Things everyone should know before visiting Uganda
Named the pearl of Africa (and rightly so by the way) by Sir Winston Churchill, Uganda is one of those special countries that you just want to visit over and over again till you pass on to the next world
Uganda has an incredibly lush green landscape filled with exceptionally amazing polite friendly people. If you were lost in any area in Uganda, you are sure to be redirected to your destination
Uganda is a landlocked country in the East African region along the equator and bordered by DRC in the west, Kenya in the East, South Sudan in the north and Tanzania and Rwanda in the South
Uganda has some of Africa’s top bucket list adventures being one of the only places in the world with the mountain Gorillas and source of the world’s longest river the Nile
There are so many things to do in Uganda that will leave you spoilt for choice but before you start packing your travel bags and updating everyone about your next trip of a lifetime, these are the top 10 things that you should know about your next destination
Capital city and major cities
Kampala is the Capital city of Uganda and other regional cities include: Entebbe city where the national airport is and Masaka in central;Gulu, lira and Arua in the north; Mbale, Soroti and Jinja in the east, and Mbarara, fort Portal and Hoima in the west
Climate
Uganda’s temperatures are moderate throughout the year with areas around Lake Victoria and Kampala experiencing an average 18-25°C per day. Uganda has two seasons namely dry and wet. The dry seasons range from December to February and from June to August although with the current climatic changes, expect rain anytime. The North East of Uganda is semi-arid
Language
There are more than 40 indigenous languages spoken in Uganda although English and Swahili are the official languages spoken in Uganda. In fact 1 in 4 people are quite fluent in English thus it’s the main official language. The top widely spoken indigenous language families include Bantu (Luganda) and the Nilotic Luo
religion
Uganda’s major religions include Protestant, Roman Catholic, Muslim and Seventh day Adventist
Landscape
It is mostly plateau with ranges of mountains. The lowest point is lake Mwitanzige (Albert) at 621m and highest is mount Ruwenzori’s peak Magherita at an elevation of 5109m
National parks and reserve
There are approximately 10 national parks and 10 reserves covering about 11023 sq. km of Uganda’s land that comprises of a number of bird, mammal, aquatic and tree species. The Major national parks include Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi Impenetrable, Mgahinga Gorilla, kibale Forest, Kidepo Valley, Mount Elgon, Mount Rwenzori, Lake Mburo and Semuliki national park
Historical site
The national museum in Kampala is home to a number of historical artifacts. Other sites include Kasubi tombs, Mparo tombs, Nkonkonjeru tombs, Bigo Bya Mugenyi, namugongo shrine, Munsa earthworks, Nyero rock paintings, Kakoro rock paintings among others
Clothing
Uganda being along the equator has no winter. Light wear clothing is worn all year round although it is considered improper and insulting by several local traditions to dress scantily. Daytime temperatures are generally warm to hot while evenings are cooler especially at higher altitude
Entry requirements into Uganda
A valid passport. Most visitors require a visa to enter the country and these are available at all Uganda embassies with price subject to nationality
Health certificate
Visitors arriving from areas affected with Yellow fever and cholera require certificates of inoculation. In addition, due to the current pandemic, one requires a negative COVID 19 certificate of 72 hrs. or less before entry into the country. Whether vaccinated or not, you need it to enter this paradise
Well now you have it, you can pack up now and fulfil your wildest dreams; an adventure to the Pearl
I hope you enjoyed this post about the top 10 ten things to know before visiting Uganda and that it helps you plan your trip! Anything else you would add?
