General & Geographical Location
According to COUNTRYAAH, the Republic of Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa with around 35 million inhabitants, the capital and largest city of the country is Kampala. The former capital Entebbe is around 35 kilometers away.
Uganda lies at the equatorial level and borders the neighboring states of Tanzania, Rwanda, Congo, Kenya and South Sudan.
The country is part of the Commonwealth of Nations and gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1962. The official languages are English and Swahili.
Uganda looks back on an eventful, more recent past, which particularly revealed its dark side during the dictatorship of Idi Amin in the 1970s. But the subsequent regime under Milton Obote also brought about drastic human rights violations and persecution of population groups.
For some years now, however, it has been possible to say with certainty that the political situation in Uganda has calmed down significantly. Homophobia remains an outlawed crime that can be sentenced to life imprisonment. Corruption is also still a big issue at all levels of administration.
On the other hand are the unique charms of the emerging Republic of Uganda, which is so rich in natural beauty and scenic drama.
Encounters with wild mountain gorillas, trekking tours through breathtaking national parks and rainforests as well as the high hospitality of the locals make up the magic of Uganda as a travel destination.
The highest point in Uganda is Mount Stanley (Margherita Peak) with 51,110 meters, generally large parts of the country on the East African Plateau are above 1000 meters.
- Abbreviation Finder: Check to see national geography, brief history, society description, domestic politics, economy overview, and a list of widely used acronyms about Uganda.
Climate in Uganda
Despite the proximity to the equator, the altitude in Uganda ensures a comparatively moderate, tropical-equatorial climate. The temperatures are therefore not extremely high, there are only slight fluctuations in the course of the year and instead of the classic seasons, the humid climate is mainly determined by rainy seasons.
Lake Victoria has a major influence on the amount of precipitation and the change between dry season and rainy season in Uganda. The first dry season usually lasts from around the end of December to the end of February, the second dry season runs from June to the beginning of September.
Conversely, the periods from March to the end of May and September to November are referred to as the rainy season in Uganda due to heavy showers. The (rather untouristic) north of Uganda has a significantly longer rainy season from around mid-March without noticeable interruption until October.
When is the optimal travel time for Uganda?
Most travelers largely ignore the north of the country, so the best time to travel in Uganda is mainly focused on the dry seasons in the center and south of the country. This applies equally to safaris as well as hiking and adventure travel.
The best travel time for gorilla trekking in Uganda is between December and February and from mid-June to early September. This applies both to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, which is famous for its mountain gorillas, and to the Queen Elizabeth National Park south of the Ruwenzori.
Uganda trips during the rainy season are generally possible and typically cheaper, but roads can become impassable after heavy tropical rainfalls and wildlife observation can be impaired by lush (re) vegetation and poor visibility.
From March onwards, there is increased rainfall throughout the country, statistically April is the rainiest time of the year in the south and southwest as well as on Lake Victoria. Closely followed by the following May, which is even a bit wetter inland and, together with April, is therefore considered the worst travel time.
Temperatures, precipitation, sunshine in Entebbe (Uganda)
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Daytime temperature | 27 ° C | 27 ° C | 27 ° C | 26 ° C | 26 ° C | 25 ° C | 25 ° C | 25 ° C | 26 ° C | 26 ° C | 26 ° C | 26 ° C |
| Night temperature | 17 ° C | 17 ° C | 18 ° C | 18 ° C | 18 ° C | 17 ° C | 16 ° C | 16 ° C | 17 ° C | 17 ° C | 17 ° C | 17 ° C |
| Precipitation in mm | 65 | 91 | 159 | 256 | 244 | 111 | 76 | 75 | 75 | 115 | 131 | 116 |
| Rainy days | 9 | 8 | 14 | 17 | 16 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 10 |
| Hours of sunshine | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 |
| Sunrise | 6:55 | 7:00 | 6:55 | 6:45 | 6:45 | 6:45 | 6:50 | 6:50 | 6:40 | 6:30 | 6:30 | 6:40 |
| Sunset | 19:05 | 19:10 | 19:00 | 18:55 | 18:50 | 18:55 | 19:00 | 19:00 | 18:50 | 18:40 | 18:40 | 18:50 |
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Entebbe is 21.7 ° C. For comparison: Munich reaches an average of 8.6 ° C, in Berlin it is 9.6 ° C. The warmest month is January (22.8 ° C), coldest month of July with averages of 20.6 ° C.
Precipitation
The annual precipitation is 1514 mm on 130 days with precipitation. For comparison: In Munich, 967 mm, in Berlin 570 mm, precipitation is measured annually. The months of April and May are considered the rainy season, as more than 175 mm of precipitation can be expected per month. Overall, around 500 mm of precipitation can be expected in the rainy season. You cannot expect snow in any month in Entebbe.
Sunshine
As our climate table shows, January is the sunniest month with an average of 7.3 hours of sunshine per day. In the annual mean, the sun shines an average of 6.6 hours per day. For comparison: In Munich and Berlin, the sun shines an average of 4.7 hours per day throughout the year.
Cities nearby
The following major towns are nearby and have a similar climate: Kampala.
Highlights and activities
Uganda can certainly be described as a demanding travel destination, because the civil war has left its mark on many old buildings. But anyway, the abundance of flora and fauna as well as the scenic beauty are the absolute highlights of Uganda.
The flagship of tourism is of course gorilla trekking in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, but there is also a lot more to explore for nature and animal lovers. In the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary you can even admire rhinos up close.
The most popular reserves include the wetlands in Lake Mburo National Park, the species-rich Queen Elizabeth National Park, the Murchison Falls National Park with its imposing Nile waterfall and exciting animal encounters, and chimpanzee tracking in the Budongo Forest Reserve.
