Uganda
Uganda Safaris is rather different from safari in most countries, in that it is primarily focused on forest rather than savannas, with primates including mountain gorillas and chimpanzees being top of the list. There are some savanna safari locations in between, but these are most definitely subsidiary to the main event.
We divide Uganda into eighteen separate areas, which you can find listed in the map menu above. The following seven areas are by far the most interesting.
Bwindi Forest ..
is a relatively small tract of protected tropical forest to the south-west of the country which is arguably the best location in Africa for tracking mountain gorillas.
Kibale Forest ...
is a larger area of tropical forest a little further north which offers good opportunities for tracking chimpanzees.
Queen Elizabeth ...
is a large national park which lies in the Rift Valley between these two primate reserves and offers the chance of some modest savannah safari, notably including elephants and lions, as well as further chances of chimpanzees.
Murchison Falls ...
is the largest conservation area in the country, lying further north along the western border with the Congo and containing a wide range of forest and savannah landscapes.
Kidepo ...
is an extremely remote and little-visited national park on the northern border with South Sudan, a savannah reserve which is expensive to access, but a real badge of honour amongst experienced safari travellers.
Jinja ...
is a town on the northern shore of Lake Victoria and the source of the Victoria Nile. The area is most commonly visited for its high quality white-water rafting.
Entebbe ...
is the former capital of the country, a relatively laid-back place on the northern shore of Lake Victoria and the main transport hub for international visitors.
Tips
Here are a few tips on issues relating to safari travel in Uganda
Passports and Visas
All visitors are required to be carrying a valid passport with at least six months remaining between the date of departure from the country and the date of expiration and sufficient blank pages for stamps and visas. Travellers carrying passports from the following countries are not required to pay for visas to enter Uganda and are issued them free of charge on arrival … Angola, Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Burundi, Comoros, Cyprus, Eritrea, Fiji, Gambia, Grenada, Jamaica, Ireland, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Malta, Mauritius, Madagascar, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Travellers carrying passports from all other countries are required to have a visa. To obtain a visa on arrival you will need to pay in cash US$, you may need to have the correct amount as change may not be forthcoming and you will need to comply with the passport regulations listed above. The price is around US$100. Alternatively you can obtain a visa in advance using the links below. You do not need to take additional passport photos with you. If you are asked on your Visa Application or Entry Certificate for ‘local contact details’, you can simply put the details of your first lodge and the phone number provided on your confirmation paperwork. Be sure that you passport is stamped with the correct departure date or you could encounter serious problems. We cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of this information. Please be sure to check for updates from the relevant authorities … London : for UK and Europe … london.mofa.go.ug Washington : North, Central and South America … washington.mofa.go.ug Please note that getting a visa on arrival can involve waiting in line for a period, which can be quite tedious after a long flight. You may therefore consider using a specialist agency to help you get your visa in advance, although there is an additional cost involved. Our customers from the US particularly recommend … www.travisa.com
Electricity
Socket outlets are almost universally the British three rectangular pin variety 230V/50Hz. Most good lodges provide universal adaptors, although we always recommend bringing your own.
Money
The currency in Uganda is the Ugandan Shilling. Approximate exchange rate : USD 1 = UGX 2400 This cannot usually be exchanged back into hard currency, so whatever you change you will have to either spend, give away or take home. It is worth noting that your on-the-ground expenditure in most parts of Africa should not be as high as you might be used on other trips since all of your accommodation is pre-paid, with many of your meals and activities also being included. We recommend taking a modest amount of cash US$, a small proportion of which you can change into local currency. Then back this up with debit and credit cards. Virtually all major cash payments can be settled in US$. Note that some US$ banknotes may not be accepted due to the high levels of counterfeit currency in circulation in Africa. We recommend that you only travel with US$ bills dated 2006 or later. A small amount of UGX can come in handy for small purchases at roadside stalls and stores. Exchanging US$ for UGX is possible in most locations, although exchange rates will vary. Larger, newer and better condition US$ bills generally attract a better exchange rate. Other hard currencies can be used, notably Euro, although may be subject to more unfavourable rates of exchange. Credit and debit cards are now accepted at most major stores and lodges and can be used to make payments. Virtually all locations charge a significant premium for using a card, 5% to 10% is common, higher rates in excess of 25% can be encountered. Travellers checks are no longer widely accepted. It may be significantly easier and cheaper to carry cash, but this does obviously heighten the risk of loss or theft. Refer to the section on crime for more information. There are very few cash machines or ATM’s, except in the major urban centres, where banks can also be found. If you ever run out of money, then your safari operator or lodge owner should be able to bail you out, with our assistance where necessary. When trying to assess exactly how much cash to take, most people seem to settle on somewhere between US$50 and US$200 per person per day. The more you take, the more you are likely to bring back home with you. It is more a case of how much you feel comfortable carrying. Note that your largest expenditure is likely to be tips, which could exceed US$25 per person per day.
Security
Generally speaking Uganda is a safe place to visit, although travellers should make themselves aware of any issues.
