Frequently asked questions (FAQ) about e-Visa in Uganda

Uganda offers a wide range of New Year’s Eve parties, from elegant hotel galas to lively concerts and dance parties. The Sheraton Kampala Hotel and Kampala Serena Hotel host some of the most luxurious New Year’s Eve galas, complete with dinner, live music, and a midnight fireworks display. For concert-goers, Lugogo Cricket Oval in Kampala is known for organizing high-energy concerts with popular Ugandan and African artists.  Another popular event is the Blankets & Wine Festival, which often holds a special New Year’s edition with live music, food, and drinks. For those who prefer a club scene, Sky Lounge, Guvnor and Club Illusion are top spots where DJs play until the early morning hours, attracting a young, energetic crowd.  For a more unique experience, party cruises on Lake Victoria offer scenic views, live music, and festive countdowns, creating unforgettable memories on the water. With such diverse options, Uganda ensures an unforgettable start to the New Year for all party-goers.

In Uganda, Kampala is the go-to place for New Year's Eve fireworks displays, with some of the biggest and most vibrant shows happening at popular locations like Sheraton Kampala Hotel and Kampala Serena Hotel. Both hotels host lively celebrations with countdowns, live music, and spectacular fireworks at midnight.  Another great spot is Acacia Mall in the upscale neighborhood of Kololo, which organizes fireworks displays along with a festive atmosphere filled with food, music, and holiday lights. For a scenic lakeside celebration, Entebbe’s waterfront area often features fireworks, and its location along Lake Victoria provides a beautiful backdrop. Visitors planning to join these celebrations should ensure they apply for a Ugandan visa in advance, as New Year’s Eve attracts large crowds eager to enjoy the festivities. Arriving early is also key to securing a good spot and making the most of the vibrant holiday spirit.

Families in Uganda have plenty of festive activities to enjoy together during Christmas. Attending church services is a major tradition, and many families look forward to the lively music, dancing, and community gatherings these services bring.  Families also host special Christmas feasts, with traditional foods like roast goat, matoke and rice, children are often given new clothes as gifts, which they wear to church and celebrations. In Kampala, activities like visiting Acacia Mall or Garden City Mall for holiday displays, shopping, and photos with Santa are popular.  For outdoor activities, the Entebbe Botanical Gardens and Lake Victoria offer beautiful locations for families to picnic, relax or go boating. Many families also use the holiday to travel, visiting places like Murchison Falls or Jinja for sightseeing and adventure activities. Community gatherings with games, music and storytelling are common in rural areas, making Christmas a festive and meaningful season for families across Uganda.

Christmas in Uganda is marked by several events, with most centered on religious gatherings, music and community activities. Many churches across the country hold Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services, complete with choirs, dancing and festive gatherings. Kampala’s Miracle Centre Cathedral and Rubaga Cathedral host some of the most notable services, often attended by thousands of people. Additionally, Entebbe Botanical Gardens holds a family-oriented Christmas fair with local vendors, food and crafts, while Kampala’s Christmas Market at the Craft Village offers unique shopping and dining experiences.  Concerts and live music performances are popular during this season, with events like the Kampala City Festival and various gospel music events drawing big crowds. Community events in smaller towns also bring people together for celebrations, often featuring traditional music, dance, and storytelling, making Uganda’s Christmas events a lively blend of faith and cultural pride.

While Christmas lights aren’t as widespread in Uganda as in some other countries, there are certain areas where they are beautifully displayed. In Kampala, malls and shopping centers like Acacia Mall, Garden City Mall and Oasis Mall often decorate with vibrant Christmas lights and ornaments. Major hotels, including the Serena Hotel Kampala and Sheraton Kampala Hotel, also put up elaborate holiday displays, making them popular spots for visitors looking for holiday cheer. In addition, churches and local neighborhoods sometimes hang lights and other decorations for Christmas Eve services, and it’s not uncommon to see colorful displays in wealthier residential areas. Visiting these locations in Kampala during December offers a festive atmosphere where you can enjoy the best of Uganda’s Christmas lights.

In Uganda, Christmas is celebrated with a blend of religious observance, family gatherings and local customs. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are often spent attending church services, as most Ugandans are Christian and place a strong emphasis on the holiday’s religious significance.  Churches across Uganda hold vibrant services filled with singing, dancing and nativity plays. Families also gather for large feasts, with traditional dishes like matoke (steamed banana), roasted meats, rice, chapati and posho (a type of maize porridge). It’s common for families to return to their home villages, especially if they work or study in cities, making it a highly anticipated homecoming. Decorating homes with Christmas lights, pine tree branches and small plastic Christmas trees has also grown in popularity. Uganda’s Christmas celebrations are all about community, making it a joyful and unifying time of year.

In Uganda, New Year’s Eve festivities are known for their lively and extended celebrations, often continuing well into the early hours of New Year’s Day. Fireworks displays, typically held around midnight, mark the peak of celebrations, but parties in popular hotels, clubs, and restaurants often carry on until 3 or 4 a.m. 

In Uganda, New Year’s Day is celebrated with a focus on family, relaxation, and prayer. Many Ugandans start the day by attending church services, where they give thanks for the past year and pray for blessings in the new one.

Lake Mburo National Park stands out as a unique destination among Uganda’s national parks because of its small size, diverse activities, and distinctive wildlife. Covering about 260 square kilometers (100 square miles). Although it is one of Uganda’s smallest parks, it offers an incredibly rich and accessible safari experience that travelers can imagine. Unlike other larger parks, its compactness allows for easy exploration, whether on foot, by car, bicycle, or even horseback—an activity rarely offered in other Ugandan parks. The park's impala population is one of its most distinctive features that you can notice because it is the only location in Uganda where these elegant antelopes may be found. It differs from other parks like Queen Elizabeth or Murchison Falls in that it is home to sizable herds of zebras and elands. Although they are more secretive than the many herbivores, predators like hyenas and leopards contribute to its allure. With Lake Mburo serving as the focal point of five lakes inside its borders, the park is renowned for its wetland and aquatic habitats. These bodies of water are home to crocodiles, hippos, and more than 350 different species of birds, including the endangered African fish eagle and red-faced barbet.

One of the most amazing safari sites you must visit when on an African safari is Lake Mburo National Park, which is appropriately located in western Uganda. The smallest of Uganda's savanna national parks, it is situated in the Mbarara area and is 371 square kilometers from Kampala. It is well-known for its biodiversity since it has a large wetland, picturesque surroundings, and the only national park with a whole lake. Discovered in 1933 as a regulated hunting area, Lake Mburo National Park was later transformed into a reserve in 1963 and a park in 1983. It is one of Uganda's smallest parks, covering an area of up to 270 square kilometers. Travelers come to Lake Mburo National Park to take part in game drives, boat safaris and bird watching which has more than 350 species of birds. Moreover,afaris in this park are always open to anyone who enjoy the outdoors. In Rwonyo, nature hikes are perfect. A guided walk leads you to the salt lick, where you may see a variety of fauna that congregates around the salty rocks. The treks on this lake's western shore often begin early in the morning and last two hours or so. You can encounter a variety of creatures on a nature walk in this area, such as hyenas making their way back to their burrows and hippos emerging from the lake, in addition to enjoying stunning views of the picturesque lakes.