GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT UGANDA
We have gathered some general information and travel advice, so you feel prepared for your stay in Uganda. If you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to send us an e-mail. We are here to guide you.
To enter Uganda you are required to purchase a tourist visa. A tourist visa can be obtained in advance, by buying it online at https://visas.immigration.go.ug/, or you purchase it upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport or while crossing the border to Uganda. With a tourist visa you can stay 90 days in Uganda.
A Uganda Tourist visa costs approximately € 40,- or $ 50,-.
If you are planning on combining your visit in Uganda with visits to Rwanda or Kenya, we would recommend you to buy a East Africa Visa. With this visa you can stay in East Africa for 90 days. Unfortunately Tanzania is not yet part of this visa.
A East Africa Visa costs approximately $ 100,-.
The currency is the Ugandan Shilling. The exchange rate is highly dependent on economic conditions but is strongly linked to the American Dollar.
We strongly advice to bring cash and have money changed to the currency, before entering Uganda. However, it it possible to withdraw money from the ATM machines at most banks for a small fee, additionally to the fee you pay from your own bank. You will need to have cash with you, since one can almost never pay with a credit card for local purchases.
Dollars are also acceptable at some places, such as when purchasing visa, in some hotels and with some Safari companies. We recommend you to check out the specifics guidelines for each place in advance. However US dollar bills issued before 2009 is not accepted anywhere in Uganda.
Officially, Uganda’s dry seasons are from December/January through to mid March and from June through to mid-September. These dry months are the most popular with tourists, with July and August and Christmas and New Year being the peak seasons.
Most rain falls in October-November and April-May. However, this doesn’t mean that it rains all day, nor does it mean it will rain every day. Usually there’s a tropical shower at night or a shorter shower during the day, but in Uganda you can trust that after rain comes sunshine!
The weather is no reason to avoid travelling in the wet season – you might even consider it because of the easy availability of gorilla permits.
As in the rest of the world, the East African climate is changing, making it more difficult for us to predict the weather during your safari. However, in Uganda the temperature is very stable and pleasant, with sunshine almost 365 days a year. During the day, the temperature averages between 23 and 27°C, although in some places it can be quite cool at night.
The voltage in Uganda is 220 / 230vac. The plug contacts used are those having three pins, which are also used in the UK. Usually you can borrow an adapter plug in your hotel or lodge or otherwise purchase one before you go.
Vaccinations are required to visit Uganda. For information about this and malaria prevention, we advise you to consult your doctor or clinic.
Because of it being a British colony in the past, the English language can be used mostly everywhere. The country is predominantly Christian: 66% of the population are part of various Christian denominations. In addition, some 16% are Muslim and about 18% observe traditional native beliefs.
Time in Uganda is GMT +3.
Just some things which are essential for your trip:
– Firm hiking shoes
– Camera
– Passport
– Personal medicine
– Sun lotion
– Bug repellent
– Rain jacket
– Flashlight
– Wake up alarm
– Not too brightly-coloured tracking clothes
How much you choose to tip, depends on how satisfied you are with the given service. However, Uganda is not a rich country and a small tip, will always be highly appreciated.
Usually guests choose to tip 5-10% in hotels and restaurants, and around 10$ per day to the safari guide, if you are very satisfied with the service.