Ever been in a situation where you’re scared of the decisions you’ve made and you’re not sure of how life will turn out after that moment? Yep! that was me a few years ago. To get over this crazy phrase my life and cheer myself up I planned an adventurous trip to Uganda, the pearl of Africa. The trip was supposed to help me rethink my life choices and maybe prepare myself psychologically for all the upcoming consequences.

The journey started in Nairobi at 4pm when i boarded the bus to Kampala at 4pm, a 14-hour bus ride. I had been to Uganda before for business, sourcing clothes for resell (didn’t work out, story for another day). During this escapade I had had an amazing time and was intrigued by Uganda’s beauty to the extend I wanted to back for more but was lowkey traumatized by rogue touts who took pleasure in harassing women. To ensure I had a pleasant time and for my own peace of mind I opted to get a guide to help me navigate through Kampala and its environs for all my planned activities and it was the best decision ever. I was in Kampala for 2 days and I did more than what I had bargained for. Below is a breakdown on the activities and my experience.

Kampala – Day 1

I arrived in Kampala at 7am, took a boda to my accommodation, freshened up, had breakfast then left to meet up with my guide, Twaha. On day 1 we did a full-day city tour. We started with the city monuments; city monuments provide remembrance of Uganda’s historic times or cultural heritage. They are spread throughout the city, they can be accessed through walking, boda or taxi. I recommend walking as it gives you a chance to experience the city. They are open to the public and it’s free to access them.

a. The Impala Monument

b. The Gorilla Monument

c. Independence Monument

d. World War Memorial Monument

Owino Market

You haven’t experienced a place until you try out their local food. To replenish our stomach and recover the lost calories after kilometers of walking, we visited Owino’s market for lunch. At the market I sample fried locust, roasted termites, groundnuts, roasted dry maize, banana wine and fresh juice. I had chicken Luwombo & rice while Twaha had beef luwombo with matoke. Navigating through the market was as chaotic as any African market and be aware of pick pocketers. I’d highly recommend for the food. The market tour is fee, you only pay for the food consumed.

Kabaka’s Palace

After lunch, we visited Kabaka at his palace on top of Mengo hill, the plan was for us to chill and beat stories while drinking banana beer. Unfortunately, Kabaka wasn’t around and instead of wasting an afternoon we opted to have a tour of his residency. At the residency we were assigned a guide who took us through the Baganda Kingdom’s politics, history and culture. We also had walkthrough the compound and Idi Amin’s torture chamber where he used to torture his opposers, enemies and innocent people for no reason. This is a paid activity with an entrance fee of $10 per person.

Uganda National Mosque

To catch the sunset, we visited The Uganda national mosque formerly known as the Gaddafi Mosque, it’s located on top of Kampala hill. ‘The mosque offers breath-taking city-wide views, religious artistry, beautiful Islamic embroidery on the inside of the dome and wonderful architectural elements that pay tribute to a great deity” official website. This was my first time into a mosque, I had expected to experience a euphoric moment once I stepped into the mosque and have jaw dropping moment. Idk why I had these expectations and no I didn’t experience any of that. I just had a normal experience nothing to write back home about. The mosque didn’t steal my heart but the view of Kampala’s beauty from the minaret top did, and I’ll go back again and again for it; no words can describe it you can only experience it. This is a paid activity with an entrance fee of 25,000 UGX.

Ndere Cultural Center

After the beautiful view at the Gaddafi Museum, my heart was full & contented but my body was tired almost giving up on me. I really wanted to sleep but Twaha had other plans, to watch traditional African show at the Ndere center while having dinner. The show started at 7pm with a traditional dance and drums, each guest was given a welcome traditional drink, which tasted like local brewed porridge with an extra sprinkle of coolness. We got to experience and celebrate the Ugandan culture though songs, drums, dance, narratives & poetry. We also entertained/confused our taste glands with different varieties of the Uganda local foods at the buffet. This is a paid activity with a fee of UGX. 95,000 or $30.

Day 1 was everything i had wanted and more, it was fast, busy, tiring but full of surprises, knowledge and fun. Retired to be bed at midnight with a grateful heart full of memories. See yah on day 2👋.