Foreign exchange guide to Uganda and the Ugandan shilling
What's in this Uganda currency guide?
The official currency of Uganda (country code: UG) is the Ugandan shilling, with symbol USh and currency code UGX.
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Here are some things you might want to know about the Ugandan shilling:
Save money and time by Ordering your Ugandan shilling online from Travelex, you get better rates and can pick up the UGX cash locally or even on travel day at the airport.
Another popular option is to use a Pre-paid Travel Card. Your Debit/Credit Card provider will charge you 2% from market mid-rate, but your bank may also charge an extra 3% as an “Overseas Transaction Charge” plus “Overseas ATM” fees for withdrawing cash.
For card purchases if offered a choice of currencies always select to Pay in Ugandan shilling otherwise you may get much worst exchange rates.
With a tapestry of landscapes, excellent wildlife watching and welcoming locals, Uganda packs a lot into one small country. It's home to Africa's tallest mountain range (the Rwenzoris), the source of the Nile, the world's longest river and the continent's largest lake. Rafting the Nile offers a world-class adrenaline adventure, but the country's most iconic experience is tracking mountain gorillas in their misty habitat. And if you view the Big Five, you'll see that nature looms large here.
Emerging from the shadows of Uganda's dark history, tourism is returning the sheen to the 'pearl of Africa'. While anti-gay sentiments mar an otherwise positive picture, Uganda remains one of the safest destinations in Africa – save for the odd hippo at your campsite. Don't rush. Here you'll find the best the continent has to offer at a good value and with fewer visitors than in longer-established East African destinations.
Uganda, for the most part, is a cash-based society and although the Uganda Shilling is the official Currency – the Currency of choice, Commerce and Tourism is the US Dollar. Here and there you can use your credit card, (Visa cards are most readily accepted, Master Card, is next, but not Discover Cards and American Express, except in a few spots) and usually it means 5 to 6 or more% surcharge for the privilege of using your card (due to fees that are incurred by merchants in Uganda by Banks).
That means one needs cash while in the country. Many hotels, safari companies, airlines, Uganda Wildlife Authorities for Gorilla Permits and Park Fees will ask for US dollars. Ugandan Shillings will be accepted in many cases instead, not always at the market exchange rate. Traveler Cheques are often harder to cash and are cumbersome requiring extra fees in banks. Most Forex Bureaus will not take traveler cheques from you.
It is suggested to avoid using credit cards in Uganda due to the possibility of someone stealing your card information. Cases of such have happened even in high-end hotels according to the UK government website. Cases of employees stealing your credit card information has happened here and other African Countries.
Standard buses and sometimes half-sized 'coasters' connect major towns on a daily basis. The longer your journey is, the more likely it will be on a bus rather than a minibus. Bus fares are usually a little less than minibus fares and buses stop far less frequently, which saves time. Buses generally leave Kampala at fixed departure times; however, when returning from provincial destinations, they usually leave when full. There are many reckless drivers, but buses are safer than minibuses. Night travel is best avoided.
The safest option is the post buses run by the Ugandan Postal Service (UPS). Post buses run daily (except Sunday) from Kampala to Kasese (via Mbarara), Kabale (via Masaka and Mbarara), Soroti (via Mbale) and Hoima (via Masindi).
Boat travel in Uganda is limited to reaching the Ssese Islands, either by ferry from Nakiwogo (in Entebbe), Bukakata (east of Masaka) or small fishing boats operating from Kasenyi (also near Entebbe).
Uganda is the land of shared minibuses (called taxis, or occasionally matatus), and there's never any shortage of these blue-and-white minivans. Except for long distances, these are the most common vehicles between towns.
There are no train services available currently in Uganda, though a restoration of original lines which would connect Uganda to the Kenyan coast is in the works.
You will need a multiple-entry visa if you plan to take side trips into neighboring countries and re-enter Uganda. These cost 100 USD and can only be purchased prior to entry by following the instructions available on the Ugandan embassy’s website. Plan ahead, and research specific rules for entering Uganda’s neighbors. An East Africa Tourist Visa covers Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda.
Casual, modest apparel is best in Uganda. If you wear skirts, they should be knee-length or longer. Jeans/trousers and t-shirts are most commonly worn. Button down shirts and tank tops are fine as well. It can get cool in the evenings so a light scarf/jacket or a light sweater is recommended.
You do need shots to go to Uganda as without a Yellow Fever vaccination certification you can not obtain a visa. On top of that it is also advised you get vaccinations for DTP, Hepatitis A and malaria. Some organizations may advice you to take Typhoid, Cholera, Hepatitis B and Rabies as well.
The below interactive chart displays the USD/UGX change and UP📈 DOWN📉 trends over the past 1 Year.
The domestic currency in Uganda is the Ugandan shilling.
The three letter currency code for the Ugandan shilling is UGX — symbol is USh.
It is the domestic currency in   Uganda.
No, the Ugandan shilling is freely available and convertible. See guide: What is a closed currency?
Here are some popular conversion amounts for USD to UGX (US dollar to Ugandan shilling)*.
USD | UGX |
---|---|
$ 1,000 | USh 3,675,500 |
$ 5,000 | USh 18,377,500 |
$ 20,000 | USh 73,510,000 |
$ 100,000 | USh 367,550,000 |
USD | UGX |
---|---|
$ 0.2720 | USh 1,000 |
$ 1.3600 | USh 5,000 |
$ 5.4400 | USh 20,000 |
$ 27.20 | USh 100,000 |
More amounts
*Converted at the current USDUGX interbank exchange rate. Calculate actual payout amounts for Send Money and Travel Money exchange rates.
To get a good (and fair) exchange rate when sending money to Uganda you need to find and compare exchange rates for International Money Transfers (IMTs).
The available FX rates for sending money abroad can be very different to the mid-market (wholesale) rate which you see reported online and in the News.
You should especially compare your own bank's exchange rates to those available from Money Transfer specialists to see how much you can save - we make that calculation easy in the below table.
When sending money to Uganda it’s important to compare your bank’s rates & fees with those we have negotiated with our partner money transfer providers. To get a better deal you should follow these 4 simple steps :
Use the above calculator to compare the exchange rates of FX specialist providers rates versus your bank's standard rates you can hopefully save around 5% and maybe more - end result is more Ugandan shilling deposited into the recipient bank account and less margins and fees kept by the banks!