Uganda · Local picks
100+ Places to Visit in Uganda
These are the restaurants, cafés, markets, sights and stays we would point a friend to in Uganda, from royal tombs and rolex stalls to Nile rapids and gorilla lodges. Confirm opening times before you go, as small places change often.
Places to Visit in Kampala
Arts and Culture
- Kasubi Tombs (Kasubi)
The UNESCO listed burial ground of the kings of Buganda, under a vast thatched dome. - Uganda Museum (Kamwokya)
East Africa's oldest museum, with traditional instruments, ethnography and natural history. - Ndere Centre (Ntinda)
Evening shows by the Ndere Troupe bring dance and music from every corner of Uganda to one stage. - Namirembe Cathedral (Namirembe)
Uganda's oldest Anglican cathedral, crowning one of the city's original hills. - Rubaga Cathedral (Lubaga)
The grand Catholic cathedral on Lubaga hill, with the tombs of Uganda's first African bishops. - Mengo Palace and Idi Amin's torture chambers (Mengo)
The Kabaka's palace grounds hide a sobering underground prison from the Amin years. - Uganda National Cultural Centre (City centre)
The National Theatre hosts plays, comedy, music and open mic nights most weeks. - Afriart Gallery (Kamwokya)
One of East Africa's leading contemporary galleries, showing Uganda's most exciting artists. - Nommo Gallery (Nakasero)
A long running national gallery in a colonial house and garden, with changing exhibitions. - 32° East Ugandan Arts Trust (Kansanga)
An independent arts centre with residencies, talks and a library on contemporary Ugandan art.
Things to Do
- Gaddafi National Mosque (Old Kampala)
Climb the minaret for the finest panorama of Kampala's hills. - Bahá'í House of Worship (Kikaya Hill)
A peaceful domed temple with quiet gardens and views over the north of the city. - Uganda Martyrs Shrine Namugongo (Namugongo)
A striking basilica and lake marking the martyrs of 1886, busiest on Martyrs Day in June. - Independence Monument (City centre)
The famous statue of a mother lifting her child, symbol of Uganda's independence. - Kayabwe Equator line (Mpigi)
Stand with a foot in each hemisphere at the equator markers on the Masaka road.
Nature and Outdoors
- Kabaka's Lake (Ndeeba)
A large man made lake dug for a Buganda king, good for a stroll and birdwatching. - Ssezibwa Falls (Mukono)
A sacred waterfall in the Buganda tradition, an easy and peaceful half day trip. - Mpanga Forest (Mpigi)
A small, quiet rainforest with butterflies and monkeys under an hour from the city.
Shopping and Markets
- Owino Market (St Balikuddembe) (City centre)
A maze of secondhand clothes, fabrics and household goods that feels like a city of its own. - Nakasero Market (Nakasero)
Kampala's classic food market, piled high with tropical fruit, spices and matooke. - Exposure Africa craft market (Buganda Road)
Rows of stalls selling baskets, bark cloth, carvings and fabric souvenirs from across Uganda. - Kikuubo (City centre)
The wholesale heart of Kampala, chaotic and fascinating, best visited with a local friend. - Acacia Mall (Kisementi)
A modern mall with cafés, a supermarket and a cinema for an easy, air conditioned break.
Restaurants
- Wandegeya rolex stalls (Wandegeya)
Student territory near Makerere University, with some of the best chapati and egg rolex in town. - The Lawns (Kololo)
A garden restaurant known for grilled meats and relaxed evenings under the trees. - Khana Khazana (Kololo)
A long established Indian restaurant in a quiet garden, a favourite for special dinners. - Yujo Izakaya (Kololo)
Japanese small plates and cocktails in a stylish spot loved by Kampala's foodies. - Ggaba fish market (Ggaba)
Watch the boats come in on Lake Victoria and eat tilapia fried fresh by the shore.
Cafés
- Café Javas (Kampala)
Uganda's homegrown café chain, with huge menus and reliable coffee all over the city. - Endiro Coffee (Kololo)
Ugandan grown coffee and good breakfasts from a social enterprise café. - Prunes (Kololo)
A pretty garden café for brunch, cakes and a quiet coffee away from the traffic.
Bars and Nightlife
- Kabalagala nightlife strip (Kabalagala)
Kampala's liveliest strip of bars, pork joints and clubs, busy until dawn.
Stays
- Kampala Serena Hotel (Nakasero)
A landmark central hotel set in landscaped gardens with pools and water features. - Speke Resort Munyonyo (Munyonyo)
A big lakeside resort with pools, a marina and horse riding on the shore of Lake Victoria. - Emin Pasha Hotel (Nakasero)
A small boutique hotel in a colonial house with a garden pool and a fine restaurant.
Events
- Martyrs Day at Namugongo (Namugongo)
Every 3 June, pilgrims who have walked from across East Africa gather for a huge open air mass. - Independence Day celebrations (Kololo Ceremonial Grounds)
Parades and national celebrations every 9 October, with festivities across the city.
Places to Visit in Entebbe
Nature and Outdoors
- Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre (Entebbe)
Uganda's wildlife centre by the lake, a gentle introduction to the country's animals for children. - Entebbe Botanical Gardens (Entebbe)
Century old gardens on the lakeshore with colobus monkeys, hornbills and giant trees. - Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary (Lake Victoria)
A boat ride to an island refuge for orphaned chimpanzees, with feeding times you can watch. - Mabamba Swamp (Kasanje)
Glide through papyrus in a dugout canoe for one of the best chances to see a shoebill.
Things to Do
- Nakiwogo ferry to the Ssese Islands (Nakiwogo)
Take the ferry to Bugala Island for sandy beaches, forest and lake sunsets.
Stays
- Protea Hotel by Marriott Entebbe (Entebbe)
A reliable lakeside hotel close to the airport for first and last nights. - The Boma Guest House (Entebbe)
A homely colonial style guesthouse with a garden pool, popular before and after safaris. - Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort (Kigo)
A grand lakeside resort with a golf course, spa and marina between Entebbe and Kampala. - Imperial Botanical Beach Hotel (Entebbe)
A large beachfront hotel next to the botanical gardens with pools and lake views.
Places to Visit in Jinja
Things to Do
- Source of the Nile (Jinja)
Stand where the White Nile leaves Lake Victoria and take a boat to the spring itself. - Nile River Explorers (Jinja)
A pioneering rafting operator running full day trips through the Nile's big rapids.
Arts and Culture
- Mahatma Gandhi memorial (Source of the Nile gardens)
A quiet memorial where some of Gandhi's ashes were scattered into the Nile.
Nature and Outdoors
- Itanda Falls (Kayunga)
A thundering set of Nile rapids with viewpoints and a local craft scene. - Mabira Forest (Najjembe)
Central Uganda's largest rainforest, with trails, red-tailed monkeys and a zip line.
Stays
- Mabira Forest Rainforest Lodge (Mabira)
Wooden cottages deep in the forest, with birdsong and monkeys from the veranda. - Wildwaters Lodge (Kalagala)
A luxury lodge on its own island surrounded by Nile rapids.
Events
- Nyege Nyege Festival (Jinja)
A world famous four day festival of African electronic and experimental music by the Nile.
Shopping and Markets
- Jinja Central Market (Town centre)
A busy covered market for fruit, fabric and the local rhythm of the town.
Places to Visit in Murchison Falls National Park
Nature and Outdoors
- Top of the Falls (Murchison Falls)
Feel the spray as the whole Nile squeezes through a gorge a few metres wide. - Buligi game drive circuit (North bank)
Tracks through palm savannah with giraffes, elephants, lions and Uganda kob. - Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary (Nakasongola)
Track Uganda's only wild rhinos on foot with rangers on the drive north. - Kaniyo Pabidi chimpanzee tracking (Budongo Forest)
Chimpanzee walks under tall mahogany trees in the Budongo Forest.
Things to Do
- Launch trip to the bottom of the falls (Paraa)
A boat safari past hippos, crocodiles and elephants to the foot of the waterfall. - Nile delta boat trip (Lake Albert delta)
A morning cruise through papyrus channels with a strong chance of shoebill. - Paraa ferry crossing (Paraa)
The short vehicle ferry across the Nile is a small adventure in itself.
Stays
- Paraa Safari Lodge (Paraa)
A classic lodge above the Nile with a pool and views over the river. - Chobe Safari Lodge (Chobe)
A smart lodge by the Nile rapids in the east of the park, with a long infinity pool. - Red Chilli Rest Camp (Paraa)
Simple bandas and camping inside the park, popular with budget travellers. - Baker's Lodge (South bank)
Stylish riverside cottages with hippos grunting below the decks. - Murchison River Lodge (South bank)
Thatched cottages and safari tents with a pool near the Nile.
Places to Visit in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Things to Do
- Kazinga Channel boat trip (Mweya)
Cruise among hippos, buffalo, elephants and pelicans on the channel between two lakes. - Kikorongo Equator crossing (Kikorongo)
A quick photo stop at the equator monument on the road through the park.
Nature and Outdoors
- Ishasha sector (Ishasha)
Look for lions resting in the branches of giant fig trees. - Kyambura Gorge (Kyambura)
A sunken forest in the savannah where you can track a small chimpanzee community. - Kasenyi plains (Kasenyi)
Dawn game drives among Uganda kob herds and the lions that hunt them. - Explosion Craters drive (Northern sector)
A scenic loop past volcanic craters, lakes and views to the Rwenzoris. - Maramagambo Forest bat cave (Maramagambo)
A forest walk to a cave full of bats, where pythons sometimes lie in wait.
Arts and Culture
- Lake Katwe salt works (Katwe)
See salt harvested by hand from a crater lake, as it has been for centuries.
Stays
- Mweya Safari Lodge (Mweya)
A classic lodge on a peninsula above the Kazinga Channel with huge views. - Kyambura Gorge Lodge (Kyambura)
A stylish lodge in converted coffee stores overlooking the plains and gorge. - Ishasha Wilderness Camp (Ishasha)
A remote tented camp on a river where elephants pass by. - Katara Lodge (Kichwamba escarpment)
Open fronted cottages on the rift escarpment with sweeping views over the park.
Places to Visit in Bwindi
Things to Do
- Gorilla trekking in Buhoma (Buhoma)
The original gorilla trekking sector, with the most lodges and an easy link to Queen Elizabeth. - Gorilla trekking in Rushaga (Rushaga)
The sector with the most gorilla families and the gorilla habituation experience.
Nature and Outdoors
- Ruhija birding trails (Ruhija)
High, cool forest trails famous for Albertine Rift endemics and the swamp walk to Mubwindi. - Munyaga River waterfall walk (Buhoma)
A forest walk to waterfalls with tree ferns, monkeys and butterflies. - Ivi River trail (Buhoma to Nkuringo)
A long guided walk through the forest linking two sectors.
Shopping and Markets
- Ride 4 a Woman (Buhoma)
A women's community project selling handmade crafts and clothing, with a café and guesthouse.
Stays
- Bwindi Lodge (Buhoma)
Elegant cottages facing the forest wall, a short walk from the park office. - Buhoma Lodge (Buhoma)
Wooden chalets on a slope above the forest, close to the trekking start. - Gorilla Forest Camp (Buhoma)
Luxury tents hidden inside the forest, where gorillas sometimes pass through. - Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge (Nkuringo)
A high stone lodge with views of the Virunga volcanoes.
Places to Visit in Lake Bunyonyi
Nature and Outdoors
- Lake Bunyonyi dugout canoe trip (Lake Bunyonyi)
Paddle among terraced islands on one of the calmest lakes in Africa.
Arts and Culture
- Akampene Punishment Island (Lake Bunyonyi)
A tiny island with a dark history, told by local boatmen.
Stays
- Lake Bunyonyi Overland Resort (Bufuka)
A long running lakeside resort with cottages, camping and safe swimming. - BirdNest@Bunyonyi (Bufuka)
A Belgian run lodge with a lakeside terrace, pool and good food.
Places to Visit in Kisoro
Nature and Outdoors
- Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (Ntebeko)
Golden monkey tracking and volcano hikes on the borders of Rwanda and Congo. - Lake Mutanda (Kisoro)
A quiet lake with island views of the Virunga volcanoes and canoe trips.
Places to Visit in Fort Portal
Nature and Outdoors
- Kibale chimpanzee tracking (Kanyanchu)
The best place in Uganda to see chimpanzees, with high sighting rates. - Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary (Bigodi)
A community run swamp walk with primates and great blue turacos. - Amabere Caves (Nyakasura)
Legend filled caves and a waterfall just outside Fort Portal. - Lake Nkuruba (Crater lakes)
A crater lake ringed by forest and colobus monkeys, ideal for a quiet swim. - Sempaya hot springs (Semuliki National Park)
Boiling springs in lowland forest, where eggs cook in minutes.
Arts and Culture
- Tooro Palace (Fort Portal)
The hilltop palace of the Tooro kingdom with views over the town.
Stays
- Ndali Lodge (Crater lakes)
A family run lodge on a crater rim with views to the Rwenzoris. - Primate Lodge Kibale (Kanyanchu)
Cottages inside the forest, steps from the chimpanzee tracking start. - Mountains of the Moon Hotel (Fort Portal)
A historic colonial era hotel with gardens and a pool in town.
Places to Visit in Sipi Falls
Nature and Outdoors
- Sipi Falls (Kapchorwa)
Three waterfalls on the slopes of Mount Elgon, with hikes and coffee farms.
Stays
- Sipi River Lodge (Sipi)
Cottages at the foot of the main falls with a garden and home cooking.
Places to Visit in Kidepo Valley National Park
Stays
- Apoka Safari Lodge (Apoka)
A remote lodge in Uganda's wildest park, with cheetahs and huge buffalo herds.
More to Explore
We are still checking these with fresh sources, so confirm opening times before you go.
- Fang Fang (Kampala, Kampala)
A veteran Chinese restaurant serving big shared plates to families and groups. - Mediterraneo (Kololo, Kampala)
Italian cooking by candlelight on a wooden deck in a leafy garden. - Le Chateau (Ggaba Road, Kampala)
A Belgian run restaurant and butchery known for steaks and a busy weekend crowd. - Bubbles O'Leary's (Kololo, Kampala)
An Irish pub with live bands and a garden, a long time meeting point for visitors. - Cayenne (Bukoto, Kampala)
A large garden bar and restaurant with weekend parties and a pool. - Bayimba International Festival of the Arts (Kampala, Kampala)
A festival of music, dance and theatre showcasing Ugandan and regional artists. - Aero Beach (Entebbe, Entebbe)
A lakeside beach spot with music and drinks, busy with families and groups at weekends. - Entebbe Reptile Village (Entebbe, Entebbe)
A small centre caring for snakes and chameleons, with informative guided visits. - Goretti's Beach (Entebbe, Entebbe)
Pizza and grilled fish with your feet in the sand on the shore of Lake Victoria. - Jinja Nile Resort (Jinja, Jinja)
A large resort with cottages and a pool on the banks of the Nile. - Explorers River Camp (Bujagali, Jinja)
A sociable riverside camp with dorms, bandas and a bar overlooking the Nile. - Gately on Nile (Jinja, Jinja)
A characterful guesthouse in a colonial villa with lake views and a good kitchen. - Ozzie's (Main Street, Jinja)
A friendly café for breakfast, coffee and travel chat before heading to the river. - Jinja Sailing Club (Jinja, Jinja)
A lakeside bar and restaurant for sundowners and weekend music. - Boomu Women's Group (Kihaguzi, Murchison Falls National Park)
A village visit near the park gate with cooking, crafts and simple bandas. - Batwa Experience (Buhoma, Bwindi)
Batwa guides share forest skills, songs and the story of their displacement. - Buhoma Community Rest Camp (Buhoma, Bwindi)
A community owned camp at the park gate with simple rooms and forest views. - Byoona Amagara (Itambira Island, Lake Bunyonyi)
An island eco retreat with open fronted geodomes and no roads.