1 Day Tours

 

NGAMBA ISLAND – Full Day Excursion

Early in the morning we will take a boat to Ngamba Island Sanctuary – located 23 km offshore from Entebbe. We set off with the early morning boat at 8:00 am to Ngamba Island – the home of   orphaned chimpanzees. The journey, on water in a traditional motorized boat/speedboat takes   90 minutes/50 minutes each way. You will be welcomed at the island, with a welcome-drink.   Thereafter you will be directed to the visitor’s centre where you will be given an introduction to   the project, its history, island residents and their plight.

You will receive an educational orientation by a chimpanzee caregiver and view 2 feedings of the  chimpanzees . You have an opportunity to feed chimpanzees from the visitors’ raised platform   area along the edge of the sanctuary fence.

On the program is lunch at the Sanctuary. Visitors are not allowed to carry packed lunches &   drinks to the island but are offered the following all prepared and served by island staff:

·         Selection of salads and sandwiches.

·         Ugandan Buffet.

·         Assortment of freshly baked Ngamba confections.

·         Assortment of drinks: water, sodas, wine, spirits.

1.      There is  an afternoon option for visitors that would like to go later. Boat leaves Entebbe for Ngamba Island at 10:30 am and sets off at 5:00 pm for the mainland.

2.      Life jackets and rain suites are provided for all on board our boats.

3.      Extra activities on request: Swimming on the equator, viewing a neighboring fishing village, bird watching, other wildlife encounters, or just sunbathe and relax.

 

KAMPALA CITY TOUR

The city tour includes excursions to Uganda Museum, Kasubi Tombs, Local markets – Owino   Market & Nakasero Market, Rubaga Hill, Namirembe Hill, the Kings Lake to mention but a few.  After breakfast we will pick you up from a hotel of your choice in either Kampala or Entebbe,   explore the seven hills of Kampala (popularly known as Rome of Uganda) plus the rest of Kampala.

Here below is a brief information on some of the places we will be visiting:

The Uganda Museum

A display of Uganda’s cultural heritage where one can see ethnological and natural-historical   exhibitions. It is a vivid reminder of the country’s colourful past. The Uganda Museum (founded   in 1908) in Kampala has exhibits of traditional culture, archaeology, history, science, and natural   history. It regularly presents performances of traditional music.

Kasubi Tombs

The place where fallen kings of Buganda Kingdom are burried. The Tombs of Buganda Kings at  Kasubi constitute a site embracing almost 30 ha of hillside within Kampala district. At its core on   the hilltop is the former palace of the Kabakas of Buganda, built in 1882 and converted into the   royal burial ground in 1884. Four royal tombs now lie within the Muzibu Azaala Mpanga, the   main building, which is circular and surmounted by a dome. It is a major example of an   architectural achievement in organic materials, principally wood, thatch, reed, wattle and daub.   The site’s main significance lies, however, in its intangible values of belief, spirituality, continuity and identity.

Nakasero Market

At the noon of Saturday, January, 1895, the right Reverand Mckay advised the then Kabaka of   Buganda to establish the first market in the Lubiri (palace). In 1905 the market moved to   Kabugube and this was a temporary structure. Here you can find a variety of huge variety of fresh   fruits and vegetables, mostly indigenous to Uganda. Across the street is a lower market, full of   spices, legumes, grains, and hand-made house hold items. This market is surrounded by a  number of shops or dukas, where you find everything for the home . Hardware, sanitary ware  and electrical shops surround the area.

Owino Market

One of the largest markets in this region of Africa. The endless booths that line the chaotic alleys   of Owino offer a mind-boggling array everything from homemade irons, to American hand-me-  down-clothes with the goodwill price tags still on then, to an amazing array of African foods, to   any and everything else under the sun. Everything at Owinio starts cheap and gets cheaper with bargaining.

Another market option is the craft market  on Buganda Road or the slightly larger crafts market  behind the national theatre near the Garden City complex. Also on Buganda Rd.

Rubaga Hill taken-up by the Roman Catholics (and the first roman catholic church here);  Rubaga Hill was the location of the main palace of Kabaka Muteesa I who ruled Buganda between   1856 and 1884. The palace was struck by lightning and was rebuilt on neighboring Mengo Hill.   The first Roman Catholic missionaries to arrive in Buganda were Frenchmen, Father Pierre   Lourdel Monpel and Brother Amans, who settled near the hill in 1879.

As the Catholic Church took root in the country, the missionaries were allocated land on Lubaga  Hill. The construction of St. Mary’s Cathedral on Lubaga Hill took place between 1914 and 1925,   with the assistance of monetary contributions from Roman Catholic congregations abroad. Later,   the missionaries also built a hospital and a nursing school on the hill.

Today, Lubaga remains the seat of the headquarters of the Catholic Church in Uganda. It is the  seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kampala. The remains of the first African Catholic   bishop in Uganda, Bishop Joseph Nakabaale Kiwanuka and those of the first African Catholic   Cardinal, Cardinal Emmanuel Kiwanuka Nsubuga are kept in the Catholic Mission on the hill.

Namirembe Cathederal

The Anglican Christians’ oldest church here; Mengo Hill which has the headquaters of the  traditional (the largest of Uganda’s traditional monarchies). The hill rises 4,134 feet (1,260 m)   above sea level. It stands adjacent to Mengo Hill, the seat of the Buganda Government. The   history of the two hills is intertwined, geographically, politically and religiously. Namirembe is   the location of St. Paul’s Cathedral, the main place of worship of the Anglican Church in Uganda,   from the time of its construction (1915 to 1919), until the 1960’s when the Cathedral became the   seat of the Diocese of Namirembe.

Kabaka’s Lake

Visit the Kabaka’s Lake (Kayanja Ka Kabaka), the largest man-made lake here, dug up on orders   of the tyrant Sekkabaka Mwanga (also a former King), who needed it as an escape route besides   being a place for water sport just adjacent to his kingdom headquarters – Mengo.

After drive to Kampala central visiting Nakasero Market and a curio shop for some craft shops.  This tour can be done any time of the year. It can also be done at the start or at the end of any of   our other safari packages.

MABAMBA TOUR

The Mabamba Swamp is by far the most convenient place to see the elusive shoebill stork. Trust  us to take you on a half day trip to Mabamba Swamp in search of the shoebill.  The bird is easiest seen in the morning when they stalk their main prey, the mudfish or frogs, but   may be spotted all day. They may stand absolutely still for long periods awaiting the movements   of their prey and then suddenly strike with a marvellous speed.

Transportation to the swamp is by way of boat transfer from the Entebbe pier. 

This trip takes about 3 – 4 hours.