AbstractA special case of the phenomenon of hilltop depressions is examined in southwestern Uganda. The depressions occur on crests of dissected upland formed of steeply inclined quartzites, phyllites, sandstones and shales. The climate of the area is relatively dry for an equatorial region. Out of ca. 300 observed depressions, about a hundred were closely examined. The dimensions of the sample depressions are: 50–350 m in their longer diameter; 1–10 m in depth. Most of them are oval or bowl-shaped. Their siting is controlled by slope (<7°) and structure (strike of the bedding). These controls imply the effect of runoff/percolation ratio and of preference-belts of weatherability and solution. The phenomenon is regarded as continuous throughout the evolution of the relevant surfaces with a possible preference for marginal, dissected areas.