Vuelo + Estadia de
noches Hotel
estrellas en habitación doble, es de
Nota
Estos valores representan solo una estimativa de los costos para viajes a partir de Santiago de Chile, comprados en
2014-09-14 y con fecha de partida el día
2014-11-07 y de regreso el día 2014-11-21 . Estos valores se refieren a las mejores opciones de calidad y precio según los parámetros de selección de Bananatrips. Los precios pueden haber cambiado desde la fecha de publicación y dependerán también de las fechas específicas de reserva. El éxito para la obtención de buenos precios, reside en la antecedencia de la reserva. Para valores específicos en otras fechas, por favor PIDANOS UNA BÚSQUEDA ANTES DE EFECTUAR SU RESERVA.
Kampala is the capital city of Uganda and is in the South Central part close to the shores of Lake Victoria.
Understand
The people of Kampala, and Ugandans in general, are very kind and friendly and are very approachable.
Kampala, with a population of approximately 2.5 million, is by far the largest city in Uganda. It is not yet completely overwhelmed with traffic and sprawl like Nairobi and Lagos. Additionally, Kampala is very safe to walk around, even at night, a welcome fact for many a high-strung visitor arriving from Nairobi.
Uganda, as the recipient of massive amounts of Western aid money, hosts large numbers of Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs). Most of those NGOs are based in Kampala, so there is an established expat scene in the city.
How to Get in
When coming to Kampala by air, you will actually arrive in the city of Entebbe, 35km (22 mi) southwest of Kampala.
Entebbe Airport
Typically you will be required to pay USD100 or EUR80 for the entry visa, so have the money ready in cash (USD or EUR) to pay at passport control - they do not accept credit cards. In any case check whether a visa is required before arrival for your specific nationality. Normally you will need to show international vaccination certificate for Yellow Fever, however the rule is not applied strictly.
You can get from Entebbe to Kampala: via scheduled airport shuttle service - Airport Express (UGX30,000 one way). The shuttle drops you off at Garden City Shopping Mall, centrally located in Kampala. You can catch a taxi ride from the mall at any time or arrange to be picked up. The shuttle staff will also arrange a door-to-door service for you. Bookings can be made online at the entebbeairportexpress website.
Via taxi (approx UGX70,000 one way, any more is excessive)
Minibus (approx UGX2,500 one way)
Hotel shuttle (e.g. if you have a reservation with Sheraton ask for their shuttle - UGX39,000 added to your hotel bill, for one way trip if shared -chances are very high there are other hotel guests arriving on your flight).
How to Get around
There are three methods of public transportation: boda bodas, matatu, and special hires. The fastest method is the boda bodas; motorcycles that you see all over the city. You won't be in Kampala long before being propositioned by a Boda driver. If you're not interested, a simple 'no' will get them to leave you alone. Men usually ride facing forward while women are expected to ride side saddle; very risky. Females can get away with riding facing the front, but may be accused of riding "like a man," though the locals are fairly understanding of female tourists doing this.
Boda Bodas are extremely dangerous as their drivers will do whatever it takes to get you to your destination quickly. Expect to dart in front of and against traffic and even though crowds of pedestrains when necessary. Boda boda accidents account for most of the hospital visits and traffic fatalities in Kampala; you have been warned! There are many boda boda's in Kampala, most of which are not in excellent shape. They are known as one of the most dangerous ways to go around the city.
Boda Bodas
Boda bodas got their name from the bicycle taxis that operated at some of the busy border crossing points. Buses had to discharge their passengers at the exit border control, who then had to walk to the entry border control. The distance across no man's land at some borders can be considerable. Hence the bicycle taxis would cry "boda boda" ("border to border") to the weary travellers. These bicycle taxis can still be found in most smaller Ugandan towns, however, in Kampala they have been replaced by motorcycles. Boda bodas charge 3000 to 5000 UGX for trips within Kampala (foreigner price; correct at July 2011). It is almost impossible to get anywhere for under 2000 UGX, and longer trips may run you up to 7000 UGX. Make sure to agree on the fare before the ride begins.
Matatus are a series of minibuses that follow relatively preset routes all over the city and many other parts of the country. Confusingly, they are known as taxis in Uganda. Each matatu has a driver and a conductor, both of whom will shout the destinations of their vehicle out the windows. Don't be frightened if you can't understand what they're saying. Ask one of them for your destination and you'll be told yes or no. When you get in, expect to be squeezed. Each vehicle is licensed to carry 14 people, but they will pack in as many will fit (and their belongings). Sometimes when the vehicle gets to full, the conductor will tie the luggage onto the roof of the matatu. If you don't like this it's a good idea to sit in the back of the vehicle, since usually the squeezing is limited to the first 2 rows. When you reach your destination, tell your conductor "Stage" and they will stop the van. There are also a number of staging points where the driver will stop and wait until they can fill the vehicle. This can take a few seconds or several minutes; just be patient. You pay the conductor when you exit, although some people give the conductor money while the vehicle is moving so that he can make change ahead of time. The normal fare is 1000-1500 UGX per person when driving into the city (correct at July 2011).
If you aren't up for the thrill of the bodas and don't have time for a matatu, taxis, also called special hires, are readily available at most central locations. A few taxis have meters, but most have not. Be sure to agree on the fare before you get in the car or you may be in for a nasty shock. Don't be afraid to haggle either; most destinations can be reached for 15,000 or 20,000 USh.
Yellow taxi company is reliable, offering 24 hour service, phone 07131 33331, with fixed prices: 10,000UGX for trips within Kampala; 60,000UGX for trips to/from the airport. Prices correct at Dec2010. They also have an allocated single taxi rank space outside Nakumat.
