By air
Entebbe (EBB), ~40 km south of the city
Africa · Uganda
Kampala, Uganda
The hilly, lively capital on Lake Victoria
Getting there
Best time to visit
December to February and June to August — the drier months
Don't miss
Kasubi Tombs
Uganda National Mosque
Uganda Museum
Owino Market
Namirembe Cathedral
Ndere Cultural Centre
Ggaba beach
Things to do
Climbing the minaret of the Gaddafi National Mosque
Visiting the Kasubi Tombs
A boat on Lake Victoria from Ggaba
The Owino market
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Andrew Regan · CC BY-SA 3.0
What to pack
Light clothes, a rain layer, modest dress for the mosque and the tombs, small notes for boda-bodas
A quieter corner
Ndere Cultural Centre, where troupes from across Uganda dance on weekend evenings
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Kampala?
December to February and June to August — the drier months. What to pack: Light clothes, a rain layer, modest dress for the mosque and the tombs, small notes for boda-bodas.
How do I get to Kampala?
Fly into Entebbe (EBB), ~40 km south of the city.
What is there to do in Kampala?
Climbing the minaret of the Gaddafi National Mosque, visiting the Kasubi Tombs, a boat on Lake Victoria from Ggaba, the Owino market. A quieter find: Ndere Cultural Centre, where troupes from across Uganda dance on weekend evenings.
What should I eat in Kampala?
Rolex chapati rolls, luwombo stews, matoke, Nile perch, local coffee.
About Kampala
- Hills
- Lakeside
Where it is
Kampala is the capital of Uganda, spread over a cluster of hills near the northern shore of Lake Victoria, in the south-centre of the country.
History
Kampala grew around the court of the Kabaka, king of Buganda, whose palace and royal tombs stand on its hills, and became the colonial administrative centre in the early twentieth century. It was made the capital at independence in the 1960s and, after the turmoil of the following decades, has grown into East Africa's busiest and most energetic cities.
People
A Baganda heartland that has drawn people from every part of Uganda, Kampala is young, church- and mosque-going, and famously sociable; English and Luganda are heard everywhere.
Known for
- The Kasubi Tombs
- The Uganda National Mosque
- Boda-boda motorbike taxis
- Nightlife and music
Did you know?
The city is said to stand on seven hills, though it has long since spread across many more.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.