Growing up in Kampala, Uganda in a suburb of Ggaba for over twenty years, I have a vivid tour guide picture for Ggaba, The lake Victoria boat ride experience, the fish, the best lake view sites and best times for the view, the adventures, the structures, the DOs and DON’Ts and definitely the people. Visiting Ggaba for the first time with a guide can be epic and an adventure worthy your memory.
Visiting Ggaba for the First Time
So if you are visiting Ggaba for the first time, here is a complete guide to everything you need to know in advance.
The location of Ggaba
Ggaba is located on the southern tip of Uganda’s Capital City –Kampala, at the distance of 11KM (6.8Miles) from the City Centre. Getting to Ggaba using a vehicle from the City Centre would take you approximately 30Minutes depending your speed and the traffic.
Getting acquainted with Ggaba
When you finally get to Ggaba, don’t be deceived by the noise and the busy trading centre of the stage area, because that is not it all. Be sure to take and taste the roadside snacks and merchandise, It’s all pocket friendly and worth the experience. –Taste the Ugandan Rolex, the roasted maize, plantains, chips and different fries.
At the junction at the stage area, make it your adventure starting point. The native languages used here are many, but stick to English if you want to get something fast and exact; when you greet or ask someone for any kind of assistance.
The lake view
The lake view and the lake experience draw a number of tourists every day to Ggaba, it’s undeniably one the best views around the area and to top on that, the breeze from the lake is a treasure. The best places to have the perfect lake view with a breeze are; the priors at the landing site, KK Beach Resort, Ggaba Beach Hotel, Ggaba Beach house and National Water and Sewage Corporation plant. So if you visit, be sure to feel the breeze in the sight of the lake.
If you are into the sunrise sceneries, Ggaba lake view is one of the places to be at sunrise to have a glimpse of this, I already shared in a post here –Ggaba at sunrise.
Restaurants and Food points
There are a variety of restaurants and food points ranging from high-class restaurants (food prices range from Ug Shs. 20,000 and above) Middle class restaurants (food price range from UgShs. 5,000 and above) and ‘Kafunda’ food points (food prices are below UgShs. 5,000). The quality of the services of each varies respectively, though the food is more less the same. Choose what suits you while looking at your visit budget.
Besides the local foods and other dishes you should try/eat the fried fish at the landing site fried fish’s point or at the any of the resorts/beaches. Your Ggaba experience can’t be complete without tasting the fried fish.
Accommodation, Resorts and Recreations
When it comes to accommodation, Ggaba has two types of accommodation facilities for tourists –hotels and lodges, depending on your financial plan, choose accordingly.
There are three Beach resorts and recreation centres in Ggaba; K.K Beach resort, Ggaba Beach and the Beach house. If you enjoy a youthful environment with loud music next to the beach, a good swim and bit crowded then you should try K.K Beach. Though if you enjoy a classy environment, awesome lake view scenery and you aren’t into swimming then opt for Ggaba Beach Hotel. If you enjoy silence and nature in one place, a dock to sit on as you do your fishing in the evening then the beach is the place for you.
The Boat Ride Experience
Whether at the landing site or at any of the beaches I mentioned above, you have to do the boat ride, you can’t afford to miss out on the boat ride experience –the sound of the engine, the water waves, the breeze and definitely the view of the horizon while on a boat. Though if you have a phobia of water and boat rides, be sure to ask for a life-jacket as you board.
Churches and the Mosque
If you come to visit on a Sunday and you want to attend a church fellowship before your adventure, well you can pass by; the Non-Denominational Evangelical church –Gaba Community Church or the Catholic’s church –St. Kaloli Lwanga or the protestant church –St. John Baptist Church. If you are a Moslem, there is a mosque for you as well.
The DONTs
While at the landing site; don’t swim at the landing site, don’t play in the water at the landing site. It’s a busy place and a public place –boats are arriving and departing and different businesses are going on. Swimming is prohibited at the landing site only, though elsewhere swimming is at your own risk.
Have a good tour when you visit.
Joel Jemba 
Great piece. Thanks.
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