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Karibu Uganda!

Swahili · "Welcome to Uganda"

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Navigating Your Journey to Uganda

Welcome to Visa & Travel Information

Planning a trip to Uganda has never been easier! Our Visa & Travel section provides all the essential information you need on visa requirements, entry points, and travel tips to help you make the most of your visit. Whether you are coming to explore our beautiful national parks, cultural heritage sites, or to experience the vibrant cities like Kampala and Entebbe, we are here to ensure a seamless journey. Discover everything you need to know for an unforgettable trip!

Visa & Travel · Checked October 2026

Uganda Visa and Travel

Getting into Uganda is easier than many people expect, but it does have to be done before you fly. This page covers the e-visa, what to have ready at the border, what happens when you land at Entebbe, and the practical basics that save time and money in your first days.

The e-visa: apply online before you travel

Most visitors need a visa for Uganda, and it is applied for online through the official Uganda immigration portal before departure. Uganda has moved away from issuing visas on arrival, so do not count on buying one at the airport. Approval usually comes within a few working days, but apply well in advance of your flight.

Visa at a glance

  • Single-entry tourist visa: USD 50, plus a small online admin fee.
  • How: online application with passport scan, photo and travel details; pay by card.
  • At the border: show your approval letter and passport; the officer decides the length of stay.
  • East Africa Tourist Visa: USD 100, multiple entries to Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda for 90 days.
  • Official portal: visas.immigration.go.ug

Avoid the copycat sites

Many websites look official and charge two or three times the real fee for "processing". Use only the government portal above. An approval letter from the official system costs the fee and nothing more.

Entry checklist

  • A passport valid for at least six months from your arrival date, with blank pages.
  • Your e-visa approval letter, printed and on your phone.
  • Vaccination certificates as required at the time of travel. Rules on yellow fever certificates have changed in the past, so check the current requirement with the embassy or the immigration portal before you fly.
  • Details of your first night's accommodation and your onward or return flight.
  • Travel insurance that includes medical evacuation.

Health and vaccinations Is Uganda safe?

Arriving at Entebbe International Airport

Uganda's international airport lies at Entebbe, on the shore of Lake Victoria, south of Kampala. After immigration and baggage, you will find money changers, mobile network counters and taxi desks in the arrivals hall. The Entebbe Expressway connects the airport with Kampala, but the last part of the journey into the city can be slow at rush hour.

  • Pre-book your transfer or use a licensed airport taxi; agree the price before you set off.
  • If you land late at night, consider your first night in Entebbe instead of crossing into Kampala.
  • Keep small US dollar notes or shillings ready for porters and first purchases.

Entebbe and Lake Victoria

Money

Daily life runs on the Uganda shilling (UGX). National park fees, gorilla and chimpanzee permits and many tours are priced in US dollars. Cash machines are common in Kampala and larger towns but rare in the countryside, and card payments are accepted mainly in hotels, lodges and bigger shops.

  • Bring US dollars in clean, newer notes; old or damaged notes are often refused or exchanged at a poor rate.
  • Large dollar notes usually get a better exchange rate than small ones.
  • Mobile money is used everywhere in Uganda, from markets to boda-bodas.
  • Carry enough cash before heading to the parks and rural areas.

Money, costs and budgets

Phone and internet

A local SIM card is cheap and gives you mobile data across most of the country. SIM cards must be registered with your passport, which the network shops at the airport and in town do on the spot. Coverage is good in towns and along main roads, and patchy in remote parks and forests.

During the January 2026 elections, the authorities suspended public internet access for several days. Save important numbers and booking details offline before you travel.

Practical basics

  • Capital: Kampala.
  • Time: East Africa Time, UTC+3, no daylight saving.
  • Driving: on the left.
  • Power: 240 V, British-style three-pin plugs (type G).
  • Languages: English and Swahili are official; Luganda is widely spoken in and around Kampala.
  • Water: drink bottled or treated water.

Getting around Uganda What to pack

Airport transfers and tours

Book an airport transfer from Entebbe before you land, or a first tour of Kampala and the Equator line, gorilla treks and national park safaris. Entrance fees are included in the tour price; tips are not included but always welcome.

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Updated and fact-checked: 21 October 2026. Entry rules change; always confirm the current requirements on the official immigration portal or with the Embassy of Uganda before you travel. Text and research by Remo Kurka for uganda.africanindependence.com. This website carries no Google advertising.