Visas & entry
US, Canadian, UK, Australian and most EU passport holders should plan to apply online for a Ugandan tourist visa before travel; they are not on Uganda’s published visa-exempt list. The standard single-entry tourist visa is listed at US$50 and may be granted for up to three months. Verify current visa, passport-validity and health-entry requirements directly before booking.
Getting in
- Entebbe International Airport: This is Uganda’s sole international airport and the practical arrival point for almost every fly-in visitor. It sits on Lake Victoria, around 40 km from Kampala; stay in Entebbe after a late arrival rather than risking an early Kampala departure through traffic.
- Kajjansi airfield: A domestic aviation gateway rather than an international arrival point, useful for scheduled bush flights linking the Entebbe/Kampala area with the southwest, Murchison Falls and Kidepo.
Getting around
Do not plan a national itinerary around rail: Uganda’s passenger service is a Kampala–Namanve–Mukono commuter link, not transport to Jinja, the parks or the southwest. Road travel is the default but is slow and variable; use a driver-guide or realistic self-drive timings, and regard long transfers as full travel days. Aerolink and Bar Aviation flights from Entebbe/Kajjansi can save a day to Pakuba for Murchison, Kihihi or Kisoro for Bwindi, Kasese/Mweya for Queen Elizabeth and Apoka for Kidepo, but cost more and commonly limit luggage to soft bags of about 15 kg.
Money
The Ugandan shilling is the everyday currency, but safari quotations, permits and domestic flights are commonly in US dollars. Card acceptance is strongest in Entebbe, Kampala and established lodges; carry cash for smaller towns and incidental spending. Confirm whether gratuities are included in safari quotes rather than assuming they are.
Book before you land
Bwindi or Mgahinga mountain-gorilla trekking permits, booked before building the route because the assigned sector determines the correct lodge and road plan
- Sleep in Entebbe after a late international arrival; Kampala traffic can turn a theoretically short transfer into a missed connection or exhausted first day.
- Book the gorilla permit first, then choose a lodge in the matching Bwindi sector or near the relevant Mgahinga briefing point. Bwindi is not one interchangeable base.
- Allow full days for major road transfers. A distance that looks modest on a map can involve traffic, rain, roadworks, towns and poor park approach roads.
- Kampala is worthwhile for food, markets, music and Buganda history, but for most safari itineraries one intentional night is enough; it is not a substitute for another park night.
- Kidepo is a separate northeast expedition, not a casual detour from the western circuit. Fly if time matters.
- Ask safari operators explicitly whether their price includes permits, park fees, boat cruises, vehicle charges, fuel, drinks and tips.
Entry rules change — verify visa requirements for your passport before booking this country.