Travel Information


Airline Ticket

To increase safety and decrease confusion, we will fly together on one flight to Uganda.  Once you have paid your down payment and your first 50% balance payment, we will finalize travel plans.  Do NOT book your own flight!  Our best guess is that we will leave Lambert International late on June 1st.  As mentioned elsewhere in the packet, we anticipate the cost of the round-trip flight to be around $2,200 – this cost is included in your fee. You will be responsible for getting to and from the airport.  We often fly from Lambert International to a major hub in the US.  Then we will make one stop in Europe.  From here we will fly to Entebbe, Uganda. Once in Uganda we will go through customs at the airport.  When we go through customs we will purchase a visitor Visa.  This cost is $100 and is included in your travel study fees.  We will also go through customs upon arriving back at the major U.S. hub at the end of the trip.

Luggage

Travelers can take one personal item and one carry-on item aboard the plane.  If you have such items, be sure to avoid packing large volumes of liquids (e.g., shampoo, sunscreen). See airline recommendations at (www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/3-1-1-liquids-rule).  We suggest that you take two days worth of clothes and prescription medication in a carry-on luggage item (you CAN also take a personal item such as a purse or backpack) and check one or two large pieces of luggage, but that is up to you.  If you only plan to bring one checked bag, we will use the extra bag to bring supplied for Project-Restore. If you bring it, you must be able to carry it!  Most airlines charge $25 for your first piece of checked luggage each way – this may not apply for this trip, I will let you know.  All checked luggage needs to be under 50 pounds to avoid an additional charge.  These costs are not included in your program fee and are your responsibility to pay at the time of travel.   

What to Pack

More on what to clothes to pack will be provided closer to the trip.

Be sure to consider bringing things such as generic and prescription medications (in their original containers), glasses/sunglasses, and bug spray. 

Your U.S. electrical appliances (laptop, hair dryer, phone charger) will not work directly in Ugandan outlets.  You do need adaptors.  

One tip to make room in your luggage for souvenirs on the return flight and to help less fortunate individuals in Uganda – consider donating clothes at the end of your trip.  T-shirts, jeans, socks, etc. are much appreciated by social services groups in the areas where we will be working. 

Cell/Internet Service

It is possible to extend your phone plan to include international service.  If you are interested in this, please check before departing.  International calls on cell phones are expensive, and even more expensive if you do not have such a plan.  The residence halls where we will be staying have Internet, but no telephone service.  With that said Uganda is a developing country which means that the electrical service and Internet service are not reliable and are often out for days at a time.



 

w© Michelle Cathorall 2013