Walking

The trip does not involve particularly difficult walking. On the Safari we will be confined to our vehicles. On the other days there will be a few minutes walking from the vehicles to the places that we are visiting. The exception to this is Shabbat when we will be staying at the guesthouse in Nabagoya Hill village. There is a 5-minute walk uphill from the guest house to the synagogue and a walk downhill on uneven ground to the Rabbi’s house. On Shabbat afternoon we will be walking around the village, which involve up to 3 hours walk on uneven terrain, both up and down hill. If you are unable to do this, the alternative is to remain behind in the guesthouse.

Road Journeys

The main challenge on this trip is the long car journeys. Uganda is a big country and on some days we will be travelling 5 and 6 hours on poor quality roads. This is a Third World Country. There are no regular stopovers with washroom facilities along the way, and we will take advantage of any hotels or tourist facilities that we pass. But, if you cannot go a couple of hours without a stop at a washroom, then you will find this tour difficult.

Hotels

We will be staying in good quality 4-star tourist class hotels throughout the trip. In Entebbe and Kampala, the hotels are of a very high standard. On the Safari, we are staying at a Safari Lodge with basic clean facilities. In Mbale, which is the nearest town to Nabugoye hill village, the hotel is a reasonable four-star hotel. Most people are pleasantly surprised by the quality of the hotels. Wifi will be available at hotels throughout the trip.

Shabbat Accommodation

On Shabbat we will be staying at the guest house at Nabagoya Hill. This is the only way to stay in the village on Shabbat. The Guest House offers ‘Youth Hostel’ type accommodation, in either double or dormitory style rooms which shared facilities. The hostel is clean, but the accommodation is basic, and you may need to share a room with other participants. The number of places in the guest house is strictly limited. We will only spend one night here and return to the hotel in Mbale after Shabbat.

Health

During much of the trip we will be at least 5-6 hours away from large medical facilities and hospitals.

There are recommended inoculations one should have before travelling in Africa. You should speak with your doctor for advice. There is a legal requirement to have a yellow fever inoculation to enter Uganda. This is not because yellow fever is common, but actually, to prevent it being introduced to Uganda. Doctors also recommend up-to-date tetanus shots and hepatitis A and B.

Malaria is endemic in the area we will be visiting. There are several common anti-malarial drugs and should consult with your doctor.

Kosher Food

Kosher food is available at the Nabagoya Hill community. We will be sharing Shabbat meals with the community.

There are no facilities for kosher food elsewhere in Uganda, and we will be making our own arrangements. I will be bringing Kosher supplies with me from London. I have arranged with the hotels to prepare Kosher menus in our pots and with our Kosher equipment.

The tour is being arranged in Uganda with that tours who is my agent. That has a strict cancellation policy, which reflects the expenses incurred when someone cancel their booking. Please pay attention to then different feeds charged depending on when you cancel.

The Safari

During part of the trip will be in the Murchison falls national Park. The is the garden of Eden. In the park we will have the opportunity to see lions, leopards, giraffes, elephants, hippos, crocodiles and many other wonderful creatures. Uganda has amazing wildlife undiscovered by most tourists.

The Mountain Gorillas

The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is on the border of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda. This visit involves rather long drives to Western Uganda, and for this reason, is available as an extra add-on and is not part of the main trip programme. We are looking at a 2-day extension.

The price of the add-on depends on the number of people who join it. You should budget around $1000 for this trip – but it might cost more or less depending on how many people join. This covers the guide and the transportation to western Uganda, in addition to the entry fee to the National Park and the special Gorilla license.

The arrangements for Kosher food that are being prepared for the main trip will continue on the extension.

You will return to Entebbe airport in the early hours of Thursday morning, and you should be able to book a flight that will get you back to the USA before Shabbat. A sample itinerary for a two-day Gorilla add-on can be found here.