Kampala


Kampala

Overview

Introduction

Set just a few miles/kilometers north of Lake Victoria in the heart of Buganda, Kampala is the capital of Uganda and the country's largest city.

It's a hilly, congested town, and the scars of war that dominated in the early 1990s have long since been repaired or replaced by bright malls and high-rises. Traffic can come to a honking standstill in the city center with bikes balancing bunk beds, boda bodas loaded with 400-lb Nile perch and pedestrians all jockeying for position.

Also, take an excursion to Lake Victoria and visit Namugongo Martyrs' Shrine and the massive, thatch-domed Kasubi Tombs, burial place of several kabakas of Buganda. Although their works are not intended for tourists (and may not be for sale), students at the Makerere University's School of Industrial and Fine Arts create fascinating pieces of art, many of which reflect the challenging conditions of Ugandan life.

In the middle of city at the bottom of Nakasero Hill, look for the market with its colorful display of fresh produce and the matatu (minibus) park stuffed to the gills with vehicles.

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