Entry visa:

• The entry visa to Uganda is issued through an online request on the website of the Ministry of the Interior at the following link: https://visas.immigration.go.ug/ . You must have a passport valid for more than six months, without the need for passport photos. The cost of the visa is USD 50.

• The visa for Rwanda can be obtained directly upon entry, i.e. at Kigali Airport or at the borders. The cost is USD 50 per entry. It is possible but not mandatory to apply for a visa online and make payment online. This is the link: https://irembo.gov.rw/home/citizen/all_services?lang=en

• If the trip includes Rwanda and/or Kenya and/or Uganda, it is possible to request an East African visa at the price of USD 100. If the entry is in Kenya or Uganda, it is necessary to do so request online, while in Rwanda directly at the entrance.

• Please note that upon arrival at Entebbe Airport the guides wait outside the building and not at the arrivals exit, therefore visitors are asked to proceed outside the main exit.

Health provisions:

• To travel to Uganda & Rwanda is no longer necessary to have the yellow fever card.

• Malaria is present especially in the lower altitude areas, such as Kampala, Lake Victoria, Lake Mburo. It is therefore advisable to travel by protecting yourself with mosquito repellents and long clothes for the evening. Normally there are anti-mosquito nets in hotels and lodges.

• As an anti-malarial prophylaxis, Malarone is recommended.

• In general, travelers are advised to update their vaccination coverage such as tetanus, typhus, cholera, hepatitis A, meningitis.

• It is advisable to bring with you the essential medicines useful for the trip. In any case, along the route it will be possible to have access to clinics and pharmacies if needed.

The climate

• Uganda generally enjoys mild climatic conditions, thanks to its height above sea level, so average temperatures vary between 20 and 25 degrees and temperatures are normally never too high.

• In Uganda there are two rainy seasons during the year, namely between November and December and between April and May.

• Rwanda has the characteristic of being higher above sea level than Uganda, i.e. a country of hilly landscapes around 1000/1500 meters high. The seasons are similar to those in Uganda, although the rainy and humid equatorial climate tends to be more noticeable.

• Tourism and gorilla tracking in Uganda and Rwanda are recommended all year round, although dry seasons are preferable especially regarding road conditions.

Local currency and use of credit card

• In Uganda it is advisable to use the local currency, the Ugandan shilling, for personal expenses. Therefore, it is advisable to change Euros, American Dollars or British Pounds upon arrival, especially from the exchange offices in the center of Kampala, where there are better exchange rates.

• In 2025 on average 1 Euro is exchanged at 3,950 Ugandan Shillings and 1 US Dollar at 3,650 Uganda Shillings, but the fluctuations are unpredictable.

• In Rwanda the currency in use is the Rwandan Franc, which can be exchanged directly in Kigali or at the borders. In 2025, on average 1 Euro is exchanged for 1,600 Rwandan francs.

• The use of credit cards and related services are not very developed in both countries and transaction fees reach 5%. Payments are made mainly in cash and a limited daily amount can be withdrawn from the ATM. In hotels and resorts, payment by credit card is always possible via POS.

• Please keep in mind that if you are traveling with US Dollars, you must bring with you banknotes no older than 2005 otherwise they will not be accepted; Furthermore, banknotes smaller than USD 50 are exchanged at a lower rate.

Roads

• Roads in Uganda are much improved, especially those connecting national parks to each other. Kampala is connected to other cities in Uganda with asphalt roads.

• 4x4 vehicles in good condition are required for travel. Therefore, we advise you that the journey to Uganda also involves long transfers through sometimes difficult and unpaved roads.

• Roads in Rwanda are generally in good condition and asphalted, except for a portion along Lake Kivu between Kibuye and Cyangugu.

• While driving in Uganda is on the left in English style, in Rwanda people drive on the right.

Luggage

• It is advisable to travel with few suitcases, soft ones are better, considering that most of the time you travel on board transfer vehicles.
• It is also recommended to bring everything you need for the first day in your hand luggage, even in the event of delays in the delivery of your luggage upon arrival.

Kitchen

• Hotels and tourist lodges in Uganda serve standard quality food based on rice, meat, fish or vegetarian. The so-called "continental cuisine" is mainly inspired by British cuisine. Mediterranean cuisine, with olive oil or bread, is not common, apart from a few international restaurants in Kampala and some lodges.

• In Rwanda the cuisine varies between continental and inspired by Franco-Belgian cuisine.

• In general, these countries eat light, non-spicy food. It is very difficult to find fruit in hotels. Take advantage of buying seasonal fruit along the way of your route when given the opportunity.

Hotels

• It should be kept in mind that the level of service in hotels and lodges varies greatly between the budget level and the comfort and upmarket level. In any case, the standard of services in this area of ​​Africa can hardly be compared to that of other more developed regions, so patience is recommended during the provision of services.

• Notoriously: the supply of hot water and electricity leave something to be desired or there are above all eco-lodges that use solar electricity with its limitations.

• It is also advisable to bring your own hair dryer. Often, they are not found in lodges. However, you will need to be patient because given that the electricity is supplied through a generator or solar panels, this appliance may not work due to lack of electrical power or could damage the electrical systems.

Communications and internet

• Please remember that most of the places reached along the itineraries in Uganda and Rwanda are covered by the telephone network through the services of local operators. In Uganda there are two main operators: MTN, Airtel.

• WIFI Internet is present in almost all hotels and lodges, although with large speed limits and only in common areas.

Other things to remember:

• Metallic water bottles. We supply water inside the vehicles through big water cans and we request our guests to travel with their personal re-usable bottles.

• Face mask and gloves for gorilla trekking. Note that the minimum age is 15 years.

• Hairdryer. Often are not available in the hotels.

• Mosquito and insects repellents.

• The sockets and plugs available in Uganda are the English three-way type. Better to bring the necessary adapter with you. The sockets and plugs in Rwanda are the European ones, not the English ones

• Many lodges and hotels have their power supplied through generator systems or solar panels, so power cuts can sometimes occur at night, especially in small lodges and hotels. We recommend having a flashlight with you.

• Camcorder or camera batteries and cards are available in shops in Kampala as well as in Kigali.

• Sunscreen cream, hat, sunglasses.

• Binoculars for safari sightings

Tips

• In Uganda and Rwanda, it is customary to leave tips for services received. Better to have cash in local currency and a few dollars for tips.

• It is pleasant to reward the driver - guide who follows you throughout the trip, at the end of the program, if you are satisfied with his work with approximately 20 dollars per day.

• At the end of the gorilla treks it is customary to leave the ranger guide a tip of around 25 dollars per person.

• At the end of the chimpanzee trek it is customary to leave a tip of around $10.

• In hotels and lodges, it is customary to tip suitcase carriers in the order of small 2 dollar or 5,000-shilling notes.

• It is customary to leave a tip in hotels at the end of your stay in the tip boxes provided.

Clothing:

• It is advisable to travel with light and comfortable clothes, such as t-shirts, but without forgetting a sweater or jacket for the evening, especially for the areas of Bwindi, Lake Bunyonyi or Kisoro, the Volcanoes Park and Nyungwe where temperatures drop a lot overnight.

• Sandals are good shoes for car transfers and closed or trekking shoes for planned activities. The sun hat is also useful.

• Please also remember to bring appropriate clothing for gorilla and chimpanzee trekking in the mountain forest, i.e. simple trekking boots, long comfortable trousers and a light jacket or poncho for the rain.

GORILLA TREKKING

One of the most beautiful attractions in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo is mountain gorilla trekking. These are an endangered primate species whose specimens are found only in some tropical rainforests of this region of equatorial Africa.

Mountain gorillas have been studied and approached by science only in recent decades, especially thanks to the work of some primatologists, including the very famous Dian Fossey (“Gorillas in the Mist”, 1988). Fossey was killed in 1985 at the age of 52 after spending years raising awareness around the world about protecting gorillas against poaching and illegal trade.

The national authorities for the protection of natural parks have started familiarization activities for some gorilla families, in order to gradually accustom them to accepting the presence of visitors. This activity, so-called "gorilla tracking", must be booked well in advance to secure the necessary individual permit. It takes place with small groups of maximum 8 people per day for each family. This allows us to safeguard the lives of primates.

Gorilla population

The most recent survey in 2018 revealed that approximately 1,100 mountain gorilla individuals remain. A part, or 460 individuals, are found in Uganda in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a small but original tropical forest in the south-west of the country. About 40% of this number were familiarized to receive visits from tourists, corresponding to 17 families in total.

The other mountain gorillas are found in the Virunga Conservation Area, which is divided between Uganda, Rwanda and Congo. There are about 10 families that can be visited on the Rwandan side or the Volcano Park. In the Congolese part there are 8 familiarized families present in 2018 with a total number of gorillas of around 400.

How to prepare for Gorilla Trekking:

Gorilla safari is a trek in the tropical mountain forest. This is found at altitudes of 2000 meters on average, so you need to be prepared for quite cold nights with low temperatures and high humidity conditions. Rain here is a common phenomenon throughout the year. It is not possible to estimate the walking time required to reach the assigned gorilla family, since this depends on the free movements of the primates. In any case, you need to be prepared for a trek of about 5 hours, sometimes along arduous, steep paths in the mountains where the gorillas are found.

In the case of staff with limited walking mobility or low physical fitness, a sedan chair or shoulder chair service is also possible with an additional cost to be paid on site. Please also remember that at each entry point, the division of the daily groups is also made on the basis of the difficulties of the day, trying to distribute the tourists based on their needs (easy treks, long treks).

It is advisable to also consider the porter service (your bag and your water), this can be booked once on site. The carrier will also help you during the walk to overcome some obstacles such as uneven terrain, ascents and descents on/from slippery hills. Remember that you will be totally off the beaten track, you will be walking in the jungle. It is advisable to provide at least 1 liter of water each.

What to wear

You need to bring with you trekking boots, long trousers and a shirt with long sleeves, a light jacket for the rain, fabric gloves (to move any branches and along the route, but also to have a better grip on uphill roads), backpack to carry water and a packed lunch.