Basic Facts About Kampala

Kampala is the capital city of Uganda in East Africa. Over 1 million people live in Kampala making it Uganda's largest city. Kampala was the capital of the Bugandan Kingdom several hundred years ago. Today, Kampala is a modern looking city, with outlying townships spreading far beyond the original "seven hills" the city was built upon. Many of Kampala's more modern buildings were built in the 1980's since the city suffered significant destruction during the "Liberation War" between Tanzania and Uganda in the late 1970's.

The war was fought to oust the brutal dictator, Idi Amin who was in power during that time.

Kampala is built close to the shores of Lake Victoria, the world's second largest fresh water lake and the source of Nile River. English, Swahili and Luganda are the predominant languages spoken in the streets of Kampala.

Claim to Fame
Kampala is one of Africa's "greenest" cities, with parks, gardens and golf courses in the city center. This reputation may not last long however as Kampala is one of the fastest growing cities in Africa.

Travel to Kampala
Kampala is a relatively safe city, You can walk the main streets at night without too much fear of getting mugged or robbed. The center of the city is relatively clean, the bars and nightclubs are fun, (check out the Kabalagala district) and there are plenty of restaurants. Most of the large banks, offices, big hotels and embassies are situated on Nakasero Hill.

At the bottom of Nakasero Hill, the streets get more congested with traffic as well as pedestrians and hawkers selling goods along the sidewalks.

There are several Hindu temples and Mosques as the Indian community has a long history in Uganda and play a big role in the economy.

Kampala's attractions aren't too plentiful. It's a nice city to stay in and use as a base for exploring the country further (and the Indian food is great). But if you have a few afternoons to spare, you can visit the Kasubi Tombs, the Uganda Museum and follow the Kabaka's Trail, which takes you to the pretty Ssesibwa Falls on this cultura Bugandan heritage tour.

The best way to get around Kampala is by taxi or mini-bus.