Five Quirky Things to do in Uganda

May 8, 2014 - 7 minutes read

In addition to gorillas, big game and incredible scenery, Adventure Consults can also show you the eccentric side of Uganda. Below are our top five quirky adventures:

1. Hang Ten at Aero Beach
Normally mild mannered Lake Victoria rocks on weekends as thousands of young Ugandans flock to Entebbe’s boisterous beach clubs. Several private strands hug the lakeshore off Airport Road near the end of the Entebbe Airport runway including the ultra-popular Aero Beach Club. In addition to swimming and boating, the club features sandy football (soccer) and beach volleyball, outdoor barbecue stalls and a ship-shaped bar and restaurant called the Titanic, DJs blasting reggae tunes from giant speakers, and even camel rides. Scattered around the grounds are painted plaster statues of African animals and famous personages like Nelson Mandela, Queen Elizabeth and President Museveni. But Aero’s weirdest attraction is the rusty hulks of two old jetliners – a Boeing 707 that once belonged to British Airways and a Caravelle that once flew for Alitalia. How they got stranded in Entebbe is anyone’s guess, but visitors are free to scramble through, over and beneath the vintage aircraft.

2. Zip Around Kampala on a Boda Boda
Anyone who’s already been to Kampala knows how bad the traffic gets . . . and how frustrating it can be stuck in bumper-to-bumper while motorcycle taxis are zipping past like some African version of the X Games. Called boda bodas because they were originally used to transport people back and forth across the Uganda-Kenya border (boda), moto-taxis are the fastest and most efficient way to get around Kampala, as well as a brand new way to tour the metropolis. Walter’s (www.walterstours.com) is one of several local outfitters offering boda boda tours. It’s really quite simple: they provide the motorbike, driver and helmets. You just sit back an enjoy the show, a three-to-six hour cruise around the capital including all of the top sights – the royal tombs and palace, Gadaffi Mosque and the Baha’i Temple, local craft markets and art galleries. And an adrenalin rush to boot. In the words of Walter, touring Kampala by boda boda is “better than a roller coaster or any wild ride you have been on.”

3. Browse a Local Boot Sale
Another way that Ugandans spend their weekends is tracking down and browsing car boot (trunk) sales. In addition to a means of buying or selling a wide variety of already used items, boot sales are one of the nation’s primary ways of raising money for charity by means of charging a small entrance fee. But you get a lot for your money, not just the chance to buy clothing, electronics, handicrafts and but also local food and drink. Many of the sales offer live entertainment and raffles with prizes. They’re also great for people watching. One of the biggest events is the Bank of Africa Sickle Cell Boot Sale on the grounds of Legends Rugby Club, an annual event attended by thousands of people. But there’s something on nearly every weekend. Check the Uganda Observer newspaper for notices or ask your hotel concierge to locate a local boot sale.

4. Ponder Human Suffering at Idi Amin’s Torture Chamber
Almost untouched since they were last used to incarcerate political prisoners, five dark prison cells fill an underground bunker on the grounds of Kampala’s Lubiri Palace. Infamous dictator Idi Amin had the complex constructed as an armory, but realized it was even better for detaining and torturing anyone opposed to his regime. The system was incredibly evil and ingeniously simple: fill the hallway with about a foot of water, electrify the liquid with a live wire, and when the cells got too crowded push the overflow prisoners into the flooded hallway. It’s estimated that around 9,000 people perished this way during the last five years of Amin’s rule. In order to view the chamber, you’ll need to hire a guide at the palace entrance and ask specifically to see Amin’s bunker after the palace tour concludes. It’s a sort walk downhill through farm fields tended by the current palace guards and their families.

5. Sleep in the Sky Tree House
Tarzan and Jane never had it so good: the tree house at Primate Lodge in Kibale National Park. Bunkbed, mossie nets, a drop-dead gorgeous view and even your own loo. Located about 10 minute’s walk from the main lodge, the tree house overlooks a wallow and grassy open space that forest elephants, buffalo, bush pigs and other creatures often visit at night. With 13 species of primate, Kibale is also one of the best places in Africa to view monkeys and apes. The local bird life is also to die for – 325 avian species including the African Gray Parrot. But the chance to spend the night alone in the Uganda wilderness is the most compelling reason to stay here. Lay back, close your eyes and let the sound of the African bush lull you to sleep.

All of these offbeat Uganda adventures except the boda boda tour are available through Adventure Consults — www.adventureconsults.com

Tags: Aero Beach, Fun things to do, Gorillas, Idi Amin, Kibale Forest, Premier Safaris, Safaris in Uganda, Uganda