Uganda is among the safer countries in East Africa for international tourists—safer, in most relevant respects, than Kenya, South Africa, or the DRC. The gorilla trekking regions in the southwest experience very low levels of tourist-targeted crime, and violent crime against foreign visitors is rare. That said, no country is risk-free, and the nature of the risks in Uganda—petty theft, opportunistic scams, road traffic accidents—is specific enough that understanding them before departure is genuinely useful. This guide addresses the real risks honestly, without either minimising them or exaggerating them to the point of creating disproportionate anxiety.
The overall picture: Uganda’s tourist safety profile
Uganda’s government invests significantly in the safety of tourists as a matter of economic policy—tourism is a major foreign exchange earner, and the country’s reputation as a safe destination is a direct economic asset. The southwest of Uganda—where Bwindi, Queen Elizabeth, and the other gorilla trekking destinations are located—is among the most peaceful and stable regions in the country. The nearest regions with active security challenges are the DRC border to the west (where intermittent conflict in eastern DRC occasionally generates refugee movements but rarely spills across into Uganda) and the northern regions that were affected by LRA conflict in the 2000s (long since resolved at the regional level, with no LRA activity in Uganda since approximately 2005). Most international government travel advisories for Uganda distinguish between the generally safe southwest and the higher-risk northern and western border regions; check your own government’s specific advisory for current assessment before departure.
Petty theft: the primary tourist risk
The most common crime affecting foreign visitors in Uganda is petty theft—pickpocketing, bag snatching, and opportunistic theft from vehicles or accommodation. This risk is concentrated in urban areas, particularly Kampala city centre, bus and taxi parks, and tourist attraction crowded areas like the craft markets. At Bwindi itself and in the safari lodge context, petty theft is uncommon—lodge properties are generally well-secured and the communities surrounding the park have economic incentive to maintain the tourist safety reputation that their livelihoods depend on. Practical prevention measures: use a money belt or internal bag pocket for cash and cards rather than an external pocket; carry only what you need for the day and leave most valuables in the lodge safe; don’t display expensive cameras, phones, or watches ostentatiously in urban street settings; and use reputable, operator-provided vehicles rather than informal transport.
Road safety: the most significant risk
The most significant actual risk to travellers in Uganda—the category in which accidents and fatalities are most documented—is road traffic. Uganda has one of the highest road fatality rates in East Africa, driven by a combination of poorly maintained roads, limited road lighting, mixed traffic (vehicles, motorcycles, pedestrians, livestock) on the same roads, and variable driver training standards. The risk is manageable through choice of transport: using a reputable safari operator’s vetted, vehicle-maintained 4WD with an experienced driver—which is standard for any gorilla trekking package—substantially reduces road risk compared to independent local transport. If you rent a vehicle independently, use an established car rental company, avoid driving at night, and note that Ugandan road conditions and traffic patterns are significantly different from most visitors’ home experience. The long transfer from Kampala to Bwindi involves mountain roads where drivers unfamiliar with the terrain can make errors; trust an experienced driver who knows the road.
Scams and overcharging
Tourist-targeted scams in Uganda are generally mild by regional standards but worth being aware of. Common patterns include: unofficial guides offering to escort you to attractions and then demanding payment significantly above a previously agreed rate; craft sellers initially quoting fair prices and then adding items or claiming the price was per item rather than total when payment is made; taxi and boda-boda (motorcycle taxi) drivers offering to take you somewhere and then demanding a much higher fare on arrival. Prevention: establish prices explicitly and in writing (or have your operator do so) before engaging any service; use official operators and guides connected to formal tourism infrastructure; know approximate prices before negotiating (ask your lodge or operator); and be comfortable walking away from a transaction that feels manipulative rather than feeling obligated to complete it.
Health risks: see a doctor before you go
The health risks in Uganda—malaria, typhoid, hepatitis, yellow fever—are a more statistically significant threat to travellers than crime. These are addressed in detail in our malaria prevention and health preparation guides, but the key point here is that health preparation is a safety issue in exactly the same way that lock-your-bag-in-the-safe advice is a safety issue: it addresses a real risk with a manageable prevention strategy. The traveller who visits their travel medicine physician before departure, completes the recommended vaccination schedule, takes prophylactic medication correctly, and maintains mosquito bite avoidance practices has effectively neutralised the highest real health risk of the trip. The traveller who skips this preparation because they feel generally healthy has not assessed the risk correctly.
Emergency contacts and resources
Before departing for Uganda, compile and carry: your country’s embassy or high commission contact in Kampala (all major countries maintain diplomatic representation); the Ugandan police emergency number (999 for police, 116 for Uganda Red Cross emergency line); your travel insurance’s 24-hour emergency assistance line; your safari operator’s emergency contact; and the contact for your hotel or lodge. Most gorilla trekking operators are available by phone throughout your trip for exactly these situations. If you are trekking through a licensed operator—which is strongly recommended—they serve as your primary emergency coordinator, liaising with UWA rangers, local medical facilities, and your insurance company if needed. Independence is a noble travel value; in a remote highland forest with limited connectivity, the safety value of having an experienced local operator as your support infrastructure is greater than any nominal restriction on independence.
The LGBTQ+ traveller’s situation in Uganda
Uganda’s legal situation for LGBTQ+ individuals is severe: the 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act criminalises same-sex relationships with penalties up to the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality” and up to twenty years imprisonment for other offences. This law has been internationally condemned and is under legal challenge domestically, but as of 2025 it remains in force. LGBTQ+ travellers to Uganda face real legal risk if their orientation becomes known to authorities; physical safety risk from community violence is also documented. Most LGBTQ+ travellers who visit Uganda do so discreetly and without incident—the gorilla trekking context, the lodge environments, and the international tourism infrastructure generally create a bubble of relative tolerance. But the legal risk is real and travellers should be aware of it, consult current LGBTQ+ travel advisory resources, and make an informed personal decision about whether and how to travel given these conditions.
