I'm Meg. Uganda has been home for 14 years.
I'm an American who moved here and stayed. Trek with Meg is how I share this country with people from home.
I know your questions before you land in Entebbe
How much cash to bring. Whether you can drink the water. What to wear on a forest walk. How to say thank you. I had every one of those questions once.
Fourteen years later I know the answers. I know the drive times, the lodges with reliable hot water, the roadside stops with clean bathrooms, and the rangers who make an early start worth it.
I keep my groups small because that is how I would want to see a new country: with someone who lives there, at a pace that leaves time to talk to people.
Meg
You never trek alone. Rangers and local guides walk with every group, and by the end of the morning you know them by name.
What I take care of
So you can spend the trip looking out of the window.
Before you fly
- A packing list for Uganda's weather, not a generic safari list
- Visa, yellow fever certificate and a checklist for your travel clinic
- Gorilla and chimp permits, booked as early as I can
- A full budget in US dollars, with nothing added later
Once you land
- I meet you at Entebbe arrivals, whatever time you land
- A local SIM card and mobile money set up on the first day
- Lodges I have stayed in myself
- A few words of Luganda to start: webale means thank you
What surprises people most
Every group says at least one of these on their first trip to Uganda.
How green it is
Uganda is called the Pearl of Africa for a reason: it is gifted by nature. Agriculture is the backbone of the country, so you spend almost your entire trip surrounded by green.
Our rainy seasons come in spring and autumn. They look after the farmers and their crops, and they keep the country green all year round.
Just be aware that we travel between 3,000 and 6,500 feet above sea level, so come prepared with your layers.
How close you get to the animals!
Closer than most people expect. From the boat, hippos surface a few metres away, elephants come down to drink at the water's edge, and on a forest walk the chimpanzees carry on with their day around you.
The rangers always keep us at a safe, respectful distance, but you will not need binoculars for most of it.
Press play on the video to see it for yourself.
How quiet the forest is
When we walk through the forests, it is the peacefulness that brings us even closer to nature. We respect that we are the visitors: we stay calm and quiet, and we do not wear brightly coloured clothing.
We blend in with nature, so the forest and the animals are the center of attention.
Ten days flies by too fast
As you get closer to the end of your trip, I hope the pace has kept you interested and given you a sense of belonging to this wonderful country. More importantly, I hope you want to keep coming back for more.
And I hope you do, and bring more of your friends next time. The best compliment I can get is you referring me to someone else. You are always most welcome.
Want to plan it together?
Send me a note about who is coming and when. We will set up a call and start from there.
