How to Travel in Uganda ,Uganda Transport Guide Do you want basic information about travel in Uganda?. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, some of the best experiences you will have will be mingling and haggling with Ugandans to get the best prices Depending on where you want to travel in Uganda, how quickly you want to get there, how adventurous you want to be, will be determined by your pocket. •Travel around Uganda by Taxis are the easiest and lowest priced means in Kampala to move around. Fourteen passenger vehicles that plow the streets looking for customer, stopping almost anywhere. Stand on any street corner and put your hand out as you see one approaching (wave up and down). The only thing for a foreigner to be aware of is frequent over-charges. Ask any staff person at the hotel or other kind accommodation where you are staying what the price should be to where you want to go and they will tell you. Then when the conductor asks you for a higher price you tell him what it should be, fellow passengers will readily side with you. If you are going downtown this is quite easy and you will be dropped off in the taxi park, from where you can most often walk to your downtown destination. If you are going elsewhere you might have to make a transfer to another taxi, but that is simply done by asking the conductor of the taxi you are taking for direction to the taxi that will take you there. Taking a taxi may seem like madness, but there is actually a lot of order to it. This applies not only to Kampala but for most of Uganda. •Travel in Uganda by Boda Boda Motorcycles: They started out as bicycles and you can still find them, but have evolved into mostly Indian manufactured motorcycles. They are the fastest means from one point to another, but also the most dangerous. Some foreigners find them exhilarating and enjoy the ride, while others such as myself shun them altogether. Boda-Boda drivers are a unique lot of men, most of them have no license, drive without required helmet and do not require a helmet for passengers. Boda-Boda cycles are more expensive but again faster since they break every law there is and the 20,000 of them in Uganda cause daily havoc on the road, or off road if the road is blocked, but theyget you there. They do have a high rate of accidents and many lives are lost yearly and bodies maimed, at the emergency ward, most are from Boda-Boda riding. If you take one, you will learn how to pray, no matter what your spiritual background is. Boda-Boda Motorcycles are found everywhere in Uganda even in the most desolate of places, there will be a boda-boda stage. Remember to ask the staff at your lodging as to what the cost should be and negotiate, laugh a lot and bargain. Tell the Boda-Boda Driver to take it easy and if he goes beyond your fear threshold, let him know, enough is enough. •Travel in Uganda by Special Hire Taxi: This is the most expensive means of transport around Kampala and other towns there is the Special Hire Taxi. It costs the most unless you are sharing the cost with someone else and then it can come down to the cost of a Boda-Boda. Depending on how many people are sharing. Again most hotels have someone whom they can refer you too but also remember that often they get a commission for referrals and you may not get the best price. Only yellow taxi in downtown Kampala has metered rates, everywhere else it is negotiate. •Travel in Uganda by Hire a vehicle with driver: On that one I can be of assistance. You can hire a vehicle for so much a day, plus fuel. The rates in town will usually be a bit lower than out of town. I can arrange for you to have a passenger vehicle, a van, or 29 passenger bus if needed in around Kampala or any Uganda destination. If you need airport transfer we can also arrange that. •Traveling to other towns in Uganda: To many places that are not too far, you can take a taxi. Otherwise there are buses that will take you there for a very reasonable price and at a speed that is often faster than what you might be comfortable with. They are a bit crowded but again the normal way to getting somewhere 350 kilometers away. Buses are also the means of getting to Rwanda, Kenya and South Sudan. You can fly, but the price difference is huge. •Travel in Uganda by Eagle Air: Flies to many destinations in Uganda at a reasonable rate of getting there and back. They have a good safety record and have been around for many years. If it comforts you, they have Biblical scriptures painted on the outside of the planes. •Travel in Uganda by Self Drive: Something you want to avoid unless you have to. It is best to have experience in death defying situations and being a risk taker. You will need a vehicle that is road worthy and check it out thoroughly when renting. Fuel is expensive about 1.70 USD per liter. Check for spare tire changing equipment. You will need a license. I have used my US license for years all over Africa without problems. You will need a log book, certificate of insurance. Car rentals are high and in many cases it is cheaper to rent a car with driver. •Travel in Uganda by Biking: Another one of those ways I would not suggest in Uganda unless you are experienced in chaotic conditions. Bicycles get no respect and in the first fifteen minutes of driving you barely escape death about 3 times. •Travel in Uganda by Hitch-Hiking in Uganda: Most often if a Ugandan gives you a ride, there is the expectation for some cash on your part. Pray that some westerner will pick you up. I have done so on occasion. You do not find too many hitchhikers here. Do not try using your thumb, but flap your arms like a bird and you might have a chance. I have known people to return home after some hours of trying.
Both services are very reliable and considered safe. Buses depart Kampala at 0700 and a second Executive services leaves at 15.00 hrs. The Nairobi departure point at river road is not a safe location and great care should be maintained. At the Akamba depot in Kampala the bus is met by a wall of accommodation touts. • Scandinavia Bus Company runs a daily bus from Kampala to Dar Es Salaam via Nairobi, Arusha and Moshi. With new Scania buses this is probably the most comfortable you can expect to be when travelling by bus in East Africa. • Onatracom Bus Company from Rwanda has bus to Uganda through Katuna boarder. • Gaso Bus Company has buses that go up to Burundi capital of Bujumbura via Kigali. • Nile Bus Company has coaches that trek the northern Uganda up to southern Sudan capital of juba. If you plan to board the bus with any of these bus operators ensure the bus crew is aware of your final destination so your baggage can be stowed accordingly. Baggage holds are sealed by customs and the crew so ensure you will be able to get access to your bag should you not be travelling to the buses final destination. There are many bus operators but usually only one operator on a particular route. Examples of which are Horizon Coach which runs to Kabale/Kisoro, Gateway to Tororo/Soroti/Moroto, and Nile Coach to Arua/West Nile Province. Other operators are SB Safe Journey, and Gaso Coach .Kalita busses, honest coaches, kibungo coaches and many others The bus park is between the old and new taxi parks in Kampala. From outlying regions buses pick up just about anywhere in town and will circle the town touting for passengers. Buses depart Kampala in the mornings with often several departures for you to consider on major routes. You will need to buy a ticket from the bus company booth in the Kampala bus park but do this only on the day of departure. Check the day before though to ascertain the time of departure. Buses tend to depart however when full. Away from Kampala only purchase your ticket when on the bus. Bus drivers seem to be possessed by the devil and drive at horrifically fast speeds. The journey will frighten even the hardiest of travelers. It is dangerous but accidents are rare. When accidents do happen they are usually devastatingly worse.
Get there by 07.00am to buy your ticket (there is no pre-booking to use the Post Bus Service)These services are reliable and very safe. • Routes covered from Kampala include Kabale via Mbarara, • Fort Portal via Mubende, Kasese via Mbarara and Bushenyi • Hoima via Masindi, • Soroti via Jinja and Mbale. Naturally services back to Kampala from outlying regions are covered and enquiries should be made at the corresponding Post Office. ____________________________________________________________ HOW TO TRAVEL TO QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK For those with their own transport Queen Elizabeth National Park can be approached through the Katunguru gate and along the Channel Track ____________________________________________________________ HOW TO TRAVEL TO BWINDI GORILLA FOREST PARK At the second junction on the Kisoro road sign posted Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park you will arrive at Buhoma via Ruhija. This is the most scenic route. Don’t forget to use the 4 wheel drive especially during the rain season. ____________________________________________________________ TIPS TO TRAVEL WITH CHILDREN Travelling with children can be a challenge especially when flying with your children over a busy travel period such as Christmas, thanksgiving or spring break and you need to know that most of the airlines are ____________________________________________________________ TRAVEL TO KENYA For many, a stay at one of the Nairobi hotels is in order after the flight, as resting up before you kick things off is always a good idea. Some charter flights to Kenya from Europe land directly in Mombasa ____________________________________________________________ TOP PLACES TO VISIT IN UGANDA There is much to see and do in Uganda and you might want to look at options and excursions to ____________________________________________________________ UGANDA TRAVEL INFORMATION While other websites give scattered information, we have made ours brief, concise and accurate. But if you want it in full just follow our left navigation bar and enjoy yourself to the fullest. ____________________________________________________________ HOW TO DRIVE ON UGANDA ROADS Worldwide, over 3,000 people are killed every day in road traffic crashes and hundreds of thousands of others are severely injured. Ninety percent of these injuries occur in low- and middle-income countries; ____________________________________________________________ UGANDA CAR RENTAL DEALS There are many types of vehicles to hire from Uganda car rental companies depending on the number of people you have. There are those for three people, then mini buses that can carry up to 9 people. ____________________________________________________________ HOW TO AVOID UGANDA CAR RENTAL SCAMS Have ever been in a car rental scam? If not, the next page will guide you about Uganda car rental scams. ____________________________________________________________ HOW TO TALK TO UGANDANS You assume that everyone who speaks English will understand you, not quite so. There are nuances, different uses of words, there is the speed with which you might speak or that a Ugandan will use, ____________________________________________________________ ENTEBBE AIRPORT INFORMATION GUIDE Information about airport operation is available 24 hours on Tel 320926. Flight Information Display boards and Public Information Desks are conveniently located in the passenger terminal building. ____________________________________________________________ FAVOURITE TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN UGANDA If you haven't taken the time to travel Uganda’s beautiful sceneries, you're missing out on gorgeous tropical rainforests and waterfalls, amazing national parks, some of Uganda’s friendliest cities, wonderful historic ____________________________________________________________ FLIGHTS TO UGANDA Flights to Uganda are every where. It’s up to you to decide which date. You can book a last minute flight to Uganda or book your Flight in Advance. ____________________________________________________________ TIPS TO FLY TO UGANDA If you are coming from Europe continent, you can fly out of London directly to Entebbe via British Airways. From London you can also fly Air Emirates to Dubai and then on to Entebbe, or you fly via KLM to Amsterdam and then to Entebbe, or Ethiopian Airlines to Addis Ababa and then on to Entebbe. ____________________________________________________________ TIPS TO TRAVELLING TO RWANDA Traffic drives on the right. Some local roads are not paved and a 4-wheel drive vehicle is needed. There can be landslides on some of the major roads during annual rainfall in spring and autumn. ____________________________________________________________ HOW TO STAY HEALTH IN UGANDA Malaria in Uganda has historically been a very serious health problem and currently poses the most significant threat to the health of the population,and as a visitor you are not safe either ____________________________________________________________ UGANDA LAST MINUTE TRAVEL DEALS Do you know that there are certain times during the year when you will only get your airline seats and hotel rooms at prices that are simply too expensive for ordinary travelers? T ____________________________________________________________ LIVING IN UGANDA GUIDE After several months beating about the bush, you may decide to come and live in Uganda The best palace to live will be Kampala because it has everything you need in terms of internet and telecommunications capabilities but is also the safest in the whole country. ____________________________________________________________ NATURE OF UGANDA IN GENERAL Uganda is endowed with beautiful forests where activities such as forest/nature walks can take place. Some of the forest include; Mabira Forest, Budongo Forest, Kibale Forest, Bwindi Forest, Mpanga Forest Reserves, _________________________________ Click to return from travel in Uganda back to Home Page
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