Travel safety comparison · Africa
Kenya vs Uganda: safety comparison
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Kenya vs Uganda: side-by-side safety comparison. Risk scores, FCDO + US State advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ status.
Kenya and Uganda have very similar overall Warnely composite scores: 50 and 45. The choice between them is unlikely to be driven by the headline number alone. The biggest single category gap is in crime, where Uganda scores 3/5 against Kenya's 4/5.
| 🇰🇪Kenya | 🇺🇬Uganda | |
|---|---|---|
| Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) | 50 / 100 | 45 / 100 |
| Risk tier | Exercise Increased Caution | Exercise Increased Caution |
| UK FCDO advisory | No active advisory | No active advisory |
| US State Department advisory | Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) | Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) |
| Global Peace Index rank | #127 | #113 |
| Drug law | Severe (long sentences) | Severe (long sentences) |
| Women's safety rating | Exercise Caution | Exercise Caution |
| LGBTQ+ legal status | illegal | death |
| Tap water | n/a | n/a |
| Currency | KES | UGX |
Kenya vs Uganda: common questions
Is Kenya or Uganda safer to visit?
Uganda has the lower Warnely composite risk score: 45/100 vs 50/100 (lower is safer). Both scores factor in crime, terrorism, natural disasters, health, civil unrest, and infrastructure.
Is Kenya or Uganda safer for solo female travellers?
Kenya is rated Exercise Caution for women's safety; Uganda is rated Exercise Caution. Read the full guides for city-level detail.
What do FCDO and US State Department say about Kenya and Uganda?
Kenya: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State). Uganda: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State).