Uganda Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting
Nicknamed by Winston Churchill as the ‘Pearl of Africa’ in 1907 fr its amazing landscapes, plentiful wildlife, and many water bodies, Uganda is a delight to visit.
This small gem, which is found in East Africa, is quite popular for gorilla tracking, the big five, and beautiful weather. But given that it’s blessed by nature, you can’t fail to find an activity of your liking. So if you’re planning a holiday tour in Uganda, here is a travel guide to help you prepare for your trip:
Best time to Visit
It’s best to visit Uganda in the drier seasons between June to mid-September and December to mid-March for spectacular sightseeing, especially on game drives. That said, if you want to avoid the crowds and also enjoy competitive rates from tour operators, then you should visit during the wet season. Besides, since the country has a tropical climate, the sun tends to shine bright even during the rainy season.
Passport and Visa
You need a passport with a validity of at least 6 months upon entering Uganda. And if you require a visa to come to Uganda, you can either get the single entry Ugandan e-visa online at $50. Or apply for the East African Tourist Visa, which is valid for 90 days and allows multiple entries into Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda at $100.
Getting There
You can book flights from all over the world to Uganda on the Travelcare website. Here, do expect to be wowed by our exceptional 24/7 customer support, whereby we diligently answer all your travel queries as well as allow you to rectify booking errors free of charge. Moreover, you’ll get competitive travel deals to suit your budget, which you can pay for using the different payment options we offer– Visa cards, Bank transfers, and Link.
Health and Vaccination
Apart from getting the Yellow Fever vaccination, you also have to get immunized against Tetanus, Hepatitis A and B, Typhoid, Polio, and Rabies. Plus, you should take prescribed anti-malaria drugs to avoid catching the disease while vacationing and having your holiday tour messed up. And now, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, you’ll have to provide a negative PCR test certificate on arrival at Entebbe International airport that’s no more than 72 hours old.
Language
English and Kiswahili are the two official languages of Uganda. But since the latter was recently officialized and the locals are still adapting to it, you’ll find it easy to interact with the locals in English.
Money and Transactions
As Uganda is mostly a cash economy, you need to come up with some money that you can exchange for the Ugandan shilling. Because with the shilling ranking lower than most foreign currencies, you’re bound to enjoy what the country has to offer to the fullest. Nevertheless, you can still use Visa and Master cards in the greater part of Kampala and at upscale facilities all over the country to pay your bills.
Getting Around
If you book your vacation trip with a travel company, you’ll be chauffeured to all the destinations in the company’s tour vehicle. But if you prefer to self-drive, you can rent a car with a valid international driving permit and go visit all the attractions on your wish list.
Best Holiday Tours
- Primates and Big Five Tour
While on this combo tour, you’ll track the amazing mountain gorillas in the Bwindi impenetrable forest and also go on a game drive through Queen Elizabeth national park (QENP) to see elephants, buffalo, tree-climbing lions, and leopards. Furthermore, you’ll go chimp tracking in the wondrous Kyambura gorge found in QENP.
- Birding trip on Lake Bunyonyi
Much as there are several places you can go birding in Uganda, doing it along Lake Bunyonyi is more relaxing and fun. You’ll get to sail to the different islands within the lake while enjoying the sights of various birds as well as the scenic view of the surrounding hillsides, and the Muhavura Mountain on a clear day. On top of that, you can take a bird walk on some of the islands to see more birds, like the African Hobby, White-headed Saw-wing, and the Swamp Flycatcher Black Kite.
- Adventure tour in Jinja
On this adrenaline-pumping trip, you’ll visit Jinja – The Adventure Capital of East Africa. Here you’ll be able to do these day activities: bungee jumping, white water rafting, kayaking, river boarding, jet boating, and quad biking. And at night, you’ll enjoy the bustling party scene in the city.
- Alternative Adventure tour
You’ll climb up to the Margherita peak (the third highest peak in Africa at 5,109 metres) found atop Mountain Rwenzori. With its stunning landscape that’s covered with steep rocks, tall bamboos, giant lobelias, and waterfalls, you’ll get a great thrill and a worthy challenge of hiking to the top. In fact, hikers who’ve climbed both Rwenzori and Kilimanjaro say Rwenzori is a tougher mountain to conquer, so you need to be fit to go on this trek.
Now that you’re knowledgeable about Uganda and what to expect when you come for a holiday tour, go right ahead and book your flights and tours with us.