AIR TRAVEL AND ITINERARY

We will be purchasing your airline tickets approximately 2 months prior to departure.   All team members must have $1800 in by this time.  We will be departing from the Greater Rochester International Airport (ROC) in New York and then on to JFK International Airport for our international flight.  If possible, joining the team at ROC is recommended, as we will begin our team meetings at that time.  If you do not live in the Rochester area, you may meet up with the team at JFK.  Please note, that you will be responsible for your transportation to and from JFK if you cannot meet up with the team in Rochester.   A complete trip itinerary/contact information sheet will be emailed to you prior to our departure.

PASSPORT AND ENTRY VISA

Ugandan Water Project must receive the following documents from you no later than 4 weeks prior to our departure date:

• Original Passport (make sure your passport does not expire within 6 months of our departure date)
• International Certificate of Vaccination (yellow booklet)
• Application for an entry visa to Uganda (including two 2×2 color passport photos). The entry visa application can be      downloaded at http://ugandaemb.org/visa.html.  Please fill out all personal information through question #9, date and sign.  We will fill out the remaining questions for you.

Once we have received all team member’s passports and documents, we will apply for your entry visa to Uganda.  Your passports and other documents will be returned to you upon departure.

If you do not already have a passport or need to renew your current passport, please go to www.travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html.  Please note that you are responsible for all passport application fees as well as the application process itself.

VACCINATIONS AND MALARIA MEDICATION

Travelers will want to visit a local health travel clinic 8-12 weeks prior to departure. The health travel clinic is up to date on all necessary vaccinations, immunizations and health advisories for Uganda.  All travelers should review which vaccinations are required and recommended. Please note that the level of risk for vaccine-preventable diseases can change at any time.  All travelers need to have their vaccination records on the trip.

We recommend Passport Health of Upstate New York for a health travel clinic.

• Rochester & Canandaigua Office: (585) 275-8884
• Syracuse Office: (315) 698-8858
• www.passporthealthupstateny.com

Travel clinics may be a bit higher priced for their services, but they will be the most informed about the current recommendations for travel to Uganda.  Vaccinations can also be obtained from your physician as well as the County Department of Health.

The following vaccine information has been taken directly from Passport Health of Upstate New York’s travel guide to Uganda.

Routine Vaccinations – Routine Vaccinations should be current; these include;

• Influenza (there have been confirmed cases of H1N1 in eastern Africa)
• Measle/Mumps/Rubella (MMR)
• Pneumococcal
• Tetanus/Diptheria/Pertussis
• Varicella
• Polio

Vaccinations for Uganda

• Yellow Fever – REQUIRED Uganda is within the yellow fever endemic zone.
• Hepatitis A – Recommended for all non-immune travelers
• Hepatitis B – Recommended for long term or frequent travelers, health care workers, travelers visiting more remote locations, travelers who will take “local” transport or eat “local” food, or if work-related injury is possible.  Many travel health professionals recommend hepatitis B vaccination for all travelers regardless of destination.
• Meningococcal (Meningitis) – Recommended during outbreaks or for travel during the dry season (Oct-June).  As many recent outbreaks have involved the w135 strain, quadrivalent vaccine (serogroups A, C, Y and W135) should be considered.
• Polio – A one-time booster is recommended for adults (in addition to an adequate primary series).  This will ensure life long immunity.
• Typhoid – Recommended for all travelers to Uganda.
• Rabies – Recommended if traveling to an area where quality medical care (including international standard rabies immune-globulin) may not be available after being bitten/scratched by an animal.

Anti-Malaria Medications

Risk of Malaria is present all year in the entire country of Uganda.  Using anti-malaria medication in addition to other methods of preventing mosquito bites is recommended.  Travelers must maintain anti-malaria medication as prescribed. Please clarify with your doctor or health travel clinic professional how frequently they are to be taken, when to start them and which one is best for you. Please also check any side effects or contraindications for the medication.

• Atovaquone plus proguanil (Malarone)
• Doxycycline (many brands and generic)
• Mefloquine (Larium and generics) Unless visiting areas of mefloquine resistance in Thailand, Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar or Vietnam)

The hotel in Uganda will provide you with mosquito netting which MUST be used at night.  Please make sure you pack bug repellant with at least 40% Deet.

BAGGAGE REQUIREMENTS

Each team member may bring only one check-in piece and one carry-on piece of baggage.  Please refer to the following restrictions by airline:

Emirates:

• Check in baggage: Weight may not exceed 50lbs. Total dimensions (length + width + height) of each piece must not exceed 62 inches.
• Carry-on baggage: Weight may not exceed 15lbs. Dimensions may not exceed 22″ x 15″ x 8″.

Qatar Airways:

• Check in baggage: Weight may not exceed 50lbs. Total dimensions (length + width + height) of each piece must not exceed 62 inches.
• Carry-on baggage: Weight may not exceed 15lbs. Dimensions may not exceed 19.7″ x 14.6″ x 9.8″.

The airlines do allow a second piece of check-in baggage.  However, because of ground transportation limitations, we limit your check-in baggage to one piece.  We will also be bringing supplies with us and they will be checked in as a second piece of baggage for some of you.  Remember that you will be responsible for carrying your own baggage.  Please see packing list under helpful information.

It is also recommended that you use a backpack for your carry-on baggage.  You will use this bag while traveling to our various locations in Uganda. Please go to Emirates.com or Qatar.com for more details about what is currently allowed in carry-on baggage. Any carry-on toiletries must be in containers less than 100ml/3.3oz and placed within a quart sized clear Ziploc bag.