Stand On Your Own
A Ugandan NGO No:9095
Helping FAQs
Who are the main contacts?
Project Director
Denis Aheirwe (in Uganda)
Mobile: +256 7015 36197
Mobile: +256 7747 68090
WhatsApp: Both numbers above
UK Coordinator
Ann McCarthy (in UK & Uganda)
Email: ann@ugandalodge.com
Tel: +44 1932 562757
Mobile: +44 7867 513588
Whatsapp: +44 7867 998414
Where is Uganda Lodge?
Uganda Lodge is in the small village of Ruhanga in the south-west corner of Uganda, close to the borders with Rwanda and the DRC. Ruhanga is 320km from Kampala (6-7 hours drive) and 55km from the city of Mbarara (45 minutes drive). Ntungamo is the closest town to the lodge, approximately 10 km away (8 mins drive).
What's the accommodation like?
Uganda Lodge has 15+ guest rooms, each accommodating between 1 and 4 people. All rooms have hot water showers and plug sockets (UK 3-pin). Flush toilets are in a separate block close to the rooms. Each room over-looks a pretty garden area with stunning views of the surrounding hills. It is usually possible to have your own room, but you may need to share during busy periods.
What are the rates like?
Full board, including all meals is £140 per person per week (or £20 per day). If you plan to stay with us longer than 3 months, we may be able to offer you a discounted rate. Any profits are reinvested into Ruhanga Development Nursery & Primary School or our other community projects. Please note: if you go on a safari you still pay for and keep your room.
What’s on the menu?
Breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner are provided daily on a self-service basis. Meals consist of a variety of different vegetables and sauces with meat or fish being offered a couple of times a week. Mashed or boiled potatoes, chips, spaghetti or rice are the usual accompaniments. Please advise us in advance if you have any special dietary requirements. Alcoholic beverages, soft drinks and bottled water can be bought at the on-site bar. Luxury items Breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner are provided daily on a self-service basis. Meals consist of a variety of different vegetables and sauces with meat or fish being offered a couple of times a week. Mashed or boiled potatoes, chips, spaghetti, or rice are the usual accompaniments. Please advise us in advance if you have any special dietary requirements. Alcoholic beverages, soft drinks and bottled water can be bought at the on-site bar. Luxury items such as Nescafe, Pringles and Cadburys can be bought locally, but we advise bringing your favourite coffee or herbal tea bags and snacks as local options may not be to your taste and are very limited.
What's the electricity supply like?
Whilst there is mains electricity at the lodge, local and regional power cuts can occur sometimes for a few hours at a time. As such, we recommend you bring one or more torches with you. There is a solar charging point, but we advise that you bring a portable USB power bank with you.
How do I keep in contact with friends and family?
You can buy a Ugandan SIM card in town, which you can load with texts, calls and/or data; there is now 4G coverage at the lodge. If you bring a laptop, you can use your phone as a mobile hotspot. There are several hotels in Ntungamo which may have free Wi-Fi and the town also has an internet café.
What monies should I bring?
Uganda’s official currency is the Ugandan Shilling, which cannot be purchased outside the country. We recommend bringing cash in Pounds Sterling, (or US Dollars/Euros) in clean, large denomination notes, which can be exchanged once in the country. There are 2 ATMs in the local town, which accept Visa Debit/Credit Cards. Please do not rely on Mastercard, Travel Money Cards or Travellers Cheques as these are generally not accepted. If planning on travelling to other East African countries, US Dollars would be the best currency to bring.
What's the weather like?
The weather in Ruhanga is usually warm-hot during the day (20-28⁰C), but at 1500m above sea level. It can get rather chilly at night (approx. 15⁰C). June and July are generally the driest months, with October-November and April-May usually being the wettest. When it does rain, it’s usually only heavy for an hour or two before the sun returns. It gets dark at about 7pm each night and light around 6.30am each morning, year-round.
What about laundry?
Plastic basins/buckets are provided in each room for washing your clothes and there are plenty of clothes lines in the lodge grounds. Laundry detergent can be bought locally. For a small fee, lodge staff can do your laundry (except underwear).
Where does all the money from the donations go?
100% of the donations go to the UK charity (Uganda Lodge Community Projects) is transfered out to the Ugandan NGO SOYO -no donated money is spent on expenses in the UK. You can make a donatition using any atm card via the donate link Invest my Community.