It is now possible to withdraw money on credit card via ATM from the Stanbic Bank on Kampala Road, Kampala. Internet services are now available at the main post office also on Kamapala Road.
Rachel Keen, UK (Jan 99)
The Uganda Wildlife Authority announced that as of 1 January 1999 there will be no more gorilla standby permits available at the parks. All gorilla permits will need to be booked in advance. Uganda Wildlife Authority: tel 346 287/346 288; fax: 346 527; email: uwa-vsd@infocom.co.ug
Elaine Eliah, Uganda (Dec 98)
Correction to East Africa, Edition 4, p419, Kampala Information: the new telephone number for the Uganda National Parks and Wildlife Authority Office is 232 971.
(Dec 98)
Access to the internet in Kampala may be obtained at Acme Printers on Parliament Avenue (same building as Air France, opposite the IPS building).
Morten Broberg, Denmark (Sep 98)
It is possible to get money out of the bank on your credit card in one place only - the main branch of the Barclays Bank on Kampala Road, Kampala. There is a fairly small, flat fee for this.
In Mgahinga National Park, I would add on p460 that you can also trek up the third volcano in the park, Mt Sabinyo. It is actually the easiest and most commonly climbed one, as it is really the only one that you can climb directly from the campsite. It is also where Uganda, Rwanda and Zaire meet on one of the peaks. Don't worry, it's still a very strenuous climb - it took my group four aching hours just to reach the first peak (of four), but it's really worth doing.
Natalie Smith - UK (May 98)
Trekking in the Ruwenzoris is still suspended, as 14th May, due to the activities of the Allied Democratic Force rebels (not the LRA). Most people are now trekking Mt. Elgon instead.
Andrew Lowton (May 98)
Mgahunga National Park - People who went to the WWA office in Kampala were told they could only book at Kisoro. At Kisoro WWA office, we were told that permit holders frequently don't turn up so needn't bother. At the park there are two stand-by places each day. People on the waiting list must sign the book everyday. Places can be paid for using Ush or US dollars cash, but they don't take pre-1990 US dollar bills. While I was there, six people from the waiting list went each day when the Gorillas were in the park.
Andrew Arnold (Apr 98)
There is now a western style cinema in Kampala - the Cineplex - which is air conditioned and shows films that come out in the UK about five months before.
Andrea Arnold (Apr 98)
Botanical Gardens and Zoo - Chimp Island has now opened at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre and is apparently worth a visit.
Andrew Lowton (May 98)
The Post bus from Kampala to Kabale now runs everyday except Sundays and leaves at 8 am from the main post office in Kampala. It is still advisable to book a couple of days in advance as it is only a small bus. The journey time is approximately 10 hours as the bus stops at all the post offices en route. The cost is Ush10,000.
Rebecca Winterborn (Mar 98)
There is not so much to see in Entebbe, but compared to Kampala, Entebbe is very quiet and enjoyable.I had to spend two days there and visited the botanic gardens where there are monkeys, birds and old interesting plants. You can walk to the Lake Victoria and meet nice people and have a drink with them. A good swimming pool is in the big hotel, I think its name was Lake View Hotel.You can take a taxi from Kampala.
Anke (Jan 98)
Warning regarding visits to the endangered mountain gorillas in Uganda: you may think that your one extra visit, just this one time will have no effect on the gorillas, but there are currently hundreds of tourists thinking the same thought. Your one extra visit will cause serious stress to the gorillas and place the gorillas at great risk from human disease transmission. You, as a result of your one extra visit, are currently the gorillas greatest threat to their survival.
Uganda Wildlife Authority permits one group of a maximum of six tourists to visit a group of gorillas each day. More than one visit per gorilla group per day, or more than six tourists visiting at one time is prohibited to protect these animals. Excessive contact with humans causes stress and increases the probability of human disease transmission to these animals causing illness and sometimes death. Therefore, a distance of at least five metres must be kept at all times between the tourists and the gorillas. Help us to protect these animals!
Please remember - extra visitors are not permitted. Bribing rangers and guides for extra viewing of gorillas is illegal. Anyone found attempting to bribe an employee of UWA to circumvent the gorilla viewing policy may be subject to imprisonment. Tour operators risk losing access to their right to future permits. Any employee of UWA accepting a bribe for extra viewing will lose his job immediately. Please do not contribute to someone's loss of employment and endangerment of these animals. Support conservation by following the rules of gorilla tracking.
Another very worrying situation is the visits to Djomba in DRC now. The country is on the brink of war again, the forest is full of guerillas, and tourists are still visiting the gorillas illegally. One, there are up to 50 tourists a day visiting two groups, and two, the border is officially closed. What is extremely frightening is that these tourists don't even realise that they are in Congo - many are fooled by their tour operators/overland drivers that they are in a different part of Uganda - despite having to hand in their passports, etc at the border (and you would think the change of language may give something away?) I think it is essential that we get information out to warn tourists of the potentially very insecure situation in DRC right now (even all the peace corps volunteers have been pulled out from western Uganda as a result of the threat of war with Congo).
Thank you.
Annabel Falcon, International Gorilla Conservation Programme
Uganda, (Aug 98)
We received a letter from Sophie Ross (Aug 98) telling us about a disastrous trip with a tour operator recommended in our East Africa guide. She accused this company of total disorganisation, gross dishonesty and negligence that culminated in a serious car accident. The following warning is taken from the re-print of our East Africa guide:
Tourism in Uganda has developed rapidly in recent years. With this development has come increasing competition amongst safari companies for clients and the resultant shortcuts and cost cutting associated with this. At Lonely Planet we receive numerous letters extolling the virtues of some companies and lamenting the lack of them in others. Unfortunately, in such a changing industry, the practices of safari companies can vary widely in a relatively short period of time. We cannot emphasise enough the need to check on the current situation with any safari company. The government run Uganda Tourist Board keeps detailed information on tour operators, as does the self administered Association of Uganda Tour Operators. Another excellent source of advice is other travellers - those you meet on the road will always be the most reliable source of up to date and impartial information.
UGANDA