This 1 Day Kampala city tour or the Kampala sightseeing trip takes you through Kampala, Uganda’s capital city that hosts the country’s major historical, religious, cultural and financial establishments. It is a small but very vibrant city that offers quite a fascinating experience with lots of interesting encounters, especially for first timers to Africa. Important you should note, Kampala is ranked among the safest cities in Africa with one of the lowest crime rate. The people are amazingly friendly and kind, typical of Ugandans.
Highlights of the 1 Day Kampala city tour
During your 1 day tour expect to visit these important landmarks:
- Owino Market
- Nakasero Market
- Kasubi Royal Tombs
- Rubaga Church
- Kibuli Mosque
- Bahai Temple
- Namugongo Martyrs Shrine
Itinerary For The 1 Day Kampala City Tour Or Kampala Sightseeing Trip
Pick up to start the tour is at 7:00 am. Expect to visit the following places
Owino Market
Owino Market, also known as St. Balikudembe Market, is the largest and busiest shopping hub in Kampala and Uganda at large. The market is mostly known for selling cheap second-hand wear making it the largest shopping center for the majority low income earners.
The market has over 10000 stalls each occupied by at least two vendors selling a variety of commodities. The market vendors sell commodities like, clothes – mainly second-hand clothes, house hold items, and foodstuffs. There is also a section with mini-restaurants where one can have a cheap but good meal.
Owino Market is located in the heart of the city, Kampala Central Division, surrounded by Uganda’s main and biggest parking yards – New and Old Tax parks, the bus parks, making it easily accessible to travelers. The Nakivubo Memorial Stadium and several big shopping arcades are also within the vicinity of the market.
Nakasero Market
Nakasero Market is one of the biggest market centers in Kampala, selling fresh farm produce. It is the biggest selling point for many Ugandan farmers for foodstuffs such as fruits, bananas (matooke), vegetables, animals and birds among others. Others commodities sold in Nakasero market are textiles, hardware, and electronics.
Nakasero Market is located in the central business district of Kampala, Nakasero Hill along Entebbe road. It is a ten minutes walk from the popular Owino Market.
Kasubi Royal Tombs
Kasubi Royal Tombs, a UNESCO world heritage, is the burial site of four previous Kings of Buganda Kingdom (Kabakas). The kings buried at this site are, Mutesa I in 1884, Daniel Muwanga II in 1910, Daudi Chwa in 1939 and Frederic Mutesa II in 1971, and as such are treated and taken with utmost regard befitting of a King.
The tombs carry very strong cultural, traditional, political and economic inclinations in the kingdom of Buganda and the Baganda tribe at large. They can be compared to the Pyramids of Egypt but the Kasubi Royal Tombs are treated with more cultural and traditional regard.
The tombs are located on Kasubi Hill, approximately 5km South West of the central business area of Kampala city. The tombs are a prominent tourist site suitable for culture tourism as it contains a lot of historical cultural, political, and religious information of the people of central Uganda and Uganda in general over the ages.
Rubaga Church
Rubaga Church is one of the oldest Roman Catholic churches in Uganda. History has it that the first catholic missionaries were given land by the then Buganda King (Kabaka) on the Rubaga hill among other places and they henceforth established the Catholic religion in Uganda building a church, Rubaga Cathedral church.
The Rubaga Cathedral Church is one of the religious landmarks in Uganda which has been a central point in establishing various catholic projects in the country such as schools, hospitals, other churches.
Kibuli Mosque
Kibuli Mosque is one of the main religious landmarks in Kampala City. It is one of the biggest mosques in Kampala located on Kibuli hill. It can be seen from several angles around Kibuli due to the elevation of the hill compared to its surround places.
Bahai Temple
This Bahai Temple, the one among the eight temples that have been constructed around the world, is the Mother Temple of Africa. It is the religious center of the Baha’i faith in the whole of Africa founded in the 19th century. It is situated in Kawempe Division on Kikaayi hill in Kampala city.
It stands beautifully on 130feet (39m) on Kikaayi hill making it easily visible from as far as 3km. The unique and complex architecture of the temple blend with the beautiful surroundings to present adorable scenery. It is approximately four miles from the Kampala city center.
Namugongo Martyrs’ Shrine
Namugongo Martyrs’ shrine is the place where on 3rd June 1886 thirty two young men were burned to death on orders of the then Kabaka, King Mwanga II, after refusing to denounce their newly found religious affiliation, Christianity. The thirty two were comprised of Catholics and Anglicans.
It is said that King Mwanga II ordered the killing of these martyrs because they were undermining his authority. Several of the religious converts especially those within the royal circles began shifting their loyalty to their new religions, abandoning all tribal beliefs, as demanded by their new faiths. They were also disobeying some of the Kings orders which they looked at as being contradicting with their beliefs.
Twenty two of the Catholic Martyrs were canonized by the Pope Paul IV in 1964, and are regarded as saints in the Catholic Church. A Basilica has also been built where the majority of them were burnt to death.
Every year on 3rd June several pilgrims come from around the world to celebrate mass at this place to commemorate the death of the martyrs and pray to these saints. Several have claimed to receive miracles from place.
Namugongo Martyrs’ Shrine is located in Namugongo, in Kira Municipality in Wakiso District. It is approximately 16 km Northeast of Kampala City.
Others (incase we still have time)
- Uganda Museum
- African Craft Shops
- Art Galleries – Nommo Art Gallery
- Kabakas Lake
- Ndere Center