Uganda, Africa: Something special, something like home

By Danielle Nierenberg and Bernard Pollack, Borderjumpers

On our most recent journey in Africa, we discovered another wonderful secret:  Kampala, Uganda is one of the most culturally alive, vibrant, and friendly stops in Eastern Africa. Most travelers planning an Africa vacation flock to the more popular and nearby Kenya and Tanzania, but we’ve found there’s something really special to be seen and felt in the sometimes misunderstood country of Uganda.

If you’re planning a trip to Africa, stop in Uganda to experience one of Africa’s friendliest regions.

Here’s our top must-do tips to make the most of your journey

• Stay at the Aponye Hotel, right in the city center. The rooms are very affordable ($35USD for a double room), with hot water, TV, air-conditioning, and even free Wi-Fi. The hotel is in easy walking distance to markets, ATMs, restaurants, bars, the post office, internet cafes, and more.
• Enjoy whitewater rafting at the source of the Nile. The company Adrift runs safe and affordable excursions for daredevils and families alike. In addition to rafting, they offer “family floats,” jet boating, and bungee jumping. They also arrange pick-up/drop-off from Kampala.
• Eat at the Haandi (Indian) and Fang Fang (Chinese) restaurants, two affordable restaurants we loved in Kampala.
• Spend a day lounging out at Lake Victoria, the largest of all African lakes. Expensive hostels in Entebe (short drive from Kampala) will allow you to use the facilities on their property for a small fee (in our case $5USD pp/all day including access to the swimming pool and fitness facilities).
• Go on safari with Gorilla Trekking. You spent all that money to get to East Africa, so why not splurge on a gorilla safari, aka “gorilla trekking” (about $350USD pp)? While we weren’t able to make the trip, everyone we met who went said it was an experience they will never forget.
• Visit the Kampala mall for great Karaoke most nights, as well as  “Bhangra” dancing nights. (Yep, even Bernie performed a show-stopping rendition of “Mr. Jones” by the Counting Crows).
• Visit Bubbles O’Learys, our favorite bar and a great place to meet locals and expats alike, especially on trivia night. (Also offers free WiFi).

Growing food, growing lives

Danielle with children at Uganda's Sunrise preschool

During our visit to Uganda, and as part of our research for the Worldwatch Institute’s Nourishing the Planet project, we spent time with Edward Mukiibi and Roger Serunjogi, coordinators of the Developing Innovations in School Cultivation (DISC) project. Both Eddie and Roger are in their early twenties and started the project as a way to teach  school children about food traditions, nutrition, and the environment. They’ve established gardens in more than a dozen schools outside of Kampala.

We visited several schools with them, including a preschool called Sunrise, where theywere teaching children how to grow amaranth, spiderweed, and other indigenous vegetables.

“If a person doesn’t know how to cook or prepare food, they don’t know how to eat,” says Edward. The kids at Sunrise — and the other schools working with DISC — know how to grow, prepare, and eat food, as well as the nutritional content of what they’re eating. As a result, these students are excited about farming and no longer see agriculture as an option of last resort, but rather as a way to make money, help their communities, and preserve biodiversity.

We had the chance to try a lot of these local foods including fresh avocado, a local staple called posho (or maize flower), matooke (or banana), rice, and cassava. Eddie and Roger had us try a dipping sauce made of ground nuts and tomatoes cooked in a covered-box sauce pan.

Beyond our delight in Uganda’s local foods, we discovered a beautiful region full of adventurous activities,  friendly people, and a warmth that made us feel very much at home.Related resources:

• Africa travel
• Africa hotels and packages
• Kampala Serena Hotel
• Delta Air Lines
• United Airlines

BorderJumpers Danielle Nierenberg and Bernard Pollack will be blogging here as part of a weekly series documenting their travels around the world. In every country starting with Africa,  they’re highlighting innovations working to alleviate hunger and poverty.

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