Uganda Africa

Welcome to the Pearl of Africa!

Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bounded by Kenya on the east, Sudan on the north, on the west by the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda lies on the southwest and in the south by Tanzania. The southern part of the country includes a substantial portion of Lake Victoria, which is also bordered by Kenya and Tanzania.
Uganda derives its name from the Buganda Kingdom, which encompassed a portion of the south of the country including the capital Kampala. Half the population of the country lives below the international poverty line of US$1.25 a day.
The country is located on the East African plateau, averaging about 1100m above sea level, and this slopes very steadily downwards to the Sudanese Plain to the north. However, much of the south is poorly drained, while the centre is dominated by Lake Kyoga, which is also surrounded by extensive boggy areas.
Uganda lies almost completely within the Nile basin. The Victoria Nile drains from the lake into Lake Kyoga and thence into Lake Albert on the Congolese border. It then runs northwards into Sudan. One small area on the eastern edge of Uganda is drained by the Turkwel River, part of the internal drainage basin of Lake Turkana. The country, which lies across the equator, is divided into three main areas—swampy lowlands, a fertile plateau with wooded hills, and a desert region. Lake Victoria forms part of the southern border.
Uganda offers many attractions to visitors. The source of the Nile is also here, is in East Africa.
History and Culture
Uganda’s cultural diversity is boosted in the northeast by the presence of the Karimojong, traditional pastoralists whose lifestyle and culture is reminiscent of the renowned Masai, and in the Bugisu Initiation northwest by a patchwork of agricultural peoples whose Nilotic languages and cultures are rooted in what is now Sudan. The Rwenzori foothills are home to the hardy Bakonjo, whose hunting shrines are dedicated to a one-legged, one-armed, one-eyed pipe-smoking spirit known as Kalisa, while the Bagisu of the Mount Elgon region are known for their colourful Imbalu ceremony, an individual initiation of young boys to manhood that peaks in activity in and around August of every even numbered year. English is the official language used in business and public administration. But over 30-plus different indigenous languages are spoken including Luganda, Lumasaba, Lunyakore, swahili and several other languages.

Safaris Animals in Lake Mburo National Park

Wildlife
The country also takes pride in its vast Game Reserves where it’s possible to get close up to the “Big Five.” The star attraction here is the endangered mountain gorilla, the bulkiest of living primates in Bwindi Forest and Mgahinga National Parks. A game drive at morning or dusk is one of life’s great experiences. With vast National Parks, trekking opportunities and the possibility of sighting the highly endangered mountain gorilla is high in Uganda on a single safari trip. Several Other national parks include Mt. Rwenzori, Mount Elgon, Virunga Mountains, Lake Mburo, Kidepo Forest Park and Murchison Fall National Park.
No greater a personage than Winston Churchill had this to say of Uganda: it’s the “Pearl of Africa.” He was no doubt impressed by its beauty: shimmering lakes, grand mountain ranges and impenetrable forests where gorillas and chimpanzees roam wild. That Uganda still exists today, and now it’s your turn to visit one of the most colorful places in East Africa. You’ll love it – it’s a country with its head high in the clouds. “UGANDA IS A SINGLE COUNTRY, BUT TOURING IT IS NOT A SINGLE EXPERIENCE.” These are vividly recorded words of one tourist.
It is a travel experience of contrasts: Lush tropical forests and vast barren plains; busy Kampala city streets and laid back rural villages; towering skyscrapers and beating African drums. Trips are very weather dependent It is often said that Uganda is a world in one country.
Getting There
All international flights to Uganda touch down at Entebbe international airport, situated on the shores of Lake Victoria about 40km from the capital city. The Airport is serviced by several prominent international airlines, such as SAA, Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, and Air Tanzania. Charter flights are also available to majority domestic tourist attractions.
Best Time to Travel
The country can be visited at any time because it’s blessed wit an inviting all year climate in an equatorial location. For adventure tours involving mountain treks, gorilla tracking safaris and vacation holidays, the traveller should avoid the rainy season which generally peak over mid-September to November and March to May.