A Day Kampala City Tour in Uganda

Day 1: Kampala City Tour.

Start with a visit to the Buganda king’s palace in Mengo. Kampala harbors the famous Buganda kingdom’s palace the most organized kingdom in East Africa with a peculiar history.

• You’ll journey to Mengo palace in the heart of Kampala, a journey taking less than an hour depending on the traffic. Mengo Palace was built in 1922 and was a residence to the king of Buganda.
• It has remained vacant since 1966 when Prime Minister Milton Obote launched an attack to banish Kabaka Mutesa II the president of Uganda then. The building’s interior cannot be accessed, but the notorious underground prison here is open to tours.

• An adjacent site of the in accessible main building became a prison and torture-execution chamber built by Idi Amin in the 1970s.
• You’ll be led to the dark concrete tunnel with numerous dark, damp cells, which were parted by an electrified passage of water to prevent escape.
• Original charcoal messages scribbled by former prisoners on the walls are still seen as one reads ‘Obote, you have killed me, who will be there for children!’. Continue to Bulange Royal building.
• This is the perfect place to witness the culture of the Buganda Kingdom.

Move to the parliament building, providing interesting stories and details about the 56 clans. Buganda Parliament is held twice a month on Monday mornings conducted in Luganda.

• Buy your ticket at the adjacent Buganda tourism center which also sells bark-cloth fabric clothing and books on Buganda culture.

A few yards from the Palace lies a man-made lake locally called Akayanja ka Kabaka (The king’s small lake).

• The kabaka’s lake is the largest manmade lake in Africa made by Kabaka Mwanga and was supposed to connect to Lake Victoria as an escape route for the Kabaka in times of attack to the throne but was not finished and only remained as a royal lake near the Palace.

Proceed for a local meal to have a feel of the Ugandan delicacies as presented by Enjovan restaurant close to Namugongo Uganda martyr’s shrine.

Your next destination is Namugongo martyrs’ shrine a UNESCO heritage site that was built to commemorate the 22 Martyrs and saints of Uganda who were martyred between 1885 and 1887 by the king of Buganda, Kabaka Mwanga II.

You’ll conclude the city tour with a visit to a local market depending on traffic and where you’ll have an overnight.

• The local markets are famous for fresh fruits and vegetables locally grown in Uganda, hand and craft and fabric also prevail.
• The busy day will be concluded by a transfer to the point of origin after a perfect sunset coffee.