Updated
currency exchange Uganda is a subject we explore in depth in this guide, drawing on direct experience and expertise from Uganda’s wildlife and safari industry. The best way to get Uganda shillings is usually to change clean, recent US dollar notes at a forex bureau in Kampala or Entebbe, or to withdraw shillings from a bank ATM with your card. Bureaus give better rates for US$50 and US$100 notes than for small ones, and many refuse notes printed before 2009 or any that are torn or marked.
Big costs such as gorilla permits and lodges are normally paid in dollars before you travel, so most visitors need only enough shillings for tips, crafts, drinks and small purchases. This guide compares the options and explains how much cash to carry into the parks.
Best Currency Exchange Options for Uganda Tourists
Shillings, dollars or both?
Uganda’s currency is the Uganda shilling (UGX). Recent exchange rates have been roughly 3,500–3,800 shillings to the US dollar, but check the current rate before you go. Gorilla permits, at US$800 (US$600 in April, May and November), are priced in dollars and almost always paid in advance through UWA or your operator. Many lodges and tour operators also price in dollars.
Day-to-day spending, such as porters, market stalls, local restaurants, craft cooperatives and boda-bodas, is in shillings, and you usually get a better price paying in local currency. Tips can be given in either, though small shillings are easier for porters and lodge staff to use. A mix works best: some dollars in good condition, and shillings for everyday costs.
Forex bureaus
Licensed forex bureaus in central Kampala, including along Kampala Road and in shopping centres such as Garden City, Acacia Mall and Forest Mall, generally give the best rates for US dollars, euros and pounds. They charge no separate commission; their profit is built into the rate. Compare two or three, since rates differ slightly, and count your shillings before you leave the counter.
Bureaus look carefully at notes. US$100 and US$50 bills get the best rate, small bills a lower one. Many bureaus refuse dollar notes printed before 2009 and anything torn, stained or written on, so bring crisp notes from your bank. Euros and pounds are also exchanged in Kampala, but less easily in small towns.
At Entebbe Airport
There are exchange counters and ATMs in the arrivals hall at Entebbe. Their rates are usually a little worse than in town, but it is sensible to change enough for your first day or two, especially if you are heading straight to a lodge or arriving late at night. Entebbe town also has bureaus and bank ATMs.
ATMs and cards
Bank ATMs in Kampala, Entebbe and larger towns, including Stanbic, Absa, Centenary, dfcu and Equity, accept Visa cards, and many also take Mastercard. They dispense shillings only. Each withdrawal has a limit set by the bank, and your own bank may charge foreign-transaction and ATM fees, so fewer, larger withdrawals are cheaper. Tell your bank you are travelling, carry two cards from different banks, and use ATMs inside banks or malls in daylight.
Cards are accepted at most hotels, upmarket restaurants and many safari lodges, often with a surcharge of around 3–5%. Elsewhere, cash is the norm. Ask your lodge in advance if it takes cards for drinks and extras.
Cash in the national parks
There are no ATMs in Bwindi’s trekking sectors. The nearest banks are in towns such as Kabale, Kisoro and Kihihi, which may be an hour or more away, and their machines are sometimes out of cash or offline. Withdraw or change enough money in Kampala, Entebbe, Mbarara or Fort Portal before you head into the parks.
As a rough guide for a gorilla trek, budget for a porter (about US$15–20), tips for the ranger team and porters, a community walk or craft purchases, and drinks at the lodge. See our guide to tipping on a gorilla trek for amounts, and our guide to community-run tourism near Bwindi for where your spending helps most.
Mobile money
Ugandans pay for almost everything with MTN Mobile Money and Airtel Money, and visitors with a registered local SIM can use them too. You load money at an agent’s kiosk with cash and send payments by phone, which is handy for paying guides, drivers or small businesses without carrying much cash. It is not essential on an organised safari, but it can help on a longer independent trip. See our guide to SIM cards for Uganda.
Safety and scams
Never change money with people on the street or at border crossings, where short-changing and counterfeit notes are common. Keep most of your cash in a hidden pouch or the lodge safe and carry only what you need for the day. Before leaving Uganda, spend or change your remaining shillings, as they are hard to exchange abroad. Our Uganda travel money guide covers budgeting in more detail.
Frequently asked questions
Licensed forex bureaus in central Kampala usually offer the best rates, especially for clean US$50 and US$100 notes.
Often not. Many bureaus refuse notes printed before 2009 and any that are damaged or marked.
Not in the trekking sectors. The nearest are in towns such as Kabale, Kisoro and Kihihi, so bring enough cash from Kampala or Entebbe.
At many hotels, lodges and upmarket restaurants, often with a 3–5% surcharge. Most other places take cash only.
