-
Akampeine Island
Translating to Punishment Island, this tiny island was so named because it was once the place where unmarried pregnant women were dumped to die. Their only rescue from drowning or starvation was if a man who was too poor to pay a bride-price came over to claim the banished woman as
-
Karambi Royal Tombs
These royal tombs 4km south of town make for a peaceful excursion. While from outside it’s not much to look at, if you can find the caretaker he’ll let you in for a look at the tombs, which house drums, spears and other personal effects of several of the Toro kings who are buried h
-
Bwama & Njuyeera (Sharp’s) Islands
Many boat drivers will take you to these islands, where British missionary Dr Leonard Sharp founded a leper colony and settled in 1921, but the story is more interesting than the sights. The colony on Bwama was shut down in the 1980s (there are two schools on the island now) and ne
-
Tooro Botanical Garden
These homegrown botanical gardens have a lot of well-signed indigenous plants and trees, as well as an organic farming project that grows herbs, flowers, trees, natural dyes, vegetables and medicinal plants. Admission includes a tour through the extensive grounds. Morning and late
-
Mparo Tombs
Two kilometres down the Masindi Rd (4km out of Hoima) is the final resting place of the renowned Bunyoro king Omukama (‘King’) Chwa II Kabalega and his son. Kabalega was a thorn in the side of the British for much of his reign until he was exiled to the Seychelles in 1899. Inside a
-
Amabeere Cave
The water dripping from the roof of this small cave is milky white, hence the name Amabeere (‘Breasts’). Most of the rock formations are broken, but it’s fun to walk behind the waterfall covering it and past the wall of vines along the adjacent ridge. It’s 8km northwest of Fort Por
-
Bulange Royal Building
A great place to learn about the history and culture of the Buganda Kingdom, guided tours take you inside the parliament building, providing interesting stories and details about the 56 different clans. Parliament is held twice a month on Monday mornings, though it is conducted in
-
Bujagali Falls
Situated about 10km from central Jinja, Bujagali is not an actual waterfall, but rather a widespread series of large rapids, and was once one of Uganda’s outstanding natural beauty spots. The controversial and long-delayed Bujagali Dam is almost completed, though exactly how much o
-
Katereke Prison
Located on the outskirts of town, royal prisoners were starved in the prison ditch during the upheavals of 1888–89. Kabaka Kalema killed 30 of his brothers and sisters here in 1889 in his quest to keep control of the throne. It’s not much more than a deep, circular trench, but it’s
-
Katonga Wildlife Reserve
The small, seldom-visited Katonga Wildlife Reserve is certainly one of the best places to spy the elusive sitatunga antelope, known for its curious webbed feet. If you start your guided nature walk (US$15 per person) at 6am or 7pm you have an excellent chance of an encounter with i
-
Mpanga Forest Reserve
About 35km out of Kampala, the 453-hectare Mpanga Forest Reserve is a decent option if you want to escape the chaos of Kampala for a day or two. Its best known for its 181 species of butterfly, while red-tailed monkeys can be seen during the day and bushbabies during guided night w
-
Lake Mburo National Park
The 370-sq-km Lake Mburo National Park is an increasingly common stop on the safari circuit since it’s the only place in southern Uganda to see zebra. It’s also the only park in the country with impala, slender mongoose and giant bush rat, and is a great place to look for leopard,
-
Uganda Martyrs’ Shrine
Located in Namugongo, this shrine marks the spot where Kabaka Mwanga II ordered the execution of 14 Catholics who refused to denounce their faith, including church leader Charles Lwanga who was burnt alive on or around 3 June 1886 – which is now celebrated as Martyrs’ Day. The shri
-
Tooro Palace
Looking down over the town from its highest hill, the palace is worth a visit purely for its 360-degree panoramic views. It’s the residence of King Oyo, who ascended the throne in 1995 at the age of three! A guide will give you a quick history of the kingdom and explain the ceremon
-
Toro
The Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve is the oldest protected natural area in Uganda, having first been set aside in 1926. Once one of the best-stocked and most popular wildlife parks in East Africa – it suffered significant poaching during the civil war years and, after the war with T
-
Uganda Museum
There’s plenty to interest you here with a varied and well-captioned ethnographic collection covering clothing, hunting, agriculture, medicine, religion and recreation (get the low-down on banana beer), as well as archaeological and natural history displays. Highlights include trad
-
Parliament House
Open to the public, a visit to parliament is an interesting way to spend an hour or two. You can either tour the building, or see the government in action – parliament sits from 2.30pm Tuesday to Thursday and is conducted in English. You need to visit the public relations departmen
-
Twa (Batwa) Village
Located outside the park in Bundimusoli, the Twa people were relocated here when the park was established and, with no other choice, have since adopted agriculture, but they’re keeping hold of their traditions as best as possible. The park allows them to collect rattan, leaves, mus
-
Uganda Wildlife Education Centre
While it functions primarily as a zoo, this centre is actually a world-class animal refuge that has benefited from international assistance in recent years. Most of the animals on display were once injured or were recovered from poachers and traffickers. Star attractions include ch
-
Igongo Cultural Centre
Located 12km from Mbarara on the road to Kampala, this new cultural village is worth a look. Set on the grounds of a former palace of the Ankole king, this quality museum explores the peoples of southwestern Uganda, particularly the Ankole, through artefacts, a cultural village rep
Total
85 -travel
FirstPage PreviousPage NextPage LastPage CurrentPage:
4/5 20-travel/Page Goto:
