Jinja

Raft, kayak, or bungee jump on the Nile River in Uganda’s adventure capital.

Jinja

Jinja is famous for being home to the source of the Nile, the world’s longest river. It also has the second largest economy in Uganda, with industry basing itself here because of the nearby electric power station at the Owen Falls Dam.

German architect and urban planner Ernst May planned the city under colonial rule in 1948. He designed the urban planning scheme for Kampala as well, creating what he called ‘neighbourhood units’.  Jinja retains its distinctly colonial feel even today.

Souvenir shops are found in Jinja; it’s one of the few places where you can get all kind of African souvenirs, drums, Ugandan guitars, handbags, paintings, African print fabric and many more things ideal as presents.

Jinja is also known as the adventure capital of Uganda, because of the different activities it has to offer, from horseback riding to white water rafting to quad biking and kayaking.

Size and accessibility:
Jinja is the biggest town in the Jinja district, with a population of around 80,000.

By Car:
The 80 km from Kampala takes about 2 hours due to the high volume of traffic using this route.

Activities:
White water rafting
Horseback riding
Quad biking
Kayaking
Source of the Nile

Experience With Kikooko

Ssese Islands

Relax on sandy beaches and swim in clear waters on a tropical island paradise.

Ssese Islands

The Ssese islands archipelago numbers some eighty-four islands. Forty-three of these are inhabited. Kalangala, the largest town and District headquarters, is on the largest island called Bugala Island. Its approximately 50 kilometres from Entebbe. The huge Nile Perch is fished on the island, with most of the catch being exported. Agriculture, forestry and tourism are other main industries in Ssese.

A variety of animals have their home on the island including primates.

The white-sand beaches are a good place to grab a book and relax. Canoes can be hired, there are often stunning sunsets, and you can end the day at the nightly bonfire. Swimming is generally possible, but check first as some outlying islands have hippo and crocodile occasionally!

Accessibility:
By Boat:
A transfer from Nakiwogo near Entebbe to Bugala Island takes usually 3 1/2 hours. On Bugala island are shared taxis that run from Kalangala to Luku.
From the western part of Uganda, Bukakata, 36km east of Masaka, a car ferry links with Luku on Bugala Island. It takes about 50 minutes.

To get to Banda Island, take a small wooden boat departing from Kasenyi, a fishing village, 5km outside Entebbe.

Activities:
Relaxation at the beach
Canoeing
Nature walks

Experience With Kikooko