African Insights Blog

African Insights Blog – Newsletter

March 4, 2009

Preparing for your Africa Trip

If you want to enjoy Africa-understand the country you are visiting

Prepare for your journey beyond visas, beyond passports, beyond packing and airline Tickets

A trip of a lifetime to Africa, an African Safari, going Mountain Gorilla Tracking in Uganda, or going on short term Volunteer Trip to Uganda or some other reason to travel into the heart of Africa.

The trip preparations alone can get a person excited from getting passports to the airline tickets, the picking of an itinerary while in Africa and the like.

There is however one aspect of the trip preparation to Africa that is most often neglected and that is learning about the country like Uganda that you are about to visit.

People come here every day and know very little about Uganda besides maybe that Idi Amin comes from here. 

If you want to enrich your trip to Africa, to Uganda, the best African Travel advice I can give you is become informed about the country that you are about to visit.

I read at least an excerpt of every blog written about Uganda (that google finds) as it comes in via my google alerts and many times what is wUganda awaits youritten is simply wrong...The case of another Westerner coming to Uganda, making some judgments based on his or her culture and background, but because they have been here in Uganda for a week, they are experts on Africa and African culture.  Many blogs sound like Bwana knows best, they make judgments.  based on their culture of origin and not having taking the time to learn a bit of the culture of the country they are visiting and respecting the ways that might just be a bit different. 

Often Westerners that blog regarding Africa have not researched what they are writing about.  Just yesterday I read the blog of a woman from the West that wrote as if they war in the north was ongoing and that the north was aflame with conflict.  All she had to do was to read the local newspapers while she was here and find out what the reality is on the ground. 

Before coming to a trip of lifetime to Africa, to Uganda, prepare yourself by reading, researching regarding your country of destination it will make your journey (safari) so much more enjoyable.

With the Internet that preparation is actually quite easy. I would recommend to start out with book that is a must primer for visitors to Uganda.  It is the latest edition of the Bradt Guide for Uganda.  It gives you more background and insight into Uganda than any other guide book you can buy. From cultural insights, history of Uganda, various ethnic groups and their ways including the Buganda Kingdom and so much more. There is also hotel information, National Parks and the animals you will find there, the nature walks you can take and where to find birds, wildlife and more. You can buy it at most bookstores and of course online. (The prices in book are several years old and are a bit wrong, but the country information is great, the wildlife information, the city guides are great.

You can also visit my travel section on Uganda and find many helpful tips regarding travel to Africa, information on culture, a Luganda basic Primer, have questions answered regarding your East African - Uganda Journey and much more.

Here are some other ways you can gain an understanding into Africa and Uganda in particular.  Get Google News and blog alerts for the country and topics in that country that you find interesting.

If you are interested in Africa, buy "BBC Africa Magazine".  In most university towns you will find a copy at a good news store.  "Africa Today" is another great magazine that gives you cultural, political insight into Africa.

On the Internet go to my BBC Africa News page and find current news from Africa.  There you will find lots of things including in depth background news on various African topics.  You can also see some videos and listen to the radio broadcasts about Africa.  They are fabulous, unfortunately my limited bandwidth does not allow me to listen to it while here in Uganda.

On Google news you can type in the country you are going to do and voila, there is the news about that Country.

Then there are some local newspapers that you can read regarding Uganda and East Africa.

The East African:  A quality regional newspaper that comes out every Sunday with in depth insights regardingEast Africa and editorial on each country.  The letters to the editor are also great.  It is owned by the Nation Publishing group in Kenya.

The New Vision:  The largest daily paper in Uganda.  Good editorials, nice reporting and very informative.

The Monitor:  Owned by the Nation Publishing Groups it is a daily paper.  It has good intelligent reporting and great commentaries and editorials.

The Independent:  Investigative reporting and is a weekly magazine, that has often has in depth reporting.

The Weekly Observer:  An Independent newspaper that comes out weekly on Thursday.

I have met countless of visitors to Uganda and only on one or two occasions did they have a local newspaper or when asked had read one at all during their time in Uganda. 

There are books written by Ugandans that you can find in the West, one of my favorite is the Abyssinian Chronicles, a title that might belie the fact that it is about Uganda.  It is about a boy growing up during the turbulent times in Uganda from Idi Amin until President Museveni took over in 1986.  Fascinating insights into Ugandan culture, religious life and family life.  You will laugh, you will cry...it is a book for adults though written through the eyes of a young boy growing up in Uganda.  You can also read books about Idi Amin, Joseph Kony and the LRA.

There are many topics that you can find on the Internet regarding Uganda.  The more information you have the more your time here will be enriching, and maybe, just maybe you will not write like one blogger recently did that Uganda is one of the most dangerous places in the world to visit...she certainly did not do her research...still learning from Kampala...jon

This Year Experience AfricaKabiza Wilderness Safaris in Uganda

Information, Tips and Insights that will make your Trip to Africa more fulfilling

Kabiza Wilderness Safaris Ltd

Quality Safaris in Uganda - Lowest in Price without Compromise

African ImagesAfrican Images:  Those preconceived ideas regarding Africa.  It is good to find out what the real Africa is coming before you arrive here.  Africa has much to teach you, best you take some time and learn a bit about the continent.

Africa News:  Get the latest news from Africa via BBC.  BBC provides some of the best news reporting from Africa.  Much better than CNN or most any news source covering the African Continent.  You can also listen to BBC Radio programs such as Focus on Africa on line.

Listening to AfricaListening to Africa:  Listening for the sounds of Africa.  How to hear reports about Africa, where to find the them and getting a better understanding to the African continent and what is happening there presently.

Africa - Travel - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly side of it.Africa Travel - The Good-The Bad-The Ugly side of it:  The reality of Africa, unlike the movie "Out of Africa," the reality of the continent.  There is dust, heat and delays.  This is especially for the Safari Traveler.

East Africa - The Un-Tour Guide to AfricaEast Africa:  The Un-Tour Guide to Africa:  Off the beaten path, meeting people, experiencing the real Africa.  Gives you some good insights for your un-conventional travel to Africa.

 

Going to Africa - Prepare Yourself.Going to Africa - Prepare Yourself:  Helpful tips and advice which will help you while planning your trip to Africa.  Great advice based on personal experience while traveling across Africa. 

African Travel TipsAfrican Travel Tips:  Travel tips for sub-Sahara Africa.  Things that will keep you safe and healthy while traveling in Africa.  Part of your trip preparation for Africa, take a look.

How not to visit AfricaHow not to visit Africa:  A look at a visit by President Bush who certainly did no ge to experience the heart and soul of Africa.  He missed out on the real Africa and hopefully you will not.

Flying in AfricaFlying in Africa:  This is about flying within Africa, some of my own experiences are found here, with a bit of humor.  Most flying in Africa is quite comfortable and you can still receive old fashioned service.

Traveling to Africa in uncertain TimesTraveling to Africa in uncertain times:  This was written in 2003 but is quite applicable today regarding travel to Africa.  Some tips and advice and remember that when you read about Africa in the West, Africa always gets a bad wrap.

Keeping Time in AfricaKeeping Time in Africa:  The time factor, we westerner get so focused on the time, Africans most often look at the relationship.  Understanding the African concept of time will make your visit to Africa much more enjoyable.

The Mountain Gorillas of UgandaThe Mountain Gorillas:  Uganda is the best country for Mountain Gorilla Tracking in Africa.  Over half the Mountain Gorillas in Africa are found in Uganda and most in the mysterious Bwindi Impenetrable Rain Forest in the southwest of Uganda.  Uganda's Mountain Gorillas are one of the main reasons why people visit Uganda.

Uganda Safaris Wildlife - Primates - Gorillas - BirdingUgandan Wildlife -Gorilla-Primate-Birding Safaris:  Uganda is one of the premier destinations in Africa for the discerning traveler who wants to be off of the beaten path where you encounter more tourists than wildlife.  It is truly the pearl of Africa with half the Mountain Gorillas in the World, Chimpanzee and other primates, its abundance wildlife, 1040 species of birds and scenery that takes in snow capped mountains and the River Nile, savannas, genuine jungles, rainforests, volcanic mountains, the rift valley and besides the friendliest people in Africa.

Uganda Wildlife Mini-SafarisUganda Mini-Safaris:  From one to three days in length giving you a taste of Uganda.  Mountain Gorilla Tracking, One day wildlife safaris, 3 day exploring parks such as Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth Park and Kibale Forest have proven to be a winner with clients such as airline employees in Kampala for a layover. 

Uganda Travel GuideUganda Travel Guide and Visitor Information:  Here you will find the complete Uganda Travel Guide and Visitors Information such as Packing for your Ugandan Visit, Flying to Uganda, Visa Information, Uganda Background Information, Money Tips, Safety Tips, Health Advice, Luganda Phrases, Restaurants, Kampala City Information and more.

The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. - St. Augustine

Uganda Travel Site Map

Uganda Trip Preparation Question?

Contact us

Kabiza Wilderness Safaris in Uganda

Contact us by clicking on the Mountain Gorilla Stamp or this link, it will take you to the contact page.

Call us from overseas 256 - (0) 774785852, Fax USA-567-429-5259... Kabiza Wilderness Safaris.

 

 

Wir sprechen auch Deutsch  

Daily Uganda Life-Travel Tips-Cultural Insights-Updates on Facebook. 

 

 

Last updated: 09 July 2010

Copyright © 1996-2010 by Kabiza Wilderness Safaris. All material on this "Out of Africa-Too" site is the exclusive property of Kabiza Wilderness Safaris. . E-mail me for permission to use material on this site.

Kabiza Wilderness Safaris