Day Tours From Kampala And Jinja, Uganda

Visit Source Of The Nile Jinja City

Our company guide will meet at your hotel or at your residence early in the morning after breakfast, start the drive to eastern Uganda for your one day Uganda safari. After an hours drive, nature’s beauty starts to creep in as the landscape starts to change from the packed settlement structures to more clearer and graceful vegetation cover as we drive through the suburbs of Kampala city. Driving through Namanve industrial park where you pass by several factories and industries like Toyota Uganda, Coca-Cola Uganda and this is the second-largest plant in Africa.

The first stop-over is at Ssezibwa Falls a cultural site with waterfalls after approximately an hour’s drive on a good day with less or no traffic on this busy Jinja highway as you know that Uganda as a country is landlocked so we rely more on Mombasa port for most of our imports and this is the only route to Kenya border. At the waterfalls, we take a nature/cultural guided walk of approximately 30 minutes up to the top of the falls. We thereafter drive off to go into the Mabira rain forest where we do 1-2 hours guided forest walk. On the forest walk, you will see a variety of plant life and trees, red-tailed monkeys, butterflies, and if you have good binoculars and camera you can see as well capture some forest birds which hide in the canopies.

The forest has a primary section that has the indigenous and old trees, some more than 150 years old; and a second section where trees have been planted for the past few decades in order to restore parts of the forests which were once destroyed by human settlement. On the forest walk, we go through both sections which makes one realize the difference.

After the adventurous walk in the green, we continue to our last destination, the source of the Nile; driving past commercial tea and sugarcane plantations, making a stop-over upon request. We take a guided boat ride for the source of the Nile trail the longest river in the world starting it on Lake Victoria the largest freshwater body in Africa, thereafter connecting to river Nile waters to see the spot where the mighty river Nile begins its 90-day journey to the Mediterranean sea through South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt. Water and forest birds, monitor lizards and otters are never missed while on this boat ride adventure.

After we shall have a brief break, we then start our return journey to Kampala city or Entebbe if we doing a 1-day tour in case of a 2 days tour we shall have a night in Jinja Town, Jinja city tour the following day, visit the Kyabazinga Palace, Itanda Falls, busowoko falls, lunch and after drive back to Kampala or Entebbe.

Uganda Rural Life Experience Day Tour

This tour is the opposite of doing a Kampala city walk tour, it involves seeing the rural Uganda and all the beauty it comes with. Are you ready to see nature and nature at its best?

We meet and greet in the morning at 7:00AM at your accommodation and drive off outside Kampala, driving through the most times crowded Kampala suburbs with a chance to look at street markets and people carrying on with their daily routines that come with living in the capital city. After approximately one hour, we shall have our first stopover at the tea estate, where we shall take you through the process of tea growing and processing. You will have a chance to buy the locally made Uganda Tea. We shall continue our journey driving through a sugar cane estate to arrive in a village where we spend the rest of our day showing you how people away from Kampala take on life.

We shall get ready to go on a guided nature and community walk, showing you a typically village setting, telling you about how people in rural Uganda treat neighbors and community events, taking you through well cultivated gardens where they grow the food for home consumption and the surplus for sale explaining and demonstrating to you how different foods are grown and pointing out to you herbal plants that they use to treat diseases. We shall also look at coffee and how is it grown, coffee selling is one of the main sources of income to people in this village.

If you love birds, this tour will surely have you see different birds while on the walk. We get to visit a community school and interact with the kids and how it is going to school in the rural Uganda. We shall talk about how families earn a living in the village and how kids help their parents to get them food at the table when they come home from school.

Fruits; guavas, mangoes, jack-fruit, sugarcane, are always in our sight when its season you shall have a taste of the organic fruits.

We shall return to the camp to have lunch, it is cooked in a hygienic way and will not get you any problems. It is typical Ugandan local food most of which you would have been shown during the garden session. During this time you will learn more about rural African table manners and how the dining concept is handled.

The other option is snacks, upon booking, we will ask of which of the 2 options you are most comfortable with and we do prior arrangements.

After our lunch break, we shall have a short rest and relaxation thereafter start our return journey, with a stopover at the cultural eco-site where you will learn more about the African traditional religion and take a short walk to the top of the falls. This is one of those tours that will give you a clear understanding of the African rural life in just a day!

Day Visit To Lake Mburo

Meet and greet at your accommodation at 6:30 AM and drive off towards western Uganda. As soon as we are out of Kampala, gradually the landscape will keep changing, seeing greener, low rolling hills, open grasslands and small townships. On a school day, we will not miss seeing kids walking to school.
Approximately after 2 hours’ drive, we shall have a stopover at the Uganda Equator, where we shall test the carioles forces and a chance to get a to-go coffee and snacks from the Equator restaurant. The famous water experiment which proves more that you are standing in the middle of the earth. 

We shall then drive off to Lake Mburo National Park, getting there by 10:00 Am, straight away doing a game drive to see animals to mention; giraffes, zebras, the graceful impalas, Topi, buffaloes, water-bucks and plenty of birds, the park is a home to 350 bird species. The park is the smallest of the 10 national parks in Uganda but you will see that it’s a gem in a unique way!

We thereafter shall have a lunch break of 30 minutes, to be on time for the 2:00 PM boat cruise. You could call it having lunch in the wild amidst nature, with a spectacular view of the lake. Exactly the needed and required lunch break while you are on vacation.

While on the boat cruise, you shall feast your eyes on crocodiles, hippos, buffaloes and magnificent birds such as the kingfishers, hammerkops and their giant nests, fish eagles, on a lucky day the endangered shoebill.
After the boat cruise, we shall have a rest and depending on how you feel, a snack then start our return Journey to Kampala and drop you off at your accommodation between 8:00 PM -9:00 PM or earlier depending on the traffic as we approach Kampala.

Traditional Marriage Experience Full Day Tour

Now with this one, you will only thank us later after a unique and very authentic experience that you will live to remember and it should be noted that this is one of the most original activities that you can do which is specifically attached to the Ugandan people life style and Culture.

We know that you are wondering how you could get your traditional wear put up together and so on, relax now because we have two options for you;

To hire a full attire from a professional traditional tailor for the day and the other alternative, is to get it all tailor made for you that is if you wish to carry it back home as souvenir after the experience.

On the D- day, we shall be smartly dressed for the event and a life time experience will start to unfold as you learn and feast your eyes. Watch out for lots of Ugandan music not forgetting the traditional music and dances interludes. This too includes seeing how a traditional marriage event is conducted in one of the many Ugandan cultural settings. On emailing us to make a booking, we shall give you the details of which ethnicity cultural marriage event is available for when you want to do it and we shall give you details of the cultural backgrounds and a brief insight about the way marriage is conducted in that specific ethnic group. 

Ok! how could such an event go without tasting that traditionally made local food and especially for such a cultural event?  In Buganda kingdom found in central Uganda, the luwombo, literally meaning stew for example of chicken or beef steamed in smoked banana leaves is a must plus other local dishes and rare delicacies.

Visit Jinja City The Adventure Capital Of East Africa

We meet at your place of accommodation in the morning after your breakfast, then drive off to the east of Uganda. After about an hours drive, nature’s beauty starts to creep in as the landscape starts to change from the packed settlement structures to more clearer and graceful vegetation cover as we drive through the small towns on Jinja highway which is the main goods drive way from Mombasa Port Kenya since Uganda is a landlocked country.

Our first stop-over is at Ssezibwa falls a cultural site with waterfalls after approximately an hour drive on a good day with less or no traffic. At the waterfalls, we take a nature/cultural guided walk of approximately 30 minutes up to the top of the falls. We thereafter drive off to go into Mabira rain forest where we do a 1-2 hours guided forest walk. On the forest walk, you will see variety of plant life and trees, red-tailed monkeys, butterflies, and if you have a good camera you can as well capture some forest birds which hide in the canopies.

The forest has a primary section which has the indigenous and old trees, some more than 150 years old; and a secondary section where trees have been planted for the past few decades in order to restore parts of the forests which where once destroyed by human settlement. On the forest walk we go through both sections which makes one realize the difference.

After the adventurous walk in the green, we continue to our last destination, the Source of river Nile the longest in the world; driving past commercial tea and sugarcane plantations, making a stop-over upon request. At the source of the Nile we shall take a guided boat ride starting it on Lake Victoria, there after connecting to river Nile waters to see the spot where the mighty river begins its 90 day journey to Egypt and the Mediterranean sea. Water birds, monitor lizards and otters are never missed while on this boat ride adventure, you also get a chance to see the Speke monument and this is the spot where John Speke stood and saw the source of the Nile and at the showers of the Nile you will visit the Mahatma Ghandi Monument 

After minutes of rest, we then start our return journey to Kampala.

Local Food Experience Day Tour

Uganda is one of the blessed countries with rich culture and heritage distributed in the different regions as one visits. The same goes with food, as one visits the different regions in Uganda, you will appreciate the different delicacies and cuisines. In central Uganda, where the Baganda people are the majority, food is prepared in a traditional way, which is, by steaming. On this tour, we visit a traditional home, take you to a traditional garden and you get to see the different foods and there after take you through the all process of preparing a traditional meal.

Of course the best part of the tour is when you get to test the traditional food, you will tell us which foods stood out for you. If you are not hesitant on eating insects, rare delicacies like roasted grass hoppers and white ants are the in thing when its season.

A food experience would not be complete without a series of drinks, and here we are taking about the traditional drinks which a hygienically made in a local way. The banana juice, traditionally is what would catch your attention! After it’s squeezed out by using a special kind of grass, the juice is then boiled to kill all the germs making it very safe for you to taste. Other drinks include local brew which is an evening drink for the guys after work. Upon special request a tour to explore how the local brew is made can be organized as well.

This tour will unveil to you the love and respect for food that people in Uganda have. A tour to explore how local brew is made can be organized as well.

Traditional/Local Games Day Tour

Among the many things that set us different from other cultures, are our traditional games. Yes the traditional games, that are indigenous to us, and they vary from region to region as well as culture. For example in central Uganda where the Baganda are the majority, at different stages of growth they had different games played, to help the kids growth fully as you well know that play time is an essential part of developing the brains ,and in another way games were a tool used to instill discipline in kids.

The games could groom one on how to manage anger, be patient, focus and above all socialize with others. For the adult males, it was a way of socializing after along hard day’s work tilling in the garden. During this time, they could hint on important issues for the well being of the community and share knowledge.

On this tour, we connect you to our past in terms of games, you get to play and it’s completely an interactive and active tour with your involvement and the local people. This is a chance for you to loosen up after the long drives to and from the national parks or one of the best ways to start your vacation or an interactive activity for you in between your stay in Uganda.

What makes this tour interesting is that you will graduate from the children’s to the adult games in just a day. It’s a humbling and memorable tour because we carry it from a well-organized community where you will actively interact with the local kids and adults while playing the games and your safety is absolutely not a thing to worry about.

Do not forget to pack any materials if you would like to teach us a few traditional games from your country, you are very welcome! Come learn more about our culture as we play!

Mabira Forest Day Tour

Have an early morning breakfast, and set off to Uganda’s remarkable forest with lots of exciting features such as huge trees which have survived decades of years, variety of butterflies, streams, monkeys and lots of plant life. Expect to see different bird species while on the walk. In the afternoon after the walk, you will rest and have a lunch break, and then we set off to see spectacular waterfalls at a cultural site where you will have your eyes feast before our return journey to Kampala to your accommodation. This takes hours to be done instead of being at your accommodation a day before your flight home the next day, there is actually a chance to see more as you wait in Kampala. You can spend your late night in Entebbe and take on one of our packages there that take few hours before the 15 minutes drive to the airport for your flight back home.

Visit Uganda's Equator All Day Tour

Uganda being among the few countries in Africa where you have the chance to see the equator, why not take this up. Start the tour at 7:00AM, picking you up from your accommodation, driving through rural Uganda, with freshness in terms of green environment!

First stopover is at the Mabamba swamp, where we shall go tracking for the endangered Shoebills and Sitatunga. The swamp is famous for water birds, reptiles including water tortoises and plant life. We shall do all this on a traditional canoe which will take between 1-2 hours.

Next stopover is at an eco-forest, we shall have a guided nature walk that is between 45 minutes – 2 hours. You get to choose how long you would like to be with Mother Nature in the forest. Expect to see, different butterfly species, black and white Colobus and red tailed monkeys, indigenous African giant trees, lots of birds and plant life. This forest is a haven!

We shall visit a traditional workshop for drums and you see how traditionally drums are made, it is a cultural session to watch out for (30- 45 minutes). You will surely be tempted to dance to the drum beats!

Drive off to the Uganda Equator, having a lunch break, then followed by the sights and demonstrations to clarify – Coriolis forces. You can have your legs stand, one in the south and the other in the northern hemisphere or the equator. You will have a stroll around the local craft market to shop before we start our return journey to Kampala.

Shoe Bill Stork Day Tour

Mabamba swamp is home to the globally endangered shoe bill Stork, the birds can be seen at any time of the day but its best to be there in the morning hours when they are more active looking for what to eat. During this time, the shoe-bills stand for good minutes negotiating how to get the prey making it best for taking good shots. The birding activity is carried out in dugout canoes which adds to the whole experience surrounded by nature. The swamp has been recorded to have over 300 bird species, over 200 butterfly species, fishing is another activity that can be arranged and community guided nature walks.

On Our way back to Kampala, we make a stop-over at another swamp for 45 minutes to look out for the beautiful Grey crowned crane, Uganda’s national bird. At its glance, you will not hesitate to say that Uganda is no doubt the pearl of Africa. Other amazing species at the swamp include African Jacana, Black crake, Common moorhen, Blue-headed coucal, purple heron, swamp flycatcher, long toed lapwing, pied kingfisher, malachite kingfisher, grey heron, among others.

Ngamba Island Full Day Tour Starting from Entebbe

Meet and greet at you accommodation there after depart to Entebbe where we get you on either a motorized canoe or a speed boat to the island.

The island is a jewel in Lake Victoria, the world’s second largest fresh water body.

Home to 48 orphaned chimpanzees rescued from throughout Uganda. Both day and overnight visitors are facilitated at the island offering you an exceptional opportunity to closely observe and interact with the fascinating great apes in a unique setting. You have a range of options from two types of day visits (half and full day), overnight excursions in a tent, to a long stay program that is one or two weeks program that will immerse you in the life of the chimpanzees.

The half day trips are further categorized into two; the morning trip and the afternoon trip which leaves you with a chance to decide which slot is more convenient for you.

Fascinating activities while at the island include;

Scenic viewing both to and from the island and while the island, you will appreciate the unique beautiful views.
Feeding time from the visitors viewing platform.
Kayaking around the island bay searching for wild life to mention; monitor lizards, otters, plenty of bird life with over 130 species recorded and going to a local fishing village.
Care-giving experience where you get 24 hours opportunity to participate in the daily routine for example preparing the food, cleaning facilities, health checks allowing you to generally learn more about what it takes to take care of the Chimpanzees.
Sunset cruise on Lake Victoria, seeing several water birds, otters, monitor lizards and plenty of plant life.
Being at the equator line in Lake Victoria, we take a break here for photographs and a few minutes swim is as well allowed.

What to carry for this tour;

• Sun lotion
• A hat
• Light weight clothes
• Pair of Binoculars
• Swimming wear

White Rhino Tracking Day Tour Ziwa Sanctuary Nakasongola

Located 176km north of Kampala towards Murchison National park, the Rhino sanctuary is the only place in Uganda where you have the chance to see the rhinos at such an up-close like never before.

After an early breakfast, we will set off to Zziwa Rhino sanctuary, driving through the urban Kampala suburbs, followed by the green rural Uganda encountering small peaceful towns.

Upon arrival at the Ziwa Rhino sanctuary, a site-guide will take over, briefing us there after we shall track the rhinos on foot. Consider the tracking activity as well a nature walk, because you get to see the landscape, flora and fauna of this place, not forgetting more than 150 species of birds.
After the rhino tracking adventure, we shall have lunch at the sanctuary and rest before we start our journey back to Kampala. Time allowing we stop over to visit a community, best known for making handicrafts in Uganda.
This day tour is a chance for you to escape the busy Kampala and connect with nature in a relaxing and rejuvenating way. Overnight stays can be arranged on request.
What to pack for this tour;

• Sun lotion
• A hat
• Long trousers
• Long sleeved shirt
• A camera
• Closed shoes
• Bottled water
  
  

Kampala City The Capital Of Uganda Full Day Birding Tour

Uganda is endowed with more than 1000 bird species constituting to 11% of the world’s species of birds, and 50% of Africa’s bird species. Kampala is a vibrant city with 2 million warm and welcoming people. A bird tour in Kampala will showcase more than 50 species of water and forest birds combined. The tour will combine both birding and learning more of Kampala’s history and culture of the people, it’s a two in one tour.

The following are some of the common birds found in Kampala, Ibises, vultures, herons, egrets, storks, kites, parrots, doves, turacos, kingfishers, wood peckers, flycatchers, sun birds, and more. Rare species include; Grey-headed woodpecker, palm-nut vulture, Africa, piapiac, shikra, African Hobby, white-browed robin-chat, African green pigeon, and the common moorhen; the one that you can see on a lucky day!.

Kasubi Buganda Royal Tombs Day Tour

Do you embrace culture and art? Then here is a tour that will have you covered in just a day. The cultural core of modern day Uganda originates from the Bantu – speaking kingdoms of Buganda, Bunyoro, Ankole, and Toro. The century old kingdoms serve as important cultural figure heads, and are offshoots of the kingdoms of Batembuzi and Bachwezi which lay in the present day Mubende and Ntusi where archaeological evidence portrays that a strongly centralized policy had emerged by the 11th century.

A day starts with a meet and greets at your accommodation, and there after your breakfast set off for a UNESCO heritage site that has been visited by many important persons as you will be told. Three former kings of the Buganda are buried in an impressive traditionally thatched building, the tombs. You will be guided to see many of the tools that the Buganda kingdom has kept for centuries, learn about the classification of people in Buganda kingdom and the roles of different clans. You will be surprised by how long ago civilization was realized here and the inside out of the Buganda culture and art.

You will have a lunch break at an authentic local restaurant where you will taste traditional food prepared in a traditional way, there after you shall continue to visit the tombs of a king in Buganda who officially married over 140 wives paying dowry for each of them and had the same number of concubines in the 1880s. He was the first to wear shoes and modern clothes in Uganda, a generous king who gave away his favorite wife to his guests as a gift. His house and tools are evident at this site. You will also enjoy the landscape while at this site. This will mark the end of the day’s tour. Return to accommodation.

Traditional Dance Experience Visit

Uganda’s diversity in dance and music is from region to region. On this tour, we share first visit a place where you will learn more about the different music instruments from the different regions explaining to you how these instruments are made. Traditional dances and music depicts the mood and feeling of people in different region at a particular time. The tour is crowned by watching a traditional dance and music performance that will showcase dances and music from different regions of Uganda and East Africa at large.

The performance is accompanied by storytelling intervals about the history, life style and culture of Uganda. Souvenirs such as music audio CDs, DVDs and traditional wear is available to those who like to carry and share the experience with people back home.