Travel to Uganda

Uganda

Uganda - the pearl of Africa, a country with fantastic natural scenery and a rich mosaic of tribes and cultures. Traveling through Uganda, you’ll be captivated by its beauty, safety, accessibility and friendliness. The natural beauty of its people and its landscapes are outstanding. It is one of the most appealing nations and Africa’s friendliest country. 

Ecologically, Uganda is where the East African savannah meets the West African jungle. Where else but in this impossibly lush country can one observe lions prowling the open plains in the morning and track chimpanzees through the rainforest undergrowth the same afternoon, then the next day navigate tropical channels teeming with hippos and crocodiles before setting off into the misty mountains to stare deep into the eyes of a mountain gorilla? Certainly, Uganda is the only safari destination whose range of forest primates is as impressive as its selection of plains antelopes. And this verdant biodiversity is further attested to by Uganda’s status as by far the smallest of the four African countries whose bird checklist tops the 1,000 mark.

By African standards, Uganda is a postage stamp-size country, at the heart of the continent, sandwiched between Kenya, Rwanda, Congo, Sudan and Tanzania. It is roughly the size of Great Britain or the State of Oregon in the USA. Uganda’s most alluring features are its forests, lakes and mountains.  Most of the country is 1,000 m above sea level and there are three mountainous areas - the Rwenzoris, Mount Elgon and the Virunga volcanoes.

Overview

Uganda - the pearl of Africa, a country with fantastic natural scenery and a rich mosaic of tribes and cultures. Traveling through Uganda, you’ll be captivated by its beauty, safety, accessibility and friendliness. The natural beauty of its people and its landscapes are outstanding. It is one of the most appealing nations and Africa’s friendliest country.

People

Situated at the geographical heart of the African continent, Uganda has long been a cultural melting pot, as evidenced by the existence of 30-plus different indigenous languages belonging to five distinct linguistic groups, and an equally diverse cultural mosaic of music, art and handicrafts. The country’s most ancient inhabitants, confined to the hilly southwest, are the Batwa and Bambuti Pygmies, relics of the hunter-gatherer cultures that once occupied much of East Africa to leave behind a rich legacy of rock paintings, such as at the Nyero Rock Shelter near Kumi.
At the cultural core of modern-day Uganda lie the Bantu-speaking kingdoms of Buganda, Bunyoro, Ankole and Toro, whose traditional monarchs – reinstated in the 1990s after having been abolished by President Milton Obote in 1967 – still serve as important cultural figureheads. According to oral tradition, these centuries-old kingdoms are offshoots of the medieval kingdoms of Batembuzi and Bachwezi, which lay in the vicinity of present-day Mubende and Ntusi, where archaeological evidence suggests that a strongly centralized polity had emerged by the 11th century. Three former kings of Buganda are buried in an impressive traditional thatched building at the Kasubi Tombs in Kampala.

Language

The central area is largely Bantu-speaking with the Baganda as the largest group. The Northern tribes are Nilotic in origin; the north is also the home of the nomadic Karamajong and the remote mountain tribe - the Ik. There are pygmy communities (the Batwa) in some forest areas. More than 30 languages are spoken - with English, Luganda and Swahili being the most widely used.

History

Lord Lugard established a British East African Company base in 1890 in Kampala and shortly after-wards Uganda became a British Protectorate, centered around four old African Kingdoms. The Uganda Railway linking the interior to the coast reached Kisumu (in Kenya) on Lake Victoria in 1901 and Kampala in 1915. The system of indirect rule gave Uganda greater autonomy than elsewhere in British-ruled Africa. At independence in 1962, Uganda was a prosperous and peaceful country. It went through a turbulent period after Amin seized control in 1971 and expelled the Asians. In 1986 the National Resistance Movement, lead by Yoweri Museveni, took control of the country. Today, the country is progressive, peaceful and inviting. The old kingdoms, abolished in the 1960s, were restored in 1993 and the monarchs have now re-emerged as symbols of traditional society. The 36thKabaka of the Baganda, Ronald Mutebi, was crowned in 1993 and married in 1999, to great public rejoicing.

Travel Guide

Currency

The official currency is the Ugandan Shilling (UGX), which is divided into 100 cents

Weather

Uganda is near the Equator. As a result the climate does not change much, this makes both countries all year round destinations. The rainy seasons tend to be from March to April and October to November, but this varies in different areas and it can rain any time of year, especially in the gorilla parks areas. Travel can be slower in the rainy season but the views are often better. Gorilla tracking can be muddier but remains open. In the mountainous areas it is much colder than on the plains and the rainfall is greater. The temperatures on the plains tend to be between 70°F and 86°F and in the mountainous areas they can go down to 50°F in certain months. So our advice is to travel when it is most convenient and usually the rain, which is often for short periods, is part of the great experience. A client may avoid tracking in the “official” rainy season only to find that it pours throughout his visit during another period! For this reason Volcanoes does not close our lodges during the rainy season as they do in savannah countries.

Health Requirements

Anti-malaria tablets and mosquito repellent are essential.  Travel to and from some African countries requires a Yellow Fever inoculation.

Visa Requirements

****AS OF 3/12/2020, TRAVELERS FROM THE USA ARE BEING ASKED TO SELF-QUARANTINE ON ARRIVAL IN UGANDA****
Ugandan visas are required of citizens of the USA; other nationals should check. Entry visas can be obtained at Ugandan missions overseas or at Entebbe airport or land borders. A single entry visa to Uganda costs US$ 50, and is valid for three months.

Credit Cards

Major credit cards are accepted by very few outlets in Kampala, and a few hotels/lodges up-country.

Electrical Appliances

240 volts. 3-pin (square) sockets.

Water

Drink bottled or boiled water only

Map

A: Akagera National Park
B: Alexandria
C: Amboseli National Park
D: Arusha
E: Aswan
F: Bazaruto Island
G: Benguerra Island
H: Botswana
I: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
J: Cairo
K: Cape Town
L: Cape Winelands
M: Central Kalahari Region
N: Chobe National Park
O: Denis Island
P: Desroches Island
Q: Drakensburg
R: Dubai
S: Dubai Beaches
T: Dubai City Center
U: Dubai Desert
V: Dubai Marina
W: Durban
X: Eastern Cape
Y: Eastern Cape Safaris
Z: Egypt
AA: Ethiopia
AB: Etosha National Park
AC: Franschhoek
AD: Garden Route
AE: Ghana
AF: Greater Kruger National Park
AG: Greater Winelands
AH: Hermanus
AI: Hwange National Park
AJ: Johannesburg
AK: Jordan
AL: Kafue National Park
AM: Kampala
AN: Kariba
AO: Kenya
AP: Kigali
AQ: Knysna
AR: Kruger National Park
AS: Kwazulu Natal
AT: La Digue
AU: Lake Manyara NP
AV: Lake Nakuru
AW: Lewa Wildlife Conservation
AX: Linyanti/Savuti Region
AY: Livingstone
AZ: Lower Zambezi National Park
BA: Luxor
BB: Madagascar
BC: Madikwe Game Reserve
BD: Mahé
BE: Mana Pools National Park
BF: Masai Mara
BG: Mauritius
BH: Mombasa
BI: Morocco
BJ: Mozambique
BK: Nairobi
BL: Namibia
BM: Ngorongoro Conservation Area
BN: North Island
BO: Nyungwe Forest National Park
BP: Okavango and Moremi GR
BQ: Oman
BR: Oudtshoorn
BS: Plettenberg Bay
BT: Port Elizabeth
BU: Praslin
BV: Qatar
BW: Queen Elizabeth National Park
BX: Quirimbas Archipelago
BY: Rwanda
BZ: Sabi Sands
CA: Samburu National Park
CB: Selous Game Reserve
CC: Serengeti National Park
CD: Seychelles
CE: Sharm El Sheik
CF: Sheik Zayed Road
CG: Silhouette Island
CH: Skeleton Coast National Park
CI: Sossusvlei
CJ: South Africa
CK: South Luangwa
CL: Stellenbosch
CM: Swakopmund & Walvis Bay
CN: Tanzania
CO: Tarangire National Park
CP: Timbavati Region
CQ: Uganda
CR: Umhlanga
CS: Victoria Falls
CT: Vilanculos
CU: Volcanoes National Park
CV: Windhoek

Destinations

Explore the rest of our Uganda destinations:

• Akagera National Park
• Alexandria
• Amboseli National Park
• Arusha
• Aswan
• Bazaruto Island
• Benguerra Island
• Botswana
• Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
• Cairo
• Cape Town
• Cape Winelands
• Central Kalahari Region
• Chobe National Park
• Denis Island
• Desroches Island
• Drakensburg
• Dubai
• Dubai Beaches
• Dubai City Center
• Dubai Desert
• Dubai Marina
• Durban
• Eastern Cape
• Eastern Cape Safaris
• Egypt
• Ethiopia
• Etosha National Park
• Franschhoek
• Garden Route
• Ghana
• Greater Kruger National Park
• Greater Winelands
• Hermanus
• Hwange National Park
• Johannesburg
• Jordan
• Kafue National Park
• Kampala
• Kariba
• Kenya
• Kigali
• Knysna
• Kruger National Park
• Kwazulu Natal
• La Digue
• Lake Manyara NP
• Lake Nakuru
• Lewa Wildlife Conservation
• Linyanti/Savuti Region
• Livingstone
• Lower Zambezi National Park
• Luxor
• Madagascar
• Madikwe Game Reserve
• Mahé
• Mana Pools National Park
• Masai Mara
• Mauritius
• Mombasa
• Morocco
• Mozambique
• Nairobi
• Namibia
• Ngorongoro Conservation Area
• North Island
• Nyungwe Forest National Park
• Okavango and Moremi GR
• Oman
• Oudtshoorn
• Plettenberg Bay
• Port Elizabeth
• Praslin
• Qatar
• Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Quirimbas Archipelago
• Rwanda
• Sabi Sands
• Samburu National Park
• Selous Game Reserve
• Serengeti National Park
• Seychelles
• Sharm El Sheik
• Sheik Zayed Road
• Silhouette Island
• Skeleton Coast National Park
• Sossusvlei
• South Africa
• South Luangwa
• Stellenbosch
• Swakopmund & Walvis Bay
• Tanzania
• Tarangire National Park
• Timbavati Region
• Uganda
• Umhlanga
• Victoria Falls
• Vilanculos
• Volcanoes National Park
• Windhoek

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This Destination Uganda Related Destinations Akagera National Park Alexandria Amboseli National Park Arusha Aswan Bazaruto Island Benguerra Island Botswana Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Cairo Cape Town Cape Winelands Central Kalahari Region Chobe National Park Denis Island Desroches Island Drakensburg Dubai Dubai Beaches Dubai City Center Dubai Desert Dubai Marina Durban Eastern Cape Eastern Cape Safaris Egypt Ethiopia Etosha National Park Franschhoek Garden Route Ghana Greater Kruger National Park Greater Winelands Hermanus Hwange National Park Johannesburg Jordan Kafue National Park Kampala Kariba Kenya Kigali Knysna Kruger National Park Kwazulu Natal La Digue Lake Manyara NP Lake Nakuru Lewa Wildlife Conservation Linyanti/Savuti Region Livingstone Lower Zambezi National Park Luxor Madagascar Madikwe Game Reserve Mahé Mana Pools National Park Masai Mara Mauritius Mombasa Morocco Mozambique Nairobi Namibia Ngorongoro Conservation Area North Island Nyungwe Forest National Park Okavango and Moremi GR Oman Oudtshoorn Plettenberg Bay Port Elizabeth Praslin Qatar Queen Elizabeth National Park Quirimbas Archipelago Rwanda Sabi Sands Samburu National Park Selous Game Reserve Serengeti National Park Seychelles Sharm El Sheik Sheik Zayed Road Silhouette Island Skeleton Coast National Park Sossusvlei South Africa South Luangwa Stellenbosch Swakopmund & Walvis Bay Tanzania Tarangire National Park Timbavati Region Uganda Umhlanga Victoria Falls Vilanculos Volcanoes National Park Windhoek

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