Central Uganda

A captivating and diverse region
Uganda’s primary gateway for international tourists is Entebbe International Airport, close to Entebbe town, the old colonial capital, 35 km south of Kampala, the busy modern capital city.
For tourists with fixed itineraries, these towns are primarily staging points before and after a safari to western Uganda. However, visitors with more time will find a multitude of diversions to occupy them in Central Uganda.
Kampala offers all the amenities of a modern capital, while Entebbe and Jinja provide relaxing retreats beside Lake Victoria and the Source of the Nile respectively. Though the national parks lay several hours’ drive from Kampala, the capital is surrounded by countryside containing tracts of tropical forest, wetland and lake-shores where birds and primates can be found.
CLIMATE:
Tropical, tempered by altitude (1,200 meters above sea level) Temperatures rarely rise above 30°C (85°F) or fall below 18°C (65°F). January is the hottest month.
LANDSCAPE:
The scenery of Central Uganda is dominated by low, flat-topped hills between which broad wetland valleys drain into Lake Victoria.
CULTURE AND PEOPLE:
The people of Kampala – and Ugandans in general – are friendly and approachable. Although, today, Kampala is a social and cultural melting pot, it remains the historical capital of the regional kingdom of Buganda, home of the Baganda, Uganda’s most numerous people. The Baganda are intensely proud of their Kabaka (king) and history and traditions that date back to the 16th century.
Major attractions
KAMPALA:
Uganda’s bustling capital: With a population exceeding a million, Kampala is by far Uganda’s largest urban centre. The fast-growing city has a distinctive setting, spread across a series of prominent hills close to Lake Victoria. Though Kampala has long outgrown its historical title of the ‘City of Seven Hills’ the original seven summits remain important focal points, topped by distinctive landmarks of cultural, religious and colonial significance. Kampala is an extremely safe city to explore and visitors should be sure to experience the striking contrasts within the city centre on the slopes of Nakasero Hill. Above Kampala Road, the main thorough fare, leafy avenues are lined by restored colonial buildings – many occupied by quality restaurants and hotels – and brand-new office buildings while, downhill, congested streets descend to colorful markets, chaotic bus parks and a permanent gridlock of vehicles, boda bodas (moped taxis) and pedestrians. Kampala offers a wide choice of accommodation including several five-star hotels – this sector was greatly expanded prior to the Kampala Commonwealth Summit in 2007 – decent mid-range hotels and popular backpacker hostels.
ENTEBBE:
Tranquility on the shores of Lake Victoria: Entebbe is a small, quiet town with a diminutive centre laid out between the hilltop State House, the official residence of the President of Uganda, and the lake-shore golf course. A century ago, it was the gateway to Uganda when steamers conveyed visitors, among them Winston Churchill and Theodore Roosevelt, across Lake Victoria from the Uganda Railway terminus at Kisumu in Kenya. This role ended when the railway reached Kampala in 1931 but proximity to Uganda’s main airport means that Entebbe is again the country’s main gateway for international arrivals. There is a selection of large hotels and guesthouses to accommodate tourists and other travelers.
ATTRACTIONS:
 Entebbe’s lake-shore Botanical Gardens offer a taste of tropical trees, birds and monkeys while the nearby Entebbe Wildlife Education Centre provides sanctuary for rescued wildlife. Entebbe is also the launching point for trips to Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, resorts on the Ssese archipelago, and for sport fishermen seeking the mammoth Nile perch.
CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL SITES:
 A number of historical sites in and around Kampala call to mind a time of dramatic change in the late 19th century when the Baganda encountered Islamic traders and British colonialists and missionaries. Several are found atop the city’s original seven hills, notably the Protestant Cathedral on Namirembe Hill, the Catholic Cathedral on Rubaga, Fort Lugard in Old Kampala and the Kabaka’s Palace on Lubiri Hill. Further afield are the Kasubi and Wamala Tombs, Katereke Prison Ditch, Naggalabi Coronation Site and the Namugongo Martyrs’ Shrines. Culture comes to life at Kampala’s Ndere Centre, where a regular programme of events includes colorful displays of music and dance from around the country