🇺🇸From the United States
Uganda, written for the American traveller who knows.
From New York, Washington, or San Francisco, Uganda is a single connection and a quiet shift in the world. We design private journeys for travellers from the United States who want depth over distance — a fortnight composed in private around the people, season, and pace you have in mind.
The Practical Brief
The journey, in plain terms
Everything a American traveller needs to know before the first conversation. We hold the rest — the lodges, the permits, the guides, and the long, quiet arc of the journey itself.
01
Flights
One-stop service from JFK, EWR, IAD, ORD, ATL, LAX, and SFO via Doha (Qatar), Addis Ababa (Ethiopian), Amsterdam (KLM), Brussels (Brussels Airlines), and Istanbul (Turkish). Total transit from sixteen hours. We hold the quietest pairings and meet you at Entebbe by name.
02
Visas
American passport holders apply online for a Uganda e-visa (US$50). For Rwanda and Kenya in the same arc, the East African Tourist Visa (US$100, three countries, ninety days) is the quieter route. We write the form and hold the confirmation in your file.
03
Best season for American travellers
June through early September is Uganda's drier season and pairs naturally with the American summer. December through February is warm, lush, and quieter. We avoid the heavy rains of April and November unless the journey calls for it.
04
How long to come
Twelve to sixteen nights is the considered arc from the United States. Shorter than that is mostly transit. Our most-loved American journeys are a fortnight: gorillas, chimps, the plains, the Nile, and two quiet nights at the beginning to land properly.
05
Currency
The Uganda Shilling (UGX). The US dollar is widely accepted at lodges and parks — bring crisp notes printed 2013 or later. Cards work in cities and most lodges. We brief you on tipping and what to carry; you will rarely need cash beyond a small envelope.
06
Safety
Uganda is calm and welcoming. We follow the State Department advisory, move through private conservancies and national parks with private vehicles and vetted guides, and provide twenty-four-hour ground support throughout. We brief you fully before departure.
The Honest Questions
What American travellers actually ask
01Is two weeks enough?
+
Is two weeks enough?
It is the right minimum. Three weeks lets you add Rwanda or Zanzibar without rushing; we will tell you honestly which lines to keep and which to leave for another return.
02Is private guiding worth it?
+
Is private guiding worth it?
For an IMAGINE journey, yes — entirely. Every arc is private, every vehicle is yours, every guide is chosen for your group. There are no shared transfers, no group dynamics, no compromise.
03How does Uganda compare with Tanzania or Botswana?
+
How does Uganda compare with Tanzania or Botswana?
It is quieter and more layered. Gorillas and chimps belong to Uganda in a way no other African country can offer, and the plains, lakes, and Nile compose into an arc that is richer than the Serengeti alone.
From the United States
“We've travelled all over Africa. Uganda, the way IMAGINE designed it, was the first journey our family talks about a year later.”
— The H. Family, New York
More Questions
For travellers from the United States
Begin the Conversation
Tell us when you would like to arrive.
We will write the rest — and hold the permits, the lodges, and the quietest pairings before the itinerary lands in your inbox.
Speak with a DesignerBeyond the Bush
Kampala after dark, and the festivals in between.
Uganda is not only her parks. Kampala hums after dusk — rooftop bars over Nakasero, live afrobeat at Cayenne and The Lawns, jazz suppers at Mediterraneo, and long Sunday brunches that drift into evening. We open private tables, host introductions, and weave a city night or two into your arc when it suits.
Nights out
Rooftops, live music, late suppers
From The Pearl Lounge and Cayenne to a candlelit dinner at Latitude or the long verandah at Emin Pasha — we hold the reservations and the driver.
Festivals & calendar
Nyege Nyege, Bayimba, Blankets & Wine
Nyege Nyege on the Nile in September, Bayimba in May, Blankets & Wine across the year, and the Kampala Art Biennale every other autumn. We time arcs around them on request.
Culture, quietly
Royal audiences, ateliers, private kitchens
An afternoon with a Kasubi historian, a tasting in a chef's home in Muyenga, an introduction to a Buganda court musician — the city, opened gently.
Other Doors