Uganda has been ranked as one of the best and safest tourist destinations in Africa. Located in East Africa, the country well known for mountain gorilla trekking at the Bwindi Impenetrable and the Mgahinga national parks. Uganda is also blessed with several other tourist attraction sites like the Queen Elizabeth national park and Murchison falls national park among other parks. Then there is the source of the world’s longest river, the Nile situated in the country’s eastern city of Jinja.
When you go on a Uganda safari, you can be sure of experiencing activities like wildlife viewing in the various national parks, birdwatching, mountain hiking, boat cruising, bungee jumping and Zip-lining among other activities. Having had a glimpse of what this beautiful country has to offer, how can you actually make your dream of visiting Uganda come true? Are you planning on a student tour of Uganda? Let us guide you below:-
How to Plan a Safari in Uganda
Decide on the Activities you wish to get involved in: As already mentioned, Uganda offers a lot in terms of wildlife, culture and more. One can go for primates tracking, game drives to see all the big 5, mountain hiking, cultural tours, fishing or birding. If you are not yet decided on what to do, check out this 10 Days Uganda Safari package or the 15 Days Uganda Tour.
Decide if you will go on a Self-drive or Use a Tour Company: There are many Tour Operators in Uganda. Choose one based on the reviews you read. Ensure that the Tour Operator is known through social media presence and is a member of the local Tourism Bodies. After Choosing your tour Operator in Uganda, make contact and consult on all the details, available options, prices and what to expect. 
Be sure to compare the different operator rates to find one you feel comfortable with. Always remember that too cheap doesn’t amount to a quality tour.
Choose when to go: The best time to visit Uganda is during the months of June to August and December to February. These months are ideal for travel because they are usually dry and experience little or no rainfall. Dry weather is good especially for those planning to go on hiking expeditions, gorilla trekking and even game drives. This is because there is less mud and slippery trains. Animals tend to gather around the few remaining water bodies hence allowing tourists to view them well.
Proceed with Bookings/Reservations: After choosing when to go, proceed with instructing your Tour company to make all the important bookings for the trip to Uganda. This should include, activities and accommodation. You can do all bookings yourself but using a tour operator saves you the hustles. It is important to make sure the accommodation is near your intended places of visit. Booking close to the Tourism sites or location of major activities like gorilla trekking saves time.
Medical Preparation: Make sure to get the necessary vaccinations such as the yellow fever or any other as per the requirements of the season. If you have any medical conditions, make sure you organize to travel with the required medication. Organize medical insurance with a trusted company to cater for any emergencies during your trips. Uganda has a team of professional flying doctors who offer exceptional emergency medical evacuation throughout the country but the cost may be high.
Booking Flights and Travel Documents: Make sure that your travel documents are up to date before booking your flight and requesting for any visa. Uganda may have certain visa requirements depending on your time of travel that you may need to be aware of. The East African Visa is highly recommended for those traveling in more than one East African country. Apply for the Uganda Visa here.
Do more Research as you wait for your Trip: Take time to research about your intended destination so as to get more familiar with the site and build curiosity. This will help you decide on what travel equipment to buy. If you are planning to do gorilla trekking, invest in good hiking boots and rain coats. The weather in and around the Tropical rain forests and mountains are sometimes unpredictable. 
One also needs to have binoculars, cameras among others. Your Tour company should be able to share documents relating to what to pack. Don’t forgot to monitor the security and political situation in Uganda. Uganda is a very peaceful country but terrorism attacks occur though not frequently. You also need to be alert when traveling during the election period.
Lastly, on arrival into the country, visit a forex bureau and change a few dollars into the local currency, this will be of importance when you decide to buy a piece of art or a souvenir for remembrance. Giving tips to the Guides, rooms attendants at your lodge and so on is highly recommended though not compulsory. It’s also important that you do not carry along with you lots of cash for security reasons and if possible do not keep all the cash in one place. Basically that is how you can plan a safari in Uganda.
