Full Country Name: Republic of Uganda

Area: 237,000 sq km (92,300 sq mi)

Population: 22,804,973

Capital City: Kampala

People: Baganda, Lango, Acholi, Pygmy, European, Asian, Arab

languages: English, Swahili, plus 30 indigenous languages such as Luganda.

Religion: Roman Catholic (33%), Protestant (33%), indigenous beliefs (18%), Muslim (16%)

Government: Republic

Visas: The Ugandan authorities prefer that foreigners obtain visas at Ugandan embassies / high commissions or consulates prior to arrival in Uganda.

Time: GMT/UTC plus three hours

Climate:The tropical heat is tempered by the altitude, which averages over 1000m. The best time to visit Uganda is late December to late February, as the weather at this time of year is generally dry (though hot). A close second is the mid-June to mid-August period. Don't even think about trekking outside of these dry months.

Currency: Uganda Shilling (USh). The Ugandan shilling is a stable, fully convertible currency, fluctuating very little from day to day.
Cities: Kampala. A modern, bustling capital, Kampala suffered a great deal during the years of civil strife. These days, Kampala even has casinos, nightclubs and fancy restaurants. And it's safe. The Uganda Museum's most interesting feature is its collection of traditional musical instruments, which you're allowed to play. The Kasubi Tombs are on Kasubi Hill, a royal palace enclosure first built in 1881. This is where you'll find the huge traditional reed and bark-cloth buildings of the kabakas (kings) of the Baganda people. Bwindi National Park. Bwindi is one of Uganda's most recently created national parks. Formerly known as the Impenetrable Forest, the park covers 330 sq km (128 sq mi) in the south-west of the country. It encompasses one of the last remaining habitats of the mountain gorilla, and is home to half of the surviving mountain gorillas in the world - an estimated 320 individuals. Jinja Jinja lies on the shores of Lake Victoria and is chockablock with old Asian-style buildings, reflecting the days when the town had a sizeable Asian community. Ssese Islands This group of 84 islands lies off the north-western shores of Lake Victoria. The islands escaped the ravages of Uganda's civil wars and remain largely unspoiled. Ruwenzori Mountains and Kibale Forest National Park The mist-covered Ruwenzori Mountains offer some of the most challenging trekking in East Africa. It's also the base from which to explore the Kibale Forest National Park, 30km (19mi) to the southeast. The park is famous for its chimpanzees, and is said to have the highest density of primates in the world. It's also home to baboons, red and white colobus monkeys, and larger mammals such as bushbucks, sitatungas, duikers, civets, buffalo and elephants. Lake Albert Lake Albert is part of the Great Rift Valley system which extends from the Middle East to Mozambique, and since 1894 has formed part of the border between Uganda and Congo.

Restrictions:All nationals require an International Health Certificate showing proof of a Yellow Fever and Cholera vaccination within the past 10 years.