Flag Description:


six equal horizontal bands of black (top), yellow, red, black, yellow, and red; a white disk is superimposed at the center and depicts a red-crested crane (the national symbol) facing the hoist side.

Uganda is located in the heart of Africa, bordered to the east by Kenya, to the south by Tanzania and Rwanda, to the west by The Democratic Republic of Congo and to the north by Sudan. It lies on the elevated basin which rises between the eastern and western arms of the Great Rift Valley. Ecologically, this beautiful country is the transitional point between the eastern savannahs, the western equatorial jungle and the northern semi-desert. The diverse vegetation cover offers visitors with something unique to discover in each part of the country.

The country boasts some of the most stunning scenery on the continent from shimmering lakes, lofty mountains, mysterious forests and game parks teeming with game. Uganda is arguably the most attractive country in Africa to birdwatchers, not only because of the unusually high number of species recorded within its borders, but also because it offers easy access to several bird-rich habitants that are difficult to reach elsewhere. Uganda’s remarkable avian diversity-1008 species recorded in an area similar to that of Great Britain- is attributed to the diverse vegetation.


The country has an excellent range of 10 national parks and several other protected areas, very pleasant and relaxing places with abundant wildlife to visit. A third of the country is covered with water, including the legendary River Nile and lakes like Lake Victoria-Africa’s biggest lake, Lake Albert, George, Edward, Kyoga and about 200 crater lakes located on the floor of the rift valley. Uganda's fresh water lakes offer opportunities for water activities and sports. An example is white water rafting, which has caught on as a popular tourist activity, especially on the River Nile. The country now attracts more than 500 rafters every month. Lake Victoria is now also being increasingly used for lake cruises. Other popular activities include sport fishing , sailing and bird watching.


The tribes of Uganda are just as varied as evidenced by the existence of 30-plus different indigenous languages belonging to five distinct linguistic groups, and an equally diverse cultural mosaic of colours, music art and handicrafts. Uganda is home to a profusion of over 30 colourful tribal groups and today, they are all proud to be Ugandans, with their own traditional lands and a way of life inherited from their ancestors.

Uganda’s most ancient inhabitants are the Batwa and Bambuti pygmies, remnant of the hunter-gatherer cultures that occupied much of Africa. The Bantu-speaking kingdoms of Buganda, Bunyoro, Ankole and Toro still serve as cultural figureheads.

Although they are believed to be offshoots of the mediaeval kingdoms of the Batembuzi and Bachwezi, these tribes have distinctive traditions and norms which are still followed today. Uganda’s cultural diversity is further boosted in the northeast by the presence of the Karamajong pastoralists whose lifestyle and culture is reminiscent of the renowned Maasai, and in the northwest by a mélange of agricultural peoples whose Nilotic languages and cultures are rooted in what is now Sudan



About Uganda

Most of the country is above 1000m altitude and the topography is generally flat. The most mountainous part is in the south-west where we find the volcanic Kigezi hills, blessed with incredible scenery and lush vegetation. North of Kigezi lays the regal Rwenzori Mountains, the highest mountain range in Africa.

The mountains are 70km long and 30km wide with the highest peak Margherita standing at 5109m above sea level, making it the 3rd highest in Africa. Uganda’s equatorial climate is tempered by its elevated altitude. The daily maximum is between 20ºC and 27ºC (68 ºF and 81 ºF) and the daily minimum is between 12ºC and 18ºC. (54 ºF and 64 ºF) The highest temperatures occur north of the country and the lowest have been recorded on the glacial peaks of the Rwenzoris. Many parts of the country receive an average annual rainfall between 1000mm and 2000mm, except in the drier north. Uganda has two main seasons, that is the dry season and the rainy season.

The wet season is from mid-September to November and from March to May. However in western Uganda and on the shores of Lake Victoria, it can rain at almost any time of the year.
According to the 2005 UN census, the population of Uganda is estimated to be 28 million of which 87% live rurally. The majority of Uganda’s peoples are concentrated in the south and west. The most populous ethnic group is the Baganda, who represent about 20% of the population with majority centered around Kampala, the Capital city and neighbouring districts.


The official language spoken is English and it is spoken by most educated Ugandans. More than 33 local dialects are spoken in different parts of the country. Many locals speak a limited amount of Kiswahili, a coastal language which spread into the East African interior through the 19th century Arab slave traders. Few Ugandans speak any indigenous language other than their native language, so English and Kiswahili are the most useful languages for tourists, and they are widely used between Ugandans of different linguistic backgrounds.


Some 85% of Ugandans are Christian, divided generally equally between the Anglicans and the Catholics, and a small portion of Seventh Day Adventists. In most rural areas, these religions have not entirely replaced traditional beliefs, so that many people practice both concurrently. Roughly 11% of Uganda is Islamic, a legacy of the Arab trade with Buganda. There is little or no friction between Christians and Moslems in modern Uganda. Other religions include the Hindi and the Bahai faith.


Uganda has, by large a free market economy. The country is particularly fertile and agriculture accounts for about 60% of the GDP, with major export crops including coffee, tea, tobacco and flowers. Over 90% of Ugandans are either subsistence farmers or work in agriculture–related fields.

Her Check List
• Swimsuit
• Shirts, blouses
• Skirts, trousers
• Underwear
• Slippers, sandals
• Hat
• Suntan, sunscreen lotion, sunglasses
• Camera, camcorder
• First Aid supplies
• Toiletries (deodorant, cologne, toothbrush etc.)
• Cosmetic supplies