Kampala

Kampala is an exciting moment for tourists,the capital city of Uganda is spread over ten hills and derives its name from a kiganda expression "kasozi k'empala, "the hill of antelopes" The origins of the Kampala city go back to 1891 the when Kabaka of Buganda had his court on Rubaga and Mengo hills.

The town that grew up achieved municipal status in 1950 and became a city' in 1962. Today, as you stand on the hills, the City' provides magnificent evergreen trees, gently disrupted by red-tiled villas, green iron-roofed bungalows, as well as taller modern city profiles that give way to attractive views of the surrounding country side and nearby Lake Victoria.

The City has retained its traditional charm, and remains the greenest in Africa. But today Kampala is the heart of Uganda Safari. The centre of commercial life and the seat. of government. It is a vibrant modern metropolis adorned with gardens and parks providing colorful oases for its citizens and visitors alike, Hotel facilities range from the best international hotels, with state-of-the-art conference facilities, to accommodation for the more budget-minded. The broad range of cultures in Uganda is also reflected in the wide choice of restaurants in the City, all featuring the wonderful produce of the fertile country side anid fish-filled lakes.

Dining out Uganda as a nation loves food, and no celebration is ever complete without a feast. As a result there is no shortage of eating places in the country. Food is generally cheap and there is something to suit every pocket and taste. Prices range from a mere Ush2000 to 60,000 a head depending on what you have and where you choose to dine. For those who want to try the delicious Buganda traditional dish called "oluwombo", don't miss Ekitobeero Restaurant on Kintate Road near Fairway Hotel on your Kampala Safari.

Going out Ugandans like to party and thus there is no shortage of nightspots to let your hair down. In the old industrial area are SILK and ANGE NOIR relatively close to each other, so if you get tired of one, just take a stroll to the other. Out of town is the other, PULSATIONS. There are also numerous drinking places and bars. The Sheraton also has a British style Pub serving ale's from around the world .... at a price!

Exploring Kampala City, Uganda’s Economic and Social Hub

The capital city, an economic and social hub of Uganda, is also the country’s largest urban center, with a population of 3.1 million (Microtrends 2020). Kampala, like Rome, was originally built across seven hills. Today, that figure is more like two dozen hills.

Although Captain Fredrick Lugard is generally considered the founder for setting up camp on Kampala Hill in 1890, the surrounding hills had lain at the Buganda Kingdom’s political center for several decades before Lugard’s arrival. Kasubi Hill, only 2.5km northwest of the modern city center, served briefly as Kabaka Suuna II’s capital in the 1850s. It also housed the palace of Kabaka Mutesa I from 1882-84. Mengo Hill formed the capital of Mutesa’s successor Mwanga, as it has every subsequent Kabaka.

Kampala derives from the Luganda saying ‘Kosozi Kampala,’ meaning ‘Hill of Antelope.’ A reference to the domestic impala antelope that grazed the lawns of Mengo during Mutesa’s reign in the 1880s.

Kampala lies at the Kingdom of Buganda’s political and geographical heart, home to the Baganda tribe, which makes up the largest Ugandan ethnic group. However, they represent only about 17 percent of the population.

Attractions in Kampala

Most Uganda travelers restrict traditional sightseeing within the city limits, the Kasubi Tombs and the National Museum, but several other worthwhile interest sites lie within day-tripping distance. These include organized excursions to raft the White Nile grade five rapids near Jinja or visit the chimpanzees of Ngamba Island and more low-key goals such as the Entebbe Botanical Garden, Mabira, and Mpanga forest reserves and Mabamba Swamp.

In addition to these conventional attractions, be sure to take a walk through the city’s various other quarters for a fascinating (if somewhat depressing) cross-section of the extremes of wealth and poverty that characterize so much of Africa. The overcrowded back streets running downhill from Kampala Road, congested with hooting minibus-taxis and swerving boda-boda drivers, reveal a more representative facet of Kampala. The city as most of its residents see it —yet, even so, the rundown streets sparkle with an economic dynamism that was absent as recently as 1995.