Africa

Uganda

At a glance

Kampala energy

Kampala is busy and full of movement, from boda bodas and matatus to markets, religious landmarks, street food, and views over the city’s hills.

Food culture

Uganda has excellent local food, from Rolex on the street to traditional dishes like Luwombo, Kalo, groundnut sauce, and local favourites such as Nile Special beer.

Entebbe and Lake Victoria

Entebbe is close to Lake Victoria and is where most international visitors arrive, thanks to the international airport. It is greener and calmer than Kampala.

The Equator

The Equator line at Kayabwe is one of Uganda’s most photographed stops, marking the point where the Earth is divided into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

A visual journey through Uganda

Kampala

Uganda National Mosque in Kampala — **The Uganda National Mosque is one of Kampala’s major landmarks.** Also known as the Gaddafi Mosque, it was gifted by Muammar Gaddafi and is open to everyone.

Ceiling inside Uganda National Mosque in Kampala

Minaret stairs inside Uganda National Mosque in Kampala — **The minaret climb is part of the experience.** Inside the mosque, a winding staircase of 306 steps inside the 50.5-meter-high minaret leads up to a panoramic viewpoint over Kampala and its surrounding hills.

Independence Monument in Kampala, Uganda — **The Independence Monument is one of Kampala’s most significant landmarks.** The sculpture shows a man wrapped in bandages lifting a child toward the sky, symbolising the birth of a new free generation.

Interior of Shree Sanatan Dharma Mandal Temple in Kampala — **The Shree Sanatan Dharma Mandal Temple is one of Kampala’s most beautiful religious spaces.** Located on Nakasero Hill, it is a major spiritual and community hub for Uganda’s Indian community.

Shikhara towers of Shree Sanatan Dharma Mandal Temple in Kampala — **The temple’s shikhara towers stand out on Nakasero Hill.** Their rising forms add another layer to Kampala’s religious and architectural landscape.

Old Taxi Park and matatus in Kampala — **The Old Taxi Park is one of Kampala’s most intense transport scenes.** The white-and-blue vans are matatus, and they are one of the main ways people move around the city and to surrounding towns.

Boda bodas in Kampala, Uganda — **Boda bodas are a key part of Kampala’s transport system.** These motorcycle taxis play almost every imaginable role in urban movement and daily life.

Nakasero Market in Kampala — **Nakasero Market is Kampala’s most famous market.** Located at the foot of Nakasero Hill, it is known for fresh produce, fruit, vegetables, and a second area with hardware, clothes, and tourist items.

East African Craft Market in Kampala — **The East African Craft Market is set up like an artists’ village.** Tucked off Buganda Street, it has many stalls and small shops selling handmade items, with a huge collection and reasonable prices.

Rolex street food in Kampala, Uganda — **Rolex is one of Uganda’s most famous street foods.** The name comes from “rolled eggs”: a vegetable omelette wrapped in a warm chapati, found on street corners across Kampala.

Outside Kampala

Lake Victoria and green spaces in Entebbe, Uganda — **Entebbe feels calmer and greener than Kampala.** Its proximity to Lake Victoria and green spaces makes it a popular place for leisure and to relax. Most international visitors arrive through the airport here.

Equator line at Kayabwe in Uganda — **The Equator line at Kayabwe is one of Uganda’s most photographed spots.** Located around 75 kilometres southwest of Kampala on the Masaka-Mbarara highway, it marks 0° latitude.

Double-decker bus cafe at the Equator in Kayabwe, Uganda — **The retired London double-decker bus at Kayabwe is a surreal landmark.** Repurposed as a café at the Equator, it also carries branding for Mawokota Football Club, a major team in the Buganda Masaza Cup.

Chicken Luwombo in Uganda — **Luwombo is a nice Ugandan traditional dish.** A beef, chicken or goat stew sauce prepared and steamed in smoked banana leaves and served with rice,

Luwombo wrapped in banana leaf in Uganda — **The banana leaf pouch is part of what makes Luwombo distinctive.** It can take a while to cook as the leaf is tied and steamed for hours, but it is worth it.

Travel notes

Arrival

Most international visitors arrive through Entebbe, where Uganda’s main international airport is located. Entebbe is close to Lake Victoria and works well as a calmer entry point before Kampala.

Getting around Kampala

Boda bodas and matatus are central to movement in Kampala. They are part of the city’s rhythm, but traffic can be intense, so journeys can take longer than expected.

Markets

Nakasero Market is excellent for produce and everyday city life, while the East African Craft Market is better for handmade items, gifts, and souvenirs.

At the Equator, guides often perform the water experiment

Using a funnel and bowl of water, they demonstrate how water supposedly drains differently in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres and straight down on the line.