Kampala, the capital and largest city of Uganda has a rich history. It is worth finding out about the Buganda Kingdom and the fascinating palaces and compounds from where the nation was run before the arrival of colonialism. The Kasubi Tombs (built in 1881), the Lubiri Palace, the Buganda Parliament and the Buganda Court of Justice have survived the tests of time and can be visited. In 1890, British colonial administrator Frederick Lugard constructed a fort on Mengo Hill within the city, which allowed for the British to occupy much of the territory controlled by the Baganda, including Kampala. In 1894, the British government officially established a protectorate within this territory. In 1905, the British government formally declared the entire territory to be a British protectorate. From that time until the independence of the country in 1962, the capital was relocated to Entebbe, although the city continued to be the primary economic and manufacturing location within Uganda.

Kampala was once the city of seven hills, now it occupies a series of hills at an elevation of about 1,190 metres and is situated in the southern part of the country, just north of Lake Victoria. The city has numerous food production, metal-products, and furniture manufacturing enterprises and a tractor-assembly plant. It is the headquarters for most of Uganda’s large firms. Kampala has a technical institute and is the seat of Makerere University, which was founded in 1922 and became a university college in 1949 and a university in 1970.  For many years it was the only such educational institution in East Africa. Kampala also has the Uganda Museum. The city is home to several mosques (including the white Kibuli Mosque), Hindu temples, and Christian churches.

Kampala has been ranked the best city to live in East Africa, ahead of Nairobi and Kigali, by Mercer, a global development consulting agency based in New York City. The population is over 2 million and it is the 13^th fastest growing city on the planet.

While the city does not have clear rainy and dry seasons, it generally experiences heavier rainfall from February to April, with April typically seeing the heaviest. It has a tropical rainforest climate and is therefore perfect to visit all year round.

Accessibility:
By car:
From the international Airport in Entebbe it is about 1 hour drive to the city, depending on the traffic.

By air:
The international airport is in Entebbe and operates domestic (small aircraft) and international flights.

Activities:
City Tours
Day trips from Kampala
Museum
Parks
Shopping
Dining
Golf Course
Vegetable Market

Entebbe is perhaps best known for the rescue of 100 hostages at the Entebbe airport in 1976. The town sits on a peninsula on the northern shores of Lake Victoria, about 40 km from Kampala the capitol City. ‘Entebbe means ‘seat’ / ‘chair’ in the local language, Luganda.  Entebbe was the seat of the colonial governor in the early 1900’s and is now the residence and the official office location of the President of Uganda. Entebbe is the seat of power in the country.

Entebbe, with its clean air, botanical gardens, parks and the lake is a nice place to visit and live. From the shores of Lake Victoria trips to the various islands, like Ssese or Ngamba can be booked. Many people from Kampala spend their weekends relaxing in Entebbe.

The historical site in Kigungu where the first Catholic missionaries, Brother Amans and Father Mon Maple Lourdel, landed is in Entebbe.  The town is also home of the oldest golf course in East Africa called Entebbe Golf Club, which was established in 1900.

Entebbe has a tropical rainforest climate. The hottest month is February with an average temperature of 22.8 °C, while the coolest month is July with average temperature of 20.6 °C.

During the day it is safe to walk along the roads around Entebbe, but after dark it is advised to drive to your destination. The safest way to ask for a private taxi, recommended by friends or the hotel.

Accessibility:
By Car:
Entebbe is about 1 hour’s drive from Kampala, sometimes a lot longer because of traffic jam.

By Air:
The international airport is in Entebbe. Both domestic (small aircraft) and international flights are operated by the airport.

Activities:
Entebbe Wildlife Centre (Zoo)
Botanical Gardens
Entebbe Market
Boat trips
Golf

The town lies in the northern foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains about 50 km north of Kasese. It is the only town in Uganda with an English name. It was named after the British Consul General of Zanzibar, Sir Gerald Portal who came to Uganda in 1890s. Fort Portal is an excellent starting point to begin a tour to some of Uganda’s best activities and attractions.

Fort Portal is surrounded by beautiful and diverse nature and scenery. The green hills towards Semuliki National Park, with its hot springs and fascinating wildlife; the dense forest of Kibale Forest with its chimpanzees; the countless crater lakes and the nearby mountains of the Rwenzori Mountains invite you to explore and linger. Queen Elizabeth National Park and Semuliki Wildlife Reserve (Toro) can also be reached easily from Fort Portal. The beautiful Toro Palace is located on a hill above the town and can also be visited.

Fort Portal is famous for its tea. The cool climate makes the tea a high grown and high-quality tea. This tea has many health benefits. These include anti-allergy, anti-oxidation, anti-hypertension, anti-viral, anti-obese, anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, enzyme inhibition and many other human health problems. African tea is one of the most common drinks served in Uganda. Tours to a tea plantation can be arranged.

Accessibility:
By Car:
Fort Portal is about 310 km from Kampala and it takes about 4 hours to reach the town.

By Air:
You can fly to Kasese and drive for about 30 minutes to Fort Portal, or you can fly to Semuliki airstrip and drive for about 1 hour to reach the town.

Activities:
Town Tour
Nature walk (Cave, Waterfalls)
Tea plantation
Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park
Semuliki National Park
Semuliki Wildlife Reserve
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Rwenzori Mountains

Mt Elgon is a massive, solitary volcanic mountain on the border of Eastern Uganda and Western Kenya. It spans eighty kilometres in diameter and rises 307m above the surrounding plains, providing a welcome relief in more than one way. Its mountainous terrain introduces variety to an otherwise flat regional landscape, it’s cool heights offer respite for humans from the hot plains below and its higher altitudes provide a refuge for flora and fauna.

Mount Elgon has been a regional landmark for a long time: this extinct volcano is one of Uganda’s oldest physical features, first erupting around 20 million years ago. It was once Africa’s highest mountain, towering above Kilimanjaro’s 5895 m. Millennia of erosion have reduced its height to 4321 m, relegating it to the 4th highest peak in East Africa (and 7th on the continent). However, its 4000 km² surface area is still the largest base of any volcanic mountain worldwide.

The scenery of this area includes waterfalls, gorges, mesas, cliffs, caves, calderas, hot springs and mountain peaks.

The most popular areas around Mt. Elgon are the vast caves where frequent night visitors such as elephants, bush-pigs and buffalo come to lick the natural salt found on the cave walls. There are ancient cave paintings near the trailhead at Budadiri, the 48 C hot springs in the former volcano’s crater, and Sipi Falls at the foot of Mt. Elgon. Sipi Falls is also known for being the home of some of Uganda’s best arabica coffee.

Species diversity:
Elgon’s slopes support a rich variety of vegetation that ranges from mountain forest to high open moorland, studded with giant lobelia and groundsel plants. There are 42 species of mammals, ranging from elephants, leopards, buffalo, bush pigs and monkeys to a variety of small antelope.  The 312 bird species include the black-collared apalis, green tinkerbird, Jackson’s francolin, Verreaux’s eagle, black-collared apalis and the endangered lammergeyer.

Mount Elgon is a hugely important water catchment area; its forests receive up to 3000 mm of rain each year, which they store and release to support flora, fauna and more than a million Ugandans. Elgon’s water is equally important to many Kenyans, for Mount Elgon is bisected by the international boundary. The mountain’s natural vegetation, and its role as a giant biological sponge, is protected by the Mount Elgon National Park on both sides of the border.

Size and accessibility:
Established in 1992, the park covers an area of 1145 m². The nearest town is Mbale which is 28 km to the trailhead of Budadiri, while, if you have to travel from Kampala, it is 314 km away. There are no roads in the park, and all activities are done on foot. No game drives!

By Car:
To drive from Kampala to the Mt. Elgon takes about 7 hours.

By Air:
You can book a charter flight to Mbale and drive to the park entrance.

Activities:
Mountain hiking
Primate and bird watching
Cave explorations