COUNTRY PROFILE & TRAVEL TIPS ON UGANDA IN EAST AFRICA

Uganda is a beautiful, landlocked country in the heart of Africa - a genuine pearl. Cradled between the eastern and western belts of the Great Rift Valley, Uganda has a somewhat more elevated position than the surrounding areas, sitting more than 1000 meters (3280 feet) above sea level. Uganda shares its western border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and its eastern border with Kenya. Rwanda and Tanzania lie to the south, while Sudan stands to the north. As you will note on your travels, the country covers a total area of 241,038 square kilometers, of which 197,100 is land and the remaining 43,938 is water.

Rich, Fertile Landscape

Geographical Mountainous Boundaries

Mount Elgon

Rwenzori Mountains

Virunga Mountains

Uganda takes its name from the Kingdom of Buganda of age-old times, which was inhabited by Stone Age clans. Migrating farmers and animal herders traveling to the country in the early centuries A.D. mingled with the natives and created various ethnic and cultural groups and tribes. The Uganda you see today was formed during the colonization advent of the British between 1890 and 1926. At the time, the country had more than thirty different groups speaking four main languages, including Sudanic, Atekerin, Luo, and Bantu.

Bantu Speakers

Atekerin Or Nilotic Speakers

Sudanic Speakers

Languages In Present-Day Uganda

Travelers booking tours of Uganda through AfricanMecca Safaris are often curious to learn about the history of this ‘Pearl of Africa.’ The earliest recorded history of Uganda goes back to 1000 BCE, when the Bantu people thrived in the region as agriculturists. The country also has traces of the Iron Age in CE 1000. Various kingdoms including the Toro, Ankole, Busoga, Buganda, and Bunyoro developed in the southern and western regions thanks to the fertile soil and productive farming. Regrettably, slave trading was the primary economic activity in the 17th and 18th centuries, when these kingdoms created ties with Sudan.

Throughout the 19th century, the Buganda Kingdom was ruled by Kabakas or traditional chieftains with the alliance of the Shirazis of Zanzibar. The kings had a council of nobles and a strong army – and the kingdom survived because of agriculture after the slave trade ban. During your city tour in Kampala, you may come across the preserved remnants of this era in its namesake museum.

Coming Of The Europeans

Independence From The British Rule

Coming Of Idi Amin Into Power

Uganda After Idi Amin

Uganda Has Transited To Be A Peaceful Country Today

As you will find on your trip in the country, the Ugandan economy is largely dependent on its natural resources. Close to three quarters of the population relies on agriculture for their livelihood, thanks to the rich, fertile soil and adequate rainfall. The rivers and waterbodies also help irrigate the land for farming. The country has small reserves of minerals and precious metals like gold and copper, along with substantial oil reserves. Uganda’s industrial sector remains largely undeveloped due to inadequate infrastructure and the availability of only basic technology; however, this is slowly changing with more technology being adapted by businesses for economic efficiency.

Corruption does not help the economic situation. The government has realized that it needs to focus more on education, healthcare, and employment for Ugandan youth to garner growth and sustainability. Urban areas have a regular supply of electricity; though the number that drops in the rural regions.

Exports & Imports

Economic Growth & Foreign Investment Status

Uganda is a presidential republic with a multi-party system. As you will learn during your vacation in the country, the President is both the head of the State and the government. General elections are held every five years, and all citizens over the age of 18 are permitted to vote. The government holds the executive power in the country, while the legislative power lies in the hands of the National Assembly and the government. The constitution also provides for a separate judicial system. Uganda celebrates Independence Day on October 9, which is a national holiday.

History of the Multi-Party System

Distribution of the Parliament and Judiciary

How To Arrive Into Uganda?

Air and Railway Travel In Uganda

Road Travel In Uganda

Special Hire Taxis In Uganda

Minibus Public Vehicle Transportation In Uganda

Boda Boda Motorcycles In Uganda

Those opting to travel to Uganda are required to comply with the rules and regulations laid down by the government. Read More

When traveling in Uganda, you can request meet-and-greet services from AfricanMecca Safaris. Customer care agents will meet you at the airport on arrival and assist you with moving your baggage from the designated area to your preferred mode of transport. If you intend to go on safari trips or gorilla-trekking expeditions and return to the hotel a few days later, you have the option of leaving your extra luggage at your city hotel or at our team office in Entebbe or Kampala.

Although you have to check out of the city hotel room and check back in when you return, you will have the assistance of hotel porters with your bags. Checking out can help you avoid having to pay for a hotel room when you are not occupying it for the overnights you are not staying. Inform the hotel of your plans when requesting storage facilities and lock all bags carefully on deposit. Do keep in mind that the maximum baggage weight allowed for transportation is 15 kg on safari flights within Uganda.

Choosing the appropriate clothing to wear while on vacation in Uganda ensures that you can move freely and are comfortable on your hikes and game drives. Read More

As is true no matter where in the world you take a vacation, it’s important to take precautions for your personal safety while in Uganda. Here are some security steps you can take, as advised by AfricanMecca Safaris.

• Safeguard personal belongings such as cameras, wallets, and handbags when in crowded areas.
• Avoid wearing attention-attracting jewelry and items such as bangles, earrings, necklaces, and expensive watches. Keeping a low profile is advisable.
• Hire a taxi for traveling at night and carefully avoid dark and deserted streets, alleyways, and beaches. Getting AfricanMecca Safaris to arrange for transport is a safer option.
• Use the security box in your hotel or lodge to store valuables and cash, and use credit cards as much as possible.
• Carry envelopes with you that can be sealed for securing cash when depositing it with your hotel or lodge.
• Make sure to count the cash and record the amount before depositing it and at the time of retrieval. Never leave loose cash around.
• It is advisable that, for safety purposes, you check whether there are any scheduled political gatherings or demonstrations in Uganda when planning your tour and avoid being a part of any such events.
• In case of emergency, you can get in touch with AfricanMecca Safaris for assistance at any time of the day or night.

While it is not compulsory to tip for the safari or related services you receive, giving a good tip shows your appreciation for the efforts put in to make you comfortable during your travels in Uganda and the value you have received from it. Read More

No matter what time of year you plan to visit Uganda, the Pearl of Africa will thrill you with an adventurous, nature-centric vacation. Read More

Telephone and Fax Services

Internet

Mail Services

With a rich culture spanning centuries and the influx of travelers from all parts of the world, Uganda is a fused gastronomic destination. Here, you will find cuisines from Europe and Arabian and Asian countries – particularly India – blending seamlessly with local favorites, some of which have been adopted from different parts of Africa. Most of the food is richly seasoned with tomatoes and onions, with a base of carbs and topping of sauce or stew.

You could try dishes that have a cornmeal paste called ugali or banana mash (matooke) at the bottom, with a layer of beans, peanuts, vegetables, and/or meat forming the stew topping. Fruits and vegetables including spinach, cabbage, sweet potatoes, cassava, beans, pineapples, and bananas form a part of most meals, and peanuts are also a frequent ingredient. Ugandans have only a cup of tea and/or porridge and bread for breakfast, while lunch and dinner are complete meals. Most of the ingredients for the meals come from personal farms and gardens.

Indian samosas, a triangular fried savory snack filled with vegetables or meat, are common street foods. You can buy them from the roadside stalls along with fried grasshoppers.

Fresh fish is not easy to come by outside Kampala and Entebbe, but you may find it on the menu if you are staying close to a lake or river on your tour. Smoked fish is more readily available and is typically served with beans or meat.

Some tribes in Uganda have their own delicacies or specialty dishes. Ingredients often include potatoes, vegetables, yams, bananas, and other tropical fruits. Nyama, Swahili for ‘meat,’ is usually goat, beef, mutton, chicken, pork, or fish. People in rural areas tend to eat less meat due to high costs, and when they do it’s often bushmeat.

Your gourmet vacation would not be complete without the traditional Ugandan dish, luwombo, which is a stew containing chicken, beef, fish or mushrooms steamed in banana leaves. If you’re feeling adventurous, dare eaters also want to try nsenene (grasshopper) and nswaa (white ant), which are considered affordable delicacies amongst locals.

Beverages

• Waragi, or banana gin, is the national drink and a must-try on your vacation
• Tea or chai is served in both English and spiced Indian varieties
• Coffee (kawa, as the Ugandans call it or kahava in Swahili)
• Alcoholic drinks, including wines brought in from South Africa
• Local fermented beer

Uganda allows vacationers to bring electronics such as cameras, laptops, film, and other devices into the country without incurring any duty. However, you cannot sell these items in the country. At times, customs officials may make a list of the items you bring into the country on your passport, and you may have to display the items to officials on leaving the country. Expect to make your baggage available for inspection on arrival and departure. Make sure to keep your baggage locked, but have the keys ready when you need to open the bags.

AfricanMecca Safaris advises that you drink only bottled or boiled water during your trip. While most hotels and accommodations provide a small supply as part of the room facilities (teeth brushing) or for sale for daily consumption, you can buy additional bottles from a grocery store when going on a road safari. However, you should come prepared to pay a little more for bottled water in safari camps and lodges than usual because of the cost of transportation to remote parks and reserves.

Electricity in Uganda, whether provided by the power grid or the generators in your hotel or lodge, will be 240 volts AC, 50 cycles. The standard plug type is the British socket G used all over the country. The plug is triangular in shape with three pins and supplies 240V voltage at 50Hz. However, while on vacation in Uganda you might find that some of the larger urban high-end hotels do provide shaver outlets with 110 volts 50 cycles. If you are traveling from North America, you might want to bring a multi-pin voltage converter adapter that will help you charge electronics without any inconvenience.

Depending on the lodge or camp where you are staying, you may be allowed to use your own appliances, such as hair dryers, while others may provide them in the rooms for the use of guests. If you want to bring your equipment, keep in mind that plug adapters may not convert the voltage for you, and North American appliances are typically designed for 110-120 volts. Accordingly, you may want to use them with caution. (The charger cables used with laptops and similar electronics typically work fine on either voltage, providing you have a simple plug adapter.) Also, power outages are frequent in Uganda, so it is advisable to bring along a power bank to keep your cell phone and camera batteries charged and usable.

The Ugandan flag features six horizontal bands of equal width with a white disc in the center carrying the national symbol, the grey-crowned crane, facing the flag pole side. The military badge worn by Ugandan soldiers during colonial rule included the bird. As you will learn on your travels, it is well-known as a gentle creature, now depicted with a raised leg to signify progress for the country.

On the top edge of the flag is a black stripe, which symbolizes the African people; the next stripe is yellow, referring to the sun. The next color is red, which stands for the African brotherhood bonded by the same blood. The lower three stripes repeat the three on top. The Swahili term for the flag is “Bendera ya Uganda.” It came into force as the official flag on Uganda’s Independence Day, Oct. 9, 1962.

The consultant at AfricanMecca Safaris will inform you of the dates of the public holidays so you can plan your activities accordingly. Keep in mind that the Eid national holidays in Uganda are based on the Islamic lunar calendar, which adjusts by 11 days annually. For this reason, the holidays fall on different days of the Gregorian calendar each year. Review the below list of the public and private sector holidays typically observed.

1. January 1 - New Year’s Day
2. January 26 - NRM Liberation Day
3. February 16 - Remembrance of Archbishop Janani Luwum
4. March 8 - International Women’s Day
5. Good Friday
6. Easter Monday
7. May 1 - Labor Day
8. June 3 - Martyrs’ Day
9. June 9 - National Heroes’ Day
10. October 9 - Independence Day
11. December 25 - Christmas Day
12. December 26 - Boxing Day
13. Eid El Fitr, marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan
14. Eid Al-Adha, falls in the month of Dhul-Hajj and marks the day when Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son on God’s command

Should you get ill and need medical care during your stay in Uganda, you can expect that health services are only adequate in terms of the standard of facilities and care. While most hospitals, dispensaries, and clinics carry the necessary medicines and maintain modest lab facilities, access to specialists and high-grade equipment needed for your care may be limited or impossible, and you may need to fly to Kenya or South Africa for specialist medical care. If you regularly take prescription medicines, make sure to bring the complete supply you need for the duration of your visit. The specific drugs you need may not be available. You may also want to carry along over-the-counter medications for minor illnesses and allergies. Further, make sure to bring adequate sun protection, including sunscreen and appropriate full-coverage clothing, footwear, and hats.

If you do get sick or injured on vacation in locations outside of Kampala, you may need to arrange for evacuation by air transport. For this reason, it’s highly recommended that you purchase travel insurance to cover the considerable expenses of getting medical care outside of the country and/or emergency travel back home or evacuation to the nearest best hospital for your required care.

Essential Health Insurance Needed Before Arriving in Uganda

Ugandans use the metric system, by which weight is measured in kilograms and distance in kilometers. To assist with the conversions, keep in mind that:

• 1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds
• 1 kilometer = 0.62 miles

Because of the former uncertain political situation in Uganda and the past dictatorships of Idi Amin and Milton Obote, the press has always been severely repressed. However, the coming of President Yoweri Museveni in 1986 brought several reforms and the development of the media. Although the country has seen significant progress in the past 30 years or so, a few recent cases are again casting doubt on the future of the industry. These include the shutdown of channels such as CBS radio and NTV. When traveling in the country, you will have the opportunity to understand and learn about the functioning of the various mediums.

Newspapers, Magazines, and Other Publications

Television

Radio Services

Internet Connectivity

Finding the essentials in Uganda is not a problem, and you should be able to shop for basics like batteries, toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo and other toiletries. It’s advisable to bring any medicines you think you might need for your trip, rather than trying to source them while in the country.

While on your safari vacation, you will want to pick up souvenirs and mementos for friends and family back home. Go ahead and buy items like woven baskets and hats, musical instruments like the Ugandan guitar and drum, ceramic sculptures, batiks, paintings, and wooden artifacts. You can also look for pretty local jewelry like necklaces and bangles, along with sachets of fragrant Ugandan tea and coffee. From roadside stalls to major shopping centers and malls, Kampala has plenty to offer when it comes to shopping.

Bargaining for the best price is acceptable, though it’s important to keep in mind that the sellers are often struggling to make ends meet, and the extra dollars that travelers pay can go a long way in helping them. Shops in Uganda typically open at 10:00 a.m. and close around 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. They may close early on Saturdays, and most shops are closed on Sunday.

If you are staying in a city hotel, you can expect some will have designated smoking rooms, and you will have the option of requesting a special room at the time of booking your urban vacation overnights. However, most safari camps and lodges in Uganda don’t have smoking rooms, though they may have specially designated areas where you can smoke. Since the tents are also booked by non-smokers and children, it is advisable that you refrain from smoking in them. If you are part of a group, out of respect for their safety and health, please ask for permission before you light up.

If you are mobility-challenged or have special needs, inform the tour consultant at AfricanMecca Safaris and we will make arrangements for accommodations that have the necessary facilities for you. However, most public areas, save for the international airport, are not designed to accommodate guests with mobility needs.

When planning your African vacation, you should factor in differences in time zones so you can plan for your activities and your flight arrival and departure times. Uganda time is 3 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) - London Time, and does not observe daylight saving time. New York or Eastern Standard Time is 8 hours behind Uganda and the neighboring Rwanda is 1 hour behind.

While you can bring pets into the country, do inform AfricanMecca Safaris so they can procure the mandatory clearance permit for your pet. You will also have to meet all the required health criteria and pay the fee for the permit. Make sure to check with your preferred accommodation about their regulations regarding bringing pets into the premises.

The Ugandan unit of currency is the Uganda Shilling. Usable coins available in denominations are 200 and 500, while notes are in denominations of 1,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000 and 50,000. Should you need banking services, you can visit any branch in the major cities and towns between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. Some branches may be open on Saturday mornings also, and banks at the airport may be operational for longer hours. If you need currency exchanged while on vacation, you may find you get the best exchange rates at the airport or a certified exchange bureau rather than banks.

Using Credit Cards and Foreign Currency in Uganda