Uganda Overview

Overview

Uganda is a country of 3 colours: The bright blue of the sky, the dark red of the soil and the deep green of the vegetation. Situated around the north west shores of Lake Victoria, Uganda has experienced two brutal dictatorships, in the shape of Amin and Obote but is now free to develop under the leadership of President Museveni. This isn't to say things aren't hard, but the people of Uganda have a great national pride and are desperately trying to build their country up. HIV/AIDS is a major problem as is the lingering remnants of the Lords Resistance Army in the north of the country and this, combined with the lack of infrastructure, have made it a country still slightly off the tourist map. Often seen as a poor man's alternative to Kenya or Tanzania Uganda has just as much to offer and more, depending on what you're looking for.

If it's adventure that you want, look no further than Jinja, where you can go white water rafting at the source of the Nile and experience some of the biggest white water in the world (they have their own rating system it's so big!). If you want an alternative to climbing Kili then try the Rwenzori Mountains - just as big, harder or easier climbing depending on what you want and a fraction of the people trying to get to the top. Or if you want to explore the natural world you can take a once in a lifetime trip to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park where you can hike into the mountains, track and then spend an hour with mountain gorillas, an experience that you will certainly never forget. There is of course the opportunity for safari in Uganda as well, with prices much lower than Kenya or Tanzania. Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls national parks aren't as teeming with wildlife as you would find in the Ngorogoro crater or the Masai Mara (due to the systematic hunting under Amin and Obote) but still have everything you could want to see.

Uganda is definitely a country on the rise and with so much to see and do and people who are so friendly it is just a matter of time before it re-inherits the title given to it by Churchill as the Jewel of Africa.