Uganda
The Pearl of Africa
A land of great rivers, forests, and mountains teeming with life" – John Speke
Uganda, famously described by explorer John Speke as “a land of great rivers, forests, and mountains teeming with life,” is a country of incredible natural beauty, rich wildlife, and vibrant culture. Known as the Pearl of Africa, Uganda boasts stunning landscapes ranging from the rolling hills and lush rainforests to majestic lakes like Victoria and Albert and powerful rivers such as the Nile. Visitors can enjoy unforgettable adventures, including gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park, and wildlife safaris in Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth National Parks. Bird enthusiasts will be amazed by over 1,000 species, including the rare shoebill stork, while adventure seekers can hike to scenic waterfalls, go white-water rafting on the Nile, or take a hot air balloon ride over savannahs teeming with wildlife.
Uganda is home to diverse wildlife, including lions, elephants, giraffes, hippos, buffalo, zebras, and unique species like tree-climbing lions in Ishasha. National parks such as Mgahinga, Lake Mburo, and Semuliki offer both iconic safari experiences and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Beyond wildlife, Uganda’s culture is vibrant and welcoming, with opportunities to explore bustling markets in Kampala, visit local communities, and experience traditional music, dance, and crafts. Dark Hills Uganda ensures visitors explore both the natural wonders and cultural richness of the country safely and comfortably, providing experiences that create lifelong memories.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit Uganda is during the dry seasons, from June to August and December to February. During these months the weather is usually sunny and the roads in the national parks are easier to use. It is also a great time for wildlife safaris and gorilla trekking, because animals gather near water and forest trails are less muddy.Uganda can be visited all year round, but the rainy seasons (March to May and September to November) bring more…
The best time to visit Uganda is during the dry seasons, from June to August and December to February. During these months the weather is usually sunny and the roads in the national parks are easier to use. It is also a great time for wildlife safaris and gorilla trekking, because animals gather near water and forest trails are less muddy.
Uganda can be visited all year round, but the rainy seasons (March to May and September to November) bring more rain and some roads may become difficult. However, these months are very good for bird watching, the landscapes are green and beautiful, and there are often fewer tourists in parks like Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Murchison Falls National Park.
Overall, Uganda’s climate is mild because it is close to the equator and has many highlands. This means travelers can enjoy safaris, primate tracking, nature walks, and cultural experiences almost any time of the year.
January
Dry season. Excellent for safaris and gorilla trekking.
February
Dry weather and great wildlife viewing.
March
Start of rains but still good for travel and green landscapes.
April
Heavy rains. Some park roads and trekking trails can be difficult.
May
Rain continues but nature is very green and birdlife is great.
June
Dry season begins. Perfect for wildlife safaris and trekking.
July
One of the best months for gorilla trekking and safaris.
August
Dry weather and excellent wildlife viewing.
September
Light rains start but travel is still comfortable.
October
Rain increases but parks are less crowded.
November
Wet season with muddy roads in some parks.
December
Dry season returns. Great for safaris and holidays.
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National Parks
Ready for an unforgettable wildlife adventure in Uganda? Across the country, national parks protect forests, savannahs, mountains, and rivers, offering amazing experiences with animals and nature. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park are famous for gorilla trekking and golden monkey tracking. Queen Elizabeth National Park and Murchison Falls National Park offer classic safaris with elephants, lions, giraffes, buffaloes, game drives, and boat trips. Kibale Forest National Park is the top spot for chimpanzee trekking, while Lake Mburo…
Ready for an unforgettable wildlife adventure in Uganda? Across the country, national parks protect forests, savannahs, mountains, and rivers, offering amazing experiences with animals and nature. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park are famous for gorilla trekking and golden monkey tracking. Queen Elizabeth National Park and Murchison Falls National Park offer classic safaris with elephants, lions, giraffes, buffaloes, game drives, and boat trips. Kibale Forest National Park is the top spot for chimpanzee trekking, while Lake Mburo National Park is perfect for walking and cycling safaris close to Kampala. Kidepo Valley National Park provides a remote wilderness safari, and Rwenzori Mountains National Park, Mount Elgon National Park, and Semuliki National Park are ideal for hiking, bird watching, waterfalls, and hot springs. Together, these parks show the best safari regions in Uganda for wildlife, primates, and adventure travel.
Featured Accommodations
luxury
Gorilla Leisure Lodge
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
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luxury
Hotel Number 5
Entebbe
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mid_range
Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge
Queen Elizabeth National park
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mid_range
Rwakobo Rock
Lake Mburo National Park
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mid_range
Turaco Tree Tops
mid_range
Via Via Guest House
Entebbe
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Frequently Asked Questions
You are required to purchase a tourist visa before you enter Uganda. Tourist visas can be bought in advance via the embassy or consulate in your country or simply purchased upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport or at any overland border. Photos are not required and a single-entry tourist visa costs US$ 50 per person for up to 90 days stay in Uganda.
If you are planning to combine Uganda with a visit to Rwanda or Kenya it is recommendable to request for the East African Tourist Visa instead of a single-entry visa. This special visa costs US$100 per person and allows 90-days multiple entry to Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya. Regretfully, Tanzania is not (yet) a member of the East African community and therefore not part of this special visa arrangement.
You can charge your cameras, phones and other electric items in most hotels/ lodges. Not every hotel/lodge offers charging facilities in the rooms. If that is the case, they will offer charging options in the lobby or restaurant.
Some lodges Hotels run on either solar power or generator. Those lodges often don’t have power all day, but only at specific hours in the morning and evening (when it’s dark).
If you bring a couple of chargeable items you might consider bringing an extension with extra outlets, since the number of outlets is often limited. We advise to bring extra batteries for your camera, since some hotels don’t have power and power cuts might occur.
we request you to bring a bag or suitcase from soft material. Hard cover suitcases are difficult to place in the car and are likely to break on the bumpy roads in Uganda. When traveling in a group or private tour with 4 persons or more we request you to limit the weight of your bag/ suitcase to 15 kg.
There are several mobile providers in Uganda. You can purchase a SIM card for relatively low cost (3 US dollars). SIM cards and airtime for the different companies are available all over Uganda. MTN has the best network. Make sure that your phone is SIM-Lock-Free. You have to bring your passport and a passport photo to sign up.
The country code for Uganda is +256.
Internet cafés are found all around the country and are now even to be found in remote areas. Realize that internet speed is often very slow.
Most upmarket lodges provide WiFi, but not all of them. Some mid-range lodges provide WiFi as well.
If you bring your own laptop you can buy a 3 GB wireless internet stick from MTN. This Internet is relatively quick. The cost for this stick is about 50 US dollars per month (minimum 1 month). This stick can be bought in Entebbe, Jinja and Kampala and you need to bring your passport and a passport photo to sign up.
When you buy a MTN simcard (register with passport and passport photo) you can use the 3G or even 4G option to provide internet to your smartphone or tablet.
Only a few banks accept ATM cards or Visa credit cards for money withdrawal in Uganda. While you can withdraw a limited amount of cash per day from ATM machines in Kampala, there are very few opportunities to withdraw cash once you are on safari in Uganda.
Payment by credit card in Uganda can attract additional charges of between 5–10%, occasionally more. Do check with lodges and restaurants in advance, if you plan to pay by credit card.
We therefore advise you to bring cash and have money changed upon arrival in Kampala. US dollars, British pounds and Euros are easy to change. However, for some expenses, like the payment of a tourist visa at the airport/border, it is easier to have dollars available. It is often possible to pay for tourist activities with US dollars.
Please note: US dollars bills issued before 1999 are NOT accepted in Uganda. Exchanging low denomination dollar bills (anything less than a USD100 bill) attracts a lower exchange rate.
How much to tip in Uganda depends entirely on your level of satisfaction of course, but even a small tip to show your gratitude will be highly appreciated. You might consider USD10 per day if you are happy with the service of your safari guide and 5-10% tip in upmarket hotels and restaurants.
Officially, Uganda’s dry seasons are from December/January through to mid-March and from June through to mid-September. These dry months are the most popular with tourists, with July and August and Christmas and New Year being the peak seasons.
Most rain falls in October-November and April-May. However, this doesn’t mean that it rains all day, nor does it mean it will rain every day. Usually there’s a tropical shower at night or a shorter shower during the day, but in Uganda you can trust that after rain comes sunshine!
The weather is no reason to avoid travelling in the wet season – you might even consider it because of the easy availability of gorilla permits.
As in the rest of the world, the East African climate is changing, making it more difficult for us to predict the weather during your safari. However, in Uganda the temperature is very stable and pleasant, with sunshine almost 365 days a year. During the day, the temperature averages between 23 and 27°C, although in some places it can be quite cool at night.
One remarkable aspect about Uganda safaris is: whether you travel in the dry, dusty months or in the wet season, you will never find the crowded tourism like in Kenya or Tanzania. If you spot a lion or leopard, it is very likely that you will be the only one to see it – even in peak season!
A number of different vaccinations are recommended and/or required before entering Uganda. A certificate proving you have had the Yellow Fever vaccination is mandatory for entry into Uganda. Immunizations against DTP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Polio) and Hepatitis A are recommended as well.
Besides bringing mosquito repellent, we also advise you to take malaria ‘prophylactics’ (prevention medication).
You are unlikely to fall sick while you are in Uganda but do take all recommended preventive measures. If you take any regular medication, please bring it with you.
Take your Malaria medication as directed – before, during and possibly after – your visit to Uganda (depending on the Malaria prophylactic you take).
Although HIV/AIDS infection rates are lower than many countries in Africa, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS infection is certainly higher than in most Western countries. Tourists and visitors to Uganda sometimes engage in risky behavior that they wouldn’t engage in back home. Play safe. Please take your sexual health seriously.
Uganda is a very safe country to visit.
Although Uganda has lived through a turbulent history, the country is safe, stable and welcoming. Ugandans’ hospitable nature is legendary! You will be warmly welcomed wherever you go by the country’s friendly residents.
The most popular National Parks are situated in the south (west) of Uganda and are safe to visit. The border area with Rwanda and DRC remains stable and all National Parks and wildlife reserves are well protected by the Uganda Wildlife Authority’s rangers. Tourism is hugely important for Uganda’s economy and a Tourism Police force has been created to protect visitors.
If you are unsure about the safety of travel to Uganda, please contact Dark Hills Uganda.
Your travel insurance company or foreign office may offer information about travel to Uganda. However, in our experience, these bodies all err on the side of caution and do not necessarily know what is happening on the ground in Uganda at the time. For example, May 2013, some still advise against travel to Kidepo Valley National Park in Northern Uganda, although it is now safe to travel there by road, or by air.
Your safety is our absolute priority and you can rest assured that we will always give you the best Uganda travel advice.
Kampala is one of the safest capital cities in (East) Africa – although, as anywhere, petty thieves may try and take advantage of people who leave phones and valuables unattended. Your driver guide will give you all the information you need to make sure your trip is safe and incident-free. Feel free to ask questions!
If you are interested in a mountain gorilla safari in Uganda or Rwanda you are required to buy a gorilla permit well in advance of your trip. As only eight people are allowed to visit each gorilla group per day, the demand is high. Dark Hills Uganda is happy to book your gorilla trekking permits and organize your gorilla safari.
To buy your gorilla permit, you will need to provide us with your full names, nationality, passport number, preferred date of trekking and gorilla permit fee.
The minimum age for visiting the gorillas is 15 years. A certain level of fitness is required for the gorilla tracking, and you may not be allowed gorilla trekking if you fall sick.
Once you have confirmed the final itinerary with us, you will be asked to pay a non-refundable deposit of 25%. Gorilla permits must be paid for in full at the time of booking. Note that availability of accommodation and permits is not guaranteed until officially confirmed by Dark Hills Uganda. Accommodation, permit and activity reservations will be made as soon as payment has been received on our account.
For your convenience, the balance payment of 75% should be settled before the start of your safari. We accept payment by VISA credit card (please include 4% service charge) and bank transfer in either dollars or Euros to our bank account in Uganda. Please note that all bank charges are at the expense of the client.
Dark Hills Uganda provide open roofed 4WD (four-wheel drive) safari vehicles/mini buses for all our tours. Vehicles all have a pop-up roof for game viewing and these can take a maximum of 8 people. To ensure that everybody has a window seat to enjoy the best views of Uganda, we usually limit the number of people to seven in these 4WD safari minibuses. Limiting the number of people per vehicle also means plenty of legroom and luggage storage.
The challenging condition of the roads means that safari vehicles are serviced after every trip.
Single travelers are very welcome! However, to minimize your costs we would suggest joining a group. Although we can try and arrange this for you, we cannot guarantee we can find a group whose interests, budget and preferred route correspond to yours, especially during low season.
If you would like to stay in a single room please notify us well in advance and we will try to meet your request. Please bear in mind that single rooms are not common and it is more likely that you will be offered single occupancy of a double room. A single-room supplement will apply.
We offer tailor-made safaris for any number of participants. There is no minimum number for a group tour, although the bigger the group, the more attractive the price will be.
We have several comfortable 4WD minibuses which can take a maximum of 8 people. But because of Covid, and also to ensure that everybody has a window seat, we have put a limit on the number of people to 5 in the 4WD safari minibuses.
We offer tailor-made safaris for any number of participants. There is no minimum number for a group tour, although the bigger the group, the more attractive the price will be.
We have several comfortable 4WD minibuses which can take a maximum of 8 people. But because of Covid, and also to ensure that everybody has a window seat, we have put a limit on the number of people to 5 in the 4WD safari minibuses.
Ground transport in a comfortable four-wheel drive (4WD) safari vehicle
A visit to all places detailed in the Itinerary
The service of an experienced English-speaking driver/safari guide
National Park entrance fees
Activities as detailed in the itinerary (except for those that are marked optional)
Overnight in the named accommodations, based on sharing a twin or double room Full board (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
2 litres of bottled mineral water per person per day while travelling in the Dark Hills Uganda vehicle
Government taxes
Park ranger fees
Dark Hills Uganda tour prices do not include:
International flights
Tourist visa
Meals and snacks that are not mentioned in the itinerary
Beverages (other than the bottled mineral water provided in the safari vehicle)
Tips and gratuities for safari guides and/or park rangers
Laundry
Optional activities that are mentioned in the program
Items of a personal nature (toiletries, camera batteries, souvenirs)
Travel insurance
International payment transaction costs
The cost of other optional activities