Uganda Visa and Entry Requirements for Safari Travellers

Getting into Uganda is straightforward when you prepare in advance. Rules and fees change, so treat this guide as a map and confirm each step on the official sources linked below before you travel.

Apply on the official portal

Most visitors apply online for a visa through the Uganda eVisa portal (opens in a new tab) before they fly. Use the official portal only, because lookalike websites exist and may charge extra. Apply a few weeks before departure, so you have time to fix any problems.

The East Africa Tourist Visa

If you plan to visit Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda on one trip, the East Africa Tourist Visa lets you travel across the three countries under one visa. It is valid for ninety days, it is a multiple-entry visa, and it must be issued by the first country you enter. It is for tourism only and cannot be extended. The fee and the application route differ by country, so check the Uganda Immigration website (opens in a new tab) and the immigration pages of Kenya and Rwanda. Our Uganda versus Rwanda gorilla guide explains when this matters.

What to carry

• A passport valid for at least six months, with blank pages
• Your visa approval, printed or on your phone
• Your itinerary and accommodation confirmations
• Proof of onward or return travel
• Travel insurance that covers medical evacuation and trekking
• Your gorilla or chimpanzee permit confirmations. See what a trekking day is like

Yellow fever and other health requirements

The yellow fever entry requirement has been in the news. The UK government's advice for Uganda (opens in a new tab) reports that a yellow fever certificate is no longer mandatory for entry, while health agencies such as the CDC (opens in a new tab) still recommend the vaccine for most travellers aged nine months and over. Because rules can change, check the official portal shortly before you travel, ask your travel clinic, and carry your vaccination record anyway.

The CDC also recommends prescription anti-malarial medicine for Uganda and lists routine vaccines and others such as hepatitis A and typhoid. See a travel clinic several weeks before you fly.

A simple checklist, step by step

• Check your passport is valid for at least six months and has blank pages
• Apply on the official eVisa portal a few weeks before you travel
• Check the current yellow fever and health guidance and see a travel clinic
• Buy travel insurance that covers medical evacuation and trekking
• Print or save your visa approval, itinerary and permit confirmations
• Carry your documents in your hand luggage, not your checked bag

Arrival at Entebbe

At the airport you will go through immigration, where officials check your passport and visa and take your fingerprints and photograph. Keep your documents together and be polite and patient. If a transfer is part of your plan, ask us exactly where your driver-guide will meet you. See getting from Entebbe to Mbarara for the route onward.

Costs to expect

The visa fee is listed on the portal when you apply, and visa fees are generally non-refundable. Budget for visa, insurance and health costs as separate items from your safari price. Our safari cost breakdown explains what is usually excluded.

Let us help you plan

Apply for your visa yourself on the official portal. We are happy to confirm your dates, permits and transfers through the plan your trip page. Read our first-time FAQs for the rest of the checklist.