What to pack for a Uganda Safari?

 What to pack for a Uganda Safari in 2021, A Uganda safari is a a typical trip to the wild. Uganda is a country of untamed wildernesses, elevated hills, intimidating mountains, boisterous waterfalls, boiling hot springs, long rivers and seemingly endless lakes, and an innumerable mass of wildlife found in its national parks, forests, and game reserves.

Uganda is without doubt a great place to go on a safari. Here is a list of the essentials to pack for a Uganda safari:

Essential documents to come along on your Uganda safari

The essential documents tourists must-have while traveling to Uganda for a safari include:

·         Passport; you definitely need your passport to pass at the ports of entry. Remember to carry several copies of your passport to use in case you lose your original.

·         e-Visa approval letter; tourists who are not East African nationals and don’t come from visa-exempt countries need to have a visa before entering Uganda.

·         Yellow fever vaccination certificate; taking a yellow fever vaccination is mandatory since Uganda lies within the yellow fever belt. 

·         Other documents; the other documents tourists can pack for a Uganda safari include; emergency contact information, travel insurance documents travel tickets, an alternative form of identification besides your passport, credit cards, and driving license.

What to pack in your Medicine kit on a Uganda Safari?

A medicine kit comes in handy while going on a safari to Uganda. Travelers must pack essential drugs and prescriptions for their Uganda safari:

        I.            Antimalarial drugs; malaria is prevalent in Uganda. A prescription of antimalarials to take before, during, and after the trip is recommended.

     II.            Pain killers; something to numb aching limbs. Gorilla trekking hikes and other exerting safari activities can bring on headaches and muscle pains.

  III.            Personal prescriptions; if undergoing treatment or suffering from any sort of chronic illness or allergy, you should remember to carry your prescription drugs.

Medicines that can help treat or prevent diarrhea, crumps, headaches, coughs, and flu should come in handy.

The appropriate clothing and footwear for a Uganda Safari

Uganda is warm for the most part of the year. The days are usually hot, the evenings somewhat chilly and the nights warm. During the rainy seasons, clouds normally clear and the sun shines after bouts of heavy rains.

Light clothes; the days are usually warm and hot especially in the dry seasons. Remember to pack clothes that will keep you comfortable and less sweaty. Appropriate clothes to pack for a Uganda safari includes:

·         Warm clothing; though you don’t need to carry your winter jacket and gloves, you should pack some sweaters and socks for the chilly evenings, and rarely cold nights.

·         Long-sleeved attire; Uganda has lots of mosquitoes and bugs. Keeping your hands and legs covered is one way to keep off the bites. Also, the long-sleeved shirts and long trousers can help with keeping warm since the nights are chilly.

·         A raincoat or waterproofs; this is to keep you dry in the wet seasons when it rains very often. Also, occasional rains fall during the dry spells. 

·         Waterproof hiking boots; besides normal walking shoes and comfortable sandals, tourists are better off packing a good pair of waterproof boots. The terrain leading to Uganda’s parks and reserves is comprised of dirt roads, rugged hills, and uncultivated tracts.

Your gadgets and devices

You will definitely want to stay in touch with your family and friends, and maybe do some office work while in Uganda. Devices to pack for a Uganda safari include:

Communication devices; your mobile phone, iPad, tablet, laptop and any other communication devices are essentials.

A Universal convertible adapter; most of the electronic sockets in Uganda are the three-rectangular-prong style of the UK as contrasted with the two-flat-prong style of the United States and Canada.

Also, Uganda’s standard voltage is 240 V and the frequency is 50 Hz. Travelers from the US, Canada, and most South American countries need to pack a voltage converter when traveling to Uganda for a safari.

Others

A good camera to capture wild memories, binoculars especially for the seasoned birder and avid naturalist, and a flashlight or headlamp for night walks and nocturnal game drives. All these must have a place on a tourist’s list of ‘what to pack for a Uganda safari’.

Personal toiletries

Most hotels and lodges will provide you only with the basic toiletries. You should carry your own soaps and lotion especially if you have sensitive skin.

Your own toothpaste, toothbrush, dental floss, deodorant, hair care products, lip balm, washcloth and wipes will do you so much good. Don’t forget Ziploc bags to keep your dirty laundry and other personal items. You should consider packing these and more for a Uganda safari.

Other vitals

Here are some more items tourists can have on their ‘what to pack for a Uganda safari’ list.

Sunscreen; the days are usually hot in Uganda, applying a sun lotion will help protect your skin from the harsh rays.

Wide-brimmed hat; this will help protect your face from sunburn during the hot mornings and scorching-hot afternoons.

Sun glasses; direct contact with the sun can be damaging to the eyes. A pair of sunglasses will help protect your sight throughout your Uganda safari.

Swimsuit; most lodges have outdoor swimming pools accessible to in-house guests as a complimentary amenity.

Bug & mosquito repellent; this is one way to keep bug and mosquito bites at bay. Uganda’s wildernesses have all sorts of bugs and mosquitoes.

Antiseptic wipes; you can use these to cleanse your face and body in the course of the day while engaging in all sorts of dirt accumulating activities.

Hand sanitizer; it is not strange to pick up germs severe enough to give you bouts of diarrhea while on a wild African safari. A hand sanitizer should help you keep your hands bacteria and germ-free. 

Refillable water bottle; it’s advisable to drink enough water especially when engaging in outdoor safari activities to ward off the risk of dehydration.

Safari journal; memories are priceless treasures. Pack a safari journal to keep your African safari memories for life.