Ugandan Shillings
Get ready for your trip to Uganda. Order your Ugandan Shillings at Manor FX today. Our great exchange rates mean you'll have more UGX cash to spend. Have your Ugandan Shilling banknotes delivered securely to your home or office, or pick them up from the Manor FX bureau near Heathrow.
Manor FX offers fast delivery times and a fuss-free online ordering process for your Ugandan shilling travel money.
Travel advise: payments in Uganda
Jet off well-informed to Uganda. Here are some handy facts about cash and card payments in Uganda.
Uganda is very much a cash-based economy. Credit cards may be accepted in some high-end hotels and luxury boutiques in Kampala and Entebbe, but you'll pay a 5% to 6% surcharge for payments by credit card.
It's better, and safer, to pay by cash in Uganda, either in US dollars or Ugandan shillings. Card payments in Uganda have been linked to information theft and scams.
If you are going to pay by card in Uganda, be aware of currency conversion fees: British banks may charge heavily for international card payments and ATM withdrawals in Uganda. In addition, your bank's UGX to GBP exchange rate may be dramatically bad. This is how banks make money. Before using your bank card for payments in Uganda or anwyere in East Africa, it's certainly a good idea to contact your bank. This will avoid your card becoming blocked due to international transactions that your bank may find suspicious.
Make sure to bring cash on your trip to Uganda. You should bring clean $50 and $100 USD notes from the newest series. In addition you can take some Uganda Shilling banknotes for smaller payments.
Nearly all payments in Uganda are made in cash, either in UGX or USD. Euros or Pounds Sterling banknotes are often accepted in the tourist areas in Kampala and near Lake Victoria, but at a worse exchange rate than US dollars.
The wildlife safari guides and gorilla trekking adventure reps in Bwindi and Mgahinga gorilla national parks will only accept payments in cash. This is also the case for taxi drivers and Lake Victoria tourguides.
Prices in Uganda are much cheaper than prices in the UK. The overall cost of living in Uganda is an astonishing 55% lower than the cost of living in the UK. That means that prices in Uganda are typically less than half of prices at home.
For a coffee in a cafe in Entebbe you can expect to pay around 7,500 USh. A three-course meal in a mid-range restaurant costs in the area of 30,000 USh per person.
There isn't really a tipping culture in Uganda. Tourists usually tip according to the habits in their country of residence. British tourists will typically leave a 10% or tip or more for exceptional service.
It's recommended that you tip in local banknotes.
Banknotes in Uganda
The banknotes in Uganda are from the 2010 series issued by the Bank of Uganda. Older banknotes are no longer accepted. The Ugandan Shilling banknotes in circulation are 1,000 shillings, 2,000 shillings, 5,000 shillings, 10,000 shillings, 20,000 shillings and 50,000 shillings UGX.
Coins in Uganda
Ugandan coins range from 1 shilling to 1000 shillings. The bi-metallic 1000 shillings coin is in use alongside the 1000 shillings banknote.
Uganda's currency import and export regulations
There are no currency restrictions on the import or export of foreign currency in Uganda. Uganda’s laws on foreign exchange dealings in and out of the country
are liberal.
Although travellers in possession of large sums of money are required to declare it at points of entry and exit, they will be cleared if a sufficient explanation is provided. Travellers are advised to take not more than 1 Million UGX per person in and out of Uganda.
Ordering Ugandan Shillings online
Order Ugandan Shillings online and have them delivered fast and securely to your home or office, with Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed®. Or pick them up from our travel money shop near Heathrow. Click here to buy Ugandan Shillings online.
Selling back Ugandan Shillings
If you have Ugandan Shillings to sell, follow this link to exchange Ugandan Shillings to Pounds, click on 'sell currency' and select 'UGX Ugandan Shilling'. We'll pay good rates for your leftover Ugandan Shillings.