Named the ‘Pearl of Africa’ by Winston Churchill, Uganda is an incredible country with incredible things to do – from beautiful green landscapes to friendly people!
Travelling to Uganda is one big off the beaten path adventure you should not miss. While many travellers visit Uganda for mountain gorilla trekking, the country has so much more to offer.
There are so many things to do in Uganda, here is a list of 5 incredible things to do while in Uganda.
1. Go on a Ugandan Safari
Going on a safari trip to see African wildlife and nature ranks the top of incredible things to do in Uganda. You will meet many expert tour guides that will take you to observe the Cape buffalos, elephants, giraffes, tree-climbing lions, antelopes, chimpanzees and more.
Some of the best places in Uganda to visit include; Ssese Island on Lake Victoria, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Lake Bunyoyi and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
2. Party and Discover Your Culture in Kampala
Kampala, the Ugandan capital, is one of the biggest party cities in Africa. It is a city that never sleeps! Ugandans know how to party. The city extracts an enormous crowd of backpackers who are more than willing to join in.
Besides hitting the nightclubs, you can also immerse yourself in Ugandan culture. Visit some museums, art galleries and malls.
Uganda National Cultural Centre-National Theatre has a lineup of great live music, film, dance and drama in the auditorium. There are also bars and restaurants, and nightly outdoor events that include jam sessions, drumming and comedy nights.
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While in Kampala, experience the traditional culture of different tribes in Uganda at the Ndere Centre. You can’t go to Uganda and not experience its incredible traditional dance and music. One of the best places to do this is at the Ndere Centre for a dinner show.
The talented cultural performers with show you a variety of traditional dances, drumming and singing.
This is a really fun way to spend an evening in Uganda and a great introduction to its culture.
Still in Kampala, do not miss visiting the Kasubi Tombs. Discover the intriguing history of Buganda’s royal family, the Kingdom and the country’s largest tribal kingdom.
Kasubi historic site features the remnants of a 35-building palace and burial grounds of former Buganda kings and royal family members. A guided tour of the site allows you to view artefacts, discover the traditions and rituals of the Kingdom, and admire remarkable architecture constructed from vegetation materials.
3. Get Adventurous in Jinja
Jinja is one place in Uganda you can easily fall in love with. It is the adventure capital of East Africa, with loads of activities to offer such as whitewater rafting on the Nile, bungee jumping, kayaking, SUP, horse riding and quad biking.
If you wish for a beautiful place to relax and catch your breath during your visit to Uganda, National Botanical Gardens is the place to be.
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In Entebbe near Lake Victoria, this sprawling garden complex offers you biking trails and nature walks through lush landscapes of various trees, plants, and flowers while birds, monkeys, squirrels and butterflies frolic around you.
4. Owino Market
One of the largest and best markets you can visit in Uganda is the Owino Market found right in the Centre of Kampala. Browse through a colourful array of produce, African print fabrics and handicrafts, electronics while watching vendors and customers haggling over prices.
5. Sample Ugandan Cuisine
One of the best things to do in Uganda is sample its popular foods. Roadside stalls and local markets offer fresh fruits such as bananas, jack fruits, and mangoes. Enjoy roasted meat on sticks, and fried bread (Chapati), wrapped around omelettes with vegetables locally known as Rolex.
At the local restaurants, they will serve you traditional dishes such as luwombo (beef or chicken steamed in plantain leaves) or a hearty meal of pinto beans, onions, green peppers, and onions served with posho/maize bread.
Uganda may be a small country, but it packs so many great attractions and unique adventures that you couldn’t possibly experience them all in one trip. This list only covers some of the most popular highlights in Uganda.
Other exciting things to explore include visiting historic sites, palaces and temples in the capital city, touring tea and coffee plantations, seeing the stars at night as you’ve never seen before.
So, what are you waiting for? Beautiful Uganda is calling you!
