AIR TRAVEL AND ITINERARY

We will be purchasing your airline ticket approximately two months prior to departure.   All team members must have $1800 in by this time to cover the cost of the ticket.  We will be departing from the Greater Rochester International Airport (ROC) in New York and then from JFK International Airport for our international flight.  If at all possible, joining the team at the ROC airport is recommended. We will have a special send off at the airport with words of encouragement from past team members and prayer.  If you do not live in the Rochester area, you may meet up with the team at JFK.  Please note, you will be responsible for your transportation to and from JFK if you cannot depart from Rochester.   A Family Information Packet including itinerary and contact information will be emailed to you prior to departure and distributed at the team send off.

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 – Passport must be valid 6 months past date of departure.
• International Certificate of Vaccination (yellow booklet) – Including Yellow Fever vaccine official stamp.
• Uganda Entry Visa Application -  Form can be downloaded at http://ugandaemb.org/visa.html.  Please complete questions #1-9, then date and sign the back.  We will fill out the remaining questions for you.
• Color Passport Photos – Two 2×2 color passport photos are needed for the visa application.

Once we have received all team member’s passports and documents, we will apply for entry visas as a group.  Your passports and International Certificate of Vaccination will be returned to you at the airport on day of departure.

If you do not already have a passport or need to renew your current passport, please go to 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 are strongly advised to visit a local health travel clinic 8-12 weeks prior to departure. Travel Clinics are up-to-date on all necessary vaccinations, immunizations and health advisories for Uganda.  All travelers should review which vaccinations are required and recommended. The Ugandan government REQUIRES that all travelers to Uganda be vaccinated against Yellow Fever.  All other recommended vaccinations are at your discretion.  Please note that the level of risk for vaccine-preventable diseases can change at any time.  We recommend Passport Health for a health travel clinic.

• Rochester & Canandaigua Office: (585) 275-8884
• Syracuse Office: (315) 698-8858
• Buffalo Office: (716) 204-0777
• www.passporthealthusa.com/locations

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.  UWP is connected with a physician in Rochester who specializes in tropical medicine and offers his services at a discount for those doing missions work.  If interested, we would be happy to give you his contact information.  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
• Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR)
• Pneumococcal
• Tetanus/Diphtheria/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 Medication

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 professional regarding which medication is best for you, when, how, and how often to take it. Please also check any side effects or contraindications for the medication.

• Atovaquone plus proguanil (Malarone)
• Doxycycline (many brands and generic)
• Mefloquine (Larium and generics)

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 29% Deet or passport health’s controlled-release solution.  Bug spray needs to be applied 1/2 hour after sunscreen is applied – preferable at morning and dusk.

BAGGAGE REQUIREMENT

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 63 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 63 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, UWP will be using it to bring humanitarian and team supplies to Uganda. Remember that you will be responsible for carrying your own baggage.

It is also recommended that you bring 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 Qatarairways.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 ONE quart-sized clear Ziploc bag.