We stayed at Urban at CityBlue in Kampala. A nice location close to downtown but out of the hustle and bustle. Breakfast was a buffet with eggs to order. It seemed to be a popular place for Ugandans to hang out at the bar and for dinner. Several large parties were there in the evening but it wasn’t loud. Rooms were large and comfortable. Would definitely stay again.
We took a boda boda tour of Kampala and our first stop was the Baha’i Temple. The grounds are lovely and the location and view is one of the best in Kampala. Our tour guide was very welcoming and answered all of our questions. We are able to enter but no photos allowed. Go for the view but also take the time to learn about this religion.
We arranged our boda boda tour through Walter’s Tours. They were easy to work with and replied quickly to emails. There were 4 of us and they sent 4 guides and bikes with helmets. We felt safe at all times even with the crazy Kampala traffic. We started in a quieter neighborhood and when we felt more comfortable, we moved on to busier streets. It was fun to see the city the way the locals do.
Next stop of our tour was the mosque. It is new and very large. Our tour guide was very happy to twll is about the architecture, services and customs. We climbed the minaret to the top which gave us great views of Kampala.
Women will be asked to put a scarf on their head and wrap a scarf around their waist to cover their legs even if they are wearing long pants. Scarves were provided where you pay.
Our boda boda guides suggested we not pay the money to go inside the Bugandan Parliament. We stopped outside for a photo up and then drove up the Royal Mile to the palace.
Also known as Mengo Palace, this is mostly ceremonial. We learned a lot about the Bugandan royal family but could not go into the palace. This is also the site of Idi Amin’s torture chamber and it was gruesome.
We were starving by this point and eager to try a rolex- a speciality found in the market. Our boda boda guides had a favorite spot overlooking the bus park which is just pure chaos. The rolex was a basic omelette which onions and tomatoes wrapped in a tortilla. Quick and delicious.
On our way to dinner, we had our driver take us through Makerere University. It is large and one of the oldest and best in Africa.
This was definitely a restaurant frequented by expats. It was in an upscale shopping area outside of downtown. Large menu with good burgers and steaks. Enjoyed cooking our steak skewer right at the table. A nice quiet way to end the day.
We stopped on the shores of Lake Victoria for an early lunch on the way to the Entebbe airport. The view was nice but the service very slow and the food nothing special.
Cash only