Updated
Uganda uses East Africa Time (EAT), three hours ahead of UTC, with no daylight saving, so it is the same as Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia and one hour ahead of Rwanda. Because Uganda sits on the equator, sunrise and sunset stay close to 7 am and 7 pm all year. Two other things surprise visitors: when speaking Luganda and some other local languages, people count hours from about 7 am rather than midnight, and timekeeping for social events is often relaxed.
Local ways of telling time
In Luganda, as in Swahili, the day is counted from sunrise. “Saawa emu”, literally “hour one”, means 7 am, “saawa bbiri” is 8 am, and so on, with the count restarting at 7 pm. In English, people use the standard clock. If someone gives you a time in a local language, or you are unsure, check which system they mean: a misunderstanding can mean a six-hour difference.
Days on the equator
Daylight lasts about 12 hours year-round, with only a few minutes’ change between seasons, and twilight is short. On safari this shapes the day: game drives start around 6:30 am, gorilla trekking briefings are around 7:30–8:00 am, and it is dark by about 7:15 pm. Plan to finish driving before dark, as night driving on Ugandan roads is risky. See our guide to Bwindi’s sectors and trek days.
“African time”
Weddings, meetings and social events often start later than announced, and Ugandans themselves joke about it. Tourism is different: lodges, guides, flights and park activities run to schedule, and gorilla briefings start on time, so be punctual for anything on your itinerary. Allow extra time for road travel, as traffic in Kampala and roadworks can add hours. See our guide to Buganda’s history and language.
Jet lag and arrival
From Europe the difference is small, one to three hours, but from the Americas and Asia it can be large. Many flights land at Entebbe at night, so a first night in Entebbe before driving west is sensible. The gorilla permit costs US$800, or US$600 in April, May and November. See our guides to arriving at Entebbe and a 10-day itinerary.
Frequently asked questions
East Africa Time, UTC+3, with no daylight saving.
Yes, by one hour.
Around 7 to 7:15 pm all year.
“Hour one” in Luganda, meaning 7 am (or 7 pm).
