Question 1

When to Visit Uganda?

Accepted Answer

The best time to visit Uganda is during its 2 annual dry seasons from June to August and December to February. Heavy rainfalls are rare during these periods, which in turn provide you with the best conditions for gorilla trekking and other outdoor activities.

Gorilla trekking requires you to bushwhack your way through a thick forest to find the gorillas in their habitat. The time it takes to find one can range from 2-7 hours, depending on how deep they are in the forest, and the last thing you want is for it to rain on you.

Safaris and national parks are also teeming with life during these periods, so if you want to make your trip as enjoyable as possible, I highly recommend sticking with the suggested period.

Question 2

How to Get To Uganda?

Accepted Answer

To get to Uganda, you are going to have to find a flight to Entebbe International Airport, which is the country's main travel hub.

From the US, there is no direct flight from the US to Entebbe, but there are airlines like Emirates, KLM, and Qatar that will fly from most major US cities to Entebbe with one transit at their headquarters. The journey will take a minimum of 20 hours, including transit time.

From Europe, you can also fly from places like London, Amsterdam, and Paris on Emirates or Qatar Airlines to Entebbe with transits in Dubai and Qatar, respectively.

From Asia, Qatar and Emirates Airlines remain the best options out there with flights connecting major cities in Asia such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, and Bangkok to Entebbe via Doha or Dubai respectively.

To find a cheap flight to Uganda, I would recommend you use Skyscanner or Expedia to look for the cheapest route and schedule so you can compare and choose the best one.

Question 3

How to Get Around Uganda?

Accepted Answer

By Organized Tours: The easiest and most convenient way to travel around Uganda is to go on an organized tour that will handle all the logistics for you, without you having to worry about it, especially when it comes to more remote places where buses do not go.

Unfortunately, this is also the most expensive option as organized tours in Uganda are extremely expensive compared to places like Kenya and Tanzania due to lower demand.

That said, despite paying more here, you are definitely getting your money's worth with these tours as they will often go out of their way to make your trip as convenient as possible with smooth transfers, great accommodation, and more.

If you are looking for the most convenient way to explore Uganda and you don't mind paying a little more, I highly recommend that you browse through some of the tours here and pick the ones that will help you get to far-flung places like Murchison Falls and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

By Boda Boda: For short distances, a boda boda (motor taxi) is a fast and affordable way to get around town or to navigate through busy streets. You will often find them in large cities like Entebbe and Kampala, congregating in front of streets, or you can flag them down from the road.

It is a fun and easy way to get around, but be sure to tell them to drive slowly if they are going too fast for your comfort. Also, the golden rule of using non-metered taxis still applies here. Make sure you agree upon the price before you get on.

By Buses/Matatus: For traveling between cities, you can rely (I say this very loosely here) on buses and matatus (taxis/vans) that often connect Kampala to other cities in the country like Mbale, Jinja, Kabale.

The problem with traveling independently in Uganda is dealing with the unreliability of its transportation infrastructure. The big buses run on schedule, but they are often unreliable and run late. The matatus only leave when they are full, and oftentimes, the conductors may try to jack up the price when they see new faces in town, and there is no way to know if you are paying the right price or not.

For those of you who are looking to save every bit of money while traveling in Uganda and do have the flexibility of time, traveling by buses and matatus may be a great option, although a bit adventurous, for you.

But for those with a fixed timeframe, I would recommend that you go with organized tours instead. You can find organized tours in Uganda here.

Question 4

How Much Money Do I Need For 7 - 10 Days In Uganda?

Accepted Answer

Uganda is not a cheap destination to travel, especially if you want to go gorilla trekking, which is the most expensive activity of all. The permit alone costs 700 USD per person.

With that in mind, here is approximately how much money you will be spending in Uganda.

Accommodation: You will be spending around 5 nights independently with the itinerary, so you can expect to pay a minimum of around 170 USD (603,713 UGX) for accommodation.

Food: Food costs about 10,000 UGX per meal in Uganda on average, so you can expect to pay around 150,000 UGX for 5 days of traveling independently, while the rest will be included in the tour prices.

Transportation: A transfer from and to the airport in Entebbe should cost around 40 USD or 142,050 UGX, and that is it for transportation.

Activities: For a gorilla trekking tour to Bwindi ($1,850), Murchison Falls ($700), and Jinja & Sipi Falls ($490), you can expect to pay around $3,040 (10,795,809 UGX) for activities.

Total budget for 10 days in Uganda: 11,691,572 THB (3,292.24 USD)

I told you it isn't cheap here, but you can trim down the itinerary to make it cheaper. You can remove either the Murchison Falls or Jinja & Sipi Falls tours and make this a 7-day itinerary instead of a 10-day itinerary.

I wouldn't recommend removing Gorilla Trekking. It is a once-in-a-lifetime activity and one of the main reasons why you are probably visiting Uganda. It would be a shame if you missed out on it.

Question 5

Is it Safe in Uganda?

Accepted Answer

All things considered, Uganda is relatively safer than Kenya or Tanzania, with friendlier people. The people here have a more relaxed and open vibe than anywhere else I've been to in East Africa.

That said, petty thefts may still occur if you are not careful, so make sure you take all the precautions while you are traveling in Uganda. Do not hold your phone near an open window, always agree upon prices before getting on taxis, and do your research well.

Stay away from crowded areas like Kampala; it can also help since the country shares the border with Congo, and there may be times when terrorist attacks spill over the borders into Uganda.

Believe it or not, the very day I arrived, there were two suicide bombs that went off near government buildings in Kampala, killing many people.

The locals were definitely on edge, but life went on as normal, especially outside of Kampala, where we will be spending the most time. Before traveling to Uganda, check the news and ensure that you are aware of the current situation on the ground.

Start Here

7-10 Days Itinerary for Uganda: A Backpacking Guide

Planning

Gorilla Trekking in Uganda: A Comprehensive Guide