Uganda was referred to by Winston Churchill as the Pearl of Africa. It is known for its scenery and large gorilla populations. It gets its name from the Buganda Kingdom which encompassed Southern Uganda including Kampala. Uganda lies almost completely in the Nile basin thus a lot of Uganda has mash lands and is drained by the various lakes and rivers in the country.

The Victoria Nile drains from the Lake Victoria into Lake Kyoga and then into Lake Albert along the Congolese border. It then runs northwards into South Sudan, in the east Uganda is drained by the Turkwel River. Other Lakes found in Uganda are Lake Edward, and Lake George. The country has over a hundred districts which are administered parallel to six traditional Bantu Kingdoms;  Toro, Ankole, Busoga, Bunyoro, Buganda and Rwenzururu.

Capital City

The capital city of Uganda is Kampala. It is a warm friendly safe city. It was originally a city of 7 hills but with time these have increased as the city spread.

Attractions

With its history of various kingdoms, variety of natural resources and people.  Uganda has a range of attractions and activities you can enjoy.

1. Beaches
2. Botanical Gardens in nearby Entebbe
3. Bungee jump dipping your head in the headwaters of the Nile, near Jinja
4. Cathedrals - Rubaga and Namirembe from here one has a good view of the city
5. Chimpanzee Sanctuary at Entebbe in the Ngamba Island
6. Do an ATV safari along the headwaters of the Nile, driving through various small towns
7. Gaddafi National Mosque (in Old Kampala)
8. Gorilla safari at the Ugandan Wildlife Authority (in Kololo) and Bwindi National Park.
9. Hiking on Mt Elgon, Mt. Moroto in eastern Uganda, Rwenzori mountains in the west, Mt.Muhavura and Kigezi in the south western Uganda.
10. Jet-Boating on the Nile, up and down some of the smaller rapids
11. Kasubi tombs these were damaged by fire and are the site where the Kings of Buganda were buried
12. Namugongo Martyrs shrines are a dark tourism site and is a world heritage site under UNESCO after Kasubi tombs were destroyed by fire
13. Nyero Rock Shelter
14. National Theatre
15. Nommo art gallery
16. Sese Islands
17. Parliament of Uganda (and independence monument)
18. Raft the headwaters of the Nile.
19. The Mburo National Park guarantees a view of hippopotamus, zebra, gazelles, crocodiles, birds and warthog.
20. The Uganda Museum
21. Zoo

The People

Uganda has a diverse group of people living in the country speaking over 30 different language from 5 liguistic groups.  The oldest inhabitants were the Batwa and Bambuti pygmies who settled in the southwest.These were followed by the Bantu-speaking kingdoms of Buganda, Bunyoro, Ankole and Toro, whose traditional monarchs are still part of modern administration.

The Weather

The climate in Uganda is tropical wet and dry.  Though generally equatorial, the climate is not uniform as the altitude modifies the climate. Southern Uganda which has a number of lakes and borders Congo is generally wet and has rain spread through out the year.  The north is dryer and the north east which borders Sudan is susceptible to drought. In the south, most rain falls from March to June and the November/December period. In the north it is dry with the period between November and February being the driest.

Traveling

The airlines that fly into Uganda include South African Airways, British Airways, Turkish Airlines, Emirates, Ethiopian, Kenya Airways, KLM, Brussels Airlinesand Egypt Air.  Ugandan Visa are issued at Embassies and also at entry points.  The Visa policy uses the principle of reciprocity, thus all countries that require visas for Ugandans are visa prone in Uganda. Visa Fees: Single Entry for 3 months US$50; Multiple Entry for 6 months US$200; Inland Transit US$50; The following countries are exempt from Visa in Uganda; Angola, Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Comoros, Cyprus, Eritrea, Fiji, Gambia, Grenada, Ireland,Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Malta, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Vanuatu, Zambia and Zimbabwe

One can also get into the country via buses services from neighboring countries .

Travel within the country is by means of motor bike taxis (referred to as boda-boda, boda-bodas in the small towns are bicycles ), Taxis ( in Uganda taxi refers to mini  vans that are licensed to carry 14 passengers but often carry more than this. ) and  private hire (cabs).

What to bring

Being a warm tropical climate remember the insect repellent. Artenam is a reliable anti malaria if you plan travel out of Kampala. A hand sanitizer is also useful for travelers.

Investment Opportunities

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Some famous Ugandans