Overview
Take a trip to Kampala on your Uganda Vacation
Kampala, located near the shores of Lake Victoria, is Uganda’s largest capital city and is known as the centre of Uganda’s political, commercial and academic world.
In the mid-19th century, Muteesa I, the Kabaka (King) of Buganda chose the area where Kampala now exists as his favourite hunting ground because the surrounding hills and wetlands proved to be an ideal breeding ground for impalas. When the British arrived, they named one of Kampala's seven hills “The Hill of the Impala” and as a result, the English name, combined with the local language resulted in the town being called Kempala.
It grew into a city that became the capital of the Buganda kingdom. While it was severely damaged during the Uganda-Tanzania war of the late 1970s, Kempala has succeeded in rebuilding itself and maintains a forward-thinking mentality.
Today Kempala is considered one of Africa’s “greenest cities” due to the abundance of parks, gardens and golf courses that are found in the city centre when travelling to Uganda. The area is also known for its incredible nightlife offering many restaurants and casinos. New buildings including hotels, banks, shopping centres, academic institutions and more have made Kempala one of Africa’s fastest-growing cities and an excellent base to begin exploring Uganda.
Today Kempala is considered one of Africa’s “greenest cities” due to the abundance of parks, gardens and golf courses that are found in the city centre when travelling to Uganda. The area is also known for its incredible nightlife offering many restaurants and casinos. New buildings including hotels, banks, shopping centres, academic institutions and more have made Kempala one of Africa’s fastest-growing cities and an excellent base to begin exploring Uganda.
At a Glance
Languages
English, SwahiliCurrency
Ugandan Shilling (UGX)What do the experts say?
The staff at the lodges are all exceptional and really go out of their way to make your stay memorable. In one lodge, the wake up call included him singing "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" to me.
Gorilla trekking is such a unique experience - it can only be done in this part of the world. While the gorilla trekk is such a highlight, the surrounding areas are so beautiful it is worth considering spending more time in destination.
The Ugandan capital - Kampala, is often the sta...
A vendor in the markets of Kampala
People on the streets of Kampala
A truck of bananas near Kampala
Gaddafi mosque is a photo opportunity on Kampal...
Most Popular Time to Travel
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Place
Conditions
Daily max temperatureMonthly rainfall
KampalaOccasional Showers
29°C / 83°F
67mm / 2.7"
Weather data is based on monthly averages.Popularity rating
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ExcellentBased on 5,328 ReviewsThis is a review for my Goway travel guide in Ho Chi Minh City. Mr. PHẠM HỮU THIỆN (TONY) was a very kind and knowledgeable guide during our 5 day stay in the city. Friendly, likeable and funny, Very accommodating to our needs during our visit. He and his driver were always early for every excursion as well as the final day for our airport departure. He gave us wonderful recommendations for sights and restaurants for our personal time. I highly recommend Mr. Pham (Tony) for your stay in the Ho Chi Minh area.George C.Brooke Theron has booked 3 trips for us, France and Tunisia in 2025 and we have just returned from a 2 week trip from China.
The entire trip was flawless, from the research to the booking Brooke is always soo helpful in whole process.
Brooke always works with us to answer any questions and make sure any request we have can be added.
Our tour guides James, Helen, Felicity and Keira and drivers were all top notch with lots of information on each stop and sent us onto our next stop with no problems.
The hotels, trains and tours were all excellent. We couldn't have asked for more
I look forward to working with Brooke and Goway tours on our next vacation.MaddieBijal and Martin (tour guide in Kenya) made this the trip of a lifetime. I felt safe every minute of the trip. I did not care for the travel from the Serengeti to Ngorogoro Crater. I felt the last hotel was too far from the crater i was exhausted not wanted to travel to the crater. The travel was absolutely brutal for 6 hoursKathie BeckerJosie was incredible to work with. She replied to all emails quickly and effectively. She was very knowledgeable and always willing to help. Would definitely work with Josie again!! Clients had an incredible 14 days in Italy with no complaints. A dream vacation!!Chattell BlueOur safari in Tanzania was excellent. Brooke Theron, our Goway representative, was easy to work with, responsive and knowledgeable. Our guide in Tanzania, Anwar Razak, was outstanding. His knowledge and his driving ability was impressive. He was also engaging. We enjoyed our time with Anwar. The camps that Goway recommended were comfortable, welcoming and surprisingly luxurious while capturing the essence of the Serengeti and Ngorongoro. We had a wonderful trip. Jack B.My agent Lisa made the booking process easy. Her expertise on the Azores was extremely helpful. Final documents were precise and thorough. Transfers were on time, tours were informative and fun, and the lovely accommodations were well suited to our needs.Christine HostyI am so happy to use Goway for my tour experience while visiting Vietnam during Oct 15 through October 29, 2026. We had 3 very good, thoughtful, and caring guides in Hanoi, Danang, and Ho Chi Minh City. They were very knowledgeable for each of their respective areas. they all fulfilled every part of our itinerary. I wish to give an extra acknowledgment to my guide in Danang and Hoi An. Mr. Phung Van Hung was very friendly and caring for me. During my stay in Hoi An, I became sick and required a visit to the local hospital in Hoi An. I contacted Mr. Phung, and he graciously offered to take me and stay with me to interpret during my visit for medical care even though he was not working that day. I really appreciate his extra above and beyond service he provided. I really must let Goway know, he is a wonderful guide!George C.Suzzette and her team provided exceptional support throughout our year‑long planning process for our Bali group. Despite multiple changes, updates, and last‑minute cancellations, she remained organized, responsive, and solution‑focused. Asia Trails Indonesia delivered a seamless experience from arrival to departure, and our guides, Dayu and Adit, were outstanding; prompt, knowledgeable, and attentive to every detail. The coordination across multiple departure cities, the curated excursions, and the overall flow of the itinerary were executed beautifully. My group thoroughly enjoyed the trip and is already asking about returning. I highly recommend Suzzette as a group coordinator for her professionalism, dedication, and high‑quality service.Anchored Memories TravelMike K. graciously provided us with a perfect itinerary, offering us flexible high quality options for our trip. We added in a few complex details and he maneuvered around them creating smooth transitions. Planning an overseas 11 day trip can be overwhelming and Mike made everything feel easy. I highly recommend!Amy ChallgrenGoway staff was available to us throughout our entire trip to Costa Rica. Their involvement was seamless and surprisingly smooth between them and all of our hotels and tours. We have been totally impressed with their involvement with our travel agent and their complete resolution of the only problem we had during the 2 different international trips that we have taken.Diana McCrory
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