Uganda tours & holidays
Silverbacks, chimps, leopards and lionesses, Uganda is an animal encyclopaedia come to life
There aren’t many places on Earth to see wild gorillas but in Uganda, you can see great apes and more. Find monkeys in the forests, hippos in the waterways, elephants in the savannas, birds in the sky and even lions in the trees. In Uganda, it really is all creatures, great and small. In the binocular breaks, fill up your time whitewater rafting down the source of the Nile, cooking Bakiga meals with local residents, learning about traditional forest-living or meeting the hard-working Gorilla Doctors. A trip to Uganda is an experience of a lifetime.
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Explore tailor-made tripsUganda at a glance
CAPITAL CITY
Kampala (population 4 million)
POPULATION
48.6 million
CURRENCY
UGX
LANGUAGE
Swahili, English, Ganda
TIME ZONE
(GMT+03:00) Nairobi
CALLING CODE
+256
ELECTRICITY
Type G (Irish/British 3-pin)
Learn more about Uganda
Best time to visit Uganda
For sunshine and hot weather, visit Uganda from late December to late February as this is the dry season. June to September is also a good time to travel as you can expect warm temperatures and little rain.
The wet seasons run from March to May and October to November – during this time, downpours are frequent and often create less accessibility on roads and within some national parks.
History and culture
Inhabited by hunter-gatherer tribes for centuries, Uganda’s history of migrating people led to a multitude of individualistic tribal groups across the country. Around 1860, Uganda began to be colonised by the British Empire, which continued until its independence in 1962.
Nowadays, Uganda is a nation made up of 56 ethnic groups, most with their own unique languages, traditions, food, dances and societal structures. Some of these are kingdoms, while others are chiefdoms. Across Uganda, there is an importance in the act of greeting others, sometimes leading to spontaneous music and dance.
The majority of the Ugandan population identifies as Christian, with Islam and Indigenous religions also found throughout. As such, Christmas is an important celebration with fine attire, family get-togethers and the eating of beef, which is a treat reserved for Christmas.
Geography and environment
Uganda sits in East Africa and shares borders with Sudan, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Kenya. Lake Victoria, Uganda's largest water source, also sits in the middle of several of these nations.
Uganda is home to several protected wildlife areas, including the Kalinzu Forest, Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which is home to mountain gorillas.
Many other animals can be found throughout Uganda, including hippos, elephants, zebras, buffalo, impalas, leopards, chimpanzees, lions, giraffes and many species of birds.
Eating and drinking
Uganda’s cuisine is built around its regional produce. Plantains and maize feature often, along with groundnuts (peanuts), tomatoes and onions. Typically, Ugandan food isn’t particularly spicy.
Things to try in Uganda
1. Matooke
This local dish of mashed plantains, often cooked in a nut sauce and served with meat or fish, is a favourite with locals and can be found pretty much everywhere in Uganda.
2. Chai tea
While coffee is grown widely in Uganda, most is shipped out for international sale, so locals drink tea instead. Chai tea is popular, which you’ll find at markets, kiosks, cafes and restaurants.
3. Fresh fruit
Mango, pineapple, avocado, banana, plantain, passionfruit and jackfruit are all plentiful in Uganda. Buy from a market or roadside stall as a refreshing, cheap snack.
Money matters
The official currency of Uganda is the Uganda Shilling (UGX).
Credit cards are usually accepted by large hotels and Western-style restaurants (particularly in the cities) but not by smaller vendors. Ensure you have adequate cash to cover purchases that cannot be made on credit.
ATMs are easily found in large cities and tourist areas but are rarer in small towns, rural areas and villages. Be sure to have other payment methods available when venturing out of the city, as ATMs aren't always an option.
Uganda travel FAQs
Travellers from most nationalities need a visa to enter Uganda. For more information, please visit the Government of Uganda’s website or the Essential Trip Information.
Visas are the responsibility of the individual traveller. Entry requirements can change at any time, so it's important that you check for the latest information.
You can check the entry requirements for your nationality on your government's foreign travel advisories, consular websites or on our visa and entry requirements page.
Absolutely. All passengers travelling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. It's important to understand that each country you visit may have its own specific entry requirements, and some destinations mandate travel health insurance for all foreign travellers, regardless of their nationality.
We require that at a minimum you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation, but minimum coverage may differ from trip to trip, so make sure you check the Travel Insurance section in your Essential Trip Information. You will not be permitted to join the group until your leader has sighted your insurance policy number and the insurance company's 24-hour emergency contact number, and these details will be recorded on the first day of your trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is an essential part of every journey.
For travellers who reside within the European Union, Switzerland or the USA, the requirement to purchase travel insurance cannot be compulsory. However, the purchase of travel insurance is still highly recommended, and travellers from these regions who decline travel insurance when travelling outside their home region must sign a Travel Insurance Waiver Form, recognising personal responsibility for emergency medical and repatriation costs should they arise.
Tipping isn’t mandatory in Uganda but considering that most Ugandans earn little, tips will be appreciated. As a guide, adding 10% in cafes and restaurants is acceptable, although not necessary.
Uganda has a mostly tropical climate, meaning it can be quite humid, with two rainy seasons throughout the year. Temperatures are typically moderate to warm, so bring lightweight clothes that breathe easily. Other essentials include a rain jacket, mosquito repellent, sun protection and binoculars.
Ex-military or military-style clothing and equipment are not recommended. In Uganda, people tend to dress conservatively, especially women. It is advised that travellers also dress modestly, e.g. in shorts and skirts that sit around the knees and tops that cover the shoulders.
If you are visiting wildlife areas, ensure you have quality closed-toe shoes and long trousers and shirts. Long shorts are fine for warm weather. It can get cold in the mornings and evenings, so bring a warm layer or two as well.
Depending on the trip you are going on, you may need special gear. If you are camping, you’ll likely need to bring a small amount of specialised equipment, specifically items like head torches and sandals.
If you are going to Uganda to trek for gorillas, you will need to have a good and comfortable pair of waterproof hiking boots, a surgical face mask (can be provided), long socks and long trousers and shirts. It’s not permitted to be wearing any bright-coloured clothing when gorilla trekking, so ensure your items are dark or neutral colours.
Drinking tap water isn't recommended in Uganda. For environmental reasons, try to avoid buying bottled water. Fill a reusable water bottle or canteen with filtered water. Ask your leader where filtered water can be found; some hotels we stay in may have drinking water available. It's also advisable to avoid ice in drinks and peel fruit and vegetables before eating.
Travellers will be able to access the internet quite easily in the internet cafes of Uganda’s capital and large cities, but limited to no access should be expected in regional and rural areas.
Mobile phone coverage is generally good in Uganda’s large cities and towns, but less so in rural and mountainous areas. Ensure you have global roaming activated before leaving home if you wish to use your mobile phone.
Squat/pit toilets are the standard in Uganda, except for Western-style flushable toilets that are sometimes available in large hotels and other modern buildings. Carry your own supply of soap and toilet paper, as these are rarely provided.
Some of the language in the anti-homosexuality law passed in May 2023 is vague and open to interpretation, and it remains unclear how this law will be implemented. We recommend that LGBTQIA+ travellers carefully consider the risks of travelling to Uganda and refer to your government’s foreign travel advisories. Equaldex is another useful resource for LGBTQIA+ travellers.
If you are travelling solo on an Intrepid group trip, you will share accommodation with a passenger of the same gender as per your passport information. If you don’t identify with the gender assigned on your passport, please let us know at the time of booking and we’ll arrange the rooming configuration accordingly. A single supplement is available on some tours for travellers who do not wish to share a room.
Yes, all Intrepid trips support the Intrepid Foundation. In fact, we make a donation on behalf of every traveller. Trips to Uganda directly support our foundation partner, Gorilla Doctors.
Gorilla Doctors
Gorilla Doctors help safeguard wild eastern gorilla populations with life-saving veterinary care. Donations from our trips help them provide routine health monitoring, veterinary visits and clinical interventions for injured mountain and Grauer's gorillas. Each animal they treat contributes to the gorilla populations' health, genetic diversity and long-term sustainability.
Intrepid will double the impact by dollar-matching all post-trip donations made to The Intrepid Foundation.
We take the health and safety of our travellers seriously and take every measure to ensure that trips are safe, fun and inclusive for everyone. When you travel with us, you have access to our global support network and local on‑ground leadership, and you can rest easy knowing we have a zero-tolerance policy on discrimination.
We recommend that all travellers check with their government or national travel advisory organisation for the latest information before departure. The World Health Organisation also provides useful health information.
Travelling from Australia?
Go to: Smart Traveller
From Canada?
Go to: Canada Travel Information
From the UK?
Go to: UK Foreign Travel Advice
From New Zealand?
Go to: Safe Travel
From the US?
Go to: US Department of State
We believe travel should be accessible to everyone. Although some destinations and itineraries may be more accessible than others, we'll do our best to accommodate your needs, make reasonable adjustments where possible or guide you toward the most suitable trips. Get in touch with our friendly adventure consultants to chat about your options.
Our Tailor-Made team can also help you plan a customised trip just for you.
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Gorillas & Game Parks
Gorillas & Game Parks
Gorillas & Game Parks
Gorillas & Game Parks
Gorillas & Game Parks