Comparison Shopping in Uganda’s Dual Economy...A Safari Tale

Last September I was in a pub having a pint with my new classmates at Trinity. As everyone talked about their development experience Andres brought up the issue of first world prices in third world countries. Andres is from Argentina but has visited many parts of the world, working for small NGOs running aid and development projects. For a time he lived in an African country (I can’t remember which one) and learned from that experience about dual economies. 

Dual economies are when there are two prices paid, a higher price by one group and a lower one by another, for equivalent goods...it happens everywhere to some degree, but in developing countries it can be quite pronounced. An example of this would be a western-style apartment in the center of Kampala could rent for more than $3,000 per month but the same apartment a bit farther from the International NGOs and embassies would rent for less than $500. 

Thanks to the good advice of my supervisor here in Kampala and the wonders of Internet search engines, I’ve managed to pay mostly the local lower rate for things here. The guesthouse where I’m staying this summer costs just $20 per night. It’s a decent enough place – popular with students, backpackers and locals. I shop in the local markets and take the local version of public transportation (taxis) to get around. The cost of my food and transportation rarely exceeds $25 per week. 

My one challenge has been finding a safari. Before I leave Uganda I am determined to visit one of the national parks - they are rumoured to be some of the most beautiful in the world. But safaris cost an absolute fortune (about $300 per day) unless you can find five other friends to join you. This is well above my budget and so I’ve been searching around for a more affordable option.

Enter Ronald...Ronald is a driver here in Kampala recommended to me by the guesthouse. Take away the beret and he looks almost exactly like Rerun from the 1970s sitcom, What’s Happening. 

Ronald gave me a lift back from the craft market last Saturday, and in doing so, passed my version of a driver test - he didn’t hit anything, he didn’t run out of gas, and he didn’t take advantage of my non-existent bargaining skills and charge me too much. So as we made our way back through the chaos of Kampala traffic I asked him how much it would cost to take me to one of the national parks. He broke it down for me this way.

       “Well madam, there are several costs which we must consider as part of this discussion. I will now explain them to you. “

        “Most companies will charge you for a driver, a car, and the fuel to travel back and forth from the park. The car and the driver will be minimal charges to you, but be warned....the majority of the cost that you will pay will be the what? Petrol...yes that’s correct.”

        “Normally I will charge 180,000 Ugandan shillings per day for the car and the driver, but for you madam I will only charge 150,000. I will give to you a large car, so that you can rest comfortably in the back seat during the journey, and I will send to you my best driver so that you will be safe and secure.”

        “It will cost approximately 400,000 Ugandan shillings for the fuel, and you must be careful not to purchase too much or too little because you do not wish to overpay, but neither do you also wish to run out of fuel on the road. This would be very dangerous.”

At this point I realized that the budget option of travelling to a national park was going to entail some level of personal accountability on my part. Check.

       “You will wish to take one day to drive to the park. You will arrive during the evening where you can drive around, see the animals, and then have dinner and relax from your journey.”

       “The next day you will wish to drive around the park again early in the morning while the lions are returning from their hunting, then have lunch, and after perhaps a walk around. You will finally depart for Kampala in the evening, arriving very late.”

This was a red flag...I’ve heard never to drive on the roads at night here - if the potholes don’t get you, the roadblocks will. 

I explained to Ronald that I would probably spend a full day at the park, departing on the third morning, and he acknowledged my wisdom, adding another 150,000 shillings to the tally. While he neglected to mention the additional costs of the $35 park entrance fee and $70 per night hotel (for me...not sure where the driver stays), it’s still just about $200 per day. Much less than a safari.

So that’s a better option, but there is yet a cheaper one that was recommended to me by my friends at the guesthouse. Red Chili here in Kampala runs safaris for backpackers. Assuming I can join an existing group, it will cost me only $350 for four days....well within my price range. So I’ve sent off an enquiry form and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that they’ll have a tour. 

If not, sometime in August Ronald and I are going on safari.