Uganda-Rwanda Expedition 2011
Passports & Visas
This information was last updated on December 20, 2010.
All travelers will need a passport valid for at least 90 days following the departure date. However, we strongly recommend traveling with 6 months validity on your passport at all times.
Citizens of United States will only need visa for Uganda. Rwanda tourist visa is not required for american nationals for a stay up to 90 days. Slovak citizens need visas for both Uganda and Rwanda.
Both the Ugandan and Rwanda visa are available at Entebbe Airport upon arrival or may be obtained from the Embassy of the Republic of Uganda. The current fee for a three month tourist visa obtained upon arrival at Entebbe Airport is $50.00. The Rwanda visa can also be obtained on the border between Rwanda and Uganda.
If you are not a Slovak or US citizen, please consult the visa information with your ministry of foreign affairs or contact us and we’ll find out for you.
Weather and climate
The temperature averages about 25°C annually (15°C during night). There are two rainy seasons and two dry seasons in Rwanda; we will visit the countries during a dry season.
Health Information
A relatively high variety of tropical diseases can be found in both countries, but with sensible behaviour chances of catching anything serious are very low. A visitor is advised to be immunized against Yellow Fever, Hepatitis A, Influenza A (H1N1), Typhoid, Diphtheria and Tetanus.
Before getting any vaccinations please consult them with your doctor who will determine what you will need, depending on factors such as your health and immunization history.
Further information about vaccinations and immunisations may be obtained from the CDC Web Site for this Region.
Safety & Security
Despite the issues that have visited Rwanda and Uganda in the past, both countries remain acceptably safe to visit and their capitals Kigali and Kampala belong to Africa's safest big cities.
When creating the roadmap for our expedition, we considered the security issues in both countries (proximity to troubled and instable neighbours DRC, Burundi, Sudan and Uganda’s North-East and West Nile regions) in order to minimize any risk and ensure that the expedition is safe and secure.
Money
Local currencies are Ugandan shilling and Rwandan franc. Paying with a credit card is not common; we recommend taking cash money, preferably US dollars. In order to get better exchange rate, take $50 or $100 bills, not older than 2003, not damaged and without any writing on it.
Other considerations and Tips
The health care in Uganda and Rwanda is limited and doesn’t meet European or US standards. We strongly recommend to have health insurance (for cases where a flight transport to a better health facility is needed).
Rwandans are sensitive about photography: ask permission to take photos of people and their possessions and never take photos of military or government establishments.
