This page is the hub for several pages of Kampala information. This page comes with constant updates since Kampala is a city on the move. Chosen by lonely planet as Number one travel destination for 2012, Uganda will always certainly be one country to visit by travellers and therefore Kampala.

This city will surprise you, if not already! Read about its history here and its narrative to draw your impressions.

Whether you will be living in Kampala or already living there, or visiting for a few days or months, you may need help from your embassy or consulate at some time. As part of the vital Kampala information, you can find the list of embassies in Kampala here.

To help you through your immigration process well in time, I have also included a list of Ugandan Missions abroad here to help you find information on Uganda.

Getting to and around Kampala should be easy….but you never know! My assumption is that all is well with your immigration requirements and therefore legally in the country (I don’t love to see you in trouble with the authorities). This website is filled with vital information to help you get to and round Kampala.

Whether it’s finding a place to live, or furnishing your new home in Kampala, there are always pitfalls you could avoid and expenses you can reduce. This section of i-Uganda.com will certainly discuss the cost of living in Kampala.

You will find the people in Kampala even much friendlier especially if you can say something in the local language. Luganda is the most common local language spoken in the city…at least in most social and commercial activities and here I shall attempt to teach you some survival phrases in Luganda to build on your Kampala information.

I will also be outlining how you can become a welcome addition to the city. What does that mean? Well, it is essentially the dos and don’t s of society and this will be open for discussion. Things like; when to tip and other aspect of life in Kampala and Uganda in general.

You will wonder why I think it’s important to become a ‘good’ resident/visitor of Kampala. Well, its just because people are moving to Kampala much more than before and most are bringing along their experiences and points of view (which is only natural), but some of these are a direct contradiction to the view points of the residents of Kampala, which usually doesn’t go down well with them.

Have you had about Ugandan English? Curious?!

This page will also include a; ‘have your say’ section on life in Kampala. Get to hear it from someone who has visited and lived in Kampala but also from the local residents.

As a vital piece of Kampala information, you will also find the Kampala Map here to help you in your travels in and around the capital.

If you are already in Kampala, consider this section a refresher. As you will find, there is such handy information to help you live and enjoy this beautiful city.

…And even if you are still undecided on making that move to Kampala, this section should help you in making that decision before any travel plans. In no other place will you find a discussion on the cost of living in Kampala.

Have a question about Kampala?

If you can’t find an answer to your question, you can post your question here. I will answer it or find an expert who can.

For more Kampala information, this section will exclusively guide you through Kampala’s top areas of interest; Kampala landmarks, the Places of Worship, Kampala nightlife and bars, Sight seeing, Events – look out for the ‘whats on K’la’ section, Museum and galleries and theatres and cinemas.

You will also find extensive reviews of Hotels and restaurants in and around Kampala in this section.

You might want to go shopping; where to go! Kampala has lots of wonderful African art and crafts shops that will amaze you, as will the low prices.

Kampala also has some really interesting top end shopping malls to the medium retail down town shops before you get to Owino Market (Now St Balikuddembe Market) that has every thing that you can think of; including second hand cloths that it is well known for. For curiosity’s sake, even with out picking any thing from there, it’s worth a visit.

Spend a few minutes getting to know this amazing city right here at i-Uganda.com and when you come to visit, let me know how you find it. And I’d love to meet you!

History

With few early written records we must rely on the oral tradition for the earliest history of Kampala. This suggests that people were living in the area that is now Kampala for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Earliest records indicate that the area was established as the capital of the Buganda kingdom since the 1600s. The name, Kampala, is said to be derived from the word, Impala – a type of antelope regularly found grazing on the hills. The Kabaka (King) of Buganda hunted these and it was referred to as the ‘Hill of the Impala’. It is likely that when the British arrived they heard the area called, ‘Kasozi k’empala’ an began pronouncing it by its present name, Kampala.

Kampala Today

Kampala today is a vibrant and lively city with approximately 1.6 million people living on the numerous hills located six miles from Lake Victoria. It is also one of the fastest growing cities in Africa. Given its close proximity to the equator the weather is mild, pleasant and generally ranges year-round between 28°C (82°F) and 17°C (63°F). There are two rainy seasons from February to June and again from September to November.