Updated
Travelling in Uganda with a special diet is easier than many people expect. Safari lodges on the gorilla trekking circuit routinely cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy needs if told in advance, and many Ugandan staples, such as matoke, beans, sweet potatoes, cassava and posho, are naturally plant-based and gluten-free. The harder parts are roadside meals, communication about ingredients, and peanuts, which are used widely in Ugandan cooking.
Before you go
Tell your tour operator and every lodge about your diet when you book, and repeat it a few days before arrival, because remote lodges buy supplies in advance. Ask for packed lunches for trek days and long drives to follow the same rules. Carry snacks you can rely on, such as nuts, bars or rice cakes, for road transfers, where choices are limited.
Vegetarian and vegan
Beans, groundnut sauce, matoke, sweet potatoes, cassava, rice, greens, avocados and plenty of fruit make Ugandan food easy for vegetarians and fairly easy for vegans. In local restaurants, ask whether sauces are cooked with meat or meat stock, and whether greens contain dried fish. Lodges usually prepare separate dishes. Our vegetarian food guide has more detail.
Gluten-free
Matoke, posho made from maize, rice, cassava, sweet potatoes and yams are all naturally gluten-free, and most local stews are thickened with peanuts rather than flour. Watch out for chapati, mandazi, bread, the rolex, which is an egg roll in chapati, and soy or stock cubes used in some sauces. Cross-contamination is not well understood in small kitchens, so coeliac travellers should explain clearly and rely on lodges. See our guide to posho.
Peanut and other allergies
Groundnuts, Ugandan peanuts, are central to the cuisine, appearing in sauces, stews, snacks and sometimes as roasted paste on vegetables. If you have a peanut allergy, carry two adrenaline auto-injectors, a written allergy card, and tell every kitchen clearly. Lodges can cook separately, but roadside and market food is risky. Hospitals capable of treating severe reactions are far from Bwindi, so plan carefully. Read about groundnut stew.
Halal and kosher
Uganda has a sizeable Muslim community, and halal meat is easy to find in Kampala, Entebbe and larger towns, with many restaurants serving it. Lodges can usually arrange halal meals with notice, or serve vegetarian dishes. Kosher food is rarely available outside Kampala, so kosher travellers usually eat vegetarian and bring some supplies.
Eating in Kampala and Entebbe
Kampala has a wide choice of restaurants, including Indian, Ethiopian and vegetarian-friendly places, and supermarkets stock gluten-free and plant-based products. Stock up there before heading to the parks. The gorilla permit costs US$800, or US$600 in April, May and November. See our guide to restaurants in Kampala.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, most can, if you tell them in advance.
Many staples are, including matoke, posho, rice and cassava, but chapati and mandazi contain wheat.
With care. Peanuts are widely used, so carry adrenaline auto-injectors and tell every kitchen.
Yes, especially in Kampala, Entebbe and larger towns.
