Uganda in September

[Houndoc]

I will be leading a group to Uganda in September of this year.

The main motivation of the trip is to visit some development projects I have helped design and fund via Rotary International-a teaching farm and two fish farming sites run by co-ops. We will be evaluating the progress on the projects as we are about mid-way in a three-year cycle and meeting with community members involved. Goal is that they will be self-sustaining after our funding ends.

We will also do some hands-on service in refugee settlement and meet with members of several communities to evaluate potential future projects.

But, of course I am not traveling to Africa without having fun as well. Multiple game drive safaris, gorilla trek and rhino sanctuary as well as white water rafting the upper Nile are all in the plans.

Trip is open to anyone interested. I am hoping for a relatively small group of 10-20, could be smaller, no more than 30.

PM me if you want more information.

 

[Paul R]

September doesn't work for me otherwise I would seriously contemplate going. I spent a summer living in Uganda around 10 years ago and it definitely has many wonderful treasures. Have fun!

 

[Houndoc]

September doesn't work for me otherwise I would seriously contemplate going. I spent a summer living in Uganda around 10 years ago and it definitely has many wonderful treasures. Have fun!

What were you doing in Uganda and what were your favorite places or things about the country?

 

[Paul R]

What were you doing in Uganda and what were your favorite places or things about the country?

I was there doing an internship setting up a micro finance program for a charity connected to USU. We stayed in in Masaka for the majority of the time but made regular many trips to Kampala. I was a relatively poor student at the time and my biggest regret was not doing a gorilla trek. We did however make it up to Murchison Falls National Park for a safari and boat ride up the Nile. We also got over to the east side and hiked around Sipi Falls a bit and stayed for a week or two in Jinja. While in Jinja we were able to float the Nile before the Bujugali and IIsimba Dams were constructed and got rid of some of the best rapids. I would recommend all of those though Sipi Falls may be a bit far away if you aren't already headed towards the east too far.

I really loved Uganda and would love to make it back and also take extra time to do a gorilla trek and another bit to go to Maasai Mara and Serengeti since they really aren't too far away.

 

[Houndoc]

I was there doing an internship setting up a micro finance program for a charity connected to USU. We stayed in in Masaka for the majority of the time but made regular many trips to Kampala. I was a relatively poor student at the time and my biggest regret was not doing a gorilla trek. We did however make it up to Murchison Falls National Park for a safari and boat ride up the Nile. We also got over to the east side and hiked around Sipi Falls a bit and stayed for a week or two in Jinja. While in Jinja we were able to float the Nile before the Bujugali and IIsimba Dams were constructed and got rid of some of the best rapids. I would recommend all of those though Sipi Falls may be a bit far away if you aren't already headed towards the east too far.

I really loved Uganda and would love to make it back and also take extra time to do a gorilla trek and another bit to go to Maasai Mara and Serengeti since they really aren't too far away.

Was that the SEED program? My daughter did that in the Philippines.
Pretty much everything you mentioned is on our list!

 

[Paul R]

Was that the SEED program? My daughter did that in the Philippines.
Pretty much everything you mentioned is on our list!

Yep 100% the SEED program. At the time I got into it, it fairly early on and was only operating in South America. I was part of the Entrepreneurship program and helped put together a proposal to operate in Africa with my choice to go to Uganda (Ghana was the other pilot) and headed up a pilot of 4 students there. It worked out really well until one of the students ended up getting mugged and beat up (I don't know all of the circumstances, but I do know they were out alone at night in an area they didn't know and that they had expensive gear visible). Unfortunately, the incident was enough that the school shut down the program there. When I was there we never had an issue, but I also had my wife with me so I was never alone but we took public transport pretty much everywhere and made all of our own arrangements it was really a great experience.

The Philippines would be another great spot to run the program I'm sure there were a lot of great experiences for your daughter there!

 

[Houndoc]

If anyone needs additional temptation to travel to Africa, as of yesterday still finding airfare for under $900 round trip. I have usually paid $1,400-1,600 to get to Africa.

 

[Houndoc]

Anything is more official with a logo, right?