I tend to shy away from generalisations and oversimplifications when writing about Africa. They’re typically not helpful and are sometimes offensive, depending on the topic.
After all, Africa is a diverse continent of 54 individual countries. Cape Town is as different from Cairo as Birmingham is from Beijing.
But on my travels throughout eastern and southern Africa (I’ve been to 12 different African countries so far!), one thing is fairly typical of each of the countries I have passed through – a concept known as African time.
I was listening to Michael Palin’s brilliant travelogue, Sahara, recently, and he mentioned that public transport in Mauritania (western Africa) also runs on African time. So, perhaps it’s a concept that truly unifies this diverse continent.
To prepare you for your upcoming visit to East Africa, I introduce you to the concept of African time in this article and explain why it’s important to acknowledge it ahead of your trip!
What does “African time” mean?
Depending on the context in which it is used, African time typically refers to people (or modes of transport) running late. The concept is rooted in the western perception of time, however, as being late is something that in itself is subjective.
Many western countries – the UK in particular – regard being on time as one of life’s most fundamental courtesies. If you’re due to start work at 9.00 am, arriving at 9.10 am is unacceptable.
If you agree to meet your friend for coffee at 3.00 pm and don’t show up until 3.30 pm, you’ll be lucky if they’re still sipping their latte when you finally arrive.
And if you head to Euston station to catch the 4.10 pm train to Birmingham New Street Station, expect the train to leave at 4.10 pm on the dot, unless a delay is indicated on the station’s departure screens.
Why is this important to African time? Well, at least in my opinion, African time only becomes an issue when you regard it within the western concept of being “on time.”
I can’t tell you how many conversations I’ve had with my wife (who is Ugandan) about keeping time. If, for instance, we are planning to arrive at church “on time” for the 8.30 am service, my wife might start getting ready at 8.30 am. Or she might not.
To me – as someone who grew up in the UK – this is baffling, and sometimes frustrating.
I’ll give you another example.
We arranged to go out for lunch last weekend and agreed in the morning that we would sit down to eat at 1 pm (I wanted to be home to watch the football that was starting at 3.30 pm!). So, by 12.30 pm, my son and I had showered and were ready to go. My wife, on the other hand, was busy chatting to friends and had been working in the garden, so she needed to get washed and dressed before leaving. Turns out we left at 1.30 pm and I missed the start of the football.
Now – I’m not criticising my wife! I love her to bits, and she is a truly wonderful person. But when it comes to being “on time” for something, she fails every single time.
Before writing this article, I sat down and asked her about the concept of African time. She basically told me that her understanding of being “on time” is completely different to mine.
For instance, she didn’t think she was late for lunch last week. We agreed a time and she got ready at (roughly) that time, and we enjoyed a lovely lunch. What difference does it make that we arrived a bit later than we had planned?
And in that, I came to terms with the most important thing about African time – it’s totally subjective and open to interpretation.
Let me explain.
Acknowledging “African time” as a tourist
Just like the minor issues that my wife and I experience with our different understanding of what it means to be “on time,” you’re likely to encounter issues with so-called African time during your vacation.
If, for instance, you’re planning to travel on public transport, it might be difficult for you to accept that your bus won’t necessarily leave at a specific time.
While the conductor might tell you that the night bus will leave at 7.00 pm, you might still be sitting in the bus park at 9.00 pm, waiting for the bus to fill up.
I’ve experienced this precise issue in Uganda, Kenya, and Malawi when traveling on public transport – buses, in particular, usually leave when they’re full!
This can be difficult to process as a tourist used to western travel schedules, where public transport leaves at a specific time each day. But as a visitor to Africa, you just need to accept it.
If you’re planning a journey ahead of your international flight home, you need to prepare for the fact that the bus might not deliver you to your destination on the schedule that you have planned for.
Therefore, as a rule of thumb, I always give myself one extra day when traveling on public transport in East Africa. If I’m traveling across country on a bus to get a Saturday morning flight, I will travel on Thursday, not Friday.
There are countless other examples where African time might impact your trip in some way. Your safari driver might agree to pick you up for a game drive at 6.45 am and arrive at 7.15 am. Or the new friend that you meet for dinner might arrive an hour late without texting or calling you in advance.
However you experience African time, remember not to get annoyed or frustrated. You’re a visitor in Africa and it’s not your place to change things.
Also – lots of things (and people) run perfectly on time in Africa!! This is so important to acknowledge. I genuinely can’t remember ever experiencing a flight delay in Uganda or Kenya, for example.
And although my wife isn’t particularly punctual, many of my friends are much timelier, and if we agree to meet at a specific time, there’s no issue.
The bottom line: African time
The purpose of this blog post was simply to make you aware of the concept of African time and to acknowledge it ahead of your trip.
I now live in Uganda, and I have tried really hard to change the way I look at time, as the people in my life don’t necessarily agree with my time-keeping priorities!
So, when you arrive in East Africa for your upcoming vacation, be mindful that African time is a thing – as the legendary Michael Palin points out in Sahara – and don’t let it stress you out.
It’s a fair question – are Ugandan buses safe for tourists?
If you’re looking to travel to different parts of Uganda on a budget, hopping on a bus is perhaps your best option. Every area of the country is serviced by long-distance coaches, and all routes begin at one of two bus terminals in Uganda.
Given the fact that internal flights are super expensive and that not everyone can afford to hire a safari company to drive them from point a to b, Ugandan buses provide tourists with a budget alternative when traveling up-country and away from Kampala.
But before you board a Ugandan bus for the first time, I want to prepare you for what lies in wait. I’ve traveled on Ugandan buses on numerous occasions, and there are certain things I would have liked to know before buying a ticket.
So, read on to find out everything you need to know about traveling on a Ugandan bus as a tourist.
Are Ugandan buses safe for tourists?
Yes and no. From a personal safety perspective, it’s safe to travel on a Ugandan bus. You’re unlikely to get mugged or into any trouble as a passenger on a bus, as most Ugandans are extremely friendly. While there are isolated incidents of buses being targeted by thieves and bandits, these aren’t common in Uganda and shouldn’t necessarily put you off traveling on a bus from Kampala to a destination up-country.
However, from a road safety perspective, Ugandan buses don’t fill passengers with a great deal of confidence. A 2015 report by the Daily Monitor found that bus accidents were less common than in previous years, but they’re still relatively common. From my personal experience, I’ve found that many Ugandan bus drivers are reckless on the roads, overtaking at speeds and taking unnecessary risks on the road.
Now that I live in Uganda and I’m fortunate enough to own a car, I am pleased that I no longer have to travel by bus due to their poor safety record. But for millions of Ugandans – many of my friends included – the bus is the only way to get around. So, if you’re planning to travel in Uganda by bus as a tourist, here are five things you need to consider before buying a ticket.
Are Ugandan buses safe? 5 things to consider about Ugandan bus travel as a tourist
If you decide that budget travel is a priority, be sure to consider the following things that will help you decide for yourself if traveling on bus in Uganda is safe and comfortable for you:
They leave when they’re full
Vehicles parked at one of Kampala’s bus parks.
Something that tourists find slightly unusual about public transport in many African countries is that buses, public taxis, and trains don’t necessarily leave at a standard time. Rather, they leave when they’re full.
So, for instance, it’s not uncommon for a bus with a scheduled departure time of 7 pm to set off at 9 pm or even later, depending on the passenger schedule. In fairness to Ugandan operators, I have found that most night buses leave roughly on time (perhaps within 30-60 minutes), but it’s important to be aware of the notion that public transport doesn’t run on strict schedules as it does in the US, UK, and other parts of the world.
This is particularly important to be aware of if you’re sticking to a tight schedule and need to make a connection. If you’re planning to take a bus to Kampala to make your flight out of Uganda, I’d recommend traveling by bus at least a day beforehand, as delays are to be expected on the road.
There are day and night buses
When you’re planning a trip across Uganda on a bus, you should be aware that there are both day and night buses that you can board. They’re the same price, and they take the same route, but there are some important distinctions to be mindful of.
I prefer traveling at night, as the bus stops less frequently and there is less traffic on the road, making journey times quicker. What’s more, Ugandan buses can get really hot and uncomfortable during the day, and it’s much cooler to travel through the night.
Also, traveling at night allows you to get some sleep and may mean that you don’t need to book accommodation for the night, offering further cost savings if budget travel is at the top of your list of priorities!
There’s not a great deal of space
It’s fair to say that Ugandan buses are tightly packed! Most buses have three seats on one side and two on the other when in reality, it would be much more comfortable for everyone if the seats were in 2×2 configurations.
What’s more, the legroom that you get between your chair and the seat in front of you is negligible, and it can be particularly uncomfortable for tall people. I’m 6ft 3in, and I can’t comfortably sit in the space provided, making for uncomfortable journeys.
Of course, everyone is different, but the lack of space between the rows is one of the main reasons why I avoid Ugandan buses. If you’re accustomed to coach travel in the US or Europe, you will find that Ugandan buses are extremely tightly packed, and it might not make for an overly comfortable journey to your destination.
There’s no first class
Having traveled on a night bus from Nairobi to Mombasa in first class, I was expectant of the same option when I first arrived in Uganda. First-class seats are common on Kenyan buses, as they are in other countries. You essentially get twice the amount of space and the ability to recline your seat, which is beneficial for getting some sleep at night.
In Uganda, however, there’s no such option on long-distance buses. I’m not sure why this is, or why a travel company hasn’t decided to offer first-class seats on their buses. But unfortunately, if you wish to travel on a Ugandan bus as a tourist, you have no choice other than to sit in standard seating.
And as mentioned above, the seats on a Ugandan bus are tightly packed, so it’s not particularly comfortable for taller and bigger people!
They stop at random intervals
I’ve never fully understood how Ugandan bus drivers decide where to stop, as there aren’t any bus stops along the side of the road! In fact, it amazes me how they know where to pick people up and drop passengers off.
My wife assures me that Ugandans know instinctively where to wait for specific buses at the side of the road, but given that there are so many pedestrians in towns and villages throughout the country, I have no idea how drivers know that someone is specifically waiting for the bus to collect them!
Anyway – the reason I mention this is that it’s a good idea to board the bus at the bus station itself, as opposed to trying to hop on the bus at one of its unofficial stops. As for getting off the bus, you need to know where you’re planning to disembark. If you’re not sure of a destination, ask the person sitting next to you to tell you when you arrive – you will find that the vast majority of Ugandans are very happy to help.
How much do Ugandan bus journeys cost?
The best thing about Ugandan buses is that they’re cheap. You can buy a ticket for most destinations throughout the country for anywhere between $10 – $20. When you bear in mind that many journeys take the best part of 12 hours to remote towns and cities, this represents decent value for money!
The bottom line: Are Ugandan buses safe for tourists?
The bottom line is that traveling on a Ugandan bus as a tourist can be a safe and viable way to get from Kampala to various destinations up-country, but it’s not for the faint-hearted!
In my experience, bus travel in Uganda is crowded, hot, and not particularly comfortable, which is why I would opt for an alternative means of travel wherever possible.
But if you’re on a budget, traveling by bus as a tourist in Uganda is the most affordable way to traverse the country.
If you’re not sold on Ugandan bus travel, read our guide to find out everything you need to know about driving in Uganda as a tourist!
Is traveling in Uganda expensive in 2023? Allow me to explain.
If you’re planning a trip to Uganda in 2023, you might be wondering if traveling in Uganda is expensive for tourists.
The great news is I’m going to talk you through everything you need to know about how much travel costs in Uganda so you can budget for your upcoming trip without getting any unwelcome surprises when you arrive!
According to BudgetYourTrip, Uganda is the fourteenth most expensive country in Africa to travel in, and they recommend a budget of $49.00 per day.
While this might be a decent place to start, it’s important to recognize one important truth: Travel in Uganda is as cheap, or as expensive, as you want it to be.
As such, traveling in Uganda is a delicate balancing act. You need to think about comfort and safety, but equally, you might not want to pay over the odds for exclusive travel when there’s a budget option available.
This post is fairly comprehensive, so I’ve decided to break it down into several sections to make your life that little bit easier. I hope you find this guide useful, and if you have any questions, you can leave a comment at the end, and I’ll get back to you!
What is the currency in Uganda?
Before I start talking about costs, you should be aware that the currency used in Uganda is Ugandan Shillings. Many hotels are willing to accept payment in US Dollars, but GBP and Euros are less commonly accepted.
When paying for transport and generally moving up and down the country, you will need to pay in Shillings.
You won’t be able to get shillings before you arrive in Entebbe, so make sure you have some money to change at the airport or in Entebbe town. You can also withdraw money from an ATM if you prefer.
At the time of writing this post [November 2022], the currency rate was as follows:
$1.00 = 3,800 UGX
Note that the value of the Shilling changes a lot, so make sure you double-check the current exchange rate before arriving.
I’m going to list all prices in this post in USD just to make things easier. Please note these prices are all subject to change.
In your experience, you may even find markedly different prices to those I list here. If you do, please make a note of this in the comments.
I will provide links to my sources where possible unless the costs are from my personal experience. And in that case, you’ll just have to trust me!
So, without further ado, let’s dive in and answer the question – is traveling in Uganda expensive for tourists in 2023?
Is traveling in Uganda expensive? The cost of travel in Uganda 2023
I’m not going to get into international flights, visas, or inoculation prices; those will be covered in a separate post. Here I’m only concerned with the cost of travel when you actually arrive in Uganda.
Internal flights
Many tourists seek out internal flights to take them from Entebbe to their desired destinations, ‘up country.’ This is fair enough, as many of the national parks in Uganda are located at the extreme ends of the country [Bwindi & Kidepo being prime examples].
Internal flights within Uganda are operated by Aerolink, and if you’re traveling independently, you should make your reservation through their website. The booking process is incredibly straightforward.
Here’s a link to Aerolink’s flight timetable, and you can see how often they fly to each tourist destination. They don’t publish the cost of their flights on their website, and you will have to complete a search to find out the prices.
But to give you a rough idea of what to expect here’s an example:
To fly from Entebbe to Kihihi [the airstrip that serves both Queen Elizabeth NP and Bwindi] in March 2021, it would cost me $236.00 each way. So, for a round trip, I’d be looking at $472.00.
The flight takes just over an hour and is an excellent way of seeing the country from above. I took my first flight with the recently established Bar Aviation, and I was super impressed with their service. They have emerged as competition to Aerolink, which will hopefully drive down the cost of flights in the near future.
Buses
If flying is out of your price range, you could consider taking a long-distance bus from Kampala to your destination up-country. I’ve taken many buses in Uganda on various routes, and I’m not a huge fan.
This is because I’m 6ft3 and heavy-set, so they’re pretty uncomfortable for me! Here’s a brief summary of what to expect from Uganda’s buses:
[Please note, I haven’t traveled on a bus in Uganda since COVID-19, so some of the SOPs might have affected the overall bus experience!]
They leave when they’re full, regardless of whether they tell you they will leave at a specific time.
You won’t have much legroom at all, as seats are tightly packed together.
There is no toilet on board.
It can take hours to leave Kampala. [On my most recent night bus journey from Kampala to Kanungu, the bus left the station at 8 pm and was still in Kampala’s infamous jam at midnight].
Uganda doesn’t have the best road safety record in the world, and bus accidents are relatively common. That being said, the Daily Monitor reported in 2015 that incidents were declining thanks to improved road safety.
Prepare to have your personal space invaded by other people and their luggage.
Don’t make any plans for the day or night of your intended arrival, as you are likely to be late. And you will need to rest and recover from the journey.
There’s no such thing as first class on a Ugandan bus.
With all this considered, buses in Uganda are cheap and the best way to travel if you’re on a budget. To use the same example as the Aerolink flight, if I wanted to travel from Kampala to Kihihi [8-12 hours travel time depending on traffic and mechanical issues], it would cost approximately $11.00.
When public transport returned after the COVID-19 lockdown, the cost of the same bus ticket doubled and was $22.00, as buses were running at half capacity.
So if you’re planning on taking this bus in 2021, expect to pay somewhere between $11.00 and $22.00 for your ticket!
All buses are run by private companies with names like Savannah, Global, and Star Link. The best way to book a bus is to head to the bus park in Kampala and buy a ticket directly from the relevant office.
Just tell someone when you arrive at the park where you’re traveling to, and they will point you to the relevant booking office. Although it’s organized chaos, you’ll find what you’re looking for with a bit of patience.
Private hire
Traffic in Kampala, Uganda’s capital, is nothing if not chaotic. Prepare yourself for a jam! Photo credit: Prince Beguin, Unsplash.
If you’re traveling independently in Uganda [i.e., your trip isn’t being arranged by a tour company], you can hire a driver to take you to your desired location for a pre-determined price.
Here’s an important point: everything in Uganda is subject to negotiation, particularly when it’s related to travel.
When you first approach a driver and ask him/her to take you to a specific location, be prepared to negotiate. Some cars in Uganda are in horrendous mechanical condition, so you need to make sure you trust the driver that you hire.
If you’ve never been to Uganda before, the best thing to do if you’re interested in organizing a private hire is to book it through your hotel or hostel.
Failing that, you could book through a tour company. I would personally recommend AJ Tours and Travel, a small-medium-sized tour company based in Kampala.
They’re super friendly, and the manager, Andrew, actually helped me buy a car earlier this year. They can arrange a private hire to take you anywhere in Uganda at a reasonable price.
Again, using the same example of a journey from Kampala to Kihihi, AJ Tours could arrange a private hire for you for $100.00 per day, which includes a vehicle and driver. Be aware that you have to pay for your fuel on top of this price and will need to fuel the vehicle to return to KLA.
While this is an expensive option if you’re on your own, if there’s a group of you, it actually works out as a good deal and is much more comfortable than the bus.
In 2020, a new app was launched called SafariShare, which is essentially a platform where you can request a ride from one location to another for a small fee. I’ve seen it advertised on Ugandan TV a few times, but I’ve never used it.
The premise is certainly a good one, and it could be worth downloading to check it out if you’re looking to share a ride while in Uganda.
Self-drive/Car rental
For those of you that fancy an adventure, renting a car in Uganda is exactly that.
It takes a brave soul to get behind the wheel in Kampala. In fact, I think the first time I drove in Kampala was in 2016, and I still have nightmares about it.
However, if you avoid Kampala and hit the highway, driving in Uganda is great fun. You just need to be careful, as I’ve already mentioned that road safety in Uganda isn’t the best.
But before I give you some tips for driving in Uganda, let’s talk about the cost.
I’ve rented a Rav4 from RoadTripAfrica on several occasions, and I couldn’t recommend them highly enough.
Their service is incredible, and I’ve genuinely never had a mechanical problem with a car that I’ve rented from them. They have lots of different vehicles you rent, starting with a Rav4 and going all the way up to a Land Cruiser.
The cheapest deal they currently have offers a Rav4 at $46.00 per day, which includes roadside assistance and insurance.
Petrol in Uganda is currently about $1.80 – $2.00 per liter.
Renting a vehicle is an excellent way of seeing the country and gives you the chance to arrange your own safari [which saves you a heap of money and is generally amazing]. I’ll write about this in detail in a future post.
Don’t speed. Even though you will be presented with vast swathes of empty roads when you’re out of Kampala, don’t be tempted to break the speed limit. Here’s why:
Potholes. Trust me; they’re like craters.
Cows and other animals regularly saunter into the middle of the road.
The traffic police utilize speed guns and are good at hiding.
The speed bumps are enormous, and if you don’t see them, you could wreck your car.
Buses travel faster than the speed of sound [they don’t, but they go way too fast].
People overtake recklessly, even on blind bends.
Trucks are a nuisance and are either driving too slow or too fast. And they’re commonly overloaded.
You get the point – the roads are tricky if you’re not used to them. Stick to the speed limit.
Regularly check your oil and water. Get into the habit of doing this every time you stop for fuel. Also, check your tire pressure every time you refuel.
Carry your permit at all times when driving. It’s common in Uganda for the traffic police to pull you over just to check your license. Make sure you have it on you, or you’ll get fined.
If you’re up for it, driving yourself would be my recommendation, but you need to be careful. It’s not for the faint-hearted.
Public taxis and boda-bodas
A Boda Boda rider in Kampala taking a rest between passengers. Photo Credit: Social Income, Unsplash,
If you spend any time at all in Kampala, the chances are you will need to take either a taxi or a boda-boda.
What on earth is a boda-boda, I hear you ask?
It’s basically just a motorbike taxi. You hop on the back, and the driver takes you where you want to go [usually]. They are notoriously dangerous in Kampala, but initiatives like SafeBoda have improved safety in recent times.
It’s basically just a motorbike taxi. You hop on the back, and the driver takes you where you want to go [usually]. They are notoriously dangerous in Kampala, but initiatives like SafeBoda have improved safety in recent times.
Boda-bodas are more expensive than public taxis, but they’re more convenient, too, and get you to where you need to go more quickly.
People don’t tend to use boda-bodas for long journeys and usually just go short distances within the city. They’re also a common way of getting around in rural areas and provincial towns and are useful if you don’t have a vehicle.
It’s really hard to tell you the price of a boda-boda journey because they vary enormously. However, for a journey of up to 5km, you could expect to pay somewhere between $2.00-5.00, depending on how good you are at negotiating.
As for public taxis, I prefer not to use them.
I should note that taxis in Uganda are shared minibusses that leave when they’re full. I don’t really understand their pricing structure, but it seems to depend on where you go.
Taxis shuttle people around Kampala, but they also take you to various locations outside the city.
I remember taking a taxi from Kampala to Jinja one time and regretting it immensely. It was just too hot and crowded for my liking, but it was super cheap, which was one positive.
For taxis in and around Kampala, don’t expect to pay more than $2.00 for short distances. If you’re heading out of the city, be sure to ask the price before you board.
I regularly use boda-bodas, as I find them much more comfortable than taxis, but I know lots of people don’t use them because of their dubious safety record.
If you’re using a boda-boda, bear the following in mind:
If you can, book through an app like SafeBoda. You will get a better price and a better quality motorcycle.
Always wear a helmet. If your driver doesn’t give you one, find another rider. If you’re around for a while, it’s a good idea to buy one for yourself and carry it with you.
If you’re negotiating on the street, check the quality of the boda before you get on. If it looks like it could collapse at any minute, find another driver.
You need to negotiate the price. Never accept the first price they give you. It’s always going to be considerably less than they quote initially.
Avoid traveling on bodas in the rain. Obviously, you will get wet, but the roads are extremely dangerous when slippery. I’ve fallen off a boda once, and it was after a heavy rain storm.
Generally speaking, only use taxis and boda-bodas in and around towns and cities. For traveling further afield, use one of the other options I’ve listed.
Is traveling in Uganda expensive? Summaries and recommendations
So, is traveling in Uganda expensive for tourists in 2023?
I would say it’s as expensive or as cheap as you would like it to be.
For instance, you can get from Kampala to Bwindi for $20.00 or less using the bus. The same trip would cost you more than $200.00 on an internal flight.
Here are my recommendations:
For budget travelers: Uganda provides a range of cheap transport options for budget travelers. If you utilize taxis in towns and cities and travel on buses from place to place, your dollars can go a long way.
For mid-range travelers: If you have a little more money to spend, I’d recommend hiring a car for the duration [or at least part] of your trip. Fuel isn’t too expensive, and you have the freedom a car affords you; just be careful not to speed.
For you lucky people who don’t need to worry about money: If money isn’t an issue, hop on an internal flight and see the beauty of the country from above. You can then hire a private car and driver to take you from place to place.
So, there you have it, your ultimate guide to the cost of travel in Uganda in 2023!
If you have any comments or recommendations for other travelers, please do let me know in the comment section below.
