Kampala is well-known as the bright green town of Uganda. It is located on more than 21 hills. It is one of the most rapidly growing towns in Africa, and is the financial capital of Uganda.
With its enchanting sceneries, fantastic wildlife, and hospitable natives, for such a small country, Uganda features a lot. It is home to the tallest peak in Africa, the Rwenzori mountain, and it also harbors the largest lake in Africa, Lake Victoria, which is also the source of the longest river in the world, the Nile. Kayaking the Nile presents an adrenaline epic journey of the top classic experience. Perhaps the most memorable experience in Uganda is the tracking of mountain gorillas in their foggy natural environment. If you’re looking for the Big Five, you’re going to discover that essence; dynamic and luminous nature looming enormously in Uganda.
Most Peaceful Country in Africa
Blossoming from the depths of the bloody past, tourism restores the sparkle to Africa’s ‘pearl.’ While general anti-gay views mark a negative image due to its rich culture and Godfearing natives, Uganda maintains one of Africa’s safest vacations. You will discover the most beautiful scenes the country can offer, with fewer travelers than those in developed locations in East Africa.
Uganda is an African countryside highlight. Winston Churchill called it the ‘Pearl of Africa’ due to its thick and foggy, forested areas, snow-capped mountain ranges, shimmering lakes, and widespread savannas. Although mountain gorillas and other wild beasts are objects of desire for several tourists, there are still more beautiful places of interest.
Uganda is no longer a nation to be dreaded after stepping from the deep darkness of olden days under the Lords’ Resistance Army and Idi Amin and is considered one of the safest vacation spots in Africa. Uganda has it all in Africa, regardless of whether it is wildlife safaris, hiking volcanic activity, kayaking in whitewater, or merely relaxing onto the beach.
Wildlife Tracking and Nature
The first time you get a glance at a dark fuzz in the thick leaves, one of the key scenes in Uganda is the piloting of mountain gorillas in the Bwindi Impenetrable Jungle. The excitement comes once you are near the powerful silverback figure. Gorilla tracking will cost you $500, but don’t worry about forging for it, for that is a once in a blue moon opportunity. Remember that part of the money goes directly to the parks and to gorillas to help them survive.
The Uganda national parks are all species, including Serengeti Park and Kruger Park. Uganda’s largest reserve is Murchison Falls, where you can start your morning cruise drive with a ride across the Nile to the bottom of the waterfall – an ideal way to spot elephants, buffalo, crocs, hippos and relax with a drink. Go to Queen Elizabeth Park to view the evasive leopard or her marked treetop and lions more effectively. Some visitors go to the distant north, like Kidepo Park, for its wildlife variety and breathtaking views. If you intend to mark off the Big Five, add to your travel plans, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, as you go back to Kampala and foot track close to the white rhinos.
Adventure Travel
The Nile source is a white water rafting magnet for hobbyists who want the level 5 waterfalls or can go kayaking otherwise, or attempt white-knuckle jet cruising. Those with another form of dive preference can choose to leap from Bujagali Falls.
Backpackers will measure their stamina in the Rwenzori mountains, listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site, that is compellingly called the ‘Mountains of the Moon’ and has a breathtaking scene of the equatorial fog and snowcap at the top as a bonus. For other voyages, tour the National Park of Mount Elgon or the spectacular volcanoes of Virunga that join the Uganda, Congo, and the Rwanda borders, while the fine folks of Rwenzori Trekking Services take care of the white water demands.
Uganda has many natural hot springs. Grant yourself a stop at the famous Kitagata Hot Springs during your Kampala safari travels. It is a natural hot spring that streams through the western part of the nation. You’ll be welcomed by stunning rolling hills and valleys with lots of greenery on your journey to Kitagata that comes after Ishaka city. This spring has two parts, one is rather hot, and the second is only warmer. The hotter side has a temperature that can boil an egg. The natural healing blessing from God was named after Mulago hospital. Natives claim the spring has some healing remedy and seen as magical. Rest and mesmerize yourself with its curative and soothing waters that take your work stress away.
Sceneries to Die for – Enjoy your Honeymoon and Romantic Getaways
When you are on safari dependence, Uganda has several spectacular spots to relax after taking a limbs-jarring plane ride. Enchanting Lake Bunyonyi offers a beautiful view, where the nebula lies on landscaped slopes, and dugout kayaks are floating via the calm seas.
The Ssese islands in Lake Victoria, a tiny bay, are where you’ll discover some of the richest beaches with white sand and sunsets-a place to look-out for lounge chairs and read a decent book. And in eastern Uganda, there’s the spectacular Sipi Falls, reputed for their unhemmed view of the falling waters.
Then it is time to drive west to feed your eyes with several major creatures. Start with the incredible gorilla tracking adventure in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Then continue north to the Queen Elizabeth National Park to conclude your one-week stay with both the lions and hippos that climb trees.
These have a somewhat more favorable period, enabling you to perform 10-day events, and hang out at the beautiful Lake Bunyonyi for more wildlife and thunders at Murchison Falls National Park.
Lovers of Art and Culture
Uganda is one of the many African countries that are sipped deep within its culture, and no one is ready to let it fade away. Admirers of artistry pieces and addicts of fashionistas and unique style, Kampala has you covered. With various crafts and cultural Galas around Kampala, every month, handmade clothes, shoes, bags, and walls or home decorations are such a treat to carry as souvenirs back to your home country.
We all love food, and Ugandans are no exception. The country is blessed with all kinds of fresh foods. Vegetarians and all sorts of individual preferences are considered, especially in Kampala, where each turn is food sight, and the aroma filled atmosphere. Each morning, Kampala streets greet you with morning meals like the Katogo, a mixture of bananas with grounded groundnut sauce or beans or fresh beef sauce. One can choose to have ‘Rolex,’ also known as rolled eggs in a chapati for breakfast, a street snack affordable for everyone.
Cultural cuisines like the ‘ Luwombo’ of different dishes became common in several restaurants that someone doesn’t need first to attend a wedding or traditional celebrations to have its unique taste. Many western visitors dream to come back to Uganda, and one of the most significant reasons is to satisfy their taste glands with this exceptional cuisine.
Language
English and Swahili are the official languages in Uganda, but the country has an estimate of 40 languages spoken across the nation. It has Kampala as its capital, and the rest of the nation has towns that are called districts. Uganda is rich in culture and has 56 tribes that speak different dialects. Though the country is a republic, it has several recognized kingdoms, the Buganda Kingdom being the most dominant with its headquarters in Kampala, the heart of Uganda.
Transportation
Ugandans use public taxis, special hires, and motorcycles nationally known as boda-bodas. You will have to negotiate with boda-boda (motorcycle taxi) and special-hire drivers. There are several genuine drivers in Kampala, and at most times, the fare they bid is the standard fare for a ride.
Money
ATMs are plentiful, and the US dollar is often used. The Ugandan currency is the Ugandan shilling (USh). However, many travel agencies and high-end hotels operate in US dollars, Euros, and pound sterling, and some agencies accept traveler’s checks like the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). The major international banks are Barclays, Stanbic, Bank of Africa, Centenary, Crane, Orient, and Standard Chartered with global card-acceptor ATMs. Many distant cities have at least one of these bank branches but try not to go cash bankrupt, as the machines sometimes jam or run out of money.
Avoid notes issued before 2009 if you are using dollars, as they are often not acknowledged due to a massive risk of them being falsified notes. When you swap dollars, small notes will always be much lower in rates than US$50 and US$100 notes. Endeavor to receive larger notes during an exchange.
Kampala city has the most favorable exchange rates. Forex offices generally offer increased rates than banks with much quicker services and longer opening hours but are uncommon beyond Kampala. There are no banks, Cash machines, or exchange offices at the airport. If in a pinch, you can get cash from the ATM outside of Airport Customs, but an officer will hold on to your travel documents.
It is appropriate to use credit cards in big hotels in major cities like Kampala, in top-class restaurants, and safari huts. Nevertheless, it is becoming uncommon. It is always a good idea to bring a great deal of cash as a security deposit. The visa cards are by far the most acknowledged, but the MasterCard is embraced ever more frequently.
Plan your Vacation in Uganda
Don’t forget the coffee trips where the final-to-end process will be shown on a local coffee grove, ultimately resulting in springtime over the banana plantation with such a flavorful bubbling cup of coffee. Fly to Entebbe and have your first glimpse of wildlife at the Uganda Wildlife Education Center (UWEC) and Chimpanzee Sanctuary on Ngamba Island — the shelter of injured or rescued animals from all over Africa.
Invest your next vacation in Kampala, sightseeing before the bubbly nights and dining in one of its culturally diverse restaurants. The next day, treat the hangover by flinging yourself into the exquisite hotels and lodge cabins around Kampala or the countryside. Achieve a dream you have never imagined would come true.
