Uganda travel requirements: What do you need for your trip?

When people think about where to travel for vacation, or what sights to see, their eyes tend to glaze over much of southern or central Africa, but there is incredible beauty that can only be found south of the Sahara. It’s a haven of scenic vistas, abundant wildlife, untouched landscapes and a very economically friendly exchange rate. You can see the wonders of the natural world without the extravagant costs of local zoos or wildlife tours.

Here you will learn everything about the entry requirements for Uganda that everyone must follow to be granted access to the country.

Uganda travel requirements

Passport 

The first of the Uganda entry requirements is to have a valid passport. Your passport needs to be up to date and valid for at least 6 more months since your date of entry. You will need one page for the travel stamp that is posted on arrival. 

Visa 

The fundamental of all Uganda travel requirements: having a visa. 

Visas for Uganda are usually completed online as in-person Visa processing has, in some cases, been suspended. It’s also much more convenient to complete registration and receive a Uganda visa using an online form. To successfully complete your visa application, the first thing to do is to ensure that you have all the required documents. Discover how to get a visa for Uganda.

Vaccination 

Uganda is home to many tropical jungles, which means it is also home to many tropic jungle diseases. The most known and relevant disease is yellow fever. It's other of the mandatory entry requirements for Uganda: visitors to the country are required to have a yellow fever vaccination or they will be refused entry.

This applies to all visitors older than one year old who are able to receive vaccines. Existing vaccine records will do. For the most part, these are standard and widely available vaccines, so taking them prior to traveling should not be an issue. 

Other prevalent diseases that can be caught in Uganda are: Typhoid fever, Hepatits A/B, Tetanus, Polio, Cholera, Malaria, Meningitis, Tuberculosis and Pneumonic plague.

Travel insurance 

It is recommended to acquire travel insurance when arriving in Uganda. The regulation for tourism is not a match for most other countries and problems or errors can occur. Medical treatment is also not a guarantee as the infrastructure of most hospitals lacks proper emergency medical care equipment. Therefore, international medical coverage is also highly recommended.  

Currency 

Uganda uses the Ugandan Shilling (UGX/USh) as its main currency. Not only that, but the institutions of Uganda also primarily operate with cash and bank cards are not as frequently used or accepted. Where cards are accepted, only Visa is allowed.

USX is not listed on international exchanges and as such, the currency must be exchanged on arrival from a service area. Also, they cannot accept any US Dollars from before the year 2001.

The current exchange rate of USD to UGX is $1 to 3,850.