The Uganda Equator is an imaginary line drawn on the earth’s surface that divides the earth in to two regions that is the Northern and the southern hemispheres. Equator is also the line of 0 degrees. Uganda is one of the few countries in the world where the imaginary line that divides the earth into two half passes.
The Equator crosses into Uganda at a point situated 75km south of Kampala capital city along the Kampala – Masaka road in Kayabwe, Mpigi District. While driving south west of Kampala, you have an opportunity to see the poster of the Equator on Kampala-Masaka road about 420 kilometers from Kampala. It has become one of the top places to visit while in Uganda on Uganda Safaris and must see and do safari destination for visitor travelling to the western part of Uganda.
During your stop at the Equator you can balance with one foot o the southern hemisphere and the other foot on the Northern hemisphere or stand with both legs on side of the earth, the person standing with legs of different sides, you will feel lighter but it does not mean you have lost weight reason being that. At the equator the gravitational force of the earth is significantly less than at the poles. When you leave, your weight returns to normal but it will reduce by 3 percent.
The climate and the temperatures around the equator are warm and humid and experiences a lot of rainfall especially during the winter season of the year, the temperatures are not varying or changing all throughout the year, which is one of the perfect places you ought to visit. Uganda’s climate is pleasant and Unique from the rest of the world.
At the equator, the sun is over head at noon and experiences equal hours of the day and night due to the refraction of the sunlight. The water at the equator, runs down counter clock wise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the southern Hemisphere due to the effect caused by the earth’s rotation on moving objects.
Visiting the equator, is one of the unique experiences you should not miss out in the Pearl of Africa. While on the safari in Uganda, the Equator is the perfect stopover en-route to Uganda’s top tourist destinations in western Uganda including; Lake Mburo national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Bwindi impenetrable forest, Mgahinga national park, Lake Mutanda, Lake Bunyonyi and to Kigali – Rwanda as well. The stop over offers you an opportunity to relax from the long trip drives, take some photos, enjoy some of the exciting activities at the equator and grab a cup of tea or coffee for the road.
At the Equator stop point, there are two cement circles marking the equator line and considered the main spot for travelers however there are other equator markers located in Kasese district within the Queen Elizabeth National Park, 420km southwest of Kampala and another on Lake Victoria which can only be seen while on a boat cruise on the lake in Entebbe town.
Things to do at the equator
Souvenir shops and Restaurants:
The Uganda Equator is also one of the unique places where you will find restaurants, and shops displaying Souvenirs and hand made products, if you may need to purchase some items that you wish to go back with to your home country, the best Ugandan product, the Equator has always received many visitors all year round, it’s the must stop over for many visitors to or from western region of the country.
Some of the shops here were set up by the NGO’s and the many raised through sales, is invested for the support of the children that are under the NGO. It would be great if you bought a T-shirt with words ‘I crossed the Uganda Equator’ at the Aid Child gallery and Tribal Art & Crafts who showcase their products in a more organized way. Facing Aid child Gallery, is the Papula Paper organization, specially dealing in recycling and selling of paper products, therefore your participation in buying these items such as art and craft as a way of extending your service to the needy.
It’s a beautiful place where you can find Africa craft especially Uganda crafts. The market is accessible and well secure, ATM around and forex bureau just at corner. You don’t have to worry about the difference in currency, you have all it covered there is a forest bureau where you can change your money from.
While here at the Equator, there are also two restaurants one located at the Tribal craft shop, and the other at the Child Aid café. You will find delicious food and coffee, but the food prices here, are slightly different from other places. Reason being that the money is generated to support the needy children.
When you book your safari with us at Elephant Whispers Safaris for a Uganda safari experience, you will not miss visiting the Equator while on your safari trip in western Uganda.
Uganda equator water experiment
Whereas, there is a trick done where by water appears to flow down the plughole on either direction of the Equator whereby the water flows counter clock wise in the Northern Hemisphere and clock wise in the Southern Hemisphere. Due to the Coriolis Effect which explains how objects in motion deflect to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern Hemisphere because of the Coriolis force an acceleration imparted by the Earth’s rotation.
These explains that objects with the part nearer to the equator, deflect further and faster than the part nearest to the Equator the south and the North pole, the Coriolis effect, also causes weather systems like Hurricanes to move in different directions in different hemisphere.
This experiment at the Equator is real, visit the Equator and take part to prove this experiment it’s exciting.
There is also an experiment where you will see many visitors, tourists balancing an egg on a nail, many people believe that it’s only on the Equator where you can balance an egg on the nail and nowhere else. Due to the effect of Coriolis with stronger gravity at the Equator resulting to the altitude.
