Uganda's Premier Homestay Experience
Wake up to the smell of a home-cooked Ugandan breakfast. Ride a boda-boda to the local market. Laugh around a family dinner table at night. This is not a hotel. This is real Ugandan life — and it is yours to be part of.
About Elacet
Elacet doesn't put you in a spare room and leave you to it. From the moment you arrive, you'll be woven into the rhythm of a real Ugandan household — eating together, living together, experiencing Uganda together.
You'll follow the family's daily schedule. You'll wake up when they wake up, eat what they eat, and move through the city as they do. You'll learn how a Ugandan mother negotiates at the market, how a Ugandan father greets his neighbours, how the children navigate school and daily life, and how Sunday looks in a Ugandan home — the gathered family, the shared meal, the unhurried afternoon. These are moments no tour package can replicate — and they are exactly what Elacet is built around.
We're carefully selecting host families across Kampala who aren't just willing to open their homes, but are genuinely excited to share their lives.
Why choose Elacet
There's no tourist itinerary here. You wake up when the family wakes up, go to the market with them, and share in their daily routines. On occasion you may find yourself part of something deeper — a neighbour's celebration, a community gathering, a moment of shared grief and solidarity. This is Ugandan communal life at its most unfiltered, and no guidebook can prepare you for it.
Matooke steamed in banana leaves over a charcoal stove. Groundnut stew simmering low and slow. Fresh rolex from the roadside, katogo on a slow morning, samosas picked up on the way home. Food in a Ugandan household is woven into daily life — prepared at home, sourced from the market, or both. This is not a meal plan. This is how Ugandans eat.
Pick up Luganda greetings over breakfast. Understand the banter at the local market. Your host family becomes your teacher — not in a classroom, but across the dinner table and in the streets of Kampala.
You'll be introduced as a member of the family — not a lodger. Share living spaces, join conversations, be included in celebrations. Ugandan families are famously warm, and that warmth becomes yours to experience.
Your host family shows you the unwritten rules of the city — which boda-boda stage to use, which market has the freshest produce, which shortcut saves twenty minutes. No guidebook teaches this.
Every host family is personally screened before any placement. We match guests by purpose of visit, language preference, dietary needs, and schedule — and let compatibility develop naturally from there.
"No tour guide, no hotel lobby, no curated experience. Just a real Ugandan family, their real home, and an open invitation to be part of it – for as long as you choose to stay."
I want this experience →Simple process
From your first message to your first home-cooked Ugandan meal – here's exactly what happens.
Fill in the booking form with your dates, preferences, and any special requirements. It takes less than two minutes.
Within 72 hours we identify the right host family for you – matched by purpose of visit, schedule, dietary needs, language preference, and your specific requirements.
We send you your host family details and placement confirmation. A 50% deposit is required to secure your booking, payable via MTN MoMo or MoneyGram. The balance is due before arrival and can be paid via MoMo, MoneyGram, or cash on arrival.
If airport transfer is booked, our representative meets you at Entebbe Airport with a name sign and drives you to your host home. You are introduced to your family and Ugandan life begins.
Throughout your stay, Elacet is available for any questions, concerns, or adjustments during business hours (Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm EAT). We check in regularly to make sure everything is going well for both you and your host family.
After your stay, we would love to hear how it went. Your feedback helps us improve and welcomes the next guest even better.
Leave FeedbackWhat you pay
All prices are per person, per week and reflect current 2026 market rates. Meals, accommodation, and family support are always included.
Share with one other guest
+ $40 one-time non-refundable placement & admin fee
Your own private room
+ $40 one-time non-refundable placement & admin fee
Minimum stay is 7 days.
🌍 Digital Nomad Package – Coming Soon
Kampala is affordable, English-speaking and full of life. More remote workers and digital nomads are discovering Uganda every year – and Elacet Homestay is ready to welcome them properly. A real home, a real desk, and verified fast WiFi, inside a warm Ugandan family home.
⚠️ Nomad bookings are not yet open. We are currently confirming the correct visa pathway for digital nomads in Uganda before accepting bookings for this package. We want to ensure every guest is fully informed and legally covered before they arrive. To find out whether a digital nomad visa exists for Uganda, visit the official Uganda immigration portal: visas.immigration.go.ug. We will announce when bookings open — watch this space.
Every Digital Nomad host home is speed-tested before you arrive. Minimum 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload — enough for video calls, large file uploads, and uninterrupted remote work.
A dedicated desk, chair and power outlet in your room. Work at your own pace, on your own schedule, in a quiet and comfortable space.
Every nomad-ready home has an inverter to keep your WiFi router and devices running during outages. We plan for Kampala's load shedding so you don't have to.
Live with a Ugandan family. Share meals, pick up words of the local language, explore the culture — and still get your work done. This is the nomad experience done right.
Minimum stay is one month. Monthly guests save up to $160 compared to week-by-week booking.
⚠️ Please note that Uganda does not currently offer a digital nomad visa. Guests are responsible for ensuring their visa arrangements comply with Ugandan immigration law. Elacet does not provide immigration or legal advice.
For Ugandan families
Becoming an Elacet host family means welcoming an international visitor into your daily life – sharing your meals, your stories, and your culture. In return, you earn a reliable weekly income from the comfort of your own home.
We are actively recruiting host families across Kampala. If your home is welcoming, safe, and clean – we want to hear from you. Host families are expected to provide a clean private room, three daily meals, and a genuinely welcoming environment. Full guidelines are shared during the onboarding process.
Fill in your details and we'll be in touch within 72 hours.
Guest Reviews
Be one of our first 2026 guests and help shape the Elacet story. Your experience matters — and we would love to share it with the world.
We are carefully selecting our first guests for the 2026 season. Will you be one of them?
Every great story starts somewhere. Ours starts with you.
Where we operate
Host families are located in safe, accessible neighbourhoods across Kampala — close to transport links, markets, and the city centre. Tell us where you need to be and we will match you to the closest available family.
Every host home is within easy reach of boda-boda stages, taxis, and main roads so you can move around the city with ease.
Markets, supermarkets, pharmacies, and eateries are always within walking distance or a short ride away.
Every neighbourhood is assessed for security before a host family is listed. Your safety is not negotiable.
Quiet, established residential areas where families have deep roots in their communities.
The person behind Elacet
"Elacet was not born from an idea – it was born from my own family's experience. Growing up, my family opened our home to international travellers. I watched visitors arrive as strangers and leave as family. I saw first-hand how that experience transformed them – and how it enriched us. That is what I built Elacet around: not a business concept, but something I lived, something I believe in, and something I am grateful to share with the world. Dr. Catherine Akurut holds a PhD in Conflict Management and has lived and worked across Uganda and South Africa. Her decade of research on human security, cultural recognition, and what it means to truly see another person is the foundation Elacet is built on — not a business concept, but a lived conviction."
Dr. Catherine Akurut – Founder, Elacet Homestay Uganda
Kampala, Uganda · info@elacet.com
Uganda travel guides
Practical, honest guides about Uganda – written by Catherine, a grateful Ugandan who knows her country and loves it deeply.
From taxis to boda-bodas to conmen – a candid guide to staying safe and street-smart in Uganda.
Read article →Greetings, money talk, transport phrases – the Luganda words that will make locals smile and open doors for you.
Read article →Matooke, Rolex, Nsenene, Luwombo and more – the essential food guide to eating your way through Uganda.
Read article →Practical information
Everything you need to know to arrive prepared, confident, and ready to enjoy your stay.
Most nationalities including USA, UK, and EU countries can obtain a Uganda e-visa online before travel. Apply at visas.immigration.go.ug. Cost is approximately $50 for a single entry. Note that visa on arrival is no longer available — you must apply and receive approval online before you travel. Bring a printed copy of your approval letter to the airport.
A Yellow Fever vaccination certificate is required to enter Uganda. Malaria prevention tablets are strongly recommended – consult your doctor before travel. Drink bottled or filtered water only. Travel health insurance is strongly advised.
Light, modest clothing – Uganda is warm but conservative dress is respected, especially in family homes. A plug adapter (Type G, same as UK). Insect repellent. Sunscreen. Any prescription medication you need. A small gift for your host family is always appreciated but never required.
Uganda's currency is the Uganda Shilling (UGX). USD is widely accepted. ATMs are available in Kampala city centre. Forex bureaus give better rates than airport exchanges. Your host family covers all meals so day-to-day spending is minimal.
Uganda has a pleasant tropical climate year-round, averaging 24–28°C (75–82°F). Two rainy seasons run March–May and October–November. The dry seasons (June–August and December–February) are the most popular times to visit.
Uganda uses Type G plugs (same as UK) at 240V. Power outages can occur – many homes have backup inverters. Mobile internet is good in Kampala. You can buy a local SIM card at Entebbe Airport using your passport for data and local calls.
Kampala is a manageable city when you exercise normal urban awareness. Avoid displaying valuables such as phones and cameras in crowded areas. Use registered taxis or ride-hailing apps such as Uber or Safe Boda rather than unmarked vehicles. Travel with a local contact number at all times — your host family is your first point of call. Elacet places every guest with a vetted host family in a secure neighbourhood, giving you a safe base from which to explore.
Got questions?
Ready to experience Uganda?
Tell us about your visit and we'll match you with the perfect host family – usually within 72 hours.
By making a booking you agree to our full Terms and Conditions. Contact us at info@elacet.com for a copy.