Uganda Information

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Uganda Information

Uganda

Uganda is Africa condensed, with the best of everything the continent has to offer packed into one small but stunning destination. Uganda is home to the highest mountain range in Africa, the Rwenzoris (or Mountains of the Moon). It is the source of the mighty Nile River, offering the best white-water rafting in the world. It has the highest concentration of primates on earth, including the majestic mountain gorilla, one of the rarest animals on the planet.

On top of all this, the scenery is so striking that it looks like an oil painting, the beautiful national parks see far fewer visitors than in neighboring Kenya and Tanzania, and the capital, Kampala, is safer and friendlier than most in Africa. In 1907 pioneering tourist Winston Churchill called Uganda the “Pearl of Africa”. He was right. English is the official language of Uganda.

Climate

Uganda's equatorial climate provides plentiful sunshine, moderated by the relatively high altitude of most areas of the country. Mean annual temperatures range from about 16°C / 61°F in the southwestern highlands to 25°C / 77°F in the northwest; but in the northeast, temperatures exceed 30° C / 86°F about 254 days per year. Daytime temperatures average about eight to ten degrees warmer than nighttime temperatures in the Lake Victoria region, and temperatures are generally about fourteen degrees lower in the southwest.

Except in the northeastern corner of the country, rainfall is well distributed. The southern region has two rainy seasons, usually beginning in early April and again in October. Little rain falls in June and December. In the north, occasional rains occur between April and October, while the period from November to March is often very dry. Mean annual rainfall near Lake Victoria often exceeds 2,100 mm / 83 inches, and the mountainous regions of the southeast and southwest receive more than 1,500 mm / 59 inches of rainfall yearly. The lowest mean annual rainfall in the northeast measures about 500 mm / 20 inches.

Currency

The official currency is the Ugandan Shilling (UGX). Foreign currency, like US dollars, Euros or Pounds Sterling, can be exchanged at banks and exchange bureaus. Exchange rates vary, sometimes daily. Information on exchange rates is readily available, however one source may be found here. Travelers' checks are not widely accepted outside of Kampala. ATMs are available in Kampala. Credit cards are only accepted at major hotels, shops and restaurants, usually only in the cities.

Passports / Visa

A valid passport is mandatory, and visa requirements vary and should be checked before you travel.

Naturalized American citizens of Uganda descent need an entry visa for Uganda. Nationals of the countries listed below are exempted from visa requirements for travel to Uganda. They do, however, need to have a current passport issued by their respective countries:

· Members of COMESA: Angola, Burundi, Comoros, Eritrea, Kenya, Malawi Mauritius, Madagascar, Rwanda, Seychelles, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

· Others exempted are: Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Fiji, Gambia, Grenada, Jamaica, Lesotho, Malta, Sierra Leone, Singapore Solomon Islands St Vincent & the Grenadines, Tonga, Vanuatu, Italy (Only diplomatic passport holders) and Cyprus.

You are advised to verify all passport and visa

information presented on this web site.