The "Pearl of Africa" - at least, that was how Winston Churchill, moved by Uganda's great beauty, declared it when he visited in 1907. Its alluring features include shimmering lakes, grand mountain ranges and impenetrable forests where chimpanzees and mountain gorillas still roam wild. Although off-limits in recent decades, thanks to state-sponsored violence and civil war, the country has bounced back under the rule of president Yoweri Museveni in recent years and is now relatively stable.
Ethnic conflict still blights some northern areas, but much of southern and western Uganda is peaceful and safe. The country's lofty altitude brings the benefit of cooler temperatures than its equatorial neighbours and, for the moment, game viewing remains free of mass tourism.
In African terms Uganda is tiny, being a similar size to the UK. Bordered by the Congo, Sudan, Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania, the country lies on a plateau at an average altitude of 1,000 metres (3,200 feet) above sea level. In the southwest, the land rises to form the snow-capped Ruwenzori uplands, or "Mountains of the Moon". To the east, the border with Kenya is lined with volcanic hills. Although landlocked, the country is sliced in two by the mighty River Nile and its border straddles Lakes Albert, Edward and Victoria. In all, ten per cent of the country is considered wetlands.
Uganda's potential as a tourism hotspot lies in its array of adventurous outdoor activities. There are opportunities for climbing and trekking to all levels in the mountains; watersports such as sailing, fishing, canoeing and whitewater rafting on Lake Victoria and the river Nile; and plentiful wildlife watching options from tracking gorillas on foot through the jungle to more traditional 'big five' safaris on the plains. The capital Kampala reflects Uganda's new-found prosperity and optimism while retaining small-town charm. With its piles of bananas, pineapples, tomatoes and mangoes, the Nakasero fresh food market just off the city's main drag is one of the most colourful places in East Africa.
Full Foreign Office advice on recommended areas to visit can be found on their website.
News and current affairs
Uganda's online publications from the world news guide.
Language
English is the official national language but Luganda, the language of the Baganda people, and Swahili are also widely spoken.
Health
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for travellers over one year of age coming from endemic areas. Malaria, predominantly the P. falciparum strain, exists throughout the year in the whole country including the main towns of Fort Portal, Jinja, Kampala, Mbale and parts of Kigezi. Vaccinations against polio and typhoid are recommended. Other health risks include bilharzia, meningitis and rabies. There is also a very high prevalence of AIDS/HIV. Drinking water is untreated and not safe to drink. Travellers should check up-to-date health advice before travelling. There have been outbreaks of ebola and cholera in recent years.
Climate
The bulk of the country enjoys a tropical climate tempered by its relatively high altitude. Its lush vegetation is the result of two rainy seasons, in April and November. The best times to travel are December to late February, when the weather is dry (though hot), and mid-June to mid-August.
Food
About a quarter of Uganda's land is fertile and arable, making it quite capable of producing a food surplus. For the most part, Ugandan cuisine consists of solidified maize meal porridge served with beans or a meat sauce of beef, goat or mutton. At the reserves, wild game is often available. Beer is widely available as are Pombe, a locally made fermented banana beer and waragi, the local millet-based alcohol.
Events
Uganda celebrates many Christian holidays, including Christmas, Easter and Good Friday. The Muslim population honours Islamic holidays, which follow the Muslim calendar. Women's Day takes place throughout the country in early March. There are also several holidays associated with independence and events during the civil wars: Liberation Day is January 26; Martyrs' Day is June 3; Heroes' Day is June 9; and Independence Day is October 9.
What to buy
Barter in the markets for musical instruments, wood carvings, woven goods and pottery.
Currency
£1= 3,600 Uganda shillings (USH, divided into 100 cents).
Timezone
GMT +3.
Embassies and visas
UK: Uganda High Commission, Uganda House, 58/59 Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DX (020 7839 5783)
Uganda: British High Commission, 4 Windsor Loop, PO Box 7070, Kampala (+256 31 2312000)
Visa requirements: UK visitors require a visa.
Getting there
Kampala's international airport is in Entebbe, 35km (22 miles) southwest of the capital. British Airways flies three times a week from London Gatwick, and Alliance Air flies twice a week direct from London Heathrow. An alternative is to fly to Nairobi, Kenya and catch a bus in. If you leave Uganda by air there's a departure tax of US$40 (roughly £20).
Related literature
My African Journey, Winston Churchill Recounts the journey the 33-year-old made in 1907.Part travelogue, part policy paper, the book articulates the values, fears, goals and justifications that animated European efforts to recast the human and physical environment of Africa in the 20th Century.
The Year of the Gorilla, George Schaller is the story of the author's expedition to study mountain gorillas in 1959-60. Told as a detailed narrative, it is as much an adventure story as a scientific analysis.
Abyssinian Chronicles, Moses Isegawa Isegawa's saga about life and death during the years of the Idi Amin terror in Uganda. It immerses the reader in the extremes of beauty and brutality, wisdom and ignorance, wealth and poverty, hope and despair that define the continent today.
