Uganda (http://www.visituganda.com/) is a country in East Africa. It is bordered on the east by Kenya, the north by Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by Tanzania. Famously called the Pearl of Africa by Winston Churchill, it is home to one of the most diverse and concentrated ranges of African fauna including the highly endangered mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei) and the endangered common chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes).

Regions

• Northern Uganda - The beautiful area along the River Nile between Pakwach and the Sudan border teems with wildlife. Use www-bahr-el-jebel-safaris.com to see this area. Eagle Air has daily flights to Arua, where the safari company will pick you up and take you to their River Camp.
• Southwest Uganda - Most of the areas of interest to travelers are in the south-west part of the country, a side branch of the famous and volcanically active Great Rift Valley, with the exception of Jinja and Murchison Falls. Gorilla tracking draws most foreign tourists, and there are several troops of gorillas that can be visited in at least three different locations. Book gorillas tracking permits well in advance (6 months or more) to avoid disappointment. In Uganda there are so many tour companies that can arrange your Uganda safari
• Rwenzori National Park - Interesting to the traveler is also the Rwenzori Mountains area near Kasese town. Here you can climb Mt. Margherita (5109 m/16,761 ft), go safari in Queen Elizabeth NP and experience the culture of the Bakonzo mountain people at Mitandi (http://www.mitandi.com)

Cities

• Arua Located in the NE corner of the country. Reached by daily flights from Entebbe Airport by Eagle Air.

• Kampala is a bustling African city. If you like the African urban vibe, are comfortable haggling for produce or are willing to share a pack of cigarettes and chat up the locals, then you could have an interesting day of it. Sadly, though, there is not much of interest for sightseeing, but it is not a particularly dangerous place to be in the city centre around the major hotels (but see below under Stay Safe). The National Museum is interesting but rather sad and run down and the colonial architecture of various buildings (particularly in Old Kampala) is nice but unexceptional. A visit to the Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi is a great way to spend an entire day. The tombs are a world heritage site. The guides are more than happy to talk to you all day about all aspects of Bugandan culture, history, politics and language. A great first stop in Uganda. The market in Kampala is particularly impressive, just hop on a boda-boda and ask for the market.

• Entebbe is built around the shores of Lake Victoria and is primarily active as the location of the airport, The Uganda Government house, the State House, was relocated to the town of Entebbe in November 2007. The drive to or from Kampala is about an hour. The United Nations uses Entebbe as a depot and staging area for their vehicles and heavy equipment that are part of peace keeping and other missions in the central African region. Entebbe offers a relaxed stopover alternative to Kampala on your way into or out of the country by airplane, as the air is clean, the streets are safe to walk, and the old colonial gardens and parks with the lake in the background make for a serene atmosphere. The old Botanical Gardens, while tired, will be of interest to botanists and birders unlikely to see specimens in the wild.

• Jinja is the world-famous source of the Nile, and in Uganda more famously the source of Nile Beer. This is a popular destination for backpackers for its white-water rafting. Three main operators work the rapids, offering a range of options, including body surfing, kayaking lessons and a video or DVD of the experience afterwards. It is possible to arrange a day trip from any travel agent in Kampala. Be sure to use sunscreen! Bungee jumping, quad biking and zip wire across the Nile are all possible in Jinja, the adrenaline adventure capital of East Africa. Party until dawn after your activities at Nile River Explorers campsite.

• Fort Portal is generally considered Uganda's most attractive settlement. Approached from Kampala through extensive tea plantations, it contains some fine old buildings and a superb Rwenzori backdrop.

• Fort Wadalai Located on the west bank of the Albert Nile in Northern Uganda.

• Kabale is a small city in the far south of the country. There is not much to do, but it is the stopover to go to Lake Bunyonyi.

• Kisoro is a town near Congo and Rwanda. There is nothing much out here, but it is the stopover to visit the National Park. A climb up the volcano could be done as a day trip from Kisoro town.

• Pakwach Located on the west bank of the Albert Nile on the road to Arua. End of former British rail line from Mombasa.

• Rhino Camp On the west bank of the Albert Nile in northern Uganda.

• Rakai is a rural area where the original case of AIDS was discovered back in the early 1970s.

Other destinations

National Parks

The national parks are beautiful and, on the whole, uncrowded. See the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) website (http://www.uwa.or.ug/) or for details of gorilla tracking, safaris, chimpanzee tracking and more. Prices in several parks seem to be set at 20 (1 day), 35 (2 days),.. An ISIC student card cuts you a 25% off the entrance fees these days.

• Ajai Game Reserve is in northern Uganda and boasts a new deluxe safari camp now under construction just out side its border. A small reserve at 16,600 hectares, located on the east bank of the Albert Nile. The camp is operated by www-bahr-el-jebel-safaris.com.

• Aswa-Lolim former Game Reserve Is in northern Uganda on the east bank of the Albert Nile. Today it is a series of huge ranches, but there is still considerable wildlife which is controlled by the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

• Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the primary gorilla tracking location. There are troops reached from Buhoma (north) and a new troupe reached from the south at Nkuringo.

• Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is at the confluence of Rwanda and the DRC. One gorilla troop can be tracked from here, but its range sometimes takes it into one of the other two countries, so may not be accessible. The Virunga Mountains are the dramatic spine of the park, recently active volcanic peaks. Much other remarkable wildlife is in this often overlooked park.

• Kabelaga National Park

• Kidepo Valley National Park located in the extreme NE corner of Uganda on the Sudan border. Incredible wildlife here that comes right up to the Apoka Lodge. Elephant, zebra, nile buffalo, kob often visit the lodge.

• Lake Mburo National Park located in southern Uganda. Use Mihingo Lodge just outside the park and take horse-back safaris from here.

• Murchison Falls National Park offers a very nice boat (15000 USh.) trip getting surrounded by crocodiles and hippos. The nearby waterfall is dramatic and beautiful, as the entire Nile river plunges down 45 m (150 ft) and through a 7 m (23 ft) wide crevice. It is possible to do safaris - Murchison is full of a variety of wildlife, including elephants, giraffes, hartbeast, buffalo, and a few lions and leopards. For now it is still a little bit difficult to get as independent traveller. Take an early bus to Masindi and then try to arrange for transport to bring you to the park. With some luck you could get a free ride with the rangers. Or you could base out of the River Camp and join one of the safaris that visits the park, see www.bahr-el-jebel-safaris.com.

• Queen Elizabeth National Park has several parts to it, but the main section between Lake Edward and Lake George is a more concentrated version of East African parks as far as animals are concerned, although with less splendid vistas unless the mist-shrouded Ruwenzori Mountains are visible. The Ugandan Kob is an endemic antelope (and is on the coat of arms along with the crested crane, including on currency). Worth considering is a drive among volcanic crater lakes on the south edge of the Ruwenzoris. Kazinga channel has the greatest concentration of Hippos in africa in this park and the park is home to the famous tree climbing lions.

• Kibale Forest National Park near the town of Fort Portal is famed for chimpanzee tracking and is highly recommended. Twitchers will know that some of the best birding in central Africa is here too. The Kasese Crater Lakes are in the area.

• Rwenzori National Park is a mountain range in south-west Uganda bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is 120 km (75 mi) long and 48 km (30 mi) wide with its highest peak at Mt. Stanley (5109 m/16,761 ft). The range was first described in the 2nd century by ancient Greek astronomer Ptolemy as the Mountains of the moon, and first ascended in 1896 by Italian explorers. By the end of 2006, its ice cap has retreated from 6.4 square kilometres (2.5 sq mi) a century ago, to less than a 1.28 square kilometres (0.5 sq mi). In the Rwenzori Mountains near Fort Portal you find Mitandi (http://www.mitandi.com/mitandi/). The place represents an unique opportunity to explore the mountains and get to know the culture of the local Bakonzo mountain people.

More information here: Uganda National Parks (http://www.ugandanationalparks.com/).

• See also: African National Parks

Islands

• Ssese Islands is a beautiful stretch of islands on Victoria Lake with isolated beaches and a bit of jungle. Jungle walks you could easily manage on your own, spending half a day. Beware that there is bilharzia in Victoria Lake, so if you swim, go check up with the doctor afterwards. However, you can expect to spend around 8 hours getting to the Ssese islands. As an alternative, Busi island can be reached in around 45 minutes from Entebbe. there is a camp site, with a small number of beds in a dorm and some bandas which are presently under construction.

• Lake Bunyonyi is a charming lake dotted with little islands you could relax on. The area is considered to look a bit like Switzerland.

• Ngamba Island is small fascinating island of Lake Victoria where Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary is located. The Sanctuary was established in the October 1998 as a project to take care of young orphaned Chimpanzees. When they grow up, they are taken to the forest to live in a natural environments. Chimpanzee tracking safaris (http://www.gorillasafaris.org) to Ngamba Chimpanzee sanctuary take place all year round.

Understand

During Uganda's era of British colonialism, settlement by Europeans was not allowed, and today there are few Caucasians in Uganda. The term for whites is muzungu (plural bazungu), and Caucasian visitors should get used to hearing it shouted out by children in every corner of the country. It is not a derogatory term per se, so smile and wave in reply. (Do not give out sweets or — worse - money because begging by children is growing in the touristy parts of Uganda near the gorillas.)

Uganda is accessible and affordable, but not up to the high tourism standards of more mature destinations such as Kenya or Tanzania, much less South Africa. This gives it more edge, more authenticity and less predictability. This does not mean danger (but see Stay Safe section below), rather greater opportunities for delight -- and frustration. This is real Africa, the dirty urban bustle of Kampala bursting at the seams then giving way to lush subsistence farming and small villages. Roads are rough, people are friendly, everything seems to have a smell all its own, and not everything moves according to schedule or to plan.

Most travellers come for the gorilla Safari (http://www.africanpearlsafaris.com), but other major draws are the chimpanzees, birding, trekking the Rwenzoris, and visiting the source of the Nile River.

• War Dance (http://www.wardancethemovie.com/) is an excellent movie that showcases life in the north of the country.

Get in

By plane

• Entebbe Airport is the hub for Ugandan air travel. Many flights to cities in Africa take place from here. Direct flights to and from Johannesburg run three days a week on South African Airways.
• Direct flights to and from London run every other day on British Airways.
• Emirates offers flights from Entebbe to Dubai via Nairobi and Addis Ababa on Airbus A340S

with onward connections to Europe, N. America, and Asia from Dubai.

• Ethiopian Airlines offers service to Addis on Boeing 737s.
• Kenya Airways and KLM fly daily from Entebbe to Amsterdam either via Nairobi or direct.
• Brussels Airlines (http://www.brusselsairlines.com) flies non-stop from Entebbe to Brussels, where you can take a connecting flight to the rest of Europe or to India, China or the USA

By train

There is currently no passenger train service to or in Uganda.

By car

Contact the staff at Mitandi (http://www.mitandi.com/mitandi/) in the Rwenzori Mountains. They arrange cheap transport with local minibuses. The crew is friendly and service-minded.

By bus

Several bus companies offer direct lines between Kampala to Nairobi, Kigali and Dar es Salaam. A night bus from Kampala could start at 4PM to arrive at 6AM in Nairobi, costing 23000 USh.

Alternatively do the trip in stages. Take a matatu or bus up to the border and walk to the other side.

By boat

By Land

Going South from Sudan the border is not all that stable, but after the peace agreement between the South and North of Sudan, the border is open, and anyone can cross freely.

Get around

By boda-boda

In Kampala and some other towns, the boda-boda is a good way to get from place to place. These are small mopeds, motorcycles, bicycles or scooters with cushions on the back and are cheap transport as used by locals. If using Boda-Bodas, be extremely careful as they are frequently involved in accidents; however, in spite of this they are a fun and fast way to get around. Note that if you advise the driver that you want him to drive slower and safer, he may actually listen to you.

By bus

Uganda has decent bus system. There are two classes of buses. The taxis are actually minibuses or commuter vans called which run fixed routes (see below).

There are also real buses which run less frequently, usually leaving Kampala early in the morning. There are many companies which almost all leave from the same general area. The buses fill up so if you get on mid trip you'll be spending some time standing or sitting in the aisle before somebody gets off and you can get a seat.

Both buses and taxis run along most roads between cities, paved (sealed) or dirt.

Domestic bus travel is reasonable and cheap between major centres, and is a good choice for backpackers with time, but may not run reliably on schedule. A trip from Kampala to Masindi takes about 4 hours and costs approximately 8000 Uganda shillings.

Note that both buses and taxis do not run on fixed schedules; rather, they leave their terminus stop when they are completely full. On heavily-travelled routes they fill up within minutes and this is not a problem, but on less-travelled routes (or if getting on a large bus), be prepared to wait a while before departure.

By taxi

The best way to get around Kampala and the neighbouring towns is by using minibus-type taxis called matatus. This is the most efficient and cost-effective method of transportation in urban areas, but try not to get ripped off by the conductors as they sometimes try to overcharge tourists. They are crowded, cheap, frequent, and make lots of stops.

They run along fixed routes, picking up and dropping off people anywhere along the route. If you want to get on, stand at the side of the road and wave your arm. To get off, say stage and the driver will pull over and let you off. They're not marked with destinations, so you'll have to listen to the destinations that the drivers are yelling out the window. If you're not sure where to catch a taxi going to your destination (especially at Kampala taxi park, which is huge!), just ask a nearby driver or conductor, and they'll probably be able to point you in the right direction.

Taxis, called special hire taxis, are available in most every decent sized town. Fares are negotiable over long distances.

By car

The roads in Uganda are comparable to many in Sub-Saharan Africa. Most of the main roads are metalled though the condition of them can deteriorate in patches. And some become extremely pot holed. Many of the minor roads and side roads are made of hard packed earth (murum) and when graded are quite quick and reasonable. However they will deteriorate in heavy rains and wash boarding frequently occurs. The best way to deal with the wash boarding is not to slow down, but to find a speed sympathetic to the road surface and effectively skip from ridge to ridge. Untarred roads, if wet, may be impassable in the mountainous regions of the south-west. Commercial drivers of buses and trucks compound the danger, as do pedestrians, livestock, cyclists, dogs, and the odd police roadblock. Plan on 60km/hr as a typical rate of travel (speed will vary, though!). The best advice is drive cautiously and stay totally alert.

When planning a journey it is best not to ask how far it is but to ask how long it will take. Local drivers normally have a good idea of how long journeys will take.

Expect to pay a lot to hire a vehicle. A sensible choice is to hire a 4x4 with a driver given that you will need local language assistance and expertise should something happen on the roads. Most places have accommodation and meals for drivers as this is common among travellers. This will cost upwards of USD100.00 per day (not including fuel) with the cheapest vehicles typically having no windows, a canvas roof, an assembly date in the 1970's and so on. You get what you pay for. A cheap option is likely to leave you stranded somewhere remote and that can mean days of your itinerary lost. (Caveat emptor for those hiring from Walter Egger in Jinja for just this reason!) Unless you are comfortable paying cash in advance without a signed contract and no network to help you get out of a breakdown, go to one of the major agencies.

Talk

English is widely spoken as the lingua franca, but Swahili will come in handy in places (though many Ugandans do not speak Swahili at all, it is a common African trade language). As English is the official language, many people in the major cities speak English (though to varying degrees of fluency). Dozens of African languages are spoken in Uganda, the most common being Luganda and Lusoga.

A few words or stock phrases in the various dialects are very easy to learn and most locals will be delighted to help you learn the highly ritualised greeting, and in turn, every person you greet in this way will be delighted to meet you.

olio-tia = how are you?; bulungi/gendi = i am fine; jabalay = how is it here/how is work?; kalay = ok

Nyabo = madam; ssebo = sir

Mzungu = European, but used more commonly to refer to all foreign and, especially, white people

The Swahili 'Hujambo' meaning hello is used everywhere and you will hear lots of ecstatic children waving, jumping, hopping and singing Jambo mzungu as you roll past.