Uganda is a land of contrasts. In half a day you can drive from mist-shrouded volcanic mountains to hot hazy savannah, dappled with wildlife. Serene undulating hills of tea plantations, lush but ordered, give way to tangled jungle and rainforest with the musical accompaniment of chaotic, cacophonous birdlife.
Uganda is alive with these contrasts: The tiniest sunbirds, iridescent in the morning light; the massive lumbering yet silent elephant,disappearing like a vapor behind the trees; the chimpanzees crashing about the forest canopy;
the lugubrious gorilla, chewing thoughtfully in the bamboo thicket.
Uganda, twice the size of Pennsylvania, is in East Africa. It is bordered on the west by Congo, on the north by the Sudan, on the east by Kenya, and on the south by Tanzania and Rwanda. The country, which lies across the equator, is divided into three main areas—swampy lowlands, a fertile plateau with wooded hills, and a desert region. Lake Victoria forms part of the southern border.
Uganda’s scenery comprises of lush rolling hills, waterfalls, forests, snowcapped mountains, lakes, rivers s and vast tracks of the Savannah grasslands.
The country consists of a number of lakes including Africa’s largest Lake which is Lake Victoria, the source of River Nile! It also hosts various islands such as the Ssese islands, Bugala island, Ngamba island (home to orphaned chimpanzees) among others. There are also a number of wetlands which are great paradises of birds.
The climate is pleasantly warm, with average temperatures ranging between 20 °C and 25 °C (68 °F and 77 °F), and annual rainfall ranging between 900 and 1,500 millimeters (35 and 60 inches). Temperature variations throughout the year are little, however, there is a warmer period from December to March, more noticeable in the north, and a cooler period from June to September. In general, the temperatures are pleasant, although it can sometimes get hot during the day, especially from December to April, while nights can be cool or even cold, depending on altitude, and this can happen throughout the year, but especially from June to August.
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Uganda is a multilingual country. Forty three of its living languages fall into four main families—Bantu, Nilotic and Central Sudanic—with another two languages in the Kuliak family. English, inherited from the colonial period, is the official language.
Uganda has many tribes that speak different languages.The main ethnic group is called the Ganda, which makes up 16.9% of the population, followed by the Nkole, Soga and Kiga tribes, which make up 9.5%, 8.4% and 6.9% respectively. There are many other tribes; however, they constitute a very small percentage of the total population
Sun block lotion, sunglasses, hats and insect repellents are essential. Binoculars are an absolute must!