Before independence, Uganda was a prosperous and cohesive country. Its great beauty led Winston Churchill to refer to it as the ‘Pearl of Africa’, but by early 1986 Uganda lay shattered and bankrupt, broken by tribal animosity, nepotism, military tyranny and politicians who had gone mad on power. Despite the horrors of the past, Ugandans have weathered the storm remarkably well. You will not meet a sullen, bitter or cowed people. Rather they are smiling and friendly, with openness absent in other places.
The natural attractions are amongst the best in the region and as tourism is still being re-established, there simply are not the crowds found elsewhere. It is only a matter of time before travellers discover the country’s many delights, so we recommend you do not leave it too long before you begin planning your visit.
The best times for a visit to Uganda are January and February, and June to September, as the weather during these months is generally dry. However, travel at other times of the year and during the wet season is possible, but time should be built into your plans to allow for delays
A gorilla trek is simply a must. We have plenty of options for you to consider, including Bwindi Impenetrable or Magahinga Gorilla National Parks. Of course this is not all Uganda has to offer: the national parks of Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth are well worth a visit for their natural attractions and offer wildlife viewing from the water on launch trips. After all this activity, we recommend a stay at Lake Bunyoni, which is famous for its birds and otters.
Visas- Back to top At the time of writing most non-African passport holders visiting Uganda require a visa, which we recommend is obtained before travelling. The London High Commission can be contacted on 020 7839 5783.
Getting to Uganda - Back to top International flights arrive at Entebbe airport, 35km from Kampala, and is served by airlines such as British Airways, Emirates, and Kenya Airways. For those travellers wishing to travel from their regional airport, an option is SN Brussels airlines. As we are a small, specialist agency, we are unable to secure the best airfares available. Increasingly the airlines are seeking the majority of bookings, direct through their own websites, or only offer the best deals to a handful of selected, large agencies such as Trailfinders (www.trailfinders.com). We can highly recommend Trailfinders, as they are generally very competitive in price and consistently offer the highest levels of choice and expertise. See our Frequently Asked Questions section for more information.
Immunisations- Back to top As with travel to most parts of East Africa, we strongly recommend that you contact your Doctor’s surgery or a specialist travel clinic for up-to-date information, advice and the necessary vaccinations. We can recommend the Trailfinders Travel Clinic (www.trailfinders.com/clinic.htm).
For a visit of less than one month, almost certainly you will be advised to have immunisations against the following: Diphtheria and Tetanus, Hepatitis A, Typhoid and Yellow Fever. Anti-malaria medication will also be required and the use of a DEET-containing insect repellent is highly recommended .
Travel Insurance - Back to top We have a legal obligation to stress the absolute need to have adequate travel insurance, which should be taken at the time your trip is confirmed. These days there’s a huge range of options available and premiums have never been more competitive. Increasingly annual multi-trip policies offer good value for money, but you should compare the level of cover and the activities included with each policy. Please contact us for further details.
Foreign Office Advice - Back to top We constantly monitor the advice posted by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). Currently the Foreign Office has no warnings in respect of travel to Uganda, except to the northern and north eastern part of the country (areas not covered by our tours). The FCO website reports that most visits to Uganda are trouble free. Should this position ever change we would of course advise all effected clients. Furthermore, we will always be as flexible as possible and do our best to waive normal cancellation fees (subject to the agreement of local suppliers), should we need to cancel a trip due to the advice issued by the Foreign Office.
Nonetheless, we strongly recommend that insurance be taken out at the time of booking, which may offer some protection should your plans later change as a result of such advice.
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