Travel advice

Cash

Credit card and traveler’s cheque is not very useful in Uganda. Please prepare the money by cash. The most common foreign currency in Uganda is US Dollar, then Euro and sterling pound. Foreign currency can be accepted only at few hotels and travel agencies, so you need to exchange money to a local currency Uganda Shilling. The exchange rate for 100 and 50 dollar notes is higher than the one for notes less than 20 dollar. So you should prepare cash in 100 and 50 dollar notes. Any notes issued before 2000, cannot be accepted at any place, so please prepare notes issued later than 2001.

Passport

Your passport have a validity of more than 6 months from the date of entry.

Visa / Uganda

Visa for Uganda can be obtained at the entry point at 50 dollars. It is recommendable to obtain it from Embassy in advance, as it may take time at airport.

Warm cloth

Uganda is just under the Equator, but it becomes very cold in the night and morning because of high altitude. We recommend to prepare warn cloths to sustain about 10 degree. Also you may need pajama if you are staying in tented camp, because the temperature in tent and one outside can be almost the same.

Slipper

Let's prepare slipper for room use. Walking in hotel room with bare foot, or using slipper of the room can transmit athlete foot sometimes. Plastic slipper is convenient which can use in shower room too.

Toilet paper

You may spend 5 to 10 hours in transfer in one day during the trip. It may not be possible to find clean toilet always. We recommend carrying your toilet paper. If you squat in wild, umbrella is useful.

Torch

Many accommodations in and around national parks use generator or solar panel, and limit the time of using electricity. Please prepare torch near your pillow before you sleep, otherwise going to toilet in complete darkness is tiresome.

Umbrella

Uganda has constant rain fall, and it rains in dry season too. So umbrella is essential. Cottage style accommodation does not have cover between reception or restaurant and guest room.

Bag with the lock

Let's prepare one bag which can be locked. We recommend locking your bag when you are going out. Also, do not leave valuables in room.

Mosquito countermeasure

Middle to upper class accommodations have mosquito net and they spray the room beforehand. If you are still worried about mosquito, you may bring mosquito coil or battery run repellant, because you may not have electricity or socket in your room. While in forest or restaurant, repellent spray is useful.

Electric socket and voltage

Uganda uses electric socket of BF type which is 3 square pins, and voltage is 220v.

Prohibited area

It is not allowed to film bridges, from bridges, dams, from dams, army officers, army vehicles, army related facilities. If you are not sure of it, decline photographing or ask the person in charge.

Recharge of battery

Many accommodations in and around national parks do not have electric consent in room, but only at reception, and time for charging is limited. So, please charge batteries constantly, and carry some spares by any means.

Data backup

Memory card can be full within short time. Most hotels in Uganda do not have computer for guests, even if they do they may not allow connecting external device to avoid virus infection or not possible to burn CD and DVD. We recommend carrying your own laptop or large storage, if you are sure of taking many photographs.

Photographing from vehicle

It is not allowed to get off the car in the national parks, apart from those in forests. So you need to film from vehicle in many occasion. Most of vehicle used for safari use diesel engine which has bigger vibration. Please tell the driver to switch off engine, when you are photographing. Although this is not possible in such case that elephants are too close and can charge at any time. Mono-pod and bean bag is useful.

Photographing people

Some Ugandan people like to be photographed, and some others hate to be photographed. So please ask them if you can photograph them before photographing. You can send sign and ask by showing camera to them when it is off your face, if they do not understand English. They will smile you back if they like to be photographed.