Uganda simply is a beautiful country. From the wild waters of the Nile to the snow peaks of the Rwenzori mountains, from the rainforests of Kibale to the arid plans of Kidepo: Uganda boasts almost all of the landscapes that can be found on the African continent. With more than 40 indigenous languages the cultural diversity is just as large, but in every region of Uganda, the local population will make you feel truly welcome. So it’s fair to say that Winston Churchill was right when he called Uganda ‘the Pearl of Africa’.

While it still has a bit of an off-the-beaten-track feeling, Uganda’s tourism sector is growing rapidly. The country at large benefits from it in terms of jobs, business opportunities and through the conservation of protected areas. But the country can benefit even more from it if the tourism sector is developed in a sensible and sustainable way.

Most tourists currently go Uganda to visit the national parks, especially to see the endangered mountain gorillas and the abundance of savanna animals. And for good reasons: being face-to-face with a silverback or a large elephant is truly wonderful. But Uganda has so much more to offer than wildlife alone.