What Tourists Get Wrong About Kampala: A Local's Honest Take
Sarah Nakyejwe runs a small tour company out of a shared office space in Kololo. She was born in Mulago Hospital, grew up in Wandegeya, studied at Makerere University, and has spent the last twelve years showing foreigners around a city she's never wanted to leave.
We sat down at 1000 Cups coffee house on Buganda Road — Kampala's original specialty cafe — and talked about what visitors get right, what they get wrong, and why the UGX 2,000 rolex is an institution that deserves more respect.
You've been giving tours for twelve years. What's the most common thing tourists say when they first arrive?
Sarah: "Oh my God, the traffic." Every single time. They're shocked by the drive from Entebbe. Look, the Kampala-Entebbe highway has improved — there's an expressway now — but most people don't take it because it has tolls. So they take the old road and sit in traffic for two hours wondering what they signed up for.
My advice: arrive at Entebbe in the afternoon, not rush hour. And download SafeBoda before you land. Boda-bodas cut through the gridlock. If you can handle the ride.
Can most tourists handle the ride?
Sarah: (laughing) About half. The other half grip the driver's jacket so tight they leave fingerprints. But here's the thing — SafeBoda drivers are vetted. They have helmets. They have GPS tracking. It's not the death trap people imagine. Well, mostly.
What do tourists consistently skip that they shouldn't?
Sarah: The Kabaka's Trail. Nobody does it. Everyone goes to the mosque, the tombs, Owino Market — those are all great. But the walking tour through the Buganda Kingdom sites? The Lubiri Palace, the Bulange parliament building? That's the soul of Kampala. The Buganda kingdom isn't ancient history — it's alive. The Kabaka still reigns, and these sites are still politically and spiritually active.
Guided tours cost about UGX 40,000 (~$11). You learn more about Uganda in two hours on that walk than in a week at the tourist highlights.
And what should tourists skip?
Sarah: The craft shops near the Sheraton that charge five times the real price. If you want crafts, go to Uganda Crafts 2000 Plus on Buganda Road. Fair-trade, fixed prices, actually made by Ugandan artisans. Or better yet, learn to bargain at Owino Market. The secondhand clothing section has incredible finds if you're patient.
Let's talk food. What should every visitor eat?
Sarah: The rolex. Obviously. But here's what tourists don't understand — there's a skill hierarchy. The best rolex vendors are the ones who've been on the same corner for years. There's a woman near the Nakasero Market junction — I won't give her exact spot because she'll kill me — who makes a rolex with extra tomato and a little green pepper that is genuinely life-changing. UGX 2,500.
Beyond that, visitors need to eat matoke. It's our staple — steamed green banana, usually served with groundnut sauce. Find a chop bar in Bukoto or Wandegeya. The places with no English menu and plastic chairs. That's where the food is real.
And luwombo. It's a stew — chicken, beef, or goat — wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. Cafe Javas does a decent version for tourists, but the real luwombo is at family gatherings. If someone invites you to their home, say yes.
What's the biggest misconception about Kampala?
Sarah: That it's just a gateway. "Oh, I'm flying through to Bwindi for the gorillas." And look, the gorillas are incredible — I've done the trek four times. But people allocate one night in Kampala and then wonder why they didn't connect with the city.
Give us three nights minimum. Five is better. The city reveals itself slowly because there aren't obvious postcard moments like Victoria Falls or the Serengeti. Kampala's beauty is in the rhythm — the way the sun hits the red roofs from the mosque minaret, the way Owino Market sounds at 7AM, the way a Ndere Centre performance makes you feel something you can't name.
Sarah: It's a performance venue, so yes, tourists go. But the dancers are professional, the food is authentic, and I've seen Ugandans cry during the performances. That's not tourist theater. That's culture being kept alive.
Go on a Wednesday — smaller crowd, same quality. UGX 60,000 includes the buffet and show. The groundnut sauce alone is worth the price.
What about safety? Tourists always ask.
Sarah: Kampala is as safe as any big African city. Don't walk alone in unfamiliar areas at night. Don't flash expensive electronics. Use SafeBoda or Bolt, not random motorcycle guys. Keep your valuables in a front pocket at Owino.
The biggest actual health risk is malaria. Take your prophylaxis. I've had malaria six times — trust me, you don't want it. Use DEET at dusk. Sleep under a net.
You mentioned the mosque minaret. Is it really the best view?
Sarah: It's the best free view. Three hundred and seventeen steps. Most tourists stop halfway. Don't stop halfway. The top gives you all seven hills, the lake in the distance, and on a clear day you can see the Entebbe peninsula.
Go early morning for the best light. Or sunset if you time it right — but they close at 5PM, so you need to be up there by 4:30.
Any neighborhoods tourists should explore beyond Kololo and Nakasero?
Sarah: Ntinda is where young Kampala lives — bars, restaurants, a creative energy. Bukoto is artsy. The Afriart Gallery there is world-class, and there are smaller galleries opening every year.
Wandegeya is raw and real — the university is there, so it's full of students, street food, and debate. Not polished. Not trying to be.
Avoid Kisenyi at night. During the day it's fine — there's great food — but it gets rough after dark.
Final question: what do tourists get right?
Sarah: The enthusiasm. Foreigners come to Kampala and they're genuinely excited by things we take for granted. The boda-boda ride that we find annoying? They find it thrilling. The rolex that we eat without thinking? They photograph it from four angles.
It reminds us that this city is special. Chaotic, yes. Loud, yes. But special.
And they always come back. That's the thing about Kampala — nobody ever says "once was enough." They say "I need more time."
Give yourself more time.
Sarah Nakyejwe runs Kampala Untold Tours. Custom half-day and full-day tours from UGX 100,000 (~$27) per person. Contact through her Instagram or WhatsApp — she prefers WhatsApp because "email is for formal people."
