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Murchison Falls

Travel guide · The pearl of Africa: the Nile, waterfalls and lakes

Travelling to Uganda

The source of the Nile, Murchison Falls, mountain lakes and nature so green that Churchill called it “the pearl of Africa”. We tell you when to go, what to see and what to eat.

Updated 18 October 2026 · How we make our guides

  • Best time: from December to September
  • Where to eat: a rolex stall or a local restaurant
Photo: Oliver Sedlacek · Public domain

Uganda in 30 seconds

  • The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Uganda are from December to September.
  • To eat like a local: a rolex stall or a local restaurant. Don’t leave without trying: Matoke, Rolex, Luwombo.

Uganda in November

You can go, with a few caveats: short rains. You can go; for safaris, December to February or June to September is better.

  • November

    Short rains

    In October and November there are showers, mostly in the afternoon; the dirt roads can get muddy.

    What to do: You can go; for safaris, December to February or June to September is better.

November is one of the months when people search most for travelling to Uganda: book early. More destinations for November

When to travel to Uganda

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Uganda are from December to September.

  1. Jan no warnings
  2. Feb no warnings
  3. Mar no warnings
  4. Apr no warnings
  5. May no warnings
  6. Jun no warnings
  7. Jul no warnings
  8. Aug no warnings
  9. Sep no warnings
  10. Oct with warnings
  11. Nov with warnings
  12. Dec no warnings

More destinations for those dates: where to travel in January · where to travel in February · where to travel in March · where to travel in April

  • October, November

    Short rains

    In October and November there are showers, mostly in the afternoon; the dirt roads can get muddy.

    What to do: You can go; for safaris, December to February or June to September is better.

What to see in Uganda

The cities and areas most worth your time, with their highlights. Open each one for all the places, where to stay and its day trips.

  • Kampala

    Kampala

    The capital on seven hills, with huge markets, mosques and the liveliest life in the country.

    • National Mosque
    • Kasubi Tombs
    • Owino Market
    • Namugongo Shrine
    Kampala guide
  • Murchison Falls

    Murchison Falls

    The Nile squeezed through a narrow gorge and a great national park with elephants, giraffes and lions.

    • Top of the Falls
    • Boat trip on the Nile
    • Safari on the north bank
    • Nile Delta
    Murchison Falls guide
  • Jinja

    Jinja

    The town at the source of the Nile and the adventure capital: rafting, kayaking and bungee jumping over the river.

    • Source of the Nile
    • Rafting
    • Boat trip
    • Bungee jumping
    Jinja guide
  • Entebbe

    Entebbe

    The gateway to Uganda, on the shores of Lake Victoria, with botanical gardens and a wildlife centre.

    • Botanical Gardens
    • Wildlife Education Centre
    • Ngamba Island
    • Mabamba Swamp
    Entebbe guide
  • Lake Bunyonyi

    Lake Bunyonyi

    A mountain lake with 29 islands and terraced hills, for a rest between safaris.

    • Canoe trip
    • Observation decks
    • Punishment Island
    • Trails
    Lake Bunyonyi guide

Day trips and activities

What’s most worth booking from each city. We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

From Kampala

From Murchison Falls

From Jinja

From Entebbe

From Lake Bunyonyi

Some links are affiliate links: if you book through them, Bagintravel may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

What to eat in Uganda

To eat like a local: a rolex stall or a local restaurant, and order matoke or rolex. And don’t leave without trying:

  • Matoke

    Steamed and mashed green bananas, the national dish.

  • Rolex

    An omelette with vegetables rolled up in a chapati.

  • Luwombo

    Chicken or meat stew cooked in banana leaves.

  • Posho

    A maize-flour dough, like ugali.

  • Lake tilapia

    Fried or grilled, in Entebbe and Jinja.

  • Groundnut sauce

    A peanut sauce served on the side.

The typical dish of Uganda, at home

Matoke
Photo: Krugen · CC BY-SA 4.0

Matoke

Uganda’s national dish: green cooking bananas, boiled and mashed or stewed with onion, tomato and meat. Traditionally it’s steamed wrapped in banana leaves.

  • Serves 4
  • 1 h

Ingredients

  • 8 green cooking bananas (or plantains)
  • 1 onion
  • 2 tomatoes
  • 1 green pepper
  • 300 g beef, diced (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon of mild curry powder
  • Oil and salt
  • Groundnut (peanut) sauce to serve (optional)

How to make it at home

  1. Peel the bananas (oil your hands first, as they stain) and cut them into pieces.
  2. Fry the onion, tomato and pepper gently with the curry powder; if you’re adding meat, brown it first.
  3. Add the bananas and just enough water to cover, with salt.
  4. Cook covered for about 30 minutes, until very tender.
  5. Mash some of the bananas to thicken it and serve with groundnut sauce.

The trick: In Uganda it’s steamed wrapped in banana leaves and then mashed inside the parcel.

The typical food of each city, with a recipe

Curious facts about Uganda

What guidebooks don’t tell you and will help you understand the country better.

  • The White Nile begins its journey at Jinja, as it flows out of Lake Victoria.
  • At Murchison Falls the whole Nile squeezes through a gorge just seven metres wide.
  • It shares Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa, with Kenya and Tanzania.
  • Its “rolex” isn’t a watch: it’s an omelette rolled up in a chapati.
  • The equator runs through it: there are monuments where you can take a photo with one foot in each hemisphere.
  • More than forty languages are spoken; English and Swahili are official.

Traditions of Uganda

Customs and celebrations that will help you experience the country like a local.

  • 3 June Martyrs’ Day

    A huge pilgrimage to Namugongo.

  • 9 October Independence Day

    A national holiday.

  • Traditional dances

    Each kingdom has its own drums and dances.

  • Kingdom of Buganda

    Its king (kabaka) still plays a cultural role.

What not to do in Uganda

First-trip mistakes that are easy to avoid.

  • Don’t travel without checking the visa requirements for your nationality and without a yellow fever vaccination.
  • Don’t go to the border areas that official travel advice warns against.
  • Don’t photograph people, official buildings or soldiers without permission.
  • Don’t forget malaria prophylaxis: ask at a travel health clinic.
  • Don’t swim in lakes without asking first: some have bilharzia.
  • Don’t use plastic bags: they’re restricted.

Before you go

Entry requirements depend on your passport and change: always check them with official sources before travelling.

Frequently asked questions about Uganda

What people search for most before travelling to Uganda.

What’s the best time to travel to Uganda?

The months with the fewest warnings to travel to Uganda are from December to September.

What to see in Uganda in a week?

The essentials of Uganda: Kampala, Murchison Falls, Jinja, Entebbe and Lake Bunyonyi. How many places fit into your days, and in what order, depends on your dates and how you get around: the Bagintravel app plans your trip day by day in a minute.

What to eat in Uganda?

Matoke, Rolex, Luwombo, Posho, Lake tilapia, Groundnut sauce. To eat like a local: a rolex stall or a local restaurant.

What is the typical dish of Uganda?

Matoke. Uganda’s national dish: green cooking bananas, boiled and mashed or stewed with onion, tomato and meat. Traditionally it’s steamed wrapped in banana leaves.

What should you not do in Uganda?

Don’t travel without checking the visa requirements for your nationality and without a yellow fever vaccination. Don’t go to the border areas that official travel advice warns against. Don’t photograph people, official buildings or soldiers without permission.

Is it worth travelling to Uganda in November?

You can go, with a few caveats: short rains. You can go; for safaris, December to February or June to September is better.

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Guide reviewed 18 October 2026. Seasonal data, places and areas: the same ones the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.

Photos: cover, Oliver Sedlacek (Public domain). Kampala, Todd Huffman from Phoenix, AZ (CC BY 2.0). Murchison Falls, Oliver Sedlacek (Public domain). Jinja, Ilona1001 (CC BY-SA 3.0). Entebbe, Mateo.Mfalme (CC BY-SA 4.0). Lake Bunyonyi, Carine06 from UK (CC BY-SA 2.0).