Kampala is one of the largest city and the capital of Uganda. It is surrounded by the famous 7 legendary hills, including Makerere hill, Namirembe, Old Kampala, Kololo, Nakasero, Naguru and Rubaga hills. Many travelers would like to explore Kampala city on a guided tour. Despite it being the adventure, leisure and tourism hub, there are lots of things to see and do beyond its borders. It is a safe city to explore whether on a guided or self drive tour in Uganda but the best way to explore it is by a guide. Travelers are assured to experience the striking contrast between the city centers on the slopes Nakasero hill and over Kampala road, with restored colonial buildings which are occupied by quality restaurants and hotels to downhill into the congested and chaotic bus terminals and crowded markets.
Uganda is a developing country with stunning and sprouting towns all over the country, well distributed across her main five regions; western, central, northern, eastern and west Nile. The other cities to explore beyond Kampala are;
Entebbe City
This is one of the most beautiful cities to explore beyond Kampala. It shelters the International airport of Uganda and it also has a number of attractions that you can visit during a one day excursion in this city. This city is really developing at an incredible rate and it is proving to be the tourism town of Uganda. When you enter Uganda and you still have like one day or more before you set off for wildlife safaris in the Uganda National parks, first explore this city and admire her endless attractions that are close to each other and can be easily visited even on foot. Some of the attractions that are found in Entebbe include: the botanical gardens, Uganda wildlife Education center, Ngamba Island chimpanzee sanctuary, Lake Victoria, numerous sand beaches, craft markets, the airport and many others. For more information check out the Entebbe Guide website.
Jinja City
The second largest city in Uganda and it is the home to the legendary source of River Nile – the longest river in the world and it is here that this famous river starts it journey through Sudan and Egypt to Mediterranean Sea. It is referred to as the adventure capital of East Africa, and you will experience the city’s adventurous activities when you visit it. It has a number of water falls where kayaking and rafting can be done; some of the water falls in Jinja include Itanda falls, Kalagala falls and dams such as Bujagali and Owen falls dam which were formerly falls but later turned into dams for electricity generation. Itanda falls has 3 grades and it is the best destination where you can enjoy the white water rafting, other activities that you can enjoy here include horseback riding, recreational boat cruise on Lake Victoria, bungee jumping, sport fishing and many others.
Mbale City
This is another beautiful city in the Eastern region with some iconic attractions that you may not find anywhere else in Uganda. It is not so far from Kampala, located approximately 245km from Kampala. It is the home to remarkable mountain Elgon and the magnificent sipi falls, the famous attractions that are known worldwide. Mbale has a rich culture and it is home to the Gishu people with the popular “Imbalu cultural festival”. Some other attractions in this city include: Mountain Elgon national park, Bulegeni and Butandinga cliffs, Wanale hill, Bufumbo and Wanale forest reserves, Semei Kakungulu tombs, Mutoto circumcision site and many others. On the slopes of Mount Elgon, Arabic coffee is grown there. Therefore when you visit this city expect to taste the fantastic coffee of Uganda.
Mbarara City
The famous city and the main business capital of western Uganda and provides easy access to connect to other destinations, including national parks, Mountain Rwenzori, and various lakes. It is referred to as the land of milk and honey because of plenty of cattle, including the iconic long horned Ankole cows and abundant vegetation in this area that offers opportunities for nature to flourish.
Some of the attractions in Mbarara include, Nkonkonjeru royal tombs, Lake Mburo national park, lake Nakivale, River Ruizi, Sanga cultural village, Igongo cultural village and many others.
Some other cities that you can explore beyond Kampala include fort portal and Kabale; these are equally important tourism centers and homes to the rare chimpanzees and endangered mountain gorillas respectively. That is why Uganda is called the pearl of Africa because every part of it that you visit offers endless excitement.