Kampala - Post Report Question and Answers
What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
Leave and go to Nairobi or Diani, Kenya or South Africa whenever you get the chance. It's cheaper and easier there. - Jan 2024
We loved Fort Portal. Rhino trekking on foot was great! Karamoja was incredibly memorable and the village and mountain tribes there were fascinating! - Jun 2022
Chocolate making, visit paper beads jewelry company, Ajuna - learn how they run the company with benefit to their employees, Buganda kingdom’s site, a double-decker bus tour of the city, Victoria lakeside cafe’s and restaurant, fish market area off Ggaba road (this is not a gem, but just an experience), eat crepe on top of Holy Crepe in Kololo and see the city. We enjoyed traveling outside of Uganda. Organic farming of vanilla, kayaking in Nile, horseback riding in a rural area, ATV through villages, river cruises, a site visit of Marburg disease was found, driving off-road in a safari with big cat conservationists, chimp trekking, gorilla trekking, bird watching, and much more. - Dec 2021
Not much in the city itself. Get out of town as often as you can. It can be a pain to get almost anywhere, but once you're there it's worth it. - Aug 2020
Its fun to explore the food and bar scene in town. Definitely make time to visit the gorillas and chimps in the western regions. - Oct 2019
LakeShore Adventure park was a great experience for birthday party (middle school ages). - Mar 2019
Rock climbing in the Muyenga Quarry or sailing at the Victoria Sailing Club. - Feb 2019
Game parks are fun, lots of beautiful places to visit for hiking/scenic drives. Lots of the islands are fun (or at least look fun). - Jan 2019
Uganda is one of a handful of countries in the world where gorillas can be seen in their natural habitat. There are also several national parks teeming with African wildlife. Accommodations range from basic to luxurious, however the price/satisfaction ratio is not as high as what you would receive in Kenya/Tanzania/Botswana/S. Africa safaris. - Dec 2018
Glamping in Queen Elizabeth Park, seeing the waterfall at Murchison National Park, chimpanzee tracking in Fort Portal, zebras in Lake Mburo, lion tracking in QE, gorilla tracking in Bwindi, Ngamba chimp sanctuary... the list goes on..... - Oct 2018
Fun things? There is a movie theatre and hotel pools you can use. Nothing other than outdoors. Night is bad with mosquitoes and daytime traffic is bad except for Sundays. - Sep 2018
African wildlife safaris, white water rafting down cat-five rapids in the Nile, fishing for 400 lb Nile Perch, and climbing the 14,000 foot Rwenzori mountains. Don't forget to go on a Mountain Gorilla trek into the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest - the only way to see these amazing primates as they do not exist in captivity anywhere in the world. - Aug 2018
Crater lakes (Fort Portal or Lake Bunyonyi areas), camping in the wild in national parks (Murchison Falls NP, Queen Elizabeth NP), walking with the zebra and antelopes (Lake Mburo NP), camping and biking along the Nile... the list goes on! - Jun 2018
Kampala is really where you spend time with friends and family. Playgroups, parties, and dinners out are the main activities. The Speke resort is a nice place to spend the day, but it does get expensive. The Serena hotel will cost a family of 4 US$100 to visit for the day. There are a couple of forest walks that are good day trips. The rafting companies offer a fantastic day trip from Kampala that is worth the money. - Aug 2015
We've really struggled to find fun things to do outside our home. We make our own fun at home in the yard with the kids and getting together with friends. If you like nature travel, though, and have money to burn, there are lots of opportunities to see big animals. Also, Ugandans are really nice to kids which is a huge plus. I'm not sure how my children are going to react when we go back to the U.S. and everyone ignores them... - Jun 2014
Going out to eat, getting together with friends, tennis, golf, etc. Hash House Harriers (a running group) is one of the largest in the world. Jinja is about 2 hours from Kampala and has whitewater rafting, bungee jumping, ATV treks, horseback riding...the list goes on. - Mar 2013
Most fun things are a 4-hour drive or more on dangerous highways, but that said - camping in Nabugabo, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for gorilla trekking, Queen Elizabeth Park or Murchison Falls for safari, Nile "float" trips (you will get a "river rash" or bilharzia, though), the sailing club at Kaazi or Entebbe (highly recommended), and for the really sturdy, hiking the Rwenzori. - Sep 2009
