Queen Elizabeth National Park is located in Western Uganda between Lake George and Lake Albert. ATMs and banks can be found in Kasese, Mbarara, and Fort Portal, depending on where you are coming from before entering the park.
Kasese is the nearest main town, about 45 minutes away from the park. It has several reliable banks and ATMs. Stanbic Bank Uganda is located on Stanley Street and offers ATM and forex services.
Centenary Bank is on Portal Street in Kasese and provides ATM and mobile money services. Equity Bank – Bwera Branch is on Mpondwe Road in Kasese and offers mobile banking and other financial services.
Absa Bank Uganda is found on Margherita Road in Kasese and offers ATM services, currency exchange, and international banking. PostBank Uganda is also available for basic banking services.
Most banks in Kasese accept Visa and Mastercard. Forex bureaus in town offer good exchange rates for USD, EUR, GBP, and other major currencies.
Mobile money services are widely used in Uganda. Both MTN and Airtel offer these services. You can transfer money from your bank account to your mobile phone, but note that the charges are higher for foreigners than for locals.
To use mobile money, you will need a Ugandan SIM card. These are sold at Entebbe International Airport or in shopping malls in Kampala. You must register the SIM card in your name using your passport.
It is best to withdraw enough cash while still in Entebbe or Kampala, as ATMs near the park may run out of money. Park entry fees and lodge payments can be made in USD, but small shops and tips usually require cash in Ugandan Shillings (UGX). Carry small notes for these expenses, as it is hard for local vendors to give change for large bills. Lodges often offer poor exchange rates, so try not to exchange money there.
Fort Portal also has banks and ATMs and offers better forex rates than Kasese, though it is farther from the park. Available banks include Stanbic Bank, Centenary Bank, DFCU Bank, and Equity Bank.
