In case you want to explore Kampala in a new way, try to combine danger and tourism. If you want also to try that then check out my Boda Boda tour around Kampala. There is nothing dangerous in Uganda traveling on a boda in the city, but the more dangerous it’s the more interesting and memorable it’s.
My Kampala boda boda tour began a bit late because of the morning downpour and even my boda driver was delayed a bit due to a traffic jam, finally, around 10 am he reached my hotel and I started my adventure through the city, chose to do somewhat of a dense version of the tour. This incorporated a visit to the 2 main churches of Kampala – Namirembe (Protestant) and Rubaga (Catholic) – on their individual hills where we were told about Uganda’s history from the first Kabaka (Buganda King) to the present day, a visit to the Gadaffi Mosque in Old Kampala, (bragging some the best views of Kampala city from its minaret).
After visiting the main religious areas in Kampala, I continued to Mengo Hill where the Kabaka’s palace is found, which is also home to Idi Amin’s infamous torture chamber – 3 small rooms surrounded by electrified water that was used by both Obote and Amin to discard any undesirable opposition. Or in Amin’s case anybody clever or stronger than him. A serious site, yet clarified very well by the resident guide at the Kabaka’s palace.
Using a boda to explore Kampala is such a risky thing due to the many accidents involve, but more interesting, cheap, and easy in the way that a boda can transport you from one tourist site to another in Kampala for example from Kabaka’s palace to Namugongo Martyrs Shrine at around 8000/= in just 30minutes, which can cost you around 50000/= with a taxicab and take you something like 2hours to pass through the traffic jam in the city center.
From there I moved to the city center to have a walk around as I experience how the Ugandans enjoy their city, the Boda guy parked the motorcycle at the petrol station and he moved with me downtown as he explains to me what is going on where ever we reached. We visit places like Kisenyi where there is a market that sells everything, Kibuubo most notable for businessmen, the old and new taxi park and lastly, we visited the Owino and Nakasero markets where we spend a lot of time because of the many people there.
From there I was very tired and we just moved back to the hotel to have some rest and in the next morning, this time the driver picked me up in time at around 7:00 am and we transferred to visit the Bahai Temple (the only one of its kind in Africa) encompassed by what is most likely the best green space in the city.
Furthermore, you can likewise take a night tour through Kampala which, as far as I could gather, included going out partying like Ugandan.