This covers Kampala, Jinja and Entebbe. Thanks to my friend Stanely Kazibwe for local advice.
Many don't venture to the African land locked country, don't know,why it's a hidden gem. Rightfully called the Pearl of Africa because of what it has to offer. Kampala, the capital city, is made of seven hills. Each hill has a religious institution, a Sunni mosque (built by Qaddafi), a synagogue, a hindu temple, a Bahai temple, Catholic church, etc....where would you find such diversity and tolerance in one city? especially in Africa? Erase, ofcourse, the tenure of President Idi Amin, the Last King of Scotland.
But Uganda to me is very special, this trip to Africa focuses on hitting all the countries on the Nile. Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Egypt and I skipped the Sudans (US passport visa issues). Uganda is where lake Victoria turns into the Nile, the world's longest river and the only one that streams south to north. Google it. The Nile is not a river to us Egyptians, its a source of life and civilization dating back 7 millenia. That's why the trip is special to me.
At a bus station in the middle of the city, thousands of buses congregate and i was amazed with the religious stickers they had on their cars. Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, etc. Was I in NYC? If it weren't for the red soil that blankets the ground, I thought I might have been.
Kampala is not that difficult to get around. Motocycles, also called "Boda-Boda" zip through the unpaved streets and take you anywhere in the city for a buck or two. Boda-Boda, originally means border to border, and it meant transportation taking you from the border of Uganda to the border of Rwanda. Or I've been told. There is alot to do in Kampala, and there is no better way to do it than with Walters Boda Boda Tours. Seriously, this guy is an icon in Uganda. His city tour takes you across all the highlights: the religious institutions, the hills, the parliament, the Kasubi tombs of Ugandan kings, the presidential palace where you see the Idi Amin's Rolls Royce and visit some of the prison chambers. Chilling stuff and you can easily spend a full fledged active day.
I also recommend asking Walter and his team for local recommendation. At night, I would go ahead and visit a couple of the local bars, the patrons are always very friendly and welcoming. Went to a couple of upscale places: Wagadougou, Capital Bar, Silk. Kampala has a large white expat community since its the African HQ of the UN. Food wasn't great, and i mostly stuck to grilled meats and beans.
I liked Walter's tour so much, I hired him to head to Jinga, where I get to see for myself where Lake Victoria pours into the Nile. The ride is pleasurable, yet long. But you get a good glimpse into the Ugandan country side. You stop by several markets, still be careful to eat grilled meats only or bananas.
Before setting off on a boat tour of fishing villages. You pause at a statue of Gandhi. Yes, there is a large presence of Indians in Uganda. However, Gandhi's wish was that some of his ashes be scattered into the Nile. Reasons abound, but the one I was told, was his desire to spread peace throughout war torn Africa.
Visiting the fishing villages is unique. On the boat, we actually fish and what we catch will be cooked at the fishing villages. So after a cave incursion and successful fishing, we sat in a shack, in the middle of Jinja's greens, and ate wonderfully grilled fish. This isnt touristy, you see the poverty of the village, the semi naked kids running around, the women washing clothes and the men gathering. They join you for the meal and pleasant conversation ensues on local customs and culture. Now off to my goal: the source of the Nile.
I am imagining water falls, or something dramatic. There is a book titled into Africa talking about the years, expeditions, deaths of the courageous Englishmen seeking the source of the world's longest river. I can't wait. And behold, no water falls, no massive water gushing, just a simple stream from the lake that gets narrower at source. Ok, disappointing, yes, Egyptian seeks river source, and almost falls asleep. Oh well! Trip was still fantastic though and well worth it.
Alright, one more day. Head to Entebbe, and the major attraction there is Lake Victoria and a plane the Israeli commandos raided to free hostages. There is also a reptile village not to be missed, see snakes and Cobras. Enjoyed a relaxing day at the Country Lake Resort, where locals are so curious about you, they love to come up and chat.
What you need to know: Budget foir $20-30 per day. I used Airbnb, where i met the host and they gave me great recommendations. You need to get vaccinated before you go, yellow fever especially, they might not let you in the country if you don't have a certificate. Bring protein bars, toilet paper, hand sanitizer and be very careful what you eat, stick to sizzling hot grilled meats. I went when there was an Ebola outbreak, don't let people scare you. Cases are uusally rare and concentrated outside the major cities. Remember that whole fiasco here in the States?