By Ariadne van Zandbergen
Ariadne is a renowned Africa expert. She and her husband form a team who write and update many Bradt guides, including the guide to Uganda.
The main entry point for flights into Uganda is Entebbe International Airport (EBB) located near the town Entebbe, about 46km/29mi from the capital, Kampala. Uganda is a relatively compact country and further transportation within the country is usually done by vehicle, though more upmarket safaris increasingly tend to include one or more flights. In most cases, your local tour operator will collect you from the airport or hotel and further transportation will be part of and costed into your safari-package.
Domestic Airlines & Flights in Uganda
Aerolink runs scheduled domestic flights to several parks or nearby gateway towns. Fly Uganda recently resumed flights to Kihihi (for Bwindi and Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth) and intends to extend their network of flights in 2019. Alternatively, your tour operator can organize charter flights at a very high price. The only destination in Uganda that is more often reached by air than by road is the remote Kidepo Valley National Park.
Passport, Visa and Other Entry Requirements
Entry requirements can change, so please contact your local Uganda Embassy to verify the information below is current.
- A passport is required for all foreign visitors and has to be valid for at least six months.
- Passports must have a clean and full visa page for endorsement.
- All visitors traveling to Uganda must have a valid yellow fever certificate, which will be required as part of a visa application, and may also be required at the port of entry.
- Citizens of most countries require a visa. A list of countries that don't need a visa is available.
- Visas are best obtained in advance through an official online visa-application portal, but they can also be obtained through your local Uganda Embassy or high commission. At present visas on arrival are still being issued alongside the online application process, but this is meant to be phased out so enquire about this before opting to go this route.
- Tourist visas are available for Uganda only, or East Africa (which covers entry to Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda) for the same cost.
