Traditional medicine is a vital part of the health system in Uganda. The collaboration between traditional health practitioners and medical doctors is a relationship that tells a unique story of the local culture and history.

We begin our Kampala tour with a walk to Katwe, meeting and chatting with locals along the way. We’ll pay a visit to a local blacksmith to see his traditional household wares, before driving to explore the Nakasero and Owino markets and Old Taxi Park.

From there, we’ll meet a member of THETA, an NGO that focuses on collaborative health between traditional and biomedical health systems. They will be our guide as we visit three traditional health practitioners: an herbalist, a spiritualist, and a traditional birth attendant. At each location, we’ll get a demonstration of their practice and have the opportunity to learn about how it works. These visits will provide valuable insight into the relationship of traditional medicine with modern hospitals and doctors in Kampala.

Now, it’s time to take a look back in time to understand how these traditional customs developed into modern practices. The formation of the Buganda Kingdom is such a vital part of Uganda’s history that its name provided the basis for the local language, customs, and country itself – Luganda, Kiganda, and indeed, Uganda. Our first stop in this interactive Buganda history lesson will be to the majestic Kabaka’s Palace and manmade Kabaka’s Lake atop Mengo Hill. We’ll also be sure to check out the Buganda Parliament and Court of Justice to round out our exploration of the country’s oldest kingdom.

Our Kampala tour ends at one of the holiest sites in Uganda. A gift to the Muslim population from Muammar Gaddafi of Libya, the Uganda National Mosque is the city’s only skyscraper mosque, seating an impressive 15,000 worshippers – and accommodating over 200,000 during holy events like Eid.