1 Day Kampala City Tour to See the Major Tourist Attractions

During a 1 day Kampala City Tour, you will visit Kampala, the commercial, administrative and capital city of Uganda. Kampala City has several attractions whose conclusive tour almost takes a full day. This one day trip is one of the several 1 day tours in Uganda that begin from the Kampala city to Uganda’s tourist attractions that are not far from the city. To visit all tourist places in Kampala, you need a full day at your disposal.

The city is a tourist must-seeing destination known for its historical landmarks as Kasubi Tombs, a burial site for Buganda Kingdom kings, the Bahai Temple of the Baha’i faith, Namugongo Martyrs Shrine, Uganda Museum, the magnificent Old Kampala Muammar Gaddafi National Mosque, Namirembe Cathedral, Rubaga Church, Nakasero market, Kabaka’s Lakes in Lubaga, African craft markets at the National Theatre or along Buganda road and many other areas. Kampala has beautiful city skyline including visible commercial and hotel buildings. Kampala is a good showcase for the tourists to get to know more about Uganda in the past 80 years or more because its history is a condensed version of recent Uganda history.

Local Uganda tour operator offers the travellers the diversified Kampala tours, including ready-made Kampala tour packages. Basically, Kampala is referred to as a city on the hills a title derived from its original location on 7 hills that offered the key points of direction and distinctiveness; some of these hills are closely linked to colonial history.

City tour to all Major Cultural and Historical Places in Kampala

If you are to tour Kampala, have breakfast and start your Kampala City tour and later do some shopping in the city craft shops or other items of your choice. Basically, Kampala City is  referred to as “a city on the hills”  a title derived from its original location on 7 hills that offered the key points of direction and distinctiveness; some of these hills are closely linked to colonial history. The guide will take you around to visit The Uganda Museum, Bahai Temple, Kasubi Tombs, Namirembe Cathedral, Rubaga Church, Nakasero market, Kabaka’s Lakes in Lubaga, African craft markets at the National Theatre or along Buganda road and many other areas.

1. The Uganda Museum

The Uganda Museum is a display of Uganda’s cultural heritage where on can see ethnological and natural-historical exhibitions. It’s a reminder of the country’s colorful past. Among its most interesting features is a collection of traditional musical instruments, whose play is for free. It contains rich materials from Uganda and is a must see.

Opened in the 1930’s by a group of scholars, the museum collection is comprised of approximately 3,000 volumes, maps, periodicals and photographs, all about African history, culture, archaeology, natural history, sociology, travel and science. The museum library houses the books of the East African Wildlife Society and a number of books from the museum which were given to the society’s care some years ago. It regularly presents performances of traditional music.

2. The Bahai Temple

Bahai Temple on Kikaya Hill 7 kilometers from Kampala city center has been hailed as one of the wonders of Africa. The Temple interests many visitors not only because of its rare and unique architectural design but also the beautiful natural environment in which it stands out majestically above other features.

Bahai Temple can be seen from any of Kampala’s prominent Hills. Built about 40 tears ago Bahai temple stands with over 130 feet high with a pointed tip at the very top. This house of worship exudes a regal magnificent presence that can be perceived as a naturally placed on the hill at the beginning of the universe. A walk to the rare and beautiful site makes one’s travel worth a tour.

The Bahai Temple in Uganda

Visiting Bahai Temple is a self-designed pilgrimage that gives an insight of heavenly peace and comfort plus a feeling of God’s revelation. The multi-colored octagonal glass planes make up most of the over 100 meter diameter of the gigantic building. The brownish blue and chocolate ceramics on the floor and the rest of the walls mix with the green roofing to create an image that looks natural in the green and multi-colored flowers that surround the Bahá’í Temple.

Perched on the hill’s crest, Bahai Temple gives scenic view that manifests harmony and joy. Arranged in rows, the exuberant flowerbeds spread out to form columns of gardens that widen from top to the foothill. It is a constant reminder of the proclaimed Christian imagery of the narrow path to heaven’s gate. The peace and quiet in the lush gardens beckons hundreds to always travel to Africa’s only Bahai Temple. Each continent has got only one Bahai Temple and the decision to locate it here, turned Uganda into Africa’s spiritual heart for the Bahai. The temple’s guards are available to guide you on your maiden visit at the Bahai centre, whether you have come as a tourist, for a family picnic, or a casual visit.

Seeing as the Bahá’í temple is so exquisitely constructed, the urge to enter and discover what it is like inside is inevitable. The temple gardens are to the public but strict Bahai set principles like the use of loud music, picking of flowers, immoral behavior, drinking of alcoholic beverages and use of intoxicating drugs must be observed since Baha’u’llah, the founder of Bahai faith, strongly wrote against them. Baha’u’llah, in his writings says, heaven and hell are not places but states of being reached when someone does something good and bad.

To the Bahai, heaven is the presence of spiritual qualities, while hell is the lack of these qualities, or imperfection. The architectural design of the Temple is not merely a marvel to visitors and people who catch sight of it from a distance but also a spiritual vision. The nine doors that stand open during prayer and sessions of meditation speak of the all-embracing nature of God. All are to usher in people to meet and adore God under this dome that symbolises His divine uniting force. Built in harmony with the Bahai principles, the 124 feet high and 44 feet diameter temple has because green conical dome shape.

Tourists in thousands on their on holidays always go to this place for picnic, lounge and gracefully walk around the peaceful gardens hours, the tourists constantly return as if seeking spiritual refuge from this mystical world marred by inhuman antics like savagery, immorality, prejudice, hatred and jealousy. In the evenings, the delightful songs of the birds charm the lounging tourists and visitors in the garden.

Like a choir of angels, they sweetly sing proclaiming the glorious destiny that awaits the human race. The Bahai Temple, opened to the public on January 15, 1962 has nine big pillars and 27 smaller ones which support the temple up right. Different countries contributed various building materials as if to echo Baha’u’llah’s crusade for university.

The green dome is made of tiny glazed mosaic tiles from Italy, while the lower roof tiles are from Belgium. The walls are of pre-cast stone quarried in Uganda. Steel and window frames and fittings are from Britain. The colored glass was brought from Germany. The timber used for making the doors and benches was got from within Uganda.

2. Kasubi Tombs

Kasubi Tombs are burial place for the Buganda Kings. Situated on Kasubi hill, within Kampala, the Kasubi Tombs site is an active religious place in the Buganda Kingdom. To Baganda, the Kabaka is the unquestioned symbol of spiritual, political, and social state of the Buganda nation.

As the burial ground for the previous four Kings the Kasubi Tombs is a place where the Kabaka and others in Buganda’s cultural hierarchy frequently carry out important Ganda rituals. Visiting Kasubi tombs is a nice experience because there is a lot to learn about Buganda and its cultures, traditions and heritage.

3. Namirembe Cathedral

The oldest and centrally located Diocese in Uganda, Namirembe plays an outstanding role in gauging the life and spirit of the whole church in general as far as Uganda is concerned. Namirembe is the oldest, among the 29 Diocese of the Anglican church of the province of Uganda.

4. Rubaga Church

Built at the beginning of the century, the magnificent St. Mary’s Catholic Lubaga Cathedral stands on Rubaga Hill, overlooking the city. The church has been a key player in construction on numerous schools of colonial brick style e.g. Namilyango, Kisubi, Namagunga, Buddo and Gayaza.

5. African craft markets at the National Theater and Buganda Road.

With great memories, you will bid farewell to the pearl of Africa through Entebbe airport or any other route.