Backpacker Safari in Uganda

Backpacker travel to Uganda was not as common in the past as it is now. Backpackers have found Uganda to be a dependable destination. Because organized tours have previously threatened it, Kenya and Tanzania are now slightly better options for backpackers. Uganda is currently one of the African nations that backpackers should consider visiting because of shifting trends. If you are planning a solo trip in the near future, Uganda should definitely be on your itinerary. Uganda is a stunning landlocked nation that is situated in Eastern Africa and lacks direct access to any large bodies of water, such as the ocean or sea.

In his well-known book, My African Journey, Winston Churchill gave Uganda the moniker “the Pearl of Africa.” Uganda’s uniqueness is reflected by mountain gorillas of Bwindi and Mgahinga national parks, tree-climbing lions of Queen Elizabeth, the world’s strongest waterfalls of Murchison falls national park, the hospitable and diverse cultures, and the snow-capped Rwenzori mountains, to name but a few. When you visit Uganda, you will realize that Churchill had 101% right to name the country the “Pearl of Africa.” This page will explain what a backpacker is, what accommodations are available to them in Uganda, what to eat when backpacking in Uganda, when is the ideal time to visit Uganda, where to go, and a host of other frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding backpacking.

What Does a Backpacker Do?

Although a backpacker has been described in a variety of ways by various academics, the fundamental definition has not changed. Backpacking is a low-cost, independent travel style that typically entails staying in budget accommodations and toting around all of your belongings in a backpack, according to Wikipedia. Therefore, someone who goes backpacking is a backpacker.

In the past, backpacking was associated with youth or young individuals whose curiosity about travel could only be satiated by such travel; however, today, even elderly people backpack. It is understandable why it has become more well-known in recent years, particularly in nations like Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda. Experience is not a prerequisite for becoming a backpacker. To get started, all you need is current, relevant information about Uganda as a travel destination.

Backpacking might be the worst experience if it’s not planned well, but a well-thought-out backpacking safari in Uganda is always a moment captured in time. This is because there won’t be many or any crowds throughout your safari because lodging options are reasonably priced, transportation is easy to utilize, and the people of Uganda are pleasant enough. In Uganda, backpacking is ideal for scholars, students, lone travelers, explorers, and similar types of people. It is not the best option for honeymooners, in my opinion, as honey moon safaris are typically more opulent and cost a little more. However, based on the needs of the honeymooners, it can be customized to their specifications.

How can a backpacker travel to Uganda?

Uganda features Entebbe International Airport, a well-established airport that meets international standards, making travel there easy. All you really need are the prerequisites, which include a current passport, visa, and, occasionally, vaccination records. Throughout the year, several flights to and from Uganda take place in various locations across the globe. Additionally, the nation maintains a large number of consulates and embassies around the globe, from which you can obtain current travel information.

With stops in Dubai and Qatar, respectively, Emirates and Qatar Airlines can transport you from locations in Europe, such as London, Amsterdam, and Paris, to Entebbe International Airport.

Although there isn’t a direct route from the United States of America to Entebbe Airport, there are airlines that will travel from major American cities to Entebbe Airport with a single stop at their headquarters, including Emirates, KLM, and Qatar Airways. The travel time from the United States of America to Uganda is at least twenty hours.

From Asia, connect to Entebbe International Airport via Qatar or Emirates Airlines, which operate flights via Doha or Dubai to major Asian cities like Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, and Bangkok.

Where should a backpacker stay in Uganda?

Before setting out on a trip to the Pearl of Africa, one of the main things to consider is staying in Uganda as a backpacker. Your entire trip to Uganda may be ruined by subpar lodging. Then, what must you do to have an amazing experience? There are a lot of lodging options in Uganda, ranging in price from inexpensive to luxurious. You might not need a fancy place to stay unless it’s your goal, but as a backpacker, you can spend that money on other things like transportation. Correct me on this: staying under your budget in Uganda does not equate to receiving subpar services; rather, it means conserving expenses while maintaining high-quality services. For example, the cost of food at a low-cost hotel can vary from 10,000 to 30,000 Uganda Shillings. We are discussing a mouthwatering native Ugandan dish with a lip-smacking flavor.

For this reason, I think it’s not a bad idea to stay at a backpackers’ hostel or low-cost lodge. Recall that your goal is to find a location to stay for one or two nights so that you can continue your safari after that.

Backpacker Accomodations

The largest lake in Africa and the third largest in the world, Lake Victoria, is close to Entebbe town, where there are a good number of backpackers’ accommodations. Numerous backpackers’ lodges and camping areas may be found in the country’s deeper regions, such as Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Lake Bunyonyi, Murchison Falls National Park, Mbale, Fort Portal, and Jinja City, which is the source of the Nile, the longest river in the world. These locations provide reasonably priced camping spaces for rent.

Their dorms are consistently spotless and have hygienic restrooms (some are outside, but you can have a self-contained room depending on your preferences and financial situation). In addition, they have kitchens where you can make your own food and provide catering services.

In Uganda, grocery stores and neighborhood marketplaces sell food. From the garden, the fruits are always fresh. If you really need a chef, you can hire one for a reasonable and short period of time at your resort.

Some of the backpackers’ lodging options across the nation are listed here.

The impenetrable national park of Bwindi

• Karungi Camp
• Backpackers Lodge in Bwindi
• The Wild Olives Lodge

City of Kampala

• The overweight hikers
• Backpackers’ Hostel Bush Pig
• Backpackers in Ewaka
• Backpackers in Kampala

Jinja city, Source of the Nile

• Jinja Backpackers
• Jinja Nile Resort
• Source of the Nile Suites

Kidepo Valley National Park

• Kidepo Savannah Lodge
• Apoka Hostel Bandas
• Zebra Safari Lodge
• Adere Safari Lodges, Kidepo

City of Fort Portal

• Fort-Portal Kalitusi Backpackers Hostel and Campsite
• Hostel YES
• Masaai Villa: A Home for Backpackers
• BX Accommodation

Kibale Forest National Park.

• Primate Lodge
• Kimpundu Lodge
• Kibale Forest Lodge

Town of Entebbe

• Anna’s B&B
• Backpackers from Entebbe
• Sunbird Hikers

Lake Bunyonyi 

• The Byoona Amagara in Bunyonyi Lake
• The Backpackers of Kansiime
• OM Bunyonyi Hostel

Queen Elizabeth National Park.

• Mweya Accommodation
• Tembo Safari Lodge
• Elizabeth Safari Lodge Queen Elizabeth

Murchison Falls National Park

• Budongo Eco Lodge
• Murchison Hikers
• Murchison Backpackers Hostel / Safari Lodge

All these and many more places across the country provide the best accommodation services, which can be tailor-made to suit the needs of any Backpacker on a Uganda safari. They have spaces for tents in case you have carried one or you can even hire one at such places. There are also coffee and tea shops within or nearby from where you can always chill in African way as a way of refreshment.

Transport:

How do I travel within Uganda as a backpacker? 

After you have successfully made your way to Uganda – the Pearl of Africa, getting around should not be a challenge. As a backpacker, you may decide on the means of transport you want to use depending on your budget and next destination.

In Uganda, you can travel by water, air rail (though not common) and road means. Road transport is the most commonly used means of transport. It can be possible on an organized safari vehicle, in a bus / taxi or a boda-boda (motorcycle).

Travel using an organized tour operator

Uganda is one of the countries in East Africa and Africa as a whole that offers some of the best organized tour services. We will arrange tailor-made services for travelers. However, the tours are usually termed “Expensive” compared to Backpack tours. This is because of their organization, that involves early booking and outstanding services as provided by the operators. Much as they look expensive, they are worth the price because they provide the ultimate experience where travelers is guaranteed safety and security.

For Backpack travelers, you may decide to organize only transport with a tour operator or hire just a tour guide. Remember, your main goal is to have the best but cheapest Uganda safari experience.

We can offer self-drive safari vehicles, and these might be the best for any backpacker. You can also hire a tour guide for one or two days, depending on your wishes.

Travel by bus or taxi.
Buses and taxis are the common means of transport used to connect different cities in Uganda. Their services vary depending on the company offering them and the distances traveled. I propose that if you are traveling longer distances, for instance, from Kampala city to Kabale to Lake Bunyonyi, hiring a bus would be the best alternative to taxis. Buses feature improved services, such as a fixed price, which is preferable to the continually shifting taxi costs.

If you are someone who is time sensitive and price sensitive, you may have to be flexible while in Uganda because buses and taxis leave off not when the time has passed but only when they are full with passengers. This is where traveling with an organized tour operator surpasses them all. This is of course, not to scare you but rather to prepare you mentally.

During the rides, do not feel astonished when people start a conversation with you or glance at you with smiling faces; that is just the culture of Ugandans. They are welcoming, yet, like the expression goes; never trust a cheerful face. Be careful with your valuables, especially in the cities, as snatchers may arrive wearing charming faces as well.

Travel using a motorcycle (Boda-boda)

Within cities and for short distances, taking a boda-boda would be the ideal alternative, as they are fast, versatile, and convenient. Much as their charges tend to double those of taxis within the metropolis, boda-boda escape traffic holdup and can reach rural regions where taxis cannot reach. Befriending a boda-boda rider in the stage near you is a security tip. Ensure to agree on the rates before setting out because there is no standard price for boda-boda, as you can inquire about the price range before halting a boda-boda rider.

Activities and attractions:

What to do and see in Uganda?

We are unable to list every attraction and activity available on a Uganda Safari. In Uganda, a great deal has been found as well as not found. Uganda is a treasure, from the entrance point at Entebbe town to Kampala city, cultural landmarks, Jinja—the Nile’s source—the Uganda Equator, many national parks, mountains, rivers, and lakes, to name a few.

Just to give you an idea, throughout your Uganda Backpack Safari, you can see and do the following:

Visit the Uganda Wildlife Education Center (UWEC) to begin your journey.

Tell your driver to stop you at the Uganda Wildlife Education Center, which is close by, once you disembark from your aircraft at Entebbe International Airport. You will first see animals like lions, elephants, mountain gorillas, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, etc. here. Views of snakes, reptiles like the Nile crocodile, and many bird species will accompany this. In some situations, these creatures are more accessible than those found in national parks, where you must drive or walk. This merely serves as an overview of Uganda.

Take a look at Buganda Kingdom Palace.

You should not miss the Bulange-Mengo Palace excursion if you are a backpacker. You will have the opportunity to tour the Lukiiko, or Buganda Kingdom Parliament, and discover how the kingdom was set up before to the arrival of colonists. Explore the Buganda Kingdom Museum, stroll the Royal Mile, see the Idi Amin torture cells, Kabaka’s Lake, the Kasubi tombs, and more. You can also stop by Sanyuka Coffee Shop to sample authentic African coffee and luwombo, a dish that is traditionally served to the

Enjoy a city tour of Kampala.

The Kampala city tour is an experience that all tourists should have; as a backpacker, you should not pass it up. You will go to the Old Kampala Mosque, which Col. Mummar Gadhafi, the former president of Libya, constructed. The original seven hills of Kampala—Mengo summit, Lubaga Hill, Nakasero Hill, Kololo Hill, Namirembe Hill, Makerere Hill, and Old Kampala Hill—can all be seen spectacularly from this summit. After there, you’ll go on to Kyebando and see the Bahai Temple. Don’t miss the Uganda Museum, Makerere University, and the shrine of the Namugongo Martyrs, where devout martyrs perished under Kabaka Mwanga’s rule for their beliefs.

Conduct the weight loss and water balance experiments when you visit the Equator in Uganda.

The remarkable latitude known as the Equator is located on your route to the national parks of the western circuit, which include Lake Mburo, Bwindi Impenetrable, Mgahinga Gorillas, and Queen Elizabeth. This line, which separates the Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, is what does the dividing. The Uganda Equator is situated near the Kampala–Masaka highway in the Kayabwe Mpigi area.

Travelers can stop here to do an experiment with water balance and have a chance to simultaneously step into both hemispheres. Apart from picking up a souvenir from the artisan store, there are excellent photo opportunities along the Ugandan Equator.

Go past Uganda’s smallest national park, Lake Mburo National Park.

Backpackers should not miss Lake Mburo National Park if they want to get up close and personal with zebras, buffaloes, giraffes, warthogs, Uganda kobs, and several bird species. The park provides fantastic horseback riding safaris, and the lake itself is an exciting place to be. To learn more about Lake Mburo National Park, click this link.

Explore the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park on a gorilla trekking expedition.

The endangered gorillas are found exclusively in Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in East Africa. I would rather skip the gorilla trekking safari, but not another activities. This forest hike is both difficult and thrilling at the same time. You wouldn’t want to leave Uganda as a backpacker without taking a look at these creatures that resemble humans. Further details about the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park’s gorilla trekking

Tour Bunyonyi Lake.

Lake Bunyonyi offers serene, freshwater breezes and gorgeous green scenery for those seeking a peaceful and refreshing getaway. Lake Bunyonyi is a freshwater lake in southwest Uganda, close to Kabale and the Kisoro area. It is well-known for its scattered islands, offering a stunning view of these islands.

Locally, Lake Bunyonyi is known as “the area of little birds.” A Backpackers Uganda tour is worth doing to see the stunning lake scenery created by the evergreen terraces and landmarks. This lake is 64 km in surface area, 7 km in breadth, and 40 m in depth. The majority of the area’s native guides contend that the lake is significantly deeper than the “scientific lecturer.”

The local guides suggest that the lake is deeper than 40 meters, reaching a depth of 900 meters. A freshwater feature in the Ugandan basin called Lake Bunyonyi is locally interpreted as “Place of many birds.” In addition to being a lake, Lake Bunyonyi is a popular tourist destination with lots of exciting activities for visitors to enjoy.

Don’t miss Queen Elizabeth National Park’s tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha Sector.

The only place in Africa where tree-climbing lions are more elusive than anywhere else is Tanzania’s Lake Manyara National Park. Uganda is fortunate to be home to these elusive animals. Take an African safari in Uganda to see these endangered animals on a cold afternoon as they rest flat on fig trees.

Only in the well-known Queen Elizabeth National Park’s Ishasha southern region are the tree-climbing lions of Uganda visible. This national park is not only home to the “Big 4,” but it also claims to be the only habitat in Uganda for the endangered tree-climbing lions.

Track and become habituated to chimpanzees at Kibale Forest National Park.

In Uganda, Kibale National Park is one of the greatest locations for chimpanzee trekking. One may readily refer to the park as the global primate capital. Primate diversity is its main claim to fame, with 13 species, including chimpanzees. The finest thing to do on a safari tour in Uganda is to track chimpanzees in Kibale, which is an experience in and of itself.

You can accompany Kibale’s researchers and habituators as they observe chimpanzees going about their daily lives during the chimpanzee habituation experience. You may also see forest birds, elephants, and buffaloes, which will enhance your chimpanzee trekking experience. Because Kibale Forest National Park is closer to Kampala than other chimpanzee trekking locations, it has continuously been rated as the greatest area in Uganda to trek chimpanzees.

The world’s strongest water falls and the Big Four animals are found in Murchison Falls National Park.

The biggest waterfall in the world, Murchison Falls, is located in Uganda and is a national park. The Nile divides the park’s 3840 km2 into northern and southern halves, making it the oldest and largest national park. The Uganda Game and Fisheries Department gazetted the park as Uganda’s first area in 1952. Currently, the Uganda Wildlife Authority is in charge of it. Prior to being elevated to national park status, it was gazetted as the Bunyoro and Gulu Wildlife Reserve in 1926. The park is located in northwest Uganda, on the Albertine Rift Valley, where the expansive savannah is interspersed with palm trees and the sweeping Bunyoro escarpment. It is most famous for the Murchison Falls, where the Victoria Nile narrowly escapes a chasm that is six meters wide. The Devil’s Cauldron, where the gorge plunges 45 meters below the surface, is mostly accessible via road and aircraft transportation.

Tour the source of the world’s longest river, the Nile.

One of the major geographical mysteries of the Victorian era was the source of the River Nile, which was vaguely mentioned in the old writings of the explorers. This has drawn a lot of people to Uganda for safari vacations. The epic expeditions of exploration were driven by the desire to find this geographical Holy Grail. Livingstone, Stanley, Burton, and Speke were among them. John Hanning Speke was the one who led a groundbreaking voyage across Lake Victoria in 1862. His initial and highly contentious suggestion was that the fabled spring might be a little waterfall that flows northward out of the lake.

Today, the waterfall that Speke described is surrounded by the city of Jinja and is under water due to the Owen Falls Dam. This is the primary hydroelectric power source in Uganda. A safari trip to the Nile’s source is still an incredible and dramatic experience, even for those who have witnessed the river as it rushes past Luxor’s ancient Egyptian temples, some 6,000 kilometers downstream.

Nearer to home, excellent game fishing and white water rafting may be found in the Nile downstream from Jinja. The world’s longest river, however, rushes through a small crack in the rift Escarpments and erupts out the other side in a thunderous 43-meter plume of white water, making Murchison Falls its greatest feature. In its own right, the river beneath the falls is equally breathtaking. With thousands of hippos, an abundance of birdlife, and enormous, gap-mouthed crocodiles.

Does Uganda offer safety to backpack travelers?

Although Uganda is among the safest countries in Africa and the globe, use caution when visiting, particularly at night. This is when city night robbers emerge from hiding. There’s no place like Uganda for the laid-back, welcoming atmosphere of its people.

Where can I get a SIM card in Uganda?

Sales representatives from several telecom firms can be found at Uganda’s Entebbe International Airport’s entrance. These consist of Lyca Mobile, Airtel Uganda, and MTN Uganda. It’s advised that you purchase MTN or Airtel. Even in far-off places, they do not frequently lose connectivity. Sim cards cost about one dollar each. Better internet bundle deals are available from Lyca Mobile if you want to stay in a city, but don’t rely on it too much.

Ugandan Internet

Uganda offers strong internet access; weekly or monthly bundles are available for roughly 30,000 Ugandan Shillings. The majority of lodging establishments offer Wi-Fi; feel free to request the password when visiting.

Make sure you download a virtual private network (VPN) before traveling to Uganda, just to be safe. This will enable you to endure any disruptions to your internet while visiting Uganda.

Things to bring on a Uganda backpack safari

When you set off on your Uganda backpack safari, your bag ought to have at least these items.

• Shoes for Walking/Hiking
• Breathable T-shirts:
• Jeans and shorts
• Jacket made of fleece
• Jacket with an outer shell
• Microfiber Towel
• Snapshot
• Battery Power
• Bottle of Water
• All-purpose adapter
• Cube Packing
• A Daypack
• A sizable backpack

Is travel insurance necessary?

Insurance is not required, but having it puts you on the safer side. It is always an extra layer of protection. There are international insurance companies with branches in Uganda. They collaborate with local hospitals, which increases visitor safety in Uganda.

When is the ideal time for a backpacker to visit Uganda?

Travel to Uganda is welcome throughout the year. For gorilla tracking, however, the dry months of December to February and June to September are ideal.

In summary, backpacking through Uganda might be difficult only if you lack the necessary knowledge. You are now all set to go on your backpacking trip through Uganda. Reserve a safari in Uganda right now.