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1 Day in Kampala Itinerary

July 3, 2025

If you’re visiting Uganda, we extremely suggest spending a while in its capital metropolis Kampala. We’ve already coated in depth all our favorite issues to do in Kampala, however we respect that should you don’t have time to do every part, you could be questioning how finest to spend a day in Kampala.

Well, with that query in thoughts, we have now put collectively this someday Kampala itinerary. It covers the principle highlights that we suggest seeing, which might be excellent for a primary time customer. It covers the main points of interest that almost all guests are more likely to need to see, and is doable in a busy day of sightseeing with some cautious planning.

Of course, as with all of our itineraries, we suggest adjusting this to fit your personal private tempo and pursuits. If you wish to go a bit slower and spend longer at points of interest, then in fact you possibly can change it up.

This itinerary although ought to offer you an excellent start line for how one can spend a day in Uganda’s capital metropolis. Let’s get began.

A 1 Day Kampala Itinerary

We have visited Kampala numerous instances and have visited the vast majority of the points of interest throughout town. When we go to Uganda we usually attempt to have at the very least a day to discover Kampala, however we have now additionally spent longer within the metropolis on the finish of a visit earlier than heading on to our subsequent vacation spot.

Based on our experiences, we put collectively this itinerary which encompasses a few of our favorite actions in Kampala that we expect cowl the principle highlights that guests will get pleasure from seeing.

After this detailed 1-day itinerary, we’ll additionally share another prompt itineraries primarily based round completely different themes, to offer you much more concepts in your day in Kampala. So these are every centered particularly on these with a particular space of curiosity akin to historical past, tradition, meals, artwork, wildlife, and so on.

But first, let’s take a look at our really helpful strategy to spend a day in Kampala.

Stop 1: Take 3-hour strolling tour of central Kampala @ 9am

Our advice in your first exercise of the day could be to take a strolling tour with a educated native information. This will assist offer you a good suggestion of the historical past of Kampala, find out about cultural practices, and be capable of ask questions to assist information the remainder of your time within the metropolis.

Central Kampala generally is a bit overwhelming, particularly to the first-time customer, so having a information with you who handles the logistics of the place you’re going and preserving you protected may be a good suggestion.

There are numerous completely different strolling excursions out there of Kampala which usually final 3 to 4 hours. Sights visited will range, however the majority of excursions will embrace the principle highlights of central Kampala. So that may embrace visiting a market or two, seeing central historic websites and buildings, sampling native meals, and visiting monuments in Kampala together with the Independence Monument.

We took this glorious strolling tour of the highlights of central Kampala with information Arthur who is part of the ImmersionUG tour firm. It is the highest firm we are able to personally suggest for strolling excursions as we have now taken a number of strolling and meals excursions from them throughout our visits to Uganda. You can see all their excursions right here.

Many excursions of Kampala additionally provide the possibility to go to the Uganda National Mosque as a part of your tour. Depending on the tour, it will usually prolong the tour time by round an hour. It’s additionally in a special a part of town to that which most foot excursions deal with, so usually requires both a boda-boda or taxi experience to a different space of town.

If you do that you then is perhaps a bit pressed to do every part else on this itinerary and now have lunch, however clearly it’s as much as you what your priorities are.

If you determine to go to the mosque and nonetheless need to go to the remainder of the suggest locations within the afternoon, I’d suggest asking your information about grabbing a fast sandwich or snack for lunch on the finish of the strolling tour or think about choosing up a few issues on the market through the tour. You may also come ready with some snacks and fruit in your day bag to eat throughout your day.

Another possibility could be to guide a strolling tour which has an earlier begin time, akin to this non-public tour which helps you to begin at 8am.

Some different well-liked strolling excursions to think about in Kampala embrace:

National Mosque is an optionally available cease on some strolling excursions

Stop 2: Lunch @ 12pm

At noon, after your strolling tour is completed, we suggest stopping for lunch. You’ve simply spent round 3-4 hours strolling round, so a pause for lunch earlier than persevering with your sightseeing might be a good suggestion.

If you’re taking a full day tour, your tour will seemingly embrace a cease for lunch and the value is commonly included as a part of the tour.

If you aren’t taking a full-day tour, we suggest asking your strolling tour information for an excellent lunch advice. One of the advantages of taking a guided tour is that you would be able to ask your information for suggestions for different sights in addition to the place to eat lunch. That’s why after we take a strolling tour in a metropolis we’re visiting for a couple of days, we all the time attempt to do it close to the beginning of our keep so we are able to make the most of the guides suggestions for our remaining days.

There are a number of fast road meals stalls and carts that cater to locals should you simply need a rolex (omelette wrapped in flatbread), plate of kikomando (chapati and fried beans), meat skewer, or a scorching sandwich/wrap (typically a chapati wrap with filling). These are fast, low-cost, and filling.

There are additionally buffet model lunch spots the place you possibly can sit down and check out a number of dishes directly. These are typically an excellent worth. If you’re searching for some well-liked native meals to attempt aside from a rolex, we’d recommend kikomando (fried beans and chapati), matoke or matooke (boiled and mashed inexperienced bananas), luwombo (a stew cooked in banana leaves that may embrace meat, fish, and/or peanuts), native fish (e.g., Nile perch, tilapia), posho or ugali (cornmeal porridge that could be a staple throughout East Africa), and grilled meats.

Your information may help recommend a spot for you primarily based on what you’re searching for, and also you simply need to be sure that the place appears to be like sanitary and the meals is served scorching. Avoid recent veggies and salad, chilly dishes, unbottled water, undercooked objects, and so on.

If you like a nicer sit down place and have a bit extra time, we suggest heading to a neighborhood lodge restaurant. Most resorts have eating places that serve each lodge visitors and guests.

Of course you too can save time by simply bringing alongside some meals with you (e.g., fruit, nuts, granola bars, jerky, and so on.) and having it as you go through the day should you want. Even in case you are not prepared for lunch, breaking at the very least for a espresso, tea, or soda although may be good after an extended strolling tour.

Kabaka’s Palace @ 1pm

The focus of the rest of the day is on numerous cultural sights that may allow you to perceive the historical past of Uganda, from pre-colonial instances by way of to the extra trendy age.

The first cease we suggest in your afternoon is the Kabaka’s Palace. The Kabaka is the King of the Kingdom of Buganda, which is among the 5 kingdoms which makes up modern-day Uganda. Buganda is the most important Kingdom, and its capital was additionally Kampala. The Buganda monarchy dates again over 800 years and continues to be alive and nicely at the moment.

Traditionally, the Kabaka has had his palace on prime of one of many many hills of Kampala. Today’s palace, generally known as Lubiri or Mengo palace, isn’t any completely different. It is discovered on prime of Mengo Hill, the place the palace has been located for the reason that mid nineteenth century. However, the constructing was extensively broken through the 1966 civil battle, following which it was utilized by Idi Amin throughout his oppressive regime. The palace is not occupied by the Kabaka, who solely visits for ceremonial causes.

Without a Royal particular person to maintain protected from prying eyes, the palace grounds are actually open to guests. The palace itself is closed, however you get good views of its exterior. The palace grounds can solely be visited by tour, which is easy to rearrange, simply go to the principle gate, pay an entry payment, and a information will present you round.

Your tour will usually embrace an excellent oral historical past of the palace and its grounds, in addition to the principle occasions that formed what you see at the moment. You will even tour the notorious torture chambers of Idi Amin, who had as much as 200,000 folks imprisoned and murdered right here throughout his regime. This darkish interval of historical past and the destructive affiliation is the principle cause that the palace and its grounds are not occupied by the Kabaka.

We actually loved our tour of Kabaka’s Palace and grounds. The tour information was glorious, and we learnt so much about Uganda’s historical past, together with current and extra distant historical past. We additionally loved studying about conventional bark material making and a few of the native video games that locals wish to play.

A tour will usually final round an hour and we expect is a superb strategy to be taught extra in regards to the historical past of Uganda. You additionally get an excellent view of Kampala from Mengo Hill.

Kasubi Tombs @ 2:45pm

Just 10 minutes drive (relying on visitors!) from Kabaka’s Palace are the Kasubi Tombs. These are additionally associated to the Royal household, being the ultimate resting place of numerous the Buganda Kings.

Traditionally, the Kabaka, or King of Buganda, would select a novel location for his or her burial. So the Kasubi tombs are uncommon as a result of they’re dwelling to 4 Kabaka’s, in addition to numerous their descendants. The tombs date from 1882, with the primary burial in 1884, and the newest in 1971.

There are numerous buildings on the positioning, with the large predominant round constructing being the principle attraction. This 102ft large, 25ft excessive constructing is the place the tombs of the 4 kings are literally discovered. The big constructing is primarily constructed from pure supplies within the conventional model. It’s distinctive measurement and conventional development strategies led to it being listed as a UNESCO world heritage web site in 2001.

As nicely as the principle central constructing, there are a variety of different buildings on the positioning which may be seen while you go to. These embrace the Royal drum home, in addition to the houses for the Kabaka’s widows and relations. Traditionally these relations would stay on web site to have a tendency the graves.

Tragedy befell the positioning in 2010 when an enormous hearth precipitated a substantial amount of destruction, however following intensive reconstruction efforts utilizing conventional supplies, the positioning is as soon as once more open for guests. There’s a payment to go to, which incorporates a superb tour of the grounds. Expect to spend round an hour to 90 minutes right here.

We loved our go to to the Kasubi tombs, though they had been nonetheless present process renovations after we final visited. Those have now been accomplished. Our tour included all the principle sights, and our information was additionally superb, actually bringing to life every part that we noticed.

Uganda National Museum @ 4pm

After visiting the Kasubi Tombs, should you nonetheless want to proceed sightseeing and studying about Uganda, then we extremely suggest taking the ten-minute drive to the Uganda National Museum.

This dates from 1908, making it the oldest museum in East Africa, and it’s the place to come back to be taught all about Uganda’s cultural heritage and historical past.

There are numerous reveals on show, which cowl every part from conventional musical devices to artwork, drugs, clothes, fossils and far far more. You can principally be taught all in regards to the historical past of the area from pre-history to the current day.

One of our favourite elements of the museum is the skin space, the place you’ll discover numerous completely different conventional buildings. These signify a few of the completely different tribes and time intervals of Uganda throughout the years, and every constructing additionally incorporates numerous traditionally correct reveals.

This isn’t a large museum, so even should you don’t have a number of time left in your schedule we expect you’ll nonetheless get pleasure from a go to. There’s a payment to go to and it’s undoubtedly someplace you possibly can go to on a self-guided foundation as there’s loads of data out there in English.

Break @ 5:30pm

At this level within the day, you’ve achieved so much and we’re going to suggest taking a break, seemingly heading again to your lodge in case you are staying in Kampala, earlier than your night exercise. Perhaps a drink, a nap, or a fast dip within the pool earlier than preparing for dinner.

If you aren’t staying within the metropolis, I’d head to a restaurant or bar for a espresso, soda, juice, or beer and a pleasant break.

Ndere Cultural Center @ 7pm

We would suggest, if potential, planning your go to to Kampala so the night co-incides with one of many cultural performances on the Ndere Cultural Center. These performances run a couple of instances every week and had been one in every of our highlights of our final go to to Kampala.

The efficiency takes place exterior beneath an enormous mango tree, and showcases the perfect of Uganda tradition throughout the assorted tribes who make up the land. An glorious compere introduces every efficiency to offer you context and understanding of what you’re seeing, and actually helps convey the expertise to the subsequent stage.

It’s additionally potential to have dinner as a part of the present for an additional payment, with numerous conventional dishes included. We can suggest doing this because it offers you an excellent alternative to attempt some native meals and never have to fret about discovering dinner.

We arrived a bit of early for our present so we might discover the grounds a bit of bit and take a look at the artwork on show. We then sat down to observe the present because the daylight light into evening, and actually loved the vitality and enthusiasm of the performers.

This was a extremely enjoyable expertise and one in every of our favorite issues to do in Kampala. We can extremely suggest it!

Alternative 1 Day Kampala Itinerary Options

If you’d like some extra inspiration for spending a day in Kampala, we have now some solutions for you. We’ve put collectively some further choices themed round some particular classes like historical past, meals, tradition and so forth.

Feel free to combine and match throughout the points of interest to give you your individual excellent 1-day itinerary. We’d recommend that planning to go to 3 or 4 points of interest in a day would make sense for many guests, though do notice that actions situated exterior town just like the Mabamba Swamp tour or Entebbe Zoo are going to take up extra time. You may also learn our information to issues to do in Kampala for extra concepts and data on all of the websites we suggest.

In phrases of planning a day like this, you possibly can both do every part your self, or you possibly can attain out to a tour operator who can put collectively a non-public customized tour primarily based in your pursuits, akin to this one. They ought to deal with all of your transportation and in addition be certain that your sightseeing objectives are achievable within the time you have got.

History Itinerary

Kampala has a lot to supply those that are considering studying in regards to the historical past of town and Uganda generally. We’d recommend an itinerary that appears one thing like the next:

Morning: City tour akin to this one
Afternoon: Uganda Museum, Kabaka’s Palace, and Kasubi Tombs

It’s additionally potential to guide a tour which incorporates these sights in addition to numerous others, akin to this full day tour.

Food Focused Itinerary

If you’d wish to be taught extra in regards to the meals of Kampala, then you possibly can put collectively a day which focuses on exploring native markets, studying about native meals and dishes, and consuming a few of the many conventional dishes of town. A day may look as follows:

Arts and Culture Itinerary

There’s no scarcity of artwork and cultural points of interest to get pleasure from in Kampala. Here’s an thought for a day centered on exploring the creative and cultural points of interest within the metropolis.

Religious / Spiritual Itinerary

Uganda has a wealthy religious life, with numerous religions being practiced within the nation. These embrace Christianity and Islam, in addition to Judaism, Hinduism, Baha’i, and conventional beliefs and practices.

Over the years, and notably with the arrival of colonists, spiritual practices shifted dramatically in Uganda. As is commonly the best way, this was not a frictionless course of, with numerous lives misplaced within the course of. As a outcome, there are an excellent many sights of non secular significance in addition to locations of worship throughout Kampala and the encompassing area. It is perhaps difficult to suit every part into someday given how a lot there’s to see, however an thought could be:

Morning: Uganda Martyrs Catholic Shrine Basilica, Baha’i House of Worship
Afternoon: Uganda National Mosque, Saint Paul’s Cathedral Namirembe, St. Mary’s Cathedral Rubaga

The majority of those sights are visited as a part of this spiritual tour of Kampala. This is an identical tour.

If you’re visiting Uganda as a Catholic pilgrim, the Uganda Martyrs Catholic Shrine and Basilica might be a must-see. It is situated a 30 minute drive exterior of town in Namugongo, however you possibly can can take a taxi or be part of a tour to succeed in it.

Also value mentioning is the very fascinating Shree Sanatan Dharma Mandal Hindi temple. It is situated in central Kampala and is usually visited in metropolis strolling excursions.

And for these of you who’re notably within the story of how Christianity got here to Uganda, a go to to the Kasingi touchdown web site close to Entebbe can also be of curiosity. Just notice that it’s fairly an effort to get right here and is finest when you’ve got a driver and you could must undergo a safety test as it’s situated close to the airport.

Markets/ Shopping centered itinerary:

Kampala has a number of good markets to discover, from markets which deal with arts and crafts by way of to extra conventional meals markets serving the wants of the native inhabitants. You might simply spend a day visiting the markets in Kampala, which could look as follows:

Morning: Owino Market, Nakasero Market
Afternoon: Bagala Craft Market / Exposure Africa / Nommo Gallery

This full day strolling tour of Kampala contains the vast majority of these markets, in addition to numerous different points of interest within the metropolis. There can also be a half-day tour which additionally covers the principle markets within the metropolis.

If you’re additionally heading to Entebbe, we’d additionally suggest the Entebbe Juakali Centre (Entebbe Craft Market) and the little craft retailer inside the Victoria Mall throughout the road for native crafts and souvenirs. There can also be the Kitooro Market in Entebbe, a coated market that focuses extra on produce, meat, and on a regular basis objects.

Wildlife primarily based itinerary

Many folks visiting Uganda are right here for the unimaginable wildlife alternatives, with chimpanzee trekking and gorilla trekking being excessive on the listing of issues to do.

Whilst these actions primarily happen as a part of an extended multi-day safari, there are a variety of different wildlife experiences that you would be able to have in and round Kampala. Some of those experiences are a bit longer, so will take up a lot of the day.

Here’s a prompt day, adopted by some extra concepts for wildlife centered actions round Kampala. Note that whereas you are able to do city birding in Kampala, most different wildlife actions and points of interest are situated in or round Entebbe. But these are nonetheless simple to do as a day journey from Kampala.

Morning: Mabamba Swamp tour like this or city birding round Kampala
Afternoon: Entebbe Zoo, Botanical gardens in Entebbe

Another possibility could be to go to the Ngamba Island chimpanzee sanctuary (tour like this). If you don’t have the time to do a visit out to the areas of Uganda the place chimpanzee trekking is feasible, then you possibly can go to Ngamba island as an alternative. This is on Lake Victoria and is dwelling to numerous rescued chimpanzees.

If you get pleasure from birds, you possibly can see a number of birds in Kampala with out leaving town, particularly within the mornings. In reality there are over 300 species you would see in Kampala! We noticed a quantity on electrical wires and poles, in our resorts’ gardens, at well-liked points of interest (Kabaka’s Palace, Kasubi Tombs, Uganda Martyrs Shrine, Baha’i Temple) and round golf programs.

So you’ll seemingly spot a number of hen species by simply going to well-liked locations should you maintain your eyes open. But it may be difficult to do birdwatching in a big and congested metropolis, so simply watch out.

Kampala Local Life Itinerary

If you’d wish to be taught extra about life in Kampala, then we’d suggest taking a tour or two with a Kampala native. They’ll be capable of take you to locations you in all probability wouldn’t have thought to go by yourself, in addition to share their insights on life within the metropolis. You can select a tour (or excursions) that meet your pursuits. An instance itinerary may look as follows:

As you possibly can see, there are myriad methods to fill a day (or extra!) in Kampala.

Booking your Day Tour in Kampala

You have a couple of completely different choices for getting round Kampala, together with doing every part your self utilizing experience shares, taxis or buses. However, for a extra seamless expertise, we expect most guests are going to seek out it simpler to rearrange some form of transport.

We have achieved each, and having a driver for the day was undoubtedly simpler. If you’re visiting Uganda as a part of an extended journey the place you have got a tour firm, then they are going to seemingly be capable of embrace a while in Kampala as a part of your journey. Just allow them to know the place you need to go and what you need to see.

Another possibility is simply to rent a non-public driver for the day. They can fear in regards to the visitors, parking, and the route, and you may get pleasure from your self with sightseeing.

Finally, you possibly can guide a tour that covers the sights you need to see. There are each non-public and group excursions out there. When evaluating excursions, all the time test what’s and isn’t included. For instance, some excursions embrace entry charges, transport, meals and water, while others might not. It’s additionally necessary to test any refund or cancellation insurance policies earlier than reserving.

When we journey, we almost all the time guide our excursions prematurely with both GetYourGuide or Viator which each provide a 24-hour cancellation coverage for most tickets and excursions. This means you possibly can cancel a tour as much as 24 hours earlier than it begins and obtain a full refund. This permits for flexibility if our journey plans unexpectedly change.

Here are numerous tour choices we advise which is able to provide an excellent expertise in your day in Kampala. Note that if a non-public tour doesn’t go to all of the sights you need to see, you might be able to attain out to the operator for a customized itinerary.

This non-public customized tour information service will will let you specify precisely what you need to do and see together with your day in Kampala.
This full day non-public tour with transport contains Kabaka’s Palace, National Mosque, a sit-down lunch, the Kasubi Tombs, Bagala Craft Market and Bahá’i Temple. Admission charges and lunch are included.
This full day non-public tour contains Bagala Craft Market, Baha’i temple, National Mosque, Kasubi tombs, Kabala’s Palace, Basilica of the Uganda Martrys and a sit-down meal. Lunch and admission charges are included.
This full day non-public tour features a go to to Kabaka’s Palace, the Kasubi Tombs, Uganda National Mosque, the Baha’i Temple, and the Namugongo Martyr’s Museum. It contains admission charges and lunch.
This full day group tour contains Kabaka’s Palace, the Uganda National Mosque, Nakasero market, the Uganda Museum, and an arts and crafts market. Admission charges are included however not meals.
We’ve discovered two full day excursions, this one and this one, which focus extra on the spiritual websites in and round Kampala, together with the Uganda Martyrs Catholic Shrine, the main cathedrals within the metropolis, the Uganda National Mosque and the Baha’i temple.
There are additionally shorter excursions of Kampala, together with this half day meals tour, and this half-day strolling tour. We have achieved each these excursions, and they’d be an excellent possibility for the primary half of your day in case you are following our itinerary.

As you possibly can see there are many tour choices in your time in Kampala!