Cultural Tours in Uganda
Cultural tours are amazing safari activities that you can do on a Uganda tour or trip. Uganda is home to quite many tribes and cultural communities. Apart from the country being known for its diverse wildlife and home to over half of the world’s mountain gorillas, Uganda has about 64 tribes. Uganda has a rich culture in which travelers can engage and the travelers can either do them as excursions. The hospitality and the welcoming nature have made the country to be ranked among the best destinations in the world. Travelers engage in cultural tours through storytelling, folk songs, dancing, and visiting different sites around the country. Other travelers usually engage in homestays to fully immerse themselves in Uganda’s cultural tours.
Where to do cultural tours in Uganda?
Entanda cultural community
The Entanda cultural community is located in Mityana and is 2 hours away from Kampala. The community is based on the Buganda kingdom and culture. It was started in 2013 as a form of preserving the Buganda culture and also teaching the young generation about the culture. The community traces its name from the Luganda word “Entanda” which means “the package’’ in English. In the visit to the Entanda, you will engage in different activities to fully immerse in the Buganda culture like fruit eating, planting of trees, cultural dances, sex education, honey harvesting, and many other activities.
Ewaffee cultural village
Ewaffee is a Luganda word meaning “ours’’ and the village is located in the central part of Uganda showcasing the Buganda heritage. The community is located in Mukono which is about a one-hour drive from Kampala. The village is also under the Buganda kingdom and it also preserves the Buganda. While on the visit to the village, several artifacts present the Buganda culture and traditions. During the visit to the village, there are many activities that one can engage in which include; preparation of the local meals, fruiting eating, fetching of water from wells, fishing, sugar cane hunting, and many others.
Batwa community
The Batwa community is located in southwestern Uganda in the Bwindi impenetrable national park which a home to the mountain gorillas. The Batwa are the earliest inhabitants of the Bwindi impenetrable national park living within the forests. This is one of the most visited communities in Uganda. The visit of Batwa community has a rich cultural history right away from living in the forests. The activities that travelers can engage in include; coffee tours, folk songs, storytelling, food gatherings, and many others. Also, another group of the Batwa is found in the Semuliki National Park in western Uganda.
Empaako village
The Empaako village is a cultural village found in the Fort Portal City in western Uganda. The village hosts also a world guest record for the biggest pot. In the Empako village, travelers will engage in the rich history of the Tooro kingdom. Also, the village originates its name from a Rutoro word which means the “Pet names’’ which is a sign of respect in the Tooro kingdom. These pet names have a rich historical meaning and once given a pet name, you are required to make a party for its celebrations. So travelers can engage in different activities like preparation of the local cuisines, local beer preparation, and many others.
Igongo Cultural Centre
The Igongo Cultural Center is located in western Uganda in Mbarara near the Lake Mburo National Park. The cultural center is known for the rich cultural history of the Ankole kingdom. During the visit, you will see different cultural instruments and also the activities that Banyakole usually does. Also, you will have a hike to the Eclipse monument which also has a rich history. The eclipse monument has three standing pillars that present the three kingdoms that are to say Buganda, Ankole, and Bunyoro.
Kasubi tombs
The Kasubi tombs are located within the city center of Kampala in Kasubi. The tomb also has a rich history of the Buganda kingdom. The Kasubi tombs act as a burial site for the kings and royal families of the Buganda kingdom. While in the tombs, you will be able to see the different kings of the Buganda from the beginning up to the current one.
IK community
The Ik community is found in the northern part of Uganda in the Karimajong region in the Kidepo Valley National Park. The community has an interesting rich cultural experience. The Ik community are pastoralists who live within the Kidepo Valley National Park belonging to the Nilotics. They are similar to the Turkana of Kenya. The IK live in small communities called the Bomas with their cattle. They depend much on their cattle and the products like milk, meat, and blood. While in the IK community, the travelers will engage in different activities like cultural dances, cattle rearing, craft making, and many others.
Bagisu community
The Bagisu community or the Bamasaba are natives of the Mountain Elgon in Mbale city. The Bamasaba are agriculturalists who majorly grow coffee within the Elgon ranges. While in the Masaba land, the travelers will join the community in different activities like the Akadodi which is the cultural dance of the Bagisu. The other activities are coffee tours, visits to the caves, engaging in male circumcision, and many others.
Cultural Festivals in Uganda
As you are in Uganda for the cultural tours, the cultural festivals are among the activities that travelers can participate in on the cultural tours. The cultural festivals that the travelers will immerse in include the Nyege Nyege festival which usually takes place in the months of either November or September every year in Jinja near the Nile river. Empango is the annual celebration that is held within the Tooro kingdom in Karuzika. Empango is a coronation activity that is done for the celebration of the king in the kingdom.
While on a Uganda cultural tour, there are several cultural festivals that one can participate in. Travelers can choose a day excursion to the cultural destinations, stopovers on a safari, or plan a cultural safari to Uganda for a thrilling cultural experience to Uganda.
