Kampala City Tour
Kampala City tour is one of the amazing Uganda Safari Packages that travelers will love to engage in when they visit the country. The Kampala City Tour takes visitors through different hills with several sightings ranging from people, markets, Religious sites where almost every religion has got a place of worship in the capital city of Uganda and around the city. These sites include; the mosques for the Islamic religion such as Gadhafi mosque, Kibuli Mosque, churches such as Namirembe, Nsambya, Rubaga, Namugongo, and Bahai temple. So in Uganda, everyone is free to worship where they want.
The capital city tour also involves visiting the cultural sites, historical sites and a lot of other attractions inside and around Uganda’s capital city that several visitors on Uganda tours normally don’t want to miss out
The Kampala City Tour always offers an awesome everlasting experience of moving around the city full of hotels, bars, markets, schools, hospitals, churches, mosques, museums, shops and a whole lot of things that make kampala the best city to visit once on a Uganda tour.
Currently, the capital city of Uganda lies on 21 hills but the major known hills are seven hills including Mengo hill, Rubaga hill, Namirembe hill, Makerere hill, Kololo hill, Nakasero hill, and Kampala hill (Old kampala hill and each of these hills has its own attractions that visitors on a Uganda capital city tour are always encouraged to book their tours with local tour operators like Achieve Global Safaris based in Uganda who organizes all tours around Uganda and other east African countries to have a blissful experience of their lives. Below are some of the attractions and sightings found in the capital city of Uganda that attract several visitors around the world to explore Uganda’s capital city.
Taking a tour to Kampala hill is the major thing that shouldn’t be missed out once on a tour to the capital city of Uganda. Kampala hill is surrounded by mengo hill in the south, Namirembe hill in the west, Nakasero hill in the east and makerere hill in the north. All in all, kampala hill was the first hill that obtained its name from the word Impala due to the fact that the hill had several impalas that the kabaka of Buganda used to hunt before the hill became a capital city of Uganda and later on after the expansion of the city to other hills which are 21 hills now, kampala hill changed its name to old kampala hill up to present.
The old Kampala hill is raised to about 4000ft above the sea level near the captain Fredrick Lugard’s fort and old Kampala secondary school alongside several bars, restaurants and many more that catch the eyes of the viewer. This hill was the first and is situated at the center of Uganda’s capital city and it has a lot of things to visit ranging from religious sites, hotels, historical monuments and many more. This visit on the old Kampala hill takes visitors through different directions offering a lot of interesting architecture of several buildings such as the Gadhafi mosque which is the national mosque located on Kampala hill. This mosque was commissioned by late Gadhafi who by then was the president of Libya and it’s on this mosque that the supreme council offices for the Muslims are situated. This mosque is also referred to as the Old Kampala Mosque because it lies on the old Kampala hill.
Visiting the old Kampala mosque (Gadhafi mosque) is the most fascinating thing especially for the Muslims that one shouldn’t miss out on while on a Uganda capital city tour in Uganda. Gadhafi mosque is a national mosque located on the old Kampala hill in the city center and it’s on this hill that the supreme council for the Muslims is situated.
There is also the cultural tours where visitors meet the Ndere troupe for several traditional dances that most visitors on a Uganda city tour ought not to miss out on their tour bucket.
A Uganda capital city tour to Namirembe hill is yet another riveting adventure that a person on a tour to Uganda, especially on a capital city tour, shouldn’t miss out with several sightings including the St. Paul’s Cathedral Namirembe which is the oldest and the first Anglican diocese in the church of Uganda with a very beautiful and unique design and a clear view of the city and it’s on this hill that the Archbishop of all the Anglican churches in Uganda seats.
Namirembe hill is adjacent to the Rubaga hill where the Roman Catholic cathedral lies known as Rubaga Cathedral which is also a beautiful structure to visit while on a Uganda city tour.
More city tours are done on Mulago hill which derived its name from a medicinal plant omulago that grew on the hill and the king suna11 used it to chase away the ancestral spirits. Mulago hill is mainly covered by the health-related facilities including the Uganda national referral hospital known as Mulago hospital which is the only national referral with several services, Makerere University College of health sciences, Uganda cancer institute, Uganda heart institute, Kampala city mortuary, several nurses hostel, doctor’s village, several pharmacies and laboratories. It’s on Mulago hill that the headquarters for the Uganda Wildlife Authority, British embassy and Uganda national museum where some of the historical tools and instruments are kept for historical and research purposes. This museum is amongst the top destinations during the Uganda city tour.
Visitors on a Kampala city tour also visit the Kasubi hill known for accommodating the kasubi tombs which are burial grounds for the Buganda royal family members in the Buganda kingdom. In 2010, these kasubi tombs were burnt down and destroyed hence marking them as endangered on the list world heritage sites. The first person to be buried in kasubi tombs is the 35th kabaka of Buganda Samuel Mutesa 1. Kasubi hill is close to the old Kampala hill and is easily accessible from the city center by either motorbike (boda), car or by foot depending on the visitors’ choice.
Mengo hill also has got a whole lot of attractions for visitors on a Kampala city tour ranging from the Buganda king’s palace and the torture chambers for Dictator Idi Amini Dada. Mengo hill has a lot of Ugandan history regarding the Buganda kingdom and Idi Amin’s regime. It is on this hill that over 30,000 people were executed to death. Mengo hill also has some healthy and educational facilities including the mengo hospital and several schools.
Visiting Makerere hill offers the sightings of the East African prestigious institute of learning none other than Makerere University. This hill also has several residential places for university students and other people. Several businesses also are carried out on the makerere hill.
Visit the Bahai temple which is a place of worship for Bahai faith that originated from India situated on Kikaya hill with the best vegetation of trees, green grass for sitting on and a freshness breathtaking cool air from the trees and flowers planted around the temple. This temple was constructed on 52 acres of land a few miles from the city center Kampala.
A tour to Nsambya hill is yet another interesting tour to enjoy during the Uganda capital city tour. Nsambya hill is situated at an elevation of 4,010 ft. with several schools, churches, Nsambya hospital and many more. Nsambya hill offers a crystal clear view of Kampala city, Lake Victoria and the American embassy all on a hill.
For the visitors who need to exploit more than just the city center, then trailing all the major seven hills of Kampala alongside the surrounding areas such as Namugongo shrines situated along the Jinja road where several believers were killed due to their faith and up to now, Uganda still celebrates them as martyrs in June every year, visit Entebbe zoo to witness the king of the jungle , sail on lake Victoria or any beach along the Entebbe road, and finally enjoy the street foods including the chapatti, yellow bananas, and fruits.
How best can one explore the capital city of Uganda?
Well, depending on the traffic and congestion of Uganda’s capital city, I would recommend visitors to use the “boda- boda” means of transport which can take the short cuts and avoid the traffic in the congested city. Visitors who aren’t in hurry can opt for a safari vehicle or a private car since the roads in the city aren’t that bad.
However, the other option of exploring the slums and all the hidden corners of the city is by walking on foot with a local guide to have the maximum viewing and better photographs.
“All in all, a tour to Uganda’s capital city is more practical than theory so come and grab an everlasting experience in the capital city of Uganda the pearl of Africa.”
Interested in visiting the capital city of Uganda, then look no further than booking your 1 or 2 days Kampala city tour to have the climax of the capital city of Uganda the pearl of Africa.
