Oh hey, ya’ll! Our KinoSol team is gearing up to travel to Uganda for a short-term study abroad trip. Our students are super excited and so are we! Now, you may be wondering what to pack for Uganda. I know I sure am. Well, you’ve come to the right place, here’s our list of Packing Tips for Uganda.
How to Dress
The country tends to be fairly laidback in terms of dress code. Because it is extremely hot, dressing for comfort rather than style is a good guideline. That said, clothing expectations may be more modest than you’re used to here in the United States.
In general, it’s a good idea to wear lightweight, neutral-colored layers that are more conservative than is standard in Western countries. White clothes may get dirty, but opting for khaki or light olive will work well without much mess. Cities such as Kampala will usually be more welcoming of Western dress, but rural areas are likely to expect more modest apparel.
With our KinoSol trips, we will travel both in larger cities and rural areas. While in-country we offer business and dehydrator training for local farmers, allowing them to improve their livelihood. We focus on creating a positive social impact and changing lives.
What to Avoid
There are also a few general things to avoid (beyond the white clothes mentioned above!). Shorts are very rarely worn by adults in Uganda and tight clothes are considered culturally inappropriate, especially in rural areas. You should also skip dark blue or black clothing, as those colors attract tsetse flies. Not only do they bite (ouch!), but they can transmit African sleeping sickness as well (no thanks!). Finally, make sure you leave behind expensive jewelry or accessories so they won’t get lost or stolen.
As with all travel, it’s a good idea to plan out your clothes and accessories so that you can take as little as possible while still covering all your needs. Cut down on your environmental footprint and travel cost by carrying on luggage. This not only gives you more space for souvenirs and cuts down on luggage weight but can also improve the environmental footprint of your trip by improving the fuel efficiency of the planes and vehicles you use to get where you’re going!
Check out the photo below for our official KinoSol packing list! And that concludes our packing tips for Uganda! If this trip sounds all sorts of awesomesauce and you would like to join us next time, contact us! And as always, tune in next week for our latest blog post!
Don’t forget to check out our most recent posts!