Film production in Kampala
Between May and January, usable daylight in Kampala moves by 0h 02min — from 12h 08min down to 12h 06min. An exterior day in December is a different day from one in June. This page carries sunrise, sunset and golden-hour times for all twelve months.
Light and shooting hours
On 15 June, the sun in Kampala rises at 06:47 and sets at 18:55; the evening golden hour starts at 18:25 and runs for 30 minutes. By December that shifts to 06:42–18:49, with a 30-minute golden-hour window from 18:19.
For scheduling, that means the window for the one shot that lives on light runs between 27 and 30 minutes across the year. Put it last in the day and the first overrun takes it.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Golden hour (evening, from) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 06:57 | 19:03 | 12h 06min | 18:33 |
| February | 07:02 | 19:08 | 12h 06min | 18:40 |
| March | 06:56 | 19:03 | 12h 07min | 18:35 |
| April | 06:47 | 18:54 | 12h 07min | 18:26 |
| May | 06:43 | 18:51 | 12h 08min | 18:22 |
| June | 06:47 | 18:55 | 12h 08min | 18:25 |
| July | 06:52 | 19:00 | 12h 08min | 18:31 |
| August | 06:51 | 18:59 | 12h 08min | 18:31 |
| September | 06:43 | 18:49 | 12h 07min | 18:22 |
| October | 06:33 | 18:39 | 12h 06min | 18:12 |
| November | 06:32 | 18:38 | 12h 06min | 18:09 |
| December | 06:42 | 18:49 | 12h 06min | 18:19 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Kampala starts at 19:09 in June and ends at 19:18 — a window of 9 minutes. In December it is 9 minutes from 19:02. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (19:03) and September (18:49) there are 14 minutes of difference. A schedule running over several weeks cannot work from one fixed "sunset" time.
Planning a shoot here
A schedule that ignores these numbers looks fine on paper and falls over on the day. TillyGen folds sun position, travel and crew availability straight into the schedule — if the exterior no longer fits before sunset in January, the plan says so, not the wrap report.
Frequently asked
When is golden hour in Kampala?
In June it starts at 18:25 and lasts 30 minutes; in December it starts at 18:19 and lasts 30 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Kampala get?
Between 12h 06min in January and 12h 08min in May. The 0h 02min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Kampala?
On daylight length alone, May is strongest with 12h 08min of usable light.