COUNTRIES

Background

Uganda - simply known as the Pearl of Africa. Kampala, the capital of Uganda is a rapidly expanding cosmopolitan city with a population of 1,000,000. The city takes its name from Kasozi Kampala, "the hill of antelopes" and its origins go back to 1891 when the Kabaka of Buganda had his court on Rubaga and Mengo Hill, one of the 21 hills that now make up Kampala.

Modern structures, red-tiled villas, and iron-roofed bungalows have come up in recent years. Kampala has largely retained its traditional charm and remains one of the greenest cities in Africa. The city boasts of all the modern trappings ranging from international banks, five-star hotels, first class restaurants, state of the art conference facilities and modern communications infrastructure. The cosmopolitan nature of Kampala is reflected in the wide choice of eating-places to be found in the city ranging from continental type facilities to Chinese and Indian restaurants.

Other towns in Uganda include Entebbe, home of Uganda’s International Airport and a number of hotel resorts, and Jinja, the second industrial town of Uganda and the source of the Great River Nile.

Geography and Wildlife

From the moment you land at Entebbe International airport, you are captured by the breathtaking equatorial location on the forested shore of the island-strewn Lake Victoria. It is immediately clear that Uganda is no ordinary safari destination. 40km from the airport, sprawled across seven hills, lays Kampala. The bright modern feel of this bustling cosmopolitan city reflects the ongoing economic growth and political stability that has characterized Uganda since 1986. This is complemented by the sloping spaciousness and runaway greenery of its garden setting.

Ecologically, Uganda is where the East African savannah meets the West African jungle. One can observe lions prowling the open plains in the morning, track chimpanzees through the rainforest undergrowth the same afternoon, then navigate tropical channels teeming with hippo and crocs before setting off into the misty mountains to stare deep into the eyes of a mountain gorilla the next day.

Certainly, Uganda is the only safari destination whose range of forest primates is as impressive as its selection of plains antelope. This verdant bio diversity is further attested to by Uganda’s status as by far the smallest of the four African countries whose bird checklist tops the 1,000 mark!

The mighty Nile, punctuated by the spectacular Murchison Falls, is the perfect setting for the world’s most thrilling commercial white-water rafting.

The snow-capped peaks of the Ruwenzori provide a tantalizing challenge to dedicated mountaineers. The Virunga Volcanoes and Mount Elgon offer highly rewarding hiking opportunities through scintillating highland scenery.

The myriad islands of Lake Victoria and Bunyonyi are the myriad forest-fringed crater lakes that stud the rift valley floor and escarpment around Fort Portal. Whether you are first time safari-goers or seasoned African travelers, Uganda, with its unique blend of savannah and forest creatures, its rare wealth of montane, and lake habitats are simply dazzling.

Public Holidays