Day 1: Drive to Jinja via Ssezibwa Falls and Mabira Forest

Your driver/guide will pick you from your Kampala hotel at 9.00am to commence your 1 day tour to Jinja – Uganda’s adventure destination.

Driving along the Kampala – Jinja highway, your first stop is the Sezzibwa Falls. This is a cultural heritage site of Buganda that is rich with traditional folklore as shall be narrated by the site guide!

Other than the cultural aspect, the falls are quite spectacular, surrounded by beautiful lush scenery. There are plenty of birds and some wildlife such as monkeys that may be sighted in the nearby forest. Spend roughly an hour exploring these serene grounds before returning to the highway.

From Ssezibwa Falls, your next stop is Mabira Forest for an exciting nature walk. Mabira Forest is the largest natural forest in Central Uganda that extends several miles along the Kampala – Jinja highway.

Sign up at the Mabira Forest Eco Site and take to the forest trails to explore this beautiful jungle. Look out for several monkeys, birds, butterflies, small mammals such as squirrels, and a variety of tree species.

A group of Grey-cheeked Mangabeys has been habituated in this forest for which you stand a chance of encountering. After about two hours in Mabira, return to the road and drive to Jinja town.

Other activity options within the forest include zip-lining – an adrenaline-rising activity to add to the fun. The Mabira Forest Canopy Super Skyway is a canopy “zip-line” system that sends you soaring between the tallest trees in the rainforest. You are led to pass through ancient trees by experienced Sky Captains/Sky guides across a network of 5 zip-lines that stretches 250 metres across River Musamya. From Mabira, you will continue on to Jinja.

Enjoy lunch in Jinja at the Jinja Sailing Club, after which you continue to the Source of the Nile. Take a boat ride from the shores of the Nile to the exact spot where the Nile waters start to flow.

After the short boat ride to the exact place where the Nile starts, return and head to Source of the Smile Hotel where you will check-in for overnight. After you have checked in, you can rest, freshen up and head out to Bourbon bar and restaurant for a night experience in Jinja. The Bourbon is located right on the banks of the Nile. At your pleasure, you will be returned to your accommodation for overnight

Day 2: Fun activities & Drive back to Kampala
This morning, enjoy breakfast at leisure. At 10.00am, you will be driven to the Bujjagali area where most of these fun and adrenaline-rising activities take place. Activities to choose from include:
– A half day rafting expedition on the Nile
– Quad biking along trails beside the young Nile river
– Bungee jumping
– Horse-back riding
Later, you will return to Kampala – arriving back at or before 5pm.

Included features:
• Accommodation in a Standard Room
• Transport in non-air-conditioned 7-seater safari minivan
• Activities (if any) as outlined in detailed itinerary
• Services of an English speaking driver guide

Not included:
• Personal expenses like beverages including water, soft drinks, beer, spirits or meals not included in the itinerary
• Any optional tours or excursions not mentioned in the itinerary

09.00am: A driver/guide from Uzuri Uganda Safaris will pick you from an appointed Rendezvous place to commence your Kampala City Tour. From your hotel, your tour will start from the south-western side of Kampala at the Kabaka’s lake. This lake was an incomplete project of Kabaka Mwanga who had visions of building a canal that would link to Lake Victoria as an ‘escape corridor’, but was never completed. Dug in the 1880’s, it is the largest excavated lake in Africa. Currently, the Buganda Kingdom is engaged in cleaning-up the lake as an attraction for tourism purposes. You should spend between 30-45 minutes here.

10.00am: You will then move on to the Lubiri (or Mengo Palace). The Palace is the Buganda King’s official palace/residence. Built in 1922, Mengo Palace has remained empty since 1966 when then Prime Minister of Uganda Milton Obote ordered a dramatic attack to oust Kabaka Mutesa II (then the president of Uganda). Sitting on 4 square miles, Mengo palace is ringed by a six-foot brick wall and has a small airstrip within its walls. Today, the Lubiri is popular with hosting a motor rally sprint within the six-foot fence. Given the historical significance of the place, expect to spend 1 hour at the Lubiri.

11.15am: From the Lubiri, your will drive to Saint Mary’s Cathedral Rubaga commonly referred to as Rubaga Cathedral. This is the parent Cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kampala, the oldest Roman Catholic diocese in Uganda. Expect to spend not less than 15 minutes.

11.30am: From Rubaga, you will drive down through the suburb of Mengo and head to Namirembe Cathedral – a dome-shaped church that was originally built in 1903 by Buganda Kingdom craftsmen as a large grass thatched cathedral that was soon burnt down/struck down by lightning. After the fire, the cathedral was replaced by the present dome-shaped structure. This church is the seat of the Church of Uganda or Anglican faith in Uganda. Expect to spend less than 15 minutes. See Kampala city from this high-point as it spreads out.

12.00 mid-day: Head to the National Mosque (Gaddafi Mosque) in Old Kampala. This is the second biggest mosque on the continent. Built with financing from Col. Muammar Gaddafi’s Government before the Arab Spring, when you climb to the top of the Minaret, you get to see the Kampala sprawling out in all directions.

12.30: From the Gaddafi mosque, drive up Makerere hill to Makerere University, Uganda’s largest and third oldest higher institution of learning first established as a technical school in 1922. In 1963, it became the University of East Africa, offering courses leading to general degrees from the University of London. It is one of the most prestigious multinational Universities in Africa. Expect to spend at least 45 minutes here.

1.15pm: Head to the Uganda Museum. The Uganda Museum is one of the Kampala attractions that displays Uganda’s cultural heritage and here you will be able to see the ethnological and natural-historical exhibitions. The museum contains other rich materials from Uganda and is a must see. Expect to spend at-least 1-2 hours at the museum. (Guests can have lunch at the Seascalop Restaurant opposite the museum or at the nearby Cassia Mall where there is a food court before continuing).

3.00pm: To the Baha’i Temple – the only one in Africa and one of only eight continental Houses of Worship around the world. It is an elegant piece of architecture with a serene and peaceful surrounding that will captivate you. Expect to spend 30 minutes here.

3.30pm: Head to the Uganda Martyrs Shrine in Namugongo. This is spot that draws millions every June 3^rd. It is where more than 20 newly converted Christians were burnt alive in 1886, following the command of Kabaka Mwanga II after refusing to renounce the white man’s religion. Majority of the martyrs were Kabaka’s pages and were sent to death for his fear of losing the throne. Expect to spend 1 hour here.

5.00pm: Your driver/guide will drop you off at a place of your choosing. This marks the end of your Kampala City Tour.

Thank you for choosing to book this tour with us and we hope to see you next time.

Your driver/guide will pick you from your Kampala hotel at 8.00am to commence your tour to Jinja.

Driving along the Kampala – Jinja highway, your first stop is the Sezzibwa Falls. This is a cultural heritage site of Buganda that is rich with traditional folklore as shall be narrated by the site guide!

Other than the cultural aspect, the falls are quite spectacular, surrounded by beautiful lush scenery. There are plenty of birds and some wildlife such as monkeys that may be sighted in the nearby forest. Spend roughly an hour exploring these serene grounds before returning to the highway.

Your next stop is Mabira Forest for an exciting nature walk. Mabira Forest is the largest natural forest in Central Uganda that extends several miles along the Kampala – Jinja highway.

Sign up at the Mabira Forest Eco Site and take to the forest trails to explore this beautiful jungle. Look out for several monkeys, birds, butterflies, small mammals such as squirrels, and a variety of tree species.

A group of Grey-cheeked Mangabeys has been habituated in this forest for which you stand a chance of encountering. After about two hours in Mabira, return to the road and drive to Jinja town.

Enjoy lunch in Jinja at the Jinja Sailing Club, after which you continue to the Source of the Nile. Take a boat ride to the exact spot where the Nile waters start to flow.

After the short boat ride to the exact place where the Nile starts, return and depart for Kampala, driving through Jinja town where you could purchase some souvenirs such as crafts.

Expect to arrive back in Kampala by 6.00pm, drop-off at the hotel.