Uganda
Africa · Kampala · UG
Uganda is the equatorial nation of the East African highlands, a land that the colonial writer famously called the pearl of Africa for its green hills, its great lakes and its remarkable concentration of the natural wealth. The mountains of the south-west, the Bwindi and the Virungas, hold the mountain gorillas of the misty forests, while the savannah parks of the west and the north protect the elephants, the lions and the great herds of the region. The source of the Nile, where the great river leaves the lake of the Victoria, the enormous lake that spans the southern border, anchors the water world of the country, and the Rwenzori, the legendary mountains of the moon, carry the snows and the glaciers of the equator. Friendly, green and astonishingly varied, Uganda is the compact safari country that delivers on every promise.
Overview
Uganda is a country in Africa. Its capital is Kampala and the international dialling code is +256. Languages commonly used in everyday life here include English and Swahili. Local currency is the Ugandan Shilling (UGX). We also list 1 city in Uganda: Kampala.
The Gorillas of the Bwindi and the Forest of the Mist
The forest of the Bwindi, the ancient rainforest of the south-west of the country, protects roughly half of the world's remaining mountain gorillas, and the tracking of the great apes through the steep, tangled slopes of the park is one of the most celebrated wildlife experiences on earth. The permits of the park are limited and prized, and the day begins in the mist of the forest with the guides and the porters following the previous night's nests to the family in the dense green. The hour with the gorillas, the silverbacks, the mothers and the babies of the group in their feeding and their resting, is a quiet, profound encounter with the animals closest to the human family, and the surrounding mountains, the terraced villages and the tea fields of the region frame the whole extraordinary setting of the experience.
The Source of the Nile and the Rapids of the Jinja
The town of the Jinja, on the northern shore of the lake of the Victoria, marks the point where the great river of the Nile begins its long journey to the Mediterranean, the celebrated source that the explorers sought for so long, and the monument of the river and the boat trips of the calm above the falls give the classic moment of the discovery. Below the first dam, the rapids of the Nile, the professional white-water of the river, run some of the finest commercial rafting in the world, and the adrenaline days of the river, the full-day descents of the class-five rapids, are the great adventure of the region. The lake around the town, with its islands, its beaches, its bird life and its sailing, holds the gentler face of the same water, and the whole region gives the country its water-powered heart.
The Crater Lakes of the Fort Portal and the Green of the West
The west of the country, around the town of the Fort Portal, spreads one of the loveliest landscapes in Africa, the green belt of the crater lakes that fills the valley between the mountains and the great lake of the Albert, the relics of the volcanic past of the region. The craters, the small circular lakes of the emerald and the blue, are scattered through the tea and the coffee estates and the villages of the foothills, and the day trips around the rim of the lakes, by bike and on foot, take in the viewpoints, the farms and the extraordinary green of the whole region. The hot springs of the area, the local markets and the traditions of the kingdoms of the west, with their palaces and their museums at the town, complete the cultural picture. It is a gentle, scenic, deeply restful part of the country.
The Park of the Queen Elizabeth and the Lions of the Ishasha
The park of the Queen Elizabeth, the great savannah reserve that spreads across the rift valley on the western border of the country, holds the classic elephant, buffalo and the enormous birdlife of the East African savannah, set between the great lakes and the channel of the Kazinga that carries the boats of the game viewing. The sector of the Ishasha, the remote southern reach of the park, is famous for its tree-climbing lions, the prides that drape themselves over the branches of the fig trees for the afternoon, and the sightings of the lions in the trees are the prized encounters of the reserve. The boats of the channel, with their hippos, their crocodiles and their huge flocks of the birds, round out the wildlife day, and the crater flats of the park complete one of the most scenic savannah settings of the region.
The Peaks of the Rwenzori and the Snows of the Equator
The mountains of the Rwenzori, the legendary mountains of the moon that the classical geographers placed at the source of the Nile, rise the sharp snow-capped peaks of the border between the country and the Congo, the only snows of the African equator and one of the most serious mountaineering challenges of the continent. The national park of the range, with its glaciers, its moss-hung valleys and its giant lobelias, holds a unique alpine world of the sheer, wet, misty peaks, and the trekking of the range, to the base of the great summits, is the classic expedition of the country's high places. The lower slopes, with their waterfalls, their rainforest and their feet in the crater lakes of the valley, can be visited on the shorter walks, and the whole range gives the country the dramatic, vertical edge of its landscape.
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- Capital
- Kampala
- Currency
- Ugandan Shilling (UGX)
- Languages
- English, Swahili
- Calling code
- +256
- Internet TLD
- ug
Entry requirements
Check who can enter →See which passports travel visa-free or need a visa to enter Uganda.
Which nationalities can enter Uganda?
Current visa status for tourism for the origins we cover, with links to the detailed requirements.
Cities (1)
All cities →Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa to visit Uganda?
For the origins we track, Uganda requires a visa for tourism (Australia: e-visa, Canada: e-visa, France: e-visa, Germany: e-visa and India: e-visa). Entry rules depend on your passport, so confirm the current requirements for your own nationality with our entry requirements tool.
What is the capital of Uganda?
Kampala is the capital of Uganda, and the country sits in Africa.
What currency is used in Uganda?
You pay with Ugandan Shilling (UGX) in Uganda. Exchange rates move day to day, so check the current rate before you change money or use your card abroad.
Which languages do people speak in Uganda?
The languages we list for Uganda are English and Swahili. A couple of greetings in the local language go a long way when you travel, even in cities where another language is widely used.
What is the international dialling code for Uganda?
The dialling code for Uganda is +256 — keep the plus sign when you save the number.
Which cities in Uganda do you cover?
Our guide lists 1 city for Uganda: Kampala (capital).