Uganda is a landlocked country that borders on lake Victoria, and lies directly to the west of the Tanzania’s Serengeti region. Highlights: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Uganda’s most iconic experience is the mountain gorilla treks that are offered in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which lies in the far south of the country.
Here we have a handful of 4 and 5 star lodges, many of whom have an empathy / affinity to the Jewish cause, because of 2 factors. One was a famous rescue raid led by the Israeli Special forces in 1976 when they free 100, mostly Israeli hostages off a hijacked Air France plane. Many movies and books have been written about this. The second is the tiny Abayudaya tribe, numbering anything from 1 500 to 3000 people, who claim to have Jewish ancestry and keep Shabbat, follow the laws of Kashrut, and are recognised by Orthodox and reformed Jews globally.
In simple terms, due to this affinity and awareness of a connection to Israel, we have been able to organise Kosher catering in a nation far removed from any normal export / import routes that allow for easy access to Kosher approved ingredients. Allowing for Parev as the staple option, and a possibility of some imported Milchik or Fleischik, we can give you the required Kosher options in these remote lodges.
Make no mistake, its an expensive exercise, with the Gorilla permits fetching a high price of over U$ 600 for a single day permit. A typical 3 night package will cost you in excess of U$ 3000- up to U$ 5000 per person, with the charter flights from the main international airport of Entebbe, and an overnight stop in this area, before you head south to the lodges that cater for the gorilla encounters.
Some of the other areas that combine with the Gorilla trekking is Queen Elizabeth National Park, and the famous Ruwenzori mountain ranges. The main access point is Kampala/ Entebbe on the shores of the large freshwater Lake Victoria.
If you consider also the unique Batwa pygmy tribes as a further cultural interest stop or the visit to the Abayudaya Jewish roots tribe, and also some of the other natural areas of Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Murchison Falls, and you have the luxury of time and a healthy budget, then Uganda, can form part of a 7 day itinerary in a stunning little hidden gem of a nation, oozing with potential for the off the beaten track style of tourism and hosted by the most friendly, warm people you can imagine.
