Kampala is the capital of Uganda and the hub of much of its arts, culture, and night life. As such, it is a brilliant place to visit to get a flavour of the country as a whole. Visit the Ndere Centre to experience some traditional African music and dancing, and finish your visit off with a trip down to Batwa Cultural Heritage. Batwa Cultural Heritage is a village where you can see traditional arts and crafts being practised first hand, and even try your hand at them. The city is also home to some stunning and historic religious buildings. For example, the Namirembe Kathedrale is a peaceful and majestic edifice. If you climb to the top and look out, you will be afforded a great view over Kampala. To see some local wildlife, you can do little better than to visit the beautiful Forest Park Resort. This is a lovely place for travellers of all ages, so is highly recommended for families. The many cafes and restaurants dotted throughout the city will give you ample opportunity to explore the delectable cuisine of this region of Africa, too.
Kampala overview
When to fly to Kampala
The high season for visiting Kampala is July, and in this period, air fares are likely to be more expensive as they enable you to make the most of tourist activities and hot weather. When travelling during the summer months, it is also advisable to book your accommodation (and other aspects of your tour, such as gorilla permits) well in advance. The climate in Southern Uganda is hot and temperate all year round, though, so if you choose to travel in the cheaper off peak months, you will still be able to enjoy some gorgeous weather. You could also time your visit so that it coincides with one of the festivals that occur each year in Kampala. For example, October 9th is Independence Day in the country: this is a public holiday and is celebrated with food, drink and music.
Getting around Kampala
Kampala has a unique taxi service, known as the boda boda, or motorcycle taxi. Local men tend to sit on the front of boda bodas, whilst local women will sit side saddle (which is more difficult) when they hire a taxi. Boda bodas are not the most safe form of travel, as the drivers are notoriously risky. As a visitor, if you do decide to risk it, the driver will generally not care if you choose to sit up front no matter what your gender. A better option is to use the city's safe and reliable Yellow Taxi company.