1 Day in Kampala Itinerary – Finding the Universe

If you’re visiting Uganda, we extremely advocate spending a while in its capital metropolis Kampala. We’ve already coated in depth all our favorite issues to do in Kampala, however we respect that should you don’t have time to do every thing, you could be questioning how greatest to spend a day in Kampala.

Effectively, with that query in thoughts, we’ve got put collectively this someday Kampala itinerary. It covers the principle highlights that we advocate seeing, which might be excellent for a primary time customer. It covers the most important points of interest that almost all guests are prone to wish to see, and is doable in a busy day of sightseeing with some cautious planning.

In fact, as with every of our itineraries, we advocate adjusting this to fit your personal private tempo and pursuits. In case you wish to go a bit slower and spend longer at points of interest, then after all you’ll be able to change it up.

This itinerary although ought to provide you with an excellent place to begin for methods to spend a day in Uganda’s capital metropolis. Let’s get began.

A 1 Day Kampala Itinerary

Now we have visited Kampala quite a few occasions and have visited nearly all of the points of interest throughout the town. After we go to Uganda we usually attempt to have at the least a day to discover Kampala, however we’ve got additionally spent longer within the metropolis on the finish of a visit earlier than heading on to our subsequent vacation spot.

Based mostly on our experiences, we put collectively this itinerary which encompasses a few of our favorite actions in Kampala that we predict cowl the principle highlights that guests will get pleasure from seeing.

After this detailed 1-day itinerary, we’ll additionally share another urged itineraries primarily based round totally different themes, to offer you much more concepts to your day in Kampala. So these are every centered particularly on these with a selected space of curiosity corresponding to historical past, tradition, meals, artwork, wildlife, and so on.

However first, let’s take a look at our really helpful option to spend a day in Kampala.

Cease 1: Take 3-hour strolling tour of central Kampala @ 9am

Our advice to your first exercise of the day can be to take a strolling tour with a educated native information. This may assist provide you with a good suggestion of the historical past of Kampala, find out about cultural practices, and have the ability to ask questions to assist information the remainder of your time within the metropolis.

Central Kampala could be a bit overwhelming, particularly to the first-time customer, so having a information with you who handles the logistics of the place you’re going and maintaining you protected could be a good suggestion.

There are a selection of various strolling excursions obtainable of Kampala which typically final 3 to 4 hours. Sights visited will range, however the majority of excursions will embody the principle highlights of central Kampala. So which may embody visiting a market or two, seeing central historic websites and buildings, sampling native meals, and visiting monuments in Kampala together with the Independence Monument.

We took this glorious strolling tour of the highlights of central Kampala with information Arthur who is part of the ImmersionUG tour firm. It’s the prime firm we are able to personally advocate for strolling excursions as we’ve got taken a number of strolling and meals excursions from them throughout our visits to Uganda. You may see all their excursions right here.

Many excursions of Kampala additionally provide the choice to go to the Uganda Nationwide Mosque as a part of your tour. Relying on the tour, this may usually lengthen the tour time by round an hour. It’s additionally in a special a part of the town to that which most foot excursions concentrate on, so usually requires both a boda-boda or taxi journey to a different space of the town.

In case you do that you then is likely to be a bit pressed to do every thing else on this itinerary and still have lunch, however clearly it’s as much as you what your priorities are.

In case you determine to go to the mosque and nonetheless wish to go to the remainder of the advocate locations within the afternoon, I’d advocate asking your information about grabbing a fast sandwich or snack for lunch on the finish of the strolling tour or contemplate selecting up a few issues on the market through the tour. You may also come ready with some snacks and fruit in your day bag to eat throughout your day.

An alternative choice can be to e book a strolling tour which has an earlier begin time, corresponding to this personal tour which helps you to begin at 8am.

Another common strolling excursions to think about in Kampala embody:

Cease 2: Lunch @ 12pm

At noon, after your strolling tour is completed, we advocate stopping for lunch. You’ve simply spent round 3-4 hours strolling round, so a pause for lunch earlier than persevering with your sightseeing might be a good suggestion.

If you’re taking a full day tour, your tour will probably embody a cease for lunch and the value is commonly included as a part of the tour.

If you’re not taking a full-day tour, we advocate asking your strolling tour information for an excellent lunch advice. One of many advantages of taking a guided tour is you could ask your information for suggestions for different sights in addition to the place to eat lunch. That’s why once we take a strolling tour in a metropolis we’re visiting for just a few days, we at all times attempt to do it close to the beginning of our keep so we are able to make the most of the guides suggestions for our remaining days.

There are many fast road meals stalls and carts that cater to locals should you simply need a rolex (omelette wrapped in flatbread), plate of kikomando (chapati and fried beans), meat skewer, or a sizzling sandwich/wrap (typically a chapati wrap with filling). These are fast, low-cost, and filling.

There are additionally buffet type lunch spots the place you’ll be able to sit down and check out a number of dishes directly. These are typically an excellent worth. If you’re searching for some common native meals to strive aside from a rolex, we’d counsel kikomando (fried beans and chapati), matoke or matooke (boiled and mashed inexperienced bananas), luwombo (a stew cooked in banana leaves that may embody meat, fish, and/or peanuts), native fish (e.g., Nile perch, tilapia), posho or ugali (cornmeal porridge that may be a staple throughout East Africa), and grilled meats.

Your information can assist counsel a spot for you primarily based on what you’re searching for, and also you simply wish to make sure that the place appears sanitary and the meals is served sizzling. Keep away from contemporary veggies and salad, chilly dishes, unbottled water, undercooked objects, and so on.

In case you want a nicer sit down place and have a bit extra time, we advocate heading to an area lodge restaurant. Most lodges have eating places that serve each lodge visitors and guests.

In fact you too can save time by simply bringing alongside some meals with you (e.g., fruit, nuts, granola bars, jerky, and so on.) and having it as you go through the day should you want. Even if you’re not prepared for lunch, breaking at the least for a espresso, tea, or soda although could be good after a protracted strolling tour.

Kabaka’s Palace @ 1pm

The main target of the rest of the day is on quite a few cultural sights that can assist you to perceive the historical past of Uganda, from pre-colonial occasions by means of to the extra fashionable age.

The primary cease we advocate to your afternoon is the Kabaka’s Palace. The Kabaka is the King of the Kingdom of Buganda, which is without doubt one of the 5 kingdoms which makes up modern-day Uganda. Buganda is the biggest Kingdom, and its capital was additionally Kampala. The Buganda monarchy dates again over 800 years and continues to be alive and effectively right now.

Historically, the Kabaka has had his palace on prime of one of many many hills of Kampala. As we speak’s palace, generally known as Lubiri or Mengo palace, isn’t any totally different. It’s discovered on prime of Mengo Hill, the place the palace has been located because the mid nineteenth century. Nevertheless, the constructing was extensively broken through the 1966 civil battle, following which it was utilized by Idi Amin throughout his oppressive regime. The palace is now not occupied by the Kabaka, who solely visits for ceremonial causes.

And not using a Royal particular person to maintain protected from prying eyes, the palace grounds are actually open to guests. The palace itself is closed, however you get good views of its exterior. The palace grounds can solely be visited by tour, which is easy to rearrange, simply go to the principle gate, pay an entry price, and a information will present you round.

Your tour will usually embody an excellent oral historical past of the palace and its grounds, in addition to the principle occasions that formed what you see right now. Additionally, you will tour the notorious torture chambers of Idi Amin, who had as much as 200,000 folks imprisoned and murdered right here throughout his regime. This darkish interval of historical past and the damaging affiliation is the principle purpose that the palace and its grounds are now not occupied by the Kabaka.

We actually loved our tour of Kabaka’s Palace and grounds. The tour information was glorious, and we learnt so much about Uganda’s historical past, together with latest and extra distant historical past. We additionally loved studying about conventional bark material making and a number of the native video games that locals wish to play.

A tour will typically final round an hour and we predict is a wonderful option to study extra in regards to the historical past of Uganda. You additionally get an excellent view of Kampala from Mengo Hill.

Kasubi Tombs @ 2:45pm

Simply 10 minutes drive (relying on site visitors!) from Kabaka’s Palace are the Kasubi Tombs. These are additionally associated to the Royal household, being the ultimate resting place of quite a few the Buganda Kings.

Historically, the Kabaka, or King of Buganda, would select a novel location for his or her burial. So the Kasubi tombs are uncommon as a result of they’re house to 4 Kabaka’s, in addition to quite a few their descendants. The tombs date from 1882, with the primary burial in 1884, and the latest in 1971.

There are a selection of constructions on the location, with the massive important round constructing being the principle attraction. This 102ft vast, 25ft excessive constructing is the place the tombs of the 4 kings are literally discovered. The large constructing is primarily constructed from pure supplies within the conventional type. It’s distinctive dimension and conventional building strategies led to it being listed as a UNESCO world heritage web site in 2001.

In addition to the principle central constructing, there are a selection of different buildings on the location which could be seen while you go to. These embody the Royal drum home, in addition to the houses for the Kabaka’s widows and members of the family. Historically these members of the family would stay on web site to have a tendency the graves.

Tragedy befell the location in 2010 when an enormous fireplace precipitated an excessive amount of destruction, however following intensive reconstruction efforts utilizing conventional supplies, the location is as soon as once more open for guests. There’s a price to go to, which incorporates a wonderful tour of the grounds. Anticipate to spend round an hour to 90 minutes right here.

We loved our go to to the Kasubi tombs, though they have been nonetheless present process renovations once we final visited. These have now been accomplished. Our tour included all the principle sights, and our information was additionally excellent, actually bringing to life every thing that we noticed.

Uganda Nationwide Museum @ 4pm

After visiting the Kasubi Tombs, should you nonetheless want to proceed sightseeing and studying about Uganda, then we extremely advocate taking the ten-minute drive to the Uganda Nationwide Museum.

This dates from 1908, making it the oldest museum in East Africa, and it’s the place to return to study all about Uganda’s cultural heritage and historical past.

There are a selection of displays on show, which cowl every thing from conventional musical devices to artwork, medication, clothes, fossils and far way more. You may mainly study all in regards to the historical past of the area from pre-history to the current day.

Certainly one of our favourite components of the museum is the skin space, the place you’ll discover quite a few totally different conventional buildings. These signify a number of the totally different tribes and time intervals of Uganda throughout the years, and every constructing additionally accommodates quite a few traditionally correct displays.

This isn’t a large museum, so even should you don’t have a variety of time left in your schedule we predict you’ll nonetheless get pleasure from a go to. There’s a price to go to and it’s positively someplace you’ll be able to go to on a self-guided foundation as there’s loads of info obtainable in English.

Break @ 5:30pm

At this level within the day, you’ve carried out so much and we’re going to advocate taking a break, probably heading again to your lodge if you’re staying in Kampala, earlier than your night exercise. Maybe a drink, a nap, or a fast dip within the pool earlier than preparing for dinner.

If you’re not staying within the metropolis, I’d head to a restaurant or bar for a espresso, soda, juice, or beer and a pleasant break.

Ndere Cultural Middle @ 7pm

We’d advocate, if attainable, planning your go to to Kampala so the night co-incides with one of many cultural performances on the Ndere Cultural Middle. These performances run just a few occasions per week and have been certainly one of our highlights of our final go to to Kampala.

The efficiency takes place exterior underneath an enormous mango tree, and showcases one of the best of Uganda tradition throughout the varied tribes who make up the land. A wonderful compere introduces every efficiency to offer you context and understanding of what you’re seeing, and actually helps convey the expertise to the subsequent stage.

It’s additionally attainable to have dinner as a part of the present for an additional price, with quite a few conventional dishes included. We will advocate doing this because it offers you an excellent alternative to strive some native meals and never have to fret about discovering dinner.

We arrived a bit early for our present so we might discover the grounds a bit bit and take a look at the artwork on show. We then sat down to look at the present because the daylight light into night time, and actually loved the vitality and enthusiasm of the performers.

This was a extremely enjoyable expertise and certainly one of our favorite issues to do in Kampala. We will extremely advocate it!

Different 1 Day Kampala Itinerary Choices

In case you’d like some extra inspiration for spending a day in Kampala, we’ve got some solutions for you. We’ve put collectively some extra choices themed round some particular classes like historical past, meals, tradition and so forth.

Be at liberty to combine and match throughout the points of interest to provide you with your personal excellent 1-day itinerary. We’d counsel that planning to go to 3 or 4 points of interest in a day would make sense for many guests, though do notice that actions positioned exterior the town just like the Mabamba Swamp tour or Entebbe Zoo are going to take up extra time. You may also learn our information to issues to do in Kampala for extra concepts and data on all of the websites we advocate.

When it comes to planning a day like this, you’ll be able to both do every thing your self, or you’ll be able to attain out to a tour operator who can put collectively a personal customized tour primarily based in your pursuits, corresponding to this one. They need to deal with all of your transportation and in addition be certain that your sightseeing objectives are achievable within the time you could have.

Historical past Itinerary

Kampala has lots to supply those that are curious about studying in regards to the historical past of the town and Uganda typically. We’d counsel an itinerary that appears one thing like the next:

Morning: Metropolis tour corresponding to this one
Afternoon: Uganda Museum, Kabaka’s Palace, and Kasubi Tombs

It’s additionally attainable to e book a tour which incorporates these sights in addition to quite a few others, corresponding to this full day tour.

Meals Centered Itinerary

In case you’d wish to study extra in regards to the meals of Kampala, then you’ll be able to put collectively a day which focuses on exploring native markets, studying about native meals and dishes, and consuming a number of the many conventional dishes of the town. A day may look as follows:

Arts and Tradition Itinerary

There’s no scarcity of artwork and cultural points of interest to get pleasure from in Kampala. Right here’s an thought for a day centered on exploring the inventive and cultural points of interest within the metropolis.

Spiritual / Religious Itinerary

Uganda has a wealthy religious life, with quite a few religions being practiced within the nation. These embody Christianity and Islam, in addition to Judaism, Hinduism, Baha’i, and conventional beliefs and practices.

Over time, and notably with the arrival of colonists, non secular practices shifted dramatically in Uganda. As is commonly the way in which, this was not a frictionless course of, with quite a few lives misplaced within the course of. Because of this, there are an excellent many sights of spiritual significance in addition to locations of worship throughout Kampala and the encircling area. It is likely to be difficult to suit every thing into someday given how a lot there may be to see, however an thought can be:

Morning: Uganda Martyrs Catholic Shrine Basilica, Baha’i Home of Worship
Afternoon: Uganda Nationwide Mosque, Saint Paul’s Cathedral Namirembe, St. Mary’s Cathedral Rubaga

The vast majority of these sights are visited as a part of this non secular tour of Kampala. It is a related tour.

If you’re visiting Uganda as a Catholic pilgrim, the Uganda Martyrs Catholic Shrine and Basilica might be a must-see. It’s positioned a 30 minute drive exterior of the town in Namugongo, however you’ll be able to can take a taxi or be a part of a tour to succeed in it.

Additionally value mentioning is the very attention-grabbing Shree Sanatan Dharma Mandal Hindi temple. It’s positioned in central Kampala and is usually visited in metropolis strolling excursions.

And for these of you who’re notably within the story of how Christianity got here to Uganda, a go to to the Kasingi touchdown web site close to Entebbe may be of curiosity. Simply notice that it’s fairly an effort to get right here and is greatest when you’ve got a driver and you could must undergo a safety examine as it’s positioned close to the airport.

Markets/ Purchasing centered itinerary:

Kampala has a lot of good markets to discover, from markets which concentrate on arts and crafts by means of to extra conventional meals markets serving the wants of the native inhabitants. You might simply spend a day visiting the markets in Kampala, which could look as follows:

Morning: Owino Market, Nakasero Market
Afternoon: Bagala Craft Market / Publicity Africa / Nommo Gallery

This full day strolling tour of Kampala contains nearly all of these markets, in addition to quite a few different points of interest within the metropolis. There’s additionally a half-day tour which additionally covers the principle markets within the metropolis.

If you’re additionally heading to Entebbe, we’d additionally advocate the Entebbe Juakali Centre (Entebbe Craft Market) and the little craft retailer inside the Victoria Mall throughout the road for native crafts and souvenirs. There’s additionally the Kitooro Market in Entebbe, a coated market that focuses extra on produce, meat, and on a regular basis objects.

Wildlife primarily based itinerary

Many individuals visiting Uganda are right here for the unbelievable wildlife alternatives, with chimpanzee trekking and gorilla trekking being excessive on the listing of issues to do.

While these actions primarily happen as a part of an extended multi-day safari, there are a selection of different wildlife experiences you could have in and round Kampala. A few of these experiences are a bit longer, so will take up a lot of the day.

Right here’s a urged day, adopted by some extra concepts for wildlife centered actions round Kampala. Notice that whereas you are able to do city birding in Kampala, most different wildlife actions and points of interest are positioned in or round Entebbe. However these are nonetheless straightforward to do as a day journey from Kampala.

Morning:  Mabamba Swamp tour like this or city birding round Kampala
Afternoon: Entebbe Zoo, Botanical gardens in Entebbe

An alternative choice can be to go to the Ngamba Island chimpanzee sanctuary (tour like this). In case you don’t have the time to do a visit out to the areas of Uganda the place chimpanzee trekking is feasible, then you’ll be able to go to Ngamba island as a substitute. That is on Lake Victoria and is house to quite a few rescued chimpanzees.

In case you get pleasure from birds, you’ll be able to see a lot of birds in Kampala with out leaving the town, particularly within the mornings. The truth is there are over 300 species you could possibly see in Kampala! We noticed a quantity on electrical wires and poles, in our lodges’ gardens, at common points of interest (Kabaka’s Palace, Kasubi Tombs, Uganda Martyrs Shrine, Baha’i Temple) and round golf programs.

So you’ll probably spot a number of hen species by simply going to common locations should you preserve your eyes open. However it may be tough to do birdwatching in a big and congested metropolis, so simply watch out.

Kampala Native Life Itinerary

In case you’d wish to study extra about life in Kampala, then we’d advocate taking a tour or two with a Kampala native. They’ll have the ability to take you to locations you in all probability wouldn’t have thought to go by yourself, in addition to share their insights on life within the metropolis. You may select a tour (or excursions) that meet your pursuits. An instance itinerary may look as follows:

As you’ll be able to see, there are myriad methods to fill a day (or extra!) in Kampala.

Reserving your Day Tour in Kampala

You might have just a few totally different choices for getting round Kampala, together with doing every thing your self utilizing journey shares, taxis or buses. Nevertheless, for a extra seamless expertise, we predict most guests are going to search out it simpler to rearrange some type of transport.

Now we have carried out each, and having a driver for the day was positively simpler. If you’re visiting Uganda as a part of an extended journey the place you could have a tour firm, then they may probably have the ability to embody a while in Kampala as a part of your journey. Simply allow them to know the place you wish to go and what you wish to see.

An alternative choice is simply to rent a personal driver for the day. They’ll fear in regards to the site visitors, parking, and the route, and you’ll get pleasure from your self with sightseeing.

Lastly, you’ll be able to e book a tour that covers the sights you wish to see. There are each personal and group excursions obtainable. When evaluating excursions, at all times examine what’s and isn’t included. For instance, some excursions embody entry charges, transport, meals and water, while others could not. It’s additionally essential to examine any refund or cancellation insurance policies earlier than reserving.

After we journey, we almost at all times e book our excursions prematurely with both GetYourGuide or Viator which each supply a 24-hour cancellation coverage for most tickets and excursions. This implies you’ll be able to cancel a tour as much as 24 hours earlier than it begins and obtain a full refund. This permits for flexibility if our journey plans unexpectedly change.

Listed here are quite a few tour choices we recommend which can supply an excellent expertise to your day in Kampala. Notice that if a personal tour doesn’t go to all of the sights you wish to see, you could possibly attain out to the operator for a customized itinerary.

This personal customized tour information service will let you specify precisely what you wish to do and see along with your day in Kampala.
This full day personal tour with transport contains Kabaka’s Palace, Nationwide Mosque, a sit-down lunch, the Kasubi Tombs, Bagala Craft Market and Bahá’i Temple. Admission charges and lunch are included.
This full day personal tour contains Bagala Craft Market, Baha’i temple, Nationwide Mosque, Kasubi tombs, Kabala’s Palace, Basilica of the Uganda Martrys and a sit-down meal. Lunch and admission charges are included.
This full day personal tour features a go to to Kabaka’s Palace, the Kasubi Tombs, Uganda Nationwide Mosque, the Baha’i Temple, and the Namugongo Martyr’s Museum. It contains admission charges and lunch.
This full day group tour contains Kabaka’s Palace, the Uganda Nationwide Mosque, Nakasero market, the Uganda Museum, and an arts and crafts market. Admission charges are included however not meals.
We’ve discovered two full day excursions, this one and this one, which focus extra on the non secular websites in and round Kampala, together with the Uganda Martyrs Catholic Shrine, the most important cathedrals within the metropolis, the Uganda Nationwide Mosque and the Baha’i temple.
There are additionally shorter excursions of Kampala, together with this half day meals tour, and this half-day strolling tour. Now we have carried out each these excursions, and they might be an excellent choice for the primary half of your day if you’re following our itinerary.

As you’ll be able to see there are many tour choices to your time in Kampala!

Additional Studying

That sums up our information to spending a day in Kampala. We hope you discovered it helpful! Earlier than you head off, we wished to share some hyperlinks to different content material we predict you may discover helpful in planning your journey to Uganda and the broader area.

Now we have a complete information to issues to do in Kampala, to offer you extra inspiration for what to do within the metropolis.
Now we have an in depth information to issues to do in Entebbe, that can assist you plan extra of your journey.
Now we have an in depth information to chimpanzee trekking in Uganda in addition to gorilla trekking in Uganda. These are each common actions for guests to Uganda and effectively value doing in our opinion
Now we have a information to picking the greatest safari digicam, and a information to getting higher photographs on safari, so you’ll be able to make sure you get nice recollections of your journey.
We even have an in depth safari packing listing that can assist you determine what to convey with you
If you’re planning on visiting Kenya, try our information to issues to do in Nairobi and our urged 1 day Nairobi itinerary, which has a lot of concepts for the town
Now we have a information to getting on-line when travelling, that can assist you keep linked in Uganda
You’re going to want to energy all of your gadgets while you journey – see our information to the greatest journey adapters so you’ll be able to select the precise one for Uganda
In case you’d like a journey information, contemplate the Uganda Bradt Journey Information, which is usually considered the best choice for Uganda. We’ve used the previous version and might extremely advocate this e book because it has every thing from the historical past of the nation and it’s folks, by means of to packing ideas, planning recommendation and extra. It additionally contains detailed info on chimp and gorilla trekking.
E-book clever, we additionally pack and journey with each the Pocket Information: Birds of East Africa and the Pocket Information to the Mammals of East Africa. These are each very conveniently sized and can allow you to determine a variety of what you see on a go to to any east African nation.

And that’s it! As at all times, we hope you discovered this information helpful. When you’ve got any questions or feedback, simply pop them within the feedback part under and we’ll get again to you as quickly as we are able to.