Tanzania United Republic
Tanzania is one of Africa’s top safari destinations. The wildlife viewing is out of this world and big cats are especially easy to see. All members of the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo) can be found in various Tanzanian parks and reserves, and all five are present in the Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park.
Uganda United Republic
If your dream is mountain gorilla trekking, Uganda is the place to go. Rwanda is the only other country in which these gentle giants can be encountered on a trek, and Ugandan permits are a fraction of the price charged over the border. Apart from gorilla trekking, there are lots of other things to do in Uganda.
Cheap Flights to Uganda?
When searching for cheap flights to Uganda online, you’ll be hit with a plethora of offers you won’t resist clicking. Because of the ever-advancing technology, searching for a flight can be a bit overwhelming. There are so many factors: dates, times, price, fare class, airline, and more. Even when you know exactly when and where you want to fly, you should look for the absolute best price is still not an easy question to answer.
Unfortunately, no website consistently has the lowest prices. Most popular OTAs (Online Travel Agencies) are usually in the same ballpark for the price, but not all offer the same benefits or search functionality. More often than not, booking directly through the airline’s website will give you the best price for a flight ticket to Uganda, or will at least be the same as the OTAs.
If you chose to book through OTA, the top five sites I would recommend are Kayak, Expedia, Priceline, Orbitz, and Agoda, among the many online.
Arriving (and Leaving) by Air in Uganda
The main entry point for flights that travel to Uganda is Entebbe International Airport (EBB), located on a peninsular 40km from Kampala, the capital.
International charter flights can also land, usually by arrangement with immigration, at some airstrips around the country such as Pakuba (Murchison Falls NP), Kasese (Near Queen Elizabeth NP), Kakira (Jinja), Kihihi (Kiso near Bwindi), and Apoka (Kidepo Valley NP).
Traveling out of Entebbe Airport
Once through customs and immigration at Entebbe, the first thing you will want to do is get some local currency. There are 24-hour foreign-exchange facilities at the airport, though the rates are lower than at the private forex bureau in town, so I wouldn’t exchange any more money than I have to.
As you exit the airport doors, you’ll see a group of men dressed in blue shirt uniforms waving their hands for attention. Those are airport taxi drivers—and of course, if your trip is planned, your tour manager will be waiting with a name placard. They are always there for all arrivals at any time.
A private airport taxi from the airport to Entebbe costs around US$5, and one to Kampala should cost no more than US$35. The alternative is to take a shared taxi between the airport and Entebbe, where you can pick up a minibus from the old taxi park in Kampala for roughly US$2 per person.
Crossing between Uganda and Tanzania
The only direct route between Tanzania and Uganda connects Masaka to the port of Bukoba, crossing at the Mutukula border post. From Bukoba, overnight ferries continue to Mwanza thrice weekly.
You can take a catamaran speed vessel between the Port Bell in Kampala (MV Amani) and Mwanza (MV Bluebird) Tanzania side of lake Victoria, which will take you about 3 hours (if you have the pockets for it). Aboard cargo ferry service takes about 19 hours between Port Bell and Mwanza. I would take the latter for the valued experience and the former to get where I have to be fast.
Need Help? WhatsApp: +255 759 694 668
Book your Holiday Extras Hotels, Flights, Trains, Buses, Taxis, Private Transfers, Safari Vehicles and much more online for great savings. We also arrange: shared airport shuttles, private transfers, airport taxis, luxury transfers, minibus and minivans or even a private coach.
