Kalangala Town

Kalangala is on the northern beach of Bugala Island, which constitutes the bulk (68.5 percent) of the land mass of Kalangala District.

Location

Kalangala Town is located  on the northern shores of Bugala Island.  Bugala Island is the largest island in the Ssese Islands archipelago. The town is the administrative centre of Kalagala District.

History of Kalangala

Kalangala District was made a district in 1989, having been a sub-district of Masaka District. The district was fully decentralised in 1996 and has since registered political stability and advancement, with the three C’s (Consultation, Coordination and Communication) as the districtvalues and the cores of service delivery.

People of Kalangala

The people from these Islands are primarily fishermen but they are also engaged  in farming of  coffee, cassava, potatoes, bananas and yams

The Climate of Kalangala

Rainfall: Kalangala District’s mean annual rainfall ranges from 1,125 to 2,250mm; the mean monthly rainfall is 140mm. The rainfall peaks are from March-May and October-November (rainy season).

Sunshine and Radiation: The average sunshine is 6.1hrs per day. The maximum sunshine per day is 7.3 hrs and minimum sunshine per day is 5.8 hrs, which explains the average hours of sunshine per day. The total sunshine per annum is 2200 hrs. Radiation is 450 calories per centimeter squared per day (450 cal/cm² per day).

Temperature: The mean annual maximum temperature ranges from 25.0⁰C – 27.5⁰C and the mean annual minimum temperature ranges from 17.5⁰C – 18.0⁰C.

Humidity: There is considerably high rate of evaporation over the surface of Lake Victoria, estimated to be 3-5 mm per day (an average of about 120mm per month and 1460mm per annum). Since the prevailing winds drift across the lake through all the year from east to west, the climate around the islands is greatly conditioned. The mean annual vapour pressure is 20.5 mill-bars.

Attractions in Kalangala

• Bird watching trips
• Swimming
• canoe and boat cruises
• guided walks around the island
• Nature walks
• Forest Reserves: Kalangala also has a special forest from which Ddamula, an administrative mace and symbol of authority in Buganda is cut.
• The Mapeera Landmark, a site where the first set of Roman Catholic missionaries first set foot on the Ugandan soil. This land mark is located at Bugoma in Mugoye Sub County in Kalangala district.
• Fort John Speke monument on Bugala Island is another place to visit.
• Nanziri waterfalls on Bukasa Island.
• Beaches
• Fishing and landing sites
• Palm oil growing
• Caves: There are caves on the different islands with Kalaya and Banga caves being the most outstanding ones.

Wildlife

Animals on these Islands include, monkeys, hippos, crocodiles

Points of interest

The following points of interest lie within the town limits or close to the edges of town:

• Kalangala Information Center
• Kalangala central market
• offices of Kalangala Town Council

How to get to Kalangala

The best means of transport to reach the Kalangala is by the MV Kalangala ferry. The ferry connects from Nakiwogo Port in Entebbe to the Lutoboka port, on Bugala Island. It leaves Entebbe at 14:00 and departs from Kalangala at 08:00 daily.  Alternatively you can  travel to the Island through Masaka Town.

Sources

• Wikipedia