Qibla · Northern Region
Qibla direction in Gulu
To face the Kaaba in Gulu, turn to 20.9° measured clockwise from true north, which is north (20.9° east of north). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 2,228 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Gulu should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Gulu as a needle at 20.9°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 21°. A traditional magnetic compass also works, provided you allow for the local difference between magnetic and true north.
Find the Qibla with your phone
How to face the Qibla in Gulu
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards north and move a further 20.9° towards east: the result is the bearing of 20.9°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at north would leave you about 21° off.
The scholars distinguish two cases: the one who sees the Kaaba aims at the building itself, while the one who cannot see it, as anywhere in Gulu, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of a local mosque is a quick way to confirm the result. If you travel or move house, check the angle again, since it changes from place to place.
Why a flat map shows a different direction
On a flat (Mercator) map, the straight line from Gulu to Mecca points to 21.4°, only 0.6° away from the true Qibla. Here the two methods practically agree, so a map gives a usable first idea, although the 20.9° bearing remains the exact one.
The value of 20.9° is the direction in which the shortest route from 2.7746° N, 32.2990° E sets off towards the Kaaba at 21.4225° N, 39.8262° E. Every accurate Qibla calculator, and the plans of well-oriented mosques, arrive at the same angle for this point.
Distance from Gulu to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 2,228 km from Gulu as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 2,537 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 3 h 07 min, although most pilgrims from Gulu connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Gulu run the same time as Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Gulu rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Gulu
On 172 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Gulu while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in May (31 days); for example, on 1 April 2027 it happens at 12:52 local time.
On 192 days the sun stands exactly opposite the Qibla: then the shadow of any vertical object, a pole, a door frame or a plumb line, points straight towards Mecca. This is most frequent in January (31 days), for instance on 1 January 2027 at 13:36.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | — | 13:36 |
| 15 January 2027 | — | 13:38 |
| 1 February 2027 | — | 13:35 |
| 15 February 2027 | — | 13:29 |
| 1 March 2027 | — | 13:19 |
| 15 March 2027 | — | 13:07 |
| 1 April 2027 | 12:52 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 12:40 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 12:29 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 12:22 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 12:17 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | 12:18 | — |
| 1 July 2027 | 12:22 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 12:26 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 12:33 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 12:38 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 12:42 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 12:46 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | — | 12:50 |
| 15 October 2027 | — | 12:54 |
| 1 November 2027 | — | 13:01 |
| 15 November 2027 | — | 13:09 |
| 1 December 2027 | — | 13:19 |
| 15 December 2027 | — | 13:28 |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Gulu: at 12:18 and 12:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Gulu compared with other cities
Compared with Kampala, 275 km away, the Qibla in Gulu is turned 2.8° further clockwise (20.9° against 18.1°), and Mecca is 247 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Lira (89 km), prays towards 18.9°, a difference of 2.0°.
Across the 16 cities in Uganda on this site, the Qibla ranges from 14.8° in Mbale to 23.5° in Kasese, a spread of 8.7°. That is too large to use one national direction, so each city has its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Uganda.
Qibla in cities near Gulu
Qibla in Gulu: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Gulu?
It is 20.9° from true north, which is north: 20.9° east of north.
How far is Gulu from Mecca?
2,228 km in a straight line over the globe, and 2,537 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Gulu?
On 172 days of 2027 the sun stands in the Qibla direction; the table on this page gives the exact time for the 1st and 15th of each month.
Is the Qibla the same everywhere in Uganda?
No. It ranges from 14.8° to 23.5° across the country, so each city has its own bearing.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 20.9° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.