About Uganda

Uganda covers an area of about 241,038 sq. km.; of which about 44,000 sq. km. is covered by fresh water bodies made up of swamps, forest reserves and game parks. Uganda is roughly the same size as Great Britain or Ghana. It is bordered by Kenya to the east, Sudan to the north, D.R.C. to the west and by Tanzania and Rwanda to the south.

Most of the country is a plateau, standing at an average of 1,200 M above sea level. The highest point is on Mt. Rwenzori, at 5,590 M with a permanent snow cover and Mt. Elgon at 4,300 M. The lowest on the other hand is 659 M at Albert Nile.

River Nile is the world’s longest river (6,700 km.) and it commences its journey from Lake Victoria (in Jinja-Uganda) which in turn is the world’s second largest fresh water body of 36,000 sq. miles.

The country lies at the overlap between Tropical East African Savannah, and West African rain forest zone. Nearly 1/5 of the country is made up of swamps and open water bodies, including the lakes Victoria, George, Edward, Albert, Kyoga , the Nile River and other smaller lakes.

The Equator crosses through Uganda. This fact greatly influences the climatic conditions of the country.

The south is thickly forested while the north is largely savannah, with some semi-desert areas in the north-east.

Temperature
Average annual temperature is 26 degrees C. in South Western, and 35 degrees C. in the north and North East.

Rainfall
Average annual rainfall is 1,000 mm in most parts of the country and 2000 mm in the islands of Lake Victoria. Most of Uganda is green all year round.

Languages
English is the official language, but Swahili is also widely used, especially among the business community, police and the army. There are a number of indigenous languages, which can be grouped into three: the Bantu, the nilotics, and the nilo-hermits.

Religion
The majority of Ugandans are Christians. Available statistics show that Christians form 66% of the population, people with their own indigenous beliefs form about 18%, and there is a Muslim community of about 16% of the population.

Capital City
Uganda’s capital city is Kampala. It is a modern city built on seven hills and befitting a country with one of the fastest growing economies in Africa. Over the past few years it has expanded to cover ten hills, and continues to grow both in size and charm. Entebbe International Airport serves the country.

Food
There is a very wide variety of food and eating-places all over the country. At the city you will find all sorts of restaurants that meet both local and international interests. There are Italian, Indian, Thai, Greek, European, and Chinese restaurants. The markets provide a variety of fresh foodstuffs.

Wildlife
Uganda’s location along the Equator, combined with the altitude and the great variety of terrain types, provide an overwhelming array of opportunities to keen birders and wild game viewers.

Uganda is one of the few countries in the world where you can find the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat as well as the rare shoebill. The country is also home to other numerous species of birds and mammals.

Equatorial Africa’s climate is dominated by an enormous band of weather called the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone which migrates southwards from equatorial regions reaching Southern Africa in November and departing in February. It also delivers two periods of rainfall in East Africa, commonly known as the “long” rains (from March to May) and the “short” rains (from October to December). Winters occur from May to July in Southern Africa and can be quite cold though nearly always sunny. Lowland Kenya and Tanzania remain at a comfortably warm temperature all the year round.

The ITCZ weather system and the rain it brings is almost solely responsible for all the breeding and behavioural patterns of Africa’s wildlife and birds and the annual rejuvenation of vegetation in sub-Saharan Africa. This in turn may affect when and indeed where one chooses to safari.

Prime game viewing in Southern Africa is prior to the rains when game concentrates around diminishing water sources. In East Africa rainfall drives the famous Wildebeests migration, in March the herds are in the southern Serengeti and by November they are in the Masai Mara. Whilst most herbivores have some form of migratory pattern most predators are territorial and remain in a given location regardless of rainfall. Trekking mountain gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda is best without rain, similar to tracking chimpanzees. Most people prefer to safari when there is little chance of rain but experiencing tremendous tropical thunderstorms can make safaris more impressive!

The success of any true African safari is directly linked to the amount and quality of planning that goes into it’s preparation. This is especially true as travellers to Africa become less satisfied with being shepherded around the wilderness in large groups, preferring instead a more personalised, individual style of travel.

One of the essential ingredients of a great safari is an exciting and original itinerary. This in turn requires careful and thoughtful planning integrating several elements. Essentially, the key to successful planning lies in using in-depth and up to date local knowledge to carefully balance a clients interests and expectations with an appropriate destination and resource best suited to meet those requirements.

Given the proliferation of information on Africa through travel guides and the internet it is relatively easy for anyone plan an itinerary of their own, on paper that is! However, the reality of what happens on the ground in Africa may turn out to be totally different with little or no opportunity for recourse.

Most people have a fair idea of where they would like to go and what they would like to do, others have very little idea or no experience of Africa and some with specific interests know exactly what they require from their safari. Either way, through a proven process African Safaris Travel is always able to put forward a set of original itineraries as a basis for consideration or further modification as required.

When to go for an African Safari
Uganda Travel Tips and Information
Kenya Travel Tips
Tanzania Travel Tips and Information