Cultural Tours in Uganda; Uganda’s formation sorts it a flawless terminus for cultural tours. Are you planning to explore or do research about the people of Uganda? Uganda is blessed with over 50 different ethnic groups that have different practices. Cultural tours are marvellous that exhibit several encounters in some aspects. These aspects include; traditions, food, languages, people and many others.
Cultural tours convey an accurate description of the country. When you want to understand the reality of Uganda, then you should consider taking a cultural trip. In 2017, the most prominent British mainstream broadcaster BBC claimed that Ugandans were the friendliest people in the world. Then, the best way to experience the narration is to get closer on a cultural tour.
Cultural tours are another thrilling tourist encounter. However, cultural tours have not been considered independent travelling trails and instead taken as an en-route reflection on a safari to significant tourist destinations.
Discover Uganda’s secret on a cultural tour deep into Uganda’s communities. This comes beside the beautiful nature that’s accompanied by plenty of wildlife. Perusing a tailor-made cultural tour to any course and on several routes of your request is made easy through various cultural packages. Just know that cultures in Uganda keep varying from ethnicity and region.
How to experience Uganda on a cultural tour
The culture of Uganda is not hidden in any, but understanding this prestigious course means cultural encounter. These varying ethnic groups in Uganda include the indigenous group, the migrated and emerging people. The ethnicity is dominated by their traditional organisations like the Buganda, who are the dominant, Basoga, Bagisu, Banyoli, Ateso in the eastern, Lugbara, Langi, Karamajongs northern, Banyankore, Batoro, Banyoro in the western etc. The traditions are organised in Kingdoms, chiefdoms, communities and families.
Various ways are available to experience the real life of culture and even learn about their traditions and customs. Mainly we can consider three ways to experience the culture and traditions of Ugandans on a cultural tour. In these ways, we can tailor your cultural time to Uganda.
Set tourist cultural communities
Across the country, various cultural communities are set purposely for tourism. It’s important to note that these communities are living and displaying their authentic life. There is nothing stages in their real life.
The tourism development to various top tourist destinations, notably National Parks, has influenced the setting of these communities. These set cultural centres are found mainly in National Parks, in cities and towns and in various tourist destinations. When the target is to earn a living for the local people through their real life, this has been a platform for innovations and a market for various products like crafts and foodstuffs.
Among these include Batwa around Bwindi and Mgahinga National Parks, the Samia people around Mt. Elgon, the Basoga around the source of the Nile, and the Karamajongs around Kidepo Valley National Park, among many communities.
The Batwa cultural experience
One of the significant cultural centres in Uganda. The Batwa people have a very touching story concerning their communities. They are among the indigenous people in Uganda before they lived in the forests of Bwindi and Mgahinga as gathers. But when we need to conserve the forest to protect the endangered gorillas in the woods. The government forcefully evicted them without compensation, and they starved, wandered there and here and lived as squatters on the land which once belonged to them.
The program traumatised the lives of the Batwa people not until 2001 when Dr Scott and Carol Kellermann rescued the innocent. The two couples bought land and initiated several programs to uplift the lives of Batwa and uplifting their living. The saviours built clean water sources, health facilities, and education facilities. Then they formulated how the Batwa could earn from their story of life and culture.
The Batwa Developed Program (BDP) was started, managed and operated by the local Batwa people working closely with communities to ensure that the indigenous rights of the Batwa are highly observed and respected. Then the body started to display its emotional story and practices to the world at a fee to earn a living.
Today, there is both the Batwa culture experience at Bwindi and the Batwa cultural trail at Mgahinga. Visiting the Batwa communities is a route to experience their food, entertainment (songs and dances) and stories. One can also engage in daily activities like beekeeping and visiting caves, among many others.
Other most thrilling communities to visit
Include the Karamoja communities, which are visited en route to Kidepo Valley National Park. Also, Ik, these extraordinary people live in the isolated mountains of Karamoja, far northeastern Uganda. The Ik people are distinctive folks that speak Spanish-associated language and are worthy of visiting.
The Buganda cultural trail, Baganda people are Uganda’s most famous ethnic group. The people live in the central area of Uganda, Kampala being their capital. One of the places you can visit while in Kampala include the Buganda kingdom historical places, among which are Mengo palace, Bulange building, Royal Mile road, Kings Lake, Kasubi Tombs (world UNESCO site), Buddo Naggalabi coronation site.
When visiting any of the National Parks in Uganda, there are various communities that you can visit and experience their culture. These include Toro Kingdom, Bunyoro Kingdom, Amabere Ganyinamwiru, Busoga Kingdom, and diverse communities spread all over the country.
Visiting communities and towns
Then, they can reach out to free communities not set for tourists. These communities will not give their history. Instead, these communities exhibit the daily life of people. This can be done in any neighbourhood or town of your choice. Moving around with a guide is a great idea; you can interact with the locals. For example, visiting the ghetto areas of Kampala suburbs, visiting towns, markets and various societies to experience the real life of people.
Staged cultural centres
The most common in some main tourist destinations and major tourist cities and towns. Among these is the Ndere cultural centre in Kampala, Uganda Museum, and Igongo cultural centre, among others. These cultural centres are set to display a fusion of cultures of Uganda. Visiting these places gives you an image of various cultures in Uganda to their earlier time. Also, in such a set of cultural centres, they tend to prepare cultural foods in line with the story they tell, accommodation and entertainment.
Cultural tour experience
When opting to have something traditional on your trip to Uganda, We organise cultural tours, both tailor-made and our established cultural trials, that can give you the actual image of Uganda.
