While Kampala, Uganda is not the destination for someone looking to spot big game and other wildlife, there are a lot of things to do in Kampala for tourists and residents alike.
Kampala Is the capital and largest city of Uganda. The city has a population of more than 2.6Million and is divided into the five political divisions of Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division, and Rubaga Division.
Kampala originally referred to only the present-day Old Kampala hill, on whose summit Fort Lugard was located, and the initial headquarters of the British colonial authorities in the soon to be Uganda Protectorate.
Before the British construction of Fort Lugard, the hill was a hunting reserve of the Kabaka (King) of Buganda and had several species of antelope, especially the impala. As a result, when the British colonial officials were allocated this hill by the then Kabaka (King) of Buganda, they referred to it as “The Hill of the Impala”.
The Baganda, In whose territory this British settlement was located, then translated “Hill of the Impala” as Akasozi ke’Empala. This was then shortened to K’empala and finally Kampala. Kasozi means “hill”, ke “of”, and empala the plural of “impala”. Hence the name “Kampala” came to refer to this initial British colonial settlement that would later on spread out from the occupied Old Kampala hill near the pre-existing Kibuga (capital) of the Buganda Kingdom.
While you may not be able to spot an impala while strolling or driving in Kampala, these are some of our most amazing must do activities and must visit sites in and around Kampala.
1. National Museum
One of the oldest museums in East Africa, the Uganda National Museum provides an extensive look into the country’s past. At the National Museum, you will find exhibits showcasing traditional musical instruments, pre-colonial African history, ethnography, and traditional lifestyles of various tribes in Uganda.
