Holiday in Kampala

About Kampala

Kampala is the capital of Uganda and one of the most vibrant cities in East Africa — a 1.7 million metropolis that stretches across seven hills on the shores of Lake Victoria (the largest lake in Africa) and serves as a gateway to the mountain gorillas, the sources of the Nile, and some of the best safari experiences on the continent. The city has a chaotic, infectious energy: Boda-Bodas (motorcycle taxis) weave through traffic, the Owino Market (St. Balikuddembe) — one of the largest secondhand clothing markets in Africa — spans a vast area, and the craft beer scene and nightlife in Kololo and Bugolobi are rapidly growing. The Kasubi Tombs (UNESCO), the burial site of the Buganda kings, are Kampala's most important cultural heritage — a massive thatched roundhouse that is being rebuilt after a fire in 2010 and demonstrates the spiritual significance of the Buganda Kingdom. The Bahá'í Temple on Kikaaya Hill, the only one of its kind in Africa, and the Uganda Martyrs Shrine in Namugongo (a pilgrimage site for millions) showcase Kampala's religious diversity. However, the real reason to visit Kampala is what comes next: the mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (1 hour flight), the Nile sources in Jinja (2 hours by car), Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Murchison Falls — Uganda is rightly called the "Pearl of Africa" (Winston Churchill).