Kampala Travel Risk — Elevated Risk (65/100)
Is Kampala safe right now? Checked 16 October 2026
Kampala scores 65/100 on our travel risk index (Elevated). The US State Department rates Uganda Level 4 (Do Not Travel, updated 4 Jun 2026); the UK has no advice against travel; Canada says: avoid non-essential travel (with regional advisories). No GDACS or USGS hazard events within 100 km in the last 14 days. CDC travel health notice: Level 2, Ebola Bundibugyo Virus Disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda (28 Aug 2026). No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
Official US advisory · Level 4
Do Not Travel
This decision takes precedence over the analytical composite shown on this page.
Natural disasters (score 30)
Government advisory (score 65)
September 27, 2026
Kampala, Uganda has a current Travel Risk Calculator composite score of 65 out of 100 (elevated risk tier); the highest-rated risk category is government advisory at 65/100; the lowest-rated category is natural disasters at 30/100; last updated September 27, 2026. For official nationwide security advisories, entry requirements, and health notices, see the Uganda travel risk page. Real-time conditions below include live weather, official advisory levels, GDACS disaster alerts, and current news.
Get a personalized assessment for your tripHow safe is Kampala to visit in 2026?
Kampala is currently under a US State Department Level 4 Do Not Travel advisory. That official decision takes precedence. The 65/100 elevated composite remains visible only as analytical context and must not be read as permission to disregard the advisory. The highest-rated risk category for Kampala is government advisory (65/100), and the lowest is natural disasters (30/100). This page was last updated on September 27, 2026; the baseline category scores reflect analytical indicators, layered with live conditions throughout the day. Live conditions — weather and air quality every 30 minutes, US State Department advisory every 6 hours, GDACS disaster alerts every 30 minutes, CDC health notices every 12 hours, and news every hour — are cached at the source and refreshed automatically when stale.
Driven by: The US State Department advises against all travel here, so the score is held at 65 or higher. Governments disagree: US Level 4, UK Level 1, Canada Level 3.
A score of 65 is higher than the scores of 88% of the 241 countries we cover.
AI safety snapshot · refreshed Oct 15, 2026
Kampala, Uganda currently carries an elevated risk with a baseline composite score of 65 out of 100 and a US State Department advisory level of 4. Travelers should also be aware of an ongoing drought affecting the region, as well as a Level 1 global Dengue health notice from the CDC.
AI-summarized strictly from the live public-source data below (US State Dept advisory, GDACS, CDC, Google News). Auto-refreshed at most once per day on the first visit. Not official advice.
Live conditions last refreshed: Oct 16, 2026 07:26 UTC
What should I do now?
- Run a real assessment. Open the calculator for live data (weather, advisory, news) layered onto this baseline.
- Government advisory (score 65/100): Read your country's current official advisory within 7 days of travel. Register with your embassy on arrival if available.
- Transport safety (score 60/100): Use the safest available transit. For high-risk routes, prefer reputable carriers and avoid late-night driving.
- Check your country's advisory. The single most authoritative live signal. Linked at the bottom of every real assessment.
Day vs Night Safety in Kampala
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
Exercise heightened caution even during daylight hours. Stick to primary thoroughfares, travel in groups where possible, and avoid navigating quiet residential side-streets alone.
Nighttime movement carries significant risk. Strictly avoid solo walking after dark; rely exclusively on hotel-arranged transportation or registered radiotaxis, and confirm destination security before leaving your accommodation.
Safety by Traveler Type in Kampala
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
Solo travelers
Crime risk is elevated. Solo travelers should avoid quiet areas at night, keep a charged phone and offline map, and share a live location with someone.
Women traveling solo
General crime risk is elevated. Plan arrivals in daylight, avoid isolated areas, and prefer accommodation with 24h reception. We do not hold gender-specific incident data for Kampala, so also check the live official advisory above and local women-traveler communities.
Families with children
Health/disaster risk is elevated. Confirm medical-evacuation cover, identify hospitals near your accommodation, and check seasonal hazard (storm/heat/quake) before you book.
Older travelers
Health/transport risk is elevated. Confirm medical-evacuation cover, plan rest between transfers, and locate English-capable medical care on arrival.
Business travelers
Digital/money risk is elevated. Avoid public Wi-Fi for sensitive work, use a VPN, watch for card-skimming at ATMs, and carry minimal cash.
LGBTQ+ travelers
Local laws and social attitudes toward LGBTQ+ travelers vary widely by country and are not captured in our category scores. The official advisory/political indicators are elevated. Read your government LGBTQ+ travel guidance carefully and weigh trip purpose against current conditions.
Score layers
Safety categories
Source: Grounded open data research & citations
Quick facts
| Hospital access | medium |
|---|---|
| Airport risk | medium |
| Road safety | medium |
| Public transport | medium |
| Tourist scam risk | medium |
| Night safety | medium |
| Last updated | September 27, 2026 |
Live conditions in Kampala
Real-time data refreshed from public sources — weather and air quality from Open-Meteo, official advisory from the US State Department, disaster alerts from GDACS, health notices from the CDC, news from Google News. For an AI-synthesized briefing tailored to your specific trip, run a personalized assessment.
Official travel advisory
Level 4 · Do Not Travel
Uganda - Level 4: Do Not Travel
Read full advisory → · US Department of State
Disaster alerts
Active Disaster Alerts
-
Drought is on going in Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda ORANGE · ~119 km away · 2026-07-29
The Drought notification level is Orange.
-
Green forest fire notification in Tanzania GREEN · ~427 km away · 2026-10-14
On 07/10/2026, a forest fire started in Tanzania, until 15/10/2026.
“~N km away” = event centroid within ~500 km of this location; “country-wide” = a national/regional alert that may not be near this specific city. Source: GDACS · fetched 2026-10-16 07:23:59 UTC
Natural hazard calendar & history
5-Year Hazard Calendar (100 km Radius)
| Hazard | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | 2 | — | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Wildfires | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — |
Most flood events within 100 km of Kampala happened in January and November (4 of 11 in five years).
Source: GDACS, USGS; five years to October 2026.
CDC Traveler Health Notices for Uganda
- Level 2 - Ebola Bundibugyo Virus Disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda (Level 2, 28 Aug 2026)
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Public Domain).
For consular advice on women's safety, LGBT+ travel, and local laws, see the Uganda travel advice & laws.
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel. See the Uganda entry requirements.
Health notices
Health Notices for this Destination
-
Level 1 - Global Dengue WATCH · 2026-10-02
Dengue is a year-round risk in many parts of the world, with outbreaks commonly occurring every 2–5 years. Travelers to risk areas should prevent mosquito bites. Country List : Colombia, Vietnam, Maldives, Bolivia, Cambodia, Kenya, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Mar
-
Level 2 - Global Polio ALERT · 2026-09-23
Some international destinations have circulating poliovirus. Before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines. Country List : Afghanistan, Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Nig
-
Level 2 - Ebola Bundibugyo Virus Disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda ALERT · 2026-08-28
CDC recommends practicing enhanced precautions for travel to Uganda or to provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) not affected by the current Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD) outbreak. Country List : Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda Country List : Democratic
-
Level 1 - Global Measles WATCH · 2025-05-28
Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel. Country List : Afghan
Source: CDC Travelers’ Health · fetched 2026-10-16 07:26:45 UTC
1991–2020 climate normals
Seasonal risk & best time to visit Kampala
The most weather-stable two-month window for Kampala is July–August, when typical daily temperatures run from about 18°C to 24°C and monthly rain averages 93 mm.
Seasonal planning flags include monsoon in March–May and October–November; heavy rain season in April–May. These are climate patterns, not forecasts.
Climate normals are planning context, not a short-range forecast. Source: Open-Meteo Climate API. Refreshed Sep 8, 2026.
Calculate risk for these travel dates Compare seasonal windows →
Practical safety map
Safety infrastructure nearby in Kampala
Kampala has 10 hospitals, 10 police stations, 5 embassies, 10 pharmacies and 2 fire stations within 7 km of the city center in the latest OpenStreetMap extract.
The interactive map loads when it approaches the viewport.
Facility list (works without JavaScript)
- Hospital: ALLIED MED
- Hospital: CHANNEL STREET
- Hospital: KAMPALA DISPENSARY
- Hospital: KIMS
- Hospital: NAKIVUBO
- Hospital: NSAMBYA RALWAYS
- Hospital: NYONDO CLINIC
- Hospital: ST CATHERINE
- Hospital: URC CLINIC
- Hospital: Wellington Diabetes and Heart Clinic
- Police: Unnamed police
- Police: Unnamed police
- Police: Central Police Station
- Police: Conville Street Police Post
- Police: Jinja Road Police Station
- Police: Nkrumah Police Post
- Police: Police Supply Center
- Police: Uganda Police
- Police: Uganda Police Band Station
- Police: Uganda Police Nsambya Barracks
- Embassy: Consulate of Canada
- Embassy: Embassy of the Federal Republic of Somalia
- Embassy: Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium
- Embassy: Embassy of the Kingdom of Denmark
- Embassy: Royal Embassy of the Netherlands
- Pharmacy: Astra Pharma Uganda Limited
- Pharmacy: Escorts Pharmaceuticals LTD
- Pharmacy: Health Link
- Pharmacy: Midas Care (u) Limited
- Pharmacy: Peliz-Ma Ltd Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Pharm Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Pharma Health LTD
- Pharmacy: Planet Pharmaceuticals Limited
- Pharmacy: Recos Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Spring Pharmacy
- Fire station: Fire Masters
- Fire station: Kampala Fire Station
Map and facility data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Locations can be incomplete or outdated; confirm before relying on them. See this destination’s numbers or browse emergency numbers by country.
Emergency numbers (Uganda)
| Police | 999 |
|---|---|
| Ambulance | — |
| Fire | — |
| General | 112 |
See nearby hospitals, police, pharmacies, embassies, and fire stations on the safety map.
Medical access
| Hospital access | medium |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy access | medium |
| Emergency response | medium |
| English-speaking care | unknown |
| Evacuation complexity | medium |
Travelers should remain mindful of general health advisories and regional disease monitoring. Healthcare and emergency capabilities may vary depending on the specific facility and location within the city.
Common scam patterns
- Online Car-Hire and Tour Fraud. Foreign tourists have been targeted by online fraudsters operating fake car-hire and tour companies such as FK Car Rental. Travelers can lose money when booking tourism and vehicle rental services online through unverified operators. Tip: Always verify tour and car-hire companies through official channels and trusted local references before sending money online.
- General Investment and Employment Scams. Financial crimes and fraudulent investment or employment schemes have seen an increase across the region. These scams exploit administrative weaknesses and target individuals through digital channels. Tip: Exercise extreme caution with unsolicited online investment or employment offers.
Area notes
- Busega. Police operations have targeted criminal activity and led to numerous arrests around Busega and the Northern Bypass.
- Kyengera Flyover. Law enforcement has conducted intelligence-led operations in this zone due to reported criminal activities along the Northern Bypass.
- Northern Bypass. Police have cracked down on suspected criminals following reports of safety concerns along the Northern Bypass corridor.
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Calculate my trip riskScore history
| When | Score change | Tier | Reason / source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 13, 2026 | 0 → 0 | unknown | Data update Grounded open data research & citations |
| May 15, 2026 | — → 41 | moderate | Data update Editorial baseline 2026-05-14 (round 2: Numbeo + WHO + State Dept + GPI + EPI references) |
Every editorial change to Kampala's composite score is logged here, with the source and reason for the change. Live data overlays (weather, advisories, disaster alerts, news) refresh continuously on their own cadences and are not recorded as score changes — see the Live conditions section above for current overlay state.
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Transparency & Sources
We document the baseline sources, coverage scope, and data inputs for this destination below.
Sources used
- SimpleMaps World Cities (CC BY 4.0): Coordinates, region, population for Kampala
- Travel Risk Calculator score (method v2): Security, crime and scams, health, natural hazards and current alerts for Kampala, from US, UK and Canadian advisories, INFORM, World Bank, UCDP, CDC, GDACS, USGS and OpenStreetMap
- Editorial baseline (Travel Risk Calculator): City-level threat scoring across 9 categories (crime, health, advisory, political, disaster, transport, environmental, digital security, money safety)
Live data overlays on this page refresh asynchronously on the source cadences shown above. Run an assessment to create a trip-specific briefing using your dates and traveler profile.
Baseline scope
- Category scores represent an analytical baseline, updated from official feeds and public records.
Coverage notes
- Transport-hub safety notes (airport, train stations).
Methodology · Full data-source registry · Report a correction
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Disclaimer
Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated travel-threat information for preparation purposes only. It does not replace official government advisories, medical advice, emergency alerts, immigration rules, insurance advice, police guidance, embassy information, or professional security consultation.