The Uganda Shillings is the official currency used and issued as 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000 and 50,000 notes. The shilling breaks down into 50, 100, 200 and 1000 coins. Change can be hard to find 50,000 notes.
Money transactions -There is a wide array of banks and forex (foreign currency exchange) bureau’s to choose from, with several international banks represented (Barclays, Standard Chartered, Stanbic).
The US dollar and the pound sterling are the strongest currencies used in Uganda and are the easiest to exchange. US dollar notes dated prior to 1997 are turned away, we recommend if you are using US$ to bring notes issued not earlier than 2000. Also, notes smaller than US$50 attract a far lower exchange rate. All forex bureau’s take cash – so please look around for the best exchange rate. We suggest you bring cash and/or credit cards with you as opposed to traveler’s cheques, as the exchange rate (on traveler’s cheques) is much lower.
You can change money on your way in at the airport, because it is convenient, however, be aware that the airport is currently not as competitive as forex bureau’s in Kampala. Try to have all your cash needs arranged before leaving Kampala if you can.
Credit Cards-Despite what some guidebooks claim, credit cards are not widely accepted and where they can be used, mainly with the larger hotels and companies, hefty surcharges are common. Barclays Bank (open Mon-Fri, 9.00 am – 3.00 pm), however, offers cash advances against credit cards with a small surcharge.
With Visa cards you can withdraw money in at least every where there is a VISA ATM in Kampala and With MasterCard cards as well. There are also many other ATM points around the city. Information can be obtained from the bank branches. American express cards are accepted in some banks.