If you are planning a 1 day city tour, we will be glad to show you around. We have ideas on what you should pick from to have a splendid tour of Kampala city.
Uganda’s capital and largest city is Kampala. The five political divisions of Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division, and Rubaga Division make up the city with a population of 2 million very friendly Ugandans.
For your Ideal Kampala City excursion, the Kasubi Tombs, a significant World Cultural Heritage site in Uganda for the Buganda Kingdom, will be your first stop on your City Tour after breakfast. A 17 Km visit to the Namugongo Martyrs Shrine will follow. Here, you can pay your respects to the 22 martyrs who were murdered by Kabaka (King) Mwanga of Buganda (Biggest Kingdom in Uganda) between 1885 and 1887. Of the 22, 13 of the martyrs were burned to death at Namugongo.
Go ahead and continue your 1 day Kampala excursion with a visit to the Uganda Museum. Here you can take a tour of the Museum which will show you snippets into Uganda’s history.
Its a little past Lunch and you need a Lunch break. You will have to decide what type of causin you want to try out. At the Museum, there are restaurants that prepare Uganda local meals. If you want to try it out this is the place. If however you would rather play safe with something you are used to, a short 500 miter drive to the Acacia Mall will do.
At Acacia mall, a high end shopping mall in Kampala, you will have many options of high end restaurants with intercontinental menus. The KFC is located in the mall along several others. The popular Café Javas is also located just across the road!
Once you are done with your Lunch break, you will take a short 5.5Km drive to Kabaka’s Palace in Mengo. If you like, you can take a 1Km walk on Kabaka’s palace road that connects the Royal headquarters – Bulange and the Palace. This stretch has statues with names of all the clans of Buganda. Our local guide will tell you some amazing stories about these clans. When you are done here, head for the amazingly awesome Kabaka’s Lake. This man made royal lake has alot stories to hear about. By the time you are done here it will most be a day but if you still have sometime, take a drive to the Rubaga catholic cathedral and then after Namirembe cathedral. These two are among the Oldest churches in Uganda and the headquarters for their respective religions.
After your day time Kampala excursion, you can then head back to your hotel to relax by the poolside as you watch the beautiful Ugandan sun setting.
The 1 day Kampala city tour does not include night activity. If however you would like to check out Kampala at night, we can organise it with one of our experienced guides. For security reasons, We generally do not encourage tourists to go out in the night without a local guide or Ugandan friend if you have one.
What The City excursion Package Includes
Our City tour package includes the following.
1) Transportation
- Transportation
- Fuel costs
- A Tour Guide
- Entrance Fees
- Bottled Drinking Water
- Lunch.
Places To Visit While in Kampala.
While the package above is constrained with time, there are many other places you can opt to add or swap while on visit to Kampala city. Bellow we review all the places you can visit while on your 1 day Kampala city tour.
1. Kabaka’s Palace.
Ssekabaka Mwanga11 erected the palace in 1885. This occurred in 1884, when he assumed control of the dominion at the age of 18. The new king of the Buganda Kingdom is required to select a hill on which to erect his palace. Mwanga 11 built his first palace in Masaja, but after some time he considered moving it to another location. Mwanga 11 then moved his palace to Nkaawo Hill Mengo. Nkawo Hill is where the Nvubu Clan used to keep their grinding stones. These stones where used to grind harbal medicine to treat the Kabaka’s people. Today, the Nkawo hill was renamed Mengo Hill, and the building was renamed Mengo building. It should also be remembered that after the construction was finished, the palace caught fire, destroying all of the kingdom’s valuable records. The monarch was greatly alarmed and fled to Nalukolongo, where he was entertained by Roman Catholic missionaries. After some time, the king moved away from the missionaries and into Mukasa’s home, who served as his father Ssekabaka Muteesa II’s Katikiiro. In 1886, while he was still a guest there, lightning struck Mukasa’s house and completely destroyed everything. He left Mukasa’s house once more, traveling to Munyonyo where he built a new palace on Mulungu hill adjacent to Lake Victoria.
2. Kasubi Tombs
The Kasubi tombs found in Kampala is a royal burial grounds for the Baganda Kings. There are four Kings of Buganda buried here. The Site was initially built in 1882 by Kabaka Mukaabya as a royal palace for the Kabaka but was converted into the royal burial grounds in 1884. The UNESCO World Heritage site embodies a rich caltural heritage for the people of Buganda and their Kings. Being the main burial grounds for the Kings of Buganda, these tombs are also of great spiritual importance. Muzibu Azaala Mpanga – The main building (in picture above) is the building where the Kinga (Kabakas) are buried. When you get to the tombs, the custodians will take you around the facility and explain to you the usefulness of the entire establishment.
The Muzibu Azaala Mpanga is constructed with reeds, grass, wood, and other natural resources. Its carefully wooven into a unique and architecturally beautiful thatch structure. Inside the building are amazing artifacts placed on the walls and floor. The graves of the Kings are right inside the building. There is a separate burial section outside for other royals who are not Kings
3. The Uganda Martyrs shrine Namugongo
The Uganda Martyrs Shrines are located in Namugongo, a neighborhood of Kampala. The memorials commemorate 22 Catholic martyrs who were burned alive for refusing to renounce their faith. Over a million people from all over the world travel to the shrine on June 3 to pray and celebrate in memory of the Uganda Martyrs. In addition to the incredible architectural feats, visitors can also see a well near the shrine where believers take water that is said to provide supernatural healing and benefits.
4. Uganda National Museum
The Uganda Museum, which opened its doors in 1908, is the oldest museum in East Africa. It was formerly housed in Lugard’s fort on Old Kampala Hill, before moving it to Makerere University’s School of Industrial and Fine Arts, and in Kitante. The museum is custodian to a collection of Ugandan music and traditional culture, as well as exhibits on archaeology, history, science, and natural history. The Museum is one of the nicest and most important locations you can visit today while on a tour of Kampala because it provides an accurate depiction of Uganda and its people.
5. Uganda National Mosque