Uganda International Airport, land borders reopen
Is the airport open? This is one of the top questions for those interested in taking Uganda safari holidays. Yes, Uganda’s international airport has been reopened for commercial flights and therefore tourists can visit the country now. On September 19th, 2020, the president of Uganda H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni announced that Entebbe International Airport and land borders were now open for those coming in and going out of Uganda. In his full statement, the president stated that;
“The international airport and land borders will now be opened for tourists coming in and going out provided they tested negative 72 hours before arrival in Uganda and provided the tour operators ensure that the tourists do not mix with the Ugandans. How will this be done? The tourists will be driven straight from the airport to their destinations or to designated transit hotels that are set aside for that purpose. Business delegations should also be handled in the same way by the local partners. The returning Ugandans who have negative PCR results will be allowed to go home. The Ministry of Health will only get their addresses for follow-up. Restrictions on movements on border districts are hereby lifted.”
The reopening of the Entebbe International Airport in Uganda comes after about six months of closure from March when the country had its first COVID-19 patient. After the closure of the airport, it followed the closure of all national parks in Uganda. However, the parks were slowly opened up for domestic tourists then now with the opening of the airport and borders, the parks can be visited by international tourists. With the airport reopened, tourists can now book Uganda tours and undertake any activity.
Updated COVID-19 procedures at the airport as of 05th November 2021.
The ministry of Health resolved that all arriving passengers at Entebbe International Airport will have their samples for COVID-19 taken and thereafter they will be allowed to proceed home or to their hotels for self-isolation until they receive their results.
Activities to do in Uganda
As tourists plan to visit Uganda, many may wonder which activities to undertake. Here are some of the top activities to undertake during a safari to Uganda;
Gorilla trekking Uganda
Gorilla trekking is a top activity in Uganda done at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Mountain gorillas live in their natural habitat and the only way to see them is by taking Uganda gorilla safari. To see the mountain gorillas, tourists have to trek through the dense jungle, for about 2-6 hours. However, only a maximum of 1 hour is allocated to spend watching the gorilla family. Each morning, a group of 8 individuals is allocated a single gorilla family and each group goes along with armed park rangers. This experience is memorable and worth undertaking.
Gorilla Habituation Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Rather than the popular gorilla trekking, gorilla habituation is a process of introducing gorillas to the company of human beings. Each day, only 4 people are allowed to habituate a particular gorilla family group. The experience gives tourists a chance to spend more time (4 hours) with the mountain gorillas. Gorilla habituation only happens in the Rushaga sector South of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.
A gorilla habituation permit costs US$ 1500.
Chimpanzee trekking
Uganda offers the best chimpanzee trekking experience in Africa in the different habitats. The top 3 chimpanzee habitats include Kibale National Park, Budongo forest, and Kyambura Gorge. In Kibale, the main center/trailhead for chimp tracking is the Kanyanchu visitor’s center, and the chances of seeing the chimpanzees are very high. Guided chimpanzee trekking walks happen on a daily in two sessions; in the morning at 08:00 AM and in the afternoon at 02:00 PM. The activity can take 3hours to a whole day including the 1 hour that is allocated to you to spend time with chimps.
Chimpanzee Habituation Experience
The chimpanzee habituation experience is the process of getting chimps accustomed to human presence and this is done in the Kibale forest. Visitors who would want to have a chimpanzee habituation experience accompany researchers and habituation into the forest to spend time with the chimpanzees. These chimpanzees are not as accustomed to human presence as those seen during chimpanzee trekking.
Chimpanzee habituation is available in the park for visitors interested in a full day or half-day habituation experience. For the morning experience, visitors get the chance to see chimps leaving their overnight nests between 6:00 – 6:30 am before they start feeding and going about their day. During the chimpanzee habituation period, visitors watch chimpanzees feeding, copulating, hunting, breastfeeding, resting, patrolling, and displaying their characteristics. A typical chimpanzee day ends by 7 pm when they build nests to spend the rest of their night.
Wildlife game drives
Uganda has several wildlife habitats which tourists can visit for wildlife game drives. Game drives give the best opportunity to see lots of wildlife, especially in the dry season.
Other activities in Uganda include bird watching, white water rafting, hot air balloon, hiking and nature walks, abseiling, Kampala city tour, cultural tours, and many more. Choose any activity and book with us your next trip. With Uganda airport reopening, all East African airports are now open to tourists and therefore making it possible for East African tours. Wildlife tours in Kenya and Tanzania safaris can be tailored with Rwanda gorilla tours or gorilla trekking in Uganda.
Uganda Safari Packages
1 Day Jinja City Tour & White Water
1 Day Kampala City tour Uganda
3 Days Sipi Falls Hike Tour Uganda
2 Days Queen Elizabeth Park Safari
3 Days Murchison Falls Safari Uganda
