Activities & Attractions
Community Service:
Evolve Tours believes strongly in incorporating meaningful service work into our group tours. Service projects like the once described below can be incredibly valuable for communities they take place in, creating lasting and real positive change for years to come. Students participating in the project will also benefit from the experience.
Projects:
- Volunteer with Barlonyo Technical and Vocational Institute and Barlonyo Early Childhood Development Centre in northern Uganda, alongside Children of Hope Uganda.
Purpose: To aid in supporting Barlonyo Technical and Vocational Institute and Barlonyo Early Childhood Development Centre . The group will participate in a variety of community service and engagement activities with the school. In doing so, students will take a personal role in improving the learning conditions. This will be achieved through cultural immersion with the students, assisting with the school’s Income Generating Activities, and physical labour work that is needed to improve the building and facilities.
Beneficiaries: Students and staff at the local schools, and their community.
Student Contributions: Specific contributions will depend on the current and pressing needs of the school at the time of the visit. Sample projects may include:
- Interacting with students and staff
- Assisting in restoration and light construction
- Completing a special construction project
- Working alongside vocational school students being trained in carpentry, bricklaying, computer and entrepreneur classes
- Working alongside teachers and students on the 8 different school Income Generating Activities: piggery, poultry, goats, fish farm, crop farm, tree nursery, carpentry and tailoring products
- Participating in a cultural and educational camp program with the BTVI’s youngest students
- Teachers from the local community and the visiting group meeting to exchange ideas and discussions revolving around education
- Visiting local villages and communities and learning new skills such as soap making, basket weaving, paper bead jewelry making
- Participating in a debrief session/ closing ceremony with members of the tour group as well as the local community, to reflect on the project’s success.
Equipment Needed/Provided
- Specific equipment dependent on tasks
Staff Needed
- Evolve Tours Staff – support students during the activities
- Local community members will help direct the activities
- Children of Hope Uganda
Additional Activities:
- Visit Murchison Falls National Park: 2 day Safari to photograph the Big 5 animals
- Participate in cultural immersion activities with local families and students
- Explore the cultural sites in capital city of Kampala and shop for local artifacts
Accommodations
12 nights’ accommodations, mix of hotels and dormitories:
- Night 1: Overnight flight
- Night 2: African Roots Guest House, Entebbe
- Night 3-8: Margaritha Palace Hotel
- Nights 9, 10, 11: Murchison River Lodge, Murchison Falls National Park
- Nights 12, 13: Hotel (TBD), Kampala
- Night 14: Overnight flight
Meals
- Breakfast, lunches and dinners are included
- Meals are at locally owned and run restaurants & communities serving authentic cuisine sufficient for all appetites.
Transportation
- Round trip coach airfare from Toronto to Entebbe
- Private van transportation for duration of tour in Uganda
Additional Personnel
- 1 Evolve Tours Director
- Additional local staff
Exclusives
- Creative Trip programming and leadership activities
- Videography and Photography
- Forever Green by Evolve Tours- Carbon Offset this whole trip (ask for details)
Package Price is based on
Paying Students | 4 |
Complimentary Chaperones | 2 |
Price per Paying Student | $5450 |
- Prices subject to availability and change until contract signed
- Total Package price may vary if number of paying customers changes
- Prices do not include the required Single Entry Visa ($50 USD) – Payable online via the Visa Application site
- Does not include airline baggage fees if applicable
- Does not include any medicine or shots such as yellow fever, typhoid, Twinrix for Hepatitis A & B, malaria. Please see your travel doctor for a comprehensive list of suitable preventative medicine.
- Tips for drivers and guides are appreciated
- This quote expires February 28th, 2017
- Happy with what you see? Sign a 2-year contract with Evolve and pay the same rate for two years. Ask us for more information. *Based on same group size
Insurance
- Add $120.00 per person for medical, baggage, cancellation and trip interruption coverage.
Itinerary
Day 1
March 10, 2018
Depart to Africa
7:30 AM | Meet as a group at Toronto Pearson International Airport. |
10:30 AM | Flight departs from Toronto Pearson International Airport to Entebbe, via connection. |
Day 2
March 11, 2018
Welcome to Uganda!
7:30 AM | Flight arrives at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. |
10:10 AM | Flight departs Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. |
12:15 PM | Flight arrives at Entebbe International Airport. |
Meet your Evolve Tours director, excited to spend the next 2 weeks together. Private transfer to your hotel in Entebbe. Get some rest after a long travel day. | |
Accommodations: African Routes Guest House |
Day 3
March 12, 2018
Travel to Lira
Morning | Depart north towards Lira, via Kampala. |
Afternoon | En route, stop at Karuma Falls crossing the Nile. See the friendly, local baboons. |
Evening | Arrive in Lira, check into accommodations and stay overnight.
Accommodations: Margaritha Palace Hotel |
Day 4
March 13, 2018
Explore Lira and Barlonyo
Morning | This morning, visit the Children of Hope Uganda office to meet COHU staff and learn about their projects.
After, drive to nearby Barlonyo, the site of the February 21, 2004 Lord’s Resistance Army massacre of 301 villagers. |
Afternoon | Meet with students and teachers at Barlonyo Technical and Vocational Institute and Barlonyo Early Childhood Development Centre.
Enjoy a large welcoming ceremony, a tour of the school campus and an introduction to their farm’s Income Generating Activities. |
Evening | Enjoy dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodations: Margaritha Palace Hotel |
Days 5-7
Barlonyo Service Work
For the next 3 days, participate in activities and projects at the Barlonyo campus and farm, including: | |
Classes: | Join in carpentry/ bricklaying/ computer/ entrepreneur classes with BTVI students. |
Special construction project: | Build a specially designed project together. |
Income Generating Activities (IGA’s): | Work with BTVI students on school IGA’s – piggery, poultry, goats, fish farm, crop farm, tree nursery, and carpentry products for sale. |
Youth Camp Programming: | Participate in a cultural and educational camp program with the BTVI’s youngest students. |
Teacher Development: | Teachers from the local community and the visiting group will meet to exchange ideas and discussions revolving around education. |
Sports: | Play soccer and other games with students and teachers of BTVI. |
Accommodations: Margaritha Palace Hotel |
Day 8
March 17, 2017
Visit villages of Abia and Apala
Today the group will visit the nearby villages of Abia and Apala to meet with their communities. | |
Participate in soap making, basket weaving, paper bead crafts.
Accommodations: Margaritha Palace Hotel |
Day 9
March 18, 2018
Travel to Murchison Falls National Park
Enjoy a travel day from Lira to Murchison Falls National Park.
Accommodations: Murchison River Lodge |
Days 10-11
Explore Murchison Falls National Park
For two days, explore Murchison Falls National Park. Embark on a 2 day Safari tour to photograph the “Big 5” Animals. Also enjoy a Nile River cruise. | |
This park is home to the Nile River and savannah, forests and woodland. A vast array of wildlife live here including hippos, crocodiles, buffaloes, lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes, chimpanzees and many bird species. |
Day 12
March 21, 2018
Travel to Kampala
Enjoy a travel day to Kampala.
Accommodations: Hotel (TBD, mid-range) |
Day 13
March 22, 2018
Explore Kampala
Spend the day touring the cultural sites of Kampala including the Kasubi Tombs, Gaddafi National Mosque and Uganda Martyrs Shrine. |
Day 14
March 23, 2018
Return home
Morning | Enjoy your last morning in Uganda. |
Afternoon | Transfer to Entebbe International Airport. |
3:25 PM | Arrive at Entebbe International Airport. |
6:25 PM | Flight departs Entebbe International Airport to Toronto, via connection. |
8:30 PM | Flight arrives at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. |
11:10 PM | Flight departs Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. |
Day 15
March 24, 2016
Arrive home
8:45 AM | Arrive home in Toronto, after an incredible trip to Uganda together. |