Gorillas
Uganda is home to endangered mountain gorillas, found in both Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga National Park. Gorilla trekking is one of the most sought-after wildlife experiences in the world and Uganda is one of only three countries where it is possible. If you are visiting, it is a must.
National Parks
Uganda's national parks offer some of Africa's finest safari and bird-watching experiences. Among the most well-known are Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls, Bwindi Impenetrable, Mgahinga Gorilla, Kidepo, Lake Mburo, Mount Rwenzori, Semuliki, Mount Elgon, and Kibale Forest National Parks.
The best times to visit are June to August and December to February.
The River Nile
The Nile is the longest river in the world, stretching approximately 6,695 kilometres. It is formed by two branches: the White Nile and the Blue Nile. The White Nile is the longer of the two and the primary source of water and fertile soils. The Blue Nile contributes the greater volume of water. Together they form the River Nile, which flows through Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt, with smaller feeder branches from the Democratic Republic of Congo feeding into the White Nile.
The source of the White Nile is at Jinja in Uganda, making it one of the top tourist destinations in the country.
The Equator
Uganda is one of the few countries where you can stand with one foot in the northern hemisphere and one foot in the southern hemisphere at the same time. The equator crosses Uganda and is marked by a monument on the Kampala to Masaka highway. There is also a live demonstration of how water rotates clockwise in the northern hemisphere and anticlockwise in the southern hemisphere. It is worth stopping for.
Lake Victoria
Named after Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa, covering approximately 68,800 km². It is shared between Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania and is the primary source of the White Nile.
Boda-Bodas
Boda-bodas, motorcycle taxis, are one of the most visible features of Uganda's transport system. They originated along the Kenya-Uganda border where cyclists ferried people and goods across border points, with the name derived from the word "border." They have since evolved from bicycles to motorbikes and are now found throughout the country, navigating traffic with characteristic speed and confidence.
Pearl of Africa
The name Pearl of Africa was given to Uganda by Winston Churchill following his visit in 1907. He described it as the pearl of Africa in his book My African Journey, referring to its extraordinary natural beauty, biodiversity, and climate. The name has endured for over a century and remains one of the most fitting descriptions of any country on the continent.
The harder chapters of Uganda's history
The Anti-Homosexuality Act
Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Act was signed into law by President Yoweri Museveni on 26 May 2023. The law imposes life imprisonment for the offence of homosexuality, the death penalty for aggravated homosexuality, which includes same-sex acts involving minors, individuals with disabilities, or cases involving the transmission of a life-threatening illness, and prison sentences of up to 20 years for promoting homosexuality. The law has drawn significant international criticism and condemnation.
Joseph Kony and the Lord's Resistance Army
Joseph Kony, founder and commander of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), has been one of the most wanted fugitives in the world since an ICC arrest warrant was issued against him in 2005. The LRA caused mass atrocities across northern Uganda and neighbouring countries from 1987, including the abduction of an estimated 66,000 children who were forced into combat or sexual slavery.
In November 2025, the ICC confirmed all 39 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity against Kony, including murder, sexual enslavement, torture, and the use of child soldiers. The confirmation hearing was held in absentia, marking the first time in the court's history that such proceedings have been conducted without the accused present. Kony remains at large. A trial can only proceed if he is physically brought before the court in The Hague. He is the ICC's longest-standing fugitive and, as of 2026, is confirmed to still be alive.
Idi Amin Dada
Idi Amin Dada, born in 1925, seized power in a military coup in 1971 and ruled Uganda for eight years. His regime was characterised by political repression, ethnic persecution, and mass killings. Estimates of those killed under his rule range from 100,000 to 500,000. He was overthrown by Ugandan nationalists in 1979 and died in exile in Saudi Arabia in August 2003.
Uganda is remarkable. YAHUAH GOD, who made its mountains, its lakes, its forests, and its people, has been generous with this land.
"From one man He made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands." (Paraphrase of Acts 17)