Are you thinking of going on a Uganda holiday, aka the Pearl of Africa, for a gorilla trek or safari?
If so, have a read of our tips, which will tell you all the best advice you need to know before visiting Uganda.
We will keep this as short and simple as possible!
1 – Do I Need a Visa for my Uganda Holiday?
Luckily for Happy Irish wanderers, visa fees for Irish citizens are free on arrival.
But for the majority of travelers, you will need to pay for a visa. Tourist Visas can be obtained upon arrival at Entebbe Airport, which is the only international airport in Uganda.
However, we would recommend applying for an E-visa before you travel to avoid any drama, just to have that security.
The tourist visa costs 50 USD PP and is valid for 3 months, which should be plenty of time!!
Top Tip: The East Africa Visa
If you were planning to do more than a Uganda holiday then we have good news.
There is another visa available called the East Africa Visa. This visa will cost you 100 USD and with it, you can enter Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya multiple times within a 3-month time frame.
- Were you to leave any of these 3 countries the visa will no longer be valid.
- Make sure to have the visa printed off in color. If you do not have this print you will be charged 30 – 50 USD at the border.
- Apply for the East Africa Visa Visa online from the country’s website of the country you are planning to enter first. So for example, if you are flying into Kenya then you must apply for your East Africa Visa through the Kenyan website.
- Finally DO NOT use any other website bar the official government websites. They will charge you a lot of extra money for doing the work you can do yourself!!
The 3 websites are:
- Uganda – East African Tourist Visa | DCIC (immigration.go.ug)
- Rwanda – General Information (migration.gov.rw)
- Kenya – evisa.go.ke | Republic of Kenya Electronic Visa System
Get Your Yellow Fever Vaccinations
You will need a Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate.
We heard stories of people that were asked to show this documentation upon entering the country and some that were not asked.
Be safe, get it done, and get into the country drama-free!
Not relatable to a Uganda Holiday but just a nice-to-know tip: We got our Yellow Fever vaccinations in Thailand at a far cheaper cost than it would have been at home. This was done at the Red Cross Centre in Bangkok.
For you worriers, this is 100% safe! Besides Yellow Fever, you can also get all other vaccinations you need here for non-western prices!
Plus, it’s a good excuse to go to Thailand for a break!
The Red Cross Centre is located on the West side of Lumphini Park across from the Montien Hotel. For some reason, it doesn’t show up on Google Maps.
Malaria
Malaria risk is high throughout the year in the whole country and surrounding countries.
We chose to take anti-malaria medication, but we met other travelers who did not. Surprise surprise, they had gotten malaria at some stage.
To further protect yourself use mosquito spray and wear pants/long-sleeve tops once it gets dark.
Again we were lucky in regards to this risk, as we have relations in the UK who were able to receive anti-malaria medication for a far much cheaper price than it was in Ireland. Check out the link here.
Sim-Card on Arrival
When you arrive at the airport to start your Uganda holiday it is possible to purchase a SIM card at the baggage reclaim area, (the airport is tiny!).
There was only one option available and that was with Airtel. For 25000 Shillings PP (that’s less than 7 Euro) we got a SIM card with 7GB, but only a small amount of call minutes, reception was quite good most of the time.
2 – When is the Best Time to Visit Uganda?
Timing your Uganda Holiday is some of the best advice we want to share.
There are two wet seasons in Uganda. Trust us, when it rains in the wet season, it rains!!
So, unless you are Gene Kelly then you should NOT visit in the months of February till June and the months of October and November.
We visited in May and there were nationwide floods that caused landslides, damaged bridges, road closures, and even deaths.
There will still be plenty of days of sunshine, but transportation can be a lot harder than normal.
The best time to Visit Uganda is during Dry Season (June to August and December to February). These are the best months for wildlife viewing.
One of the main reasons you are visiting Uganda is to see gorillas. So just imagine, walking through a wet jungle in the pissing rain trying to find them. Doesn’t sound like fun, does it?
Believe it or not, but it can get quite cool in the evenings in Uganda due to the high elevations, so make sure to bring a warm top as well.
For more information on the weather and the best time to visit Uganda click here.
3 – Why Visit Uganda?
Uganda may be a small country, yet it has quite a lot to see. The number one of the things to do in Uganda is Gorilla trekking to see wild gorillas and chimpanzees.
But you can also see the Big 5 in various national parks. Aside from wildlife you can also relax in lodges at the many lakes and discover the source of the Nile.
Other Top Things to do in Uganda:
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in the southern part of Uganda. This is the place for Gorilla trekking. You can also do this activity in Rwanda but it is far cheaper in Uganda.
Kibaale National Park is located in the Western part of the country and is famous for Chimpanzee Trekking.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is close to Bwindi NP. Take a safari and sight the famous tree-climbing lions, elephants, hippos, crocodiles, and leopards.
Murchison Falls National Park is located in the Northern part where the mighty Nile becomes a Waterfall plunging through a 6-meter gap. There are also safari options here.
Mount Rwenzori is located on the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This is where the third largest mountain in Africa is located. To hike to the top and back will take 9 – 10 days.
Mount Elgon is located on the opposite side and borders Kenya. Some scientists believe it to be East Africa’s oldest extinct Volcano. To hike to the top and back will take 4 – 6 days.
Kampala is the capital of Uganda. The city center is manic, to say the least, and a place for the more seasoned travelers. For a more relaxed vibe stay around Acacia Mall. Around this area, you will find plenty of hotels, restaurants, bars, and other tourists.
You can book a 3 hour walking tour to truly immerse yourself in what this city has to offer.
Jinja Town is located 2 – 3 hours east of Kampala where you can see the Source of the Nile. A popular place for wild water rafting.
Entebbe Town is one hour west of Kampala where the airport is located. This is a chilled town next to Victoria Lake with one of the best-named Irish pubs ever – Paddy O’Ganda’s!
4 – What Currency Will I use During my Uganda Holiday?
In Uganda, the name of the local currency is the Ugandan Shilling. At the time of writing 1000 Shilling was around the 0.25 cent mark. Not all hotels or shops will accept cards, cash is king.
ATMs
Atms are widely available and most of them will have armed security. As a rule, we only take out cash on our way back to the hotel, be travel smart.
The best ATM in Uganda for foreign bank cards is Bank of Baroda as they DO NOT charge a fee for withdrawing money.
Some ATMs tried to charge us nearly 8 Euro for withdrawing money, use Google Maps to find Baroda Banks so you don’t get robbed by the other banks.
5 – Is An Uganda Holiday Expensive?
Mistakenly many people believe that visiting Africa will be cheap.
However, the reality is very different. Safaris can be costly, so make sure to find the best deals online at Bookallsafaris.
Uganda Budget: Gorilla Trekking
Gorilla trekking is the number one reason why tourists go on an Uganda Holiday.
However, this activity is expensive as fxxk! Besides gorillas, another main reason people visit the Pearl of Africa is to see wild chimpanzees – yet another expense.
The cost of these activities can vary from one tour operator to the next. A 3-day Gorilla Safari in Uganda will run from 1500 Euro (budget) to much more for luxury packages.
Uganda Budget: Safari
All safari’s in Africa will set you back a couple of quid and a Uganda safari is no different.
In fact, we found a Uganda safari to be one of the more expensive countries in Africa to do a safari.
Prices for a 2-day Uganda safari in Queen Elizabeth Park will set you back around 550 USD per person.
Visiting Murchison Falls on a safari, prices start from 520 USD per person for 3 days.
These were the cheapest rates we could find, prices increase considerably from the above tours.
It is possible to make this a small bit cheaper. You can hire a car and drive yourself, prices for a car start at 60 USD per day for a small 4×4.
Along with a daily entrance fee of 40 USD, you will be paying around 100 USD per day. Then of course you must still calculate the cost of fuel, accommodation, and food.
Check out the most affordable and best-value safari we went on below.
Uganda Budget: Hiking/Trekking
There are some great mountain ranges to explore on your Uganda holiday such as Mount Rwenzori and Mount Elgon.
These are less discovered places when compared to Mount Kilimanjaro or Mount Kenya. But that makes the adventure perhaps even better as you discover some off-the-beaten tracks.
Prices for a hike start at 300 USD for a 3-day trek to 1000 USD for a ten-day trek.
To find out the latest national park entry fees click here.
Uganda Budget: Food
One purchase that can be cheap is food! A very popular and cheap food item is a Rolex.
This is an omelet with onions and tomato wrapped in a chapati and they are absolutely delicious! In some street-food markets, they will set you back only 2000 shillings, that’s 50 cents.
Most normal restaurants will serve dinners for around 5 euros. If you are on a budget then a lot of supermarkets have a decent hot deli with very affordable prices for delicious food.
Uganda Budget: Alcohol
There is one thing that surprised us during our Uganda Holiday and that was the price of alcohol, it’s so cheap!!!
A 0.5 bottle of Uganda beer will cost you 5000 – 6000 UGX per bottle. That’s only around the 1.50 Euro mark.
6 – Getting Around Uganda: Transport
There are 3 ways of getting around Uganda.
Firstly, a private driver, the next option is to self-drive. Lastly, use local transport.
Obviously, the first two will cost the most but are the easiest options and this is the best advice if you are on an Uganda holiday.
In Africa, the pace is very slow and this might suit the backpackers a bit more. If you take a local bus then this bus will only depart once it is full. This can take 5 minutes to 2 hours!
But the good news is that it will be a fraction of the cost. For long-term travelers, backpackers, and cheapskates on an Uganda Holiday, this is the best choice.
We always took the local transport. A local bus from Entebbe to Kampala cost us 5000 UGX/ $1.30 each plus bags which was an extra 1000 UGX. So 6000 UGX/ $1.60 in total per person.
A local bus from Kampala to Masaka cost us 20,000 UGX/ $5.30 each for a 4-hour bus trip.
Uganda Transport: Boda Boda
In towns/cities, the cheapest form of transportation is a Boda Boda.
These are motorbikes and there are thousands of them everywhere. Always make sure to agree on a price first before you get on the back.
I read an online story by a famous enough traveler who took a Boda Boda from Entebbe to Kampala, He paid 40.000 UGX for this trip and thought it was a good deal…
That was his best advice! Just have a look again at the price above that we paid!
Uganda Transport: Tirhal
On days when you are carrying your bag the best option is to use a Tirhal.
This is the equivalent of an Uber. Make sure to have the app downloaded and set up.
One thing that is a bit annoying is that the drivers never know your location. Even though they can see it on the app…..
This can be sorted when the driver rings you and asks where you are. Unfortunately, Tirhal is limited only to the bigger cities.
7 – Electricity in Uganda
For Uganda, the plug type is plug type G.
This is the same one used in Ireland and the UK. In case you don’t know what that is, it’s the plug with three rectangular pins in a triangle shape.
More than likely at one point you will experience a power cut. Often these are only short-lived, but sometimes it can take up to a few hours for electricity to be restored.
*Consider purchasing a Multi Travel Adapter – so you are prepared for any plug type!
8 – Facebook in Uganda
In Uganda, you can not use the app Facebook because it is blocked by the government.
There is a way around this by using a VPN, we use the app NordVPN.
More to do with watching football than Facebook to be honest. But if you want to post your latest Uganda holiday pictures then you will need a VPN.
By the way, if you are not following us on Facebook or Instagram then check out our page and give us a follow if you like it!
9 – Is Uganda Safe?
Generally speaking, going on an Uganda holiday is safe.
We never encountered any trouble but it did feel a bit intimidating at times. Although that was around busy bus station areas which are always a bit mental!
Now and again we would be warned about putting our phone away because it may get snatched, but how else would we get the great footage that we want to show to you eh!?
One thing we did find very interesting is the local’s thoughts about Idi Amin. For those who don’t know who that is, Idi Amin was a president who ruled Uganda in the 70s, and in the Western media, he is portrayed as a dictator. The movie “The Last King Of Scotland” tells the story about him.
However, in Uganda, many people see him as a hero and the greatest president Uganda ever had.
Some people will get quite offended if you call him a dictator. So just be careful when you discuss this sensitive subject with the locals.
One person casually told us – “He only killed the people who were against him”….. WTF man?!
WorldNomads – Travel insurance is our go-to insurance company. They have the best fine print of all travel insurance companies and are number one for a reason.
10. Is Uganda Worth Visiting?
As previously mentioned, visiting Africa can be expensive. Especially when you plan to visit all the great things to do in Uganda.
Because we were on a Cairo to Cape Town trip and not on an Uganda Holiday, we decided to hold out and do safaris in cheaper places such as Maasai Mara in Kenya, Namibia’s Etosha National Park, and Kruger Park in South Africa.
Would we recommend visiting Uganda? To be honest, yes and no.
For a Uganda Holiday – absolutely! As a budget backpacker – not so much!
Because the “things to do in Uganda” are so expensive it is more of a destination for people who are going on an Uganda holiday.
However, that doesn’t mean you can not visit as a backpacker. There are great places to stay on a very affordable budget with pools and cheap beers to relax for a while. Most of the time, travel will be slow but inexpensive. Additionally, food and beer are very affordable.
For people considering going on an Uganda holiday, we would recommend making sure to go the correct time of year, and to save up a lot of money!
Enjoy your Uganda Holiday!
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