Tag: Staying Safe and Healthy

A series of articles advising you on how to stay safe and healthy in the Gorilla Highlands region of Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo.

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  • Congo Nile Trail Update 2025-05

    Congo Nile Trail Update 2025-05

    Whether you’re cycling or hiking, the Congo Nile Trail offers unmatched beauty and local encounters. Just remember to plan with care and stay informed: 1. Mama Nelly’s Relocation Mama Nelly’s cooking can now only be enjoyed if you make prior arrangements. See our previous post for the details to learn about her relocation. 2. Trail…

  • How Safe Are Rwanda and Uganda in 2025?

    How Safe Are Rwanda and Uganda in 2025?

    Do you believe Rwanda and Uganda are a danger zone right now? They’re not. At all. Yes, the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), fuelled by the M23 insurrection, has raised concerns. And recent reports of Ebola in Uganda’s capital have added to the fear. But despite the headlines, life in…

  • This Magnetic Doctor Isn’t Your Typical Healer

    This Magnetic Doctor Isn’t Your Typical Healer

    Whenever you are visiting Gisenyi or embarking on the Thriving Countryside trek, stop by at Mr Neza’s. This is a man who wanted to heal, so he opened a clinic after a 30-year secondary school career in all the three countries of our region. “I got tired of teaching languages but not of playing a…

  • 4 Healthy & Quick Snacks on the Way

    4 Healthy & Quick Snacks on the Way

    In Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo, outside of major towns not much interesting commercial snacking is going on. From Kampala to Kabale, from Kigali to Rubavu, from Bukavu to Masisi there will be fantastic landscapes but not one McDonald’s, KFC, Nando’s or Pizza Hut by the roadside … The places you will find are likely…

  • A Month in the Life of a Rural Hospital

    A Month in the Life of a Rural Hospital

    After we covered the tourism aspects of Kisiizi Falls and discussed staying healthy in general, allow me to give you some practical examples of how we provide health care in upcountry Uganda. Today’s article is based on a richly illustrated newsletter we send out every month or so, and if you wish to get future…

  • Not Malaria

    Not Malaria

    24mm, f/2.8, 1/125, ISO1600 Last week I shared my own malaria scare, but since I happened to be staying at a wildlife sanctuary with a full veterinary clinic it is perhaps understandable that I was able to receive help so quickly. Not everyone might be so lucky, right? Well, perhaps not, but the truth is…

  • Avoid Kissing Chimps

    Avoid Kissing Chimps

    I generally manage to stay pretty healthy on my travels through a combination of common sense, a robust immune system and precautions such as wearing long sleeves, washing my hands and avoiding travel in high-risk malarial areas. But just like during the rainy season in tropical Africa: when it rains, it pours. I had been…

  • You’ve Had an Accident in a Gorilla National Park — What Now?

    You’ve Had an Accident in a Gorilla National Park — What Now?

    Greetings from Mgahinga Gorilla National Park! Once again, Moses Turinawe here, and allow me to share with you some advice on the topic of dealing with accidents and injuries in protected areas of the Gorilla Highlands. Accidents may certainly vary from park to park, depending on its geographical location, terrain, nature of vegetation and animals…

  • Staying Healthy in Uganda and Rwanda — 2 Doctors’ 7 Pieces of Advice

    Staying Healthy in Uganda and Rwanda — 2 Doctors’ 7 Pieces of Advice

    Wish to stay healthy while travelling in Uganda or Rwanda? As well as obvious advice such as being careful not to upset a silverback, simple measures can make all the difference to your visit. As we say in the profession, prevention is always better than cure. Instead of giving you a long list of rather…