorilla tracking is much easier than on a rainy day. It should be noted that, it can also rain in the dry season as it’s a tropical type of climate.
Packing
In the dry season pack light clothes and a warm cover-up for the evenings as evening tend to get cold. Pack good walking shoes and boots for forest hiking and walks and sandals for afternoon relaxing, a long-sleeved shirt / top will come handy to protect you against thorny vegetation. Pack a rain jacket incase of rain even in the dry season. Avoid white clothes as they easily show dirt and dust
Safety
Rwanda is a very safe country to travel to and has made a big recovery since the 1992 genocide. Today Rwanda is marked as one of the fast growing economies in Africa with modern infrastructure. With in the city, you will often time see police, to ensure tranquility and people follow the law. The people in Rwanda are very welcoming and ready to receive you. Ready to share their past horrific history and genocide site.
Uganda is a very secure country to visit with welcoming and friendly people
