Ndere Cultural Centre

Ndere Cultural Centre is the base of the Ndere Troupe, the dance and music company founded in 1984 by Dr Stephen Rwangyezi. The centre sits on nine acres of landscaped gardens in Ntinda, north-east of the city centre, with buildings inspired by indigenous architecture and several outdoor performance spaces, including the Joy Arena and the Cave Arena. For a visitor short of time, an evening here is the most direct way to see dances and hear instruments from many of Uganda's regions in one place.

The main tourist evening is the Sherehe Show on Wednesdays from 19:00 to 22:00, a celebration of African culture through dance and poetry with an optional dinner. The programme includes Bakisimba, the celebrated Buganda dance, alongside Amagunju, Tamena, Olunyege, Ekitagururo, Ekalu, Adungu, Larakaraka and Amatimbo, so you move quickly between very different traditions. On Sundays, Katika Sundays runs from 18:00 to 21:00 as a family show of dance and drama with a Ugandan barbecue buffet. Ndere Friday, from 19:00 to 22:00, is a party night with popular music and snacks rather than a traditional performance.

If you want to take part rather than watch, the troupe's professional performers teach dance and music classes on Saturdays from 09:00 to 16:00. The troupe also performs abroad; in 2026 it ran workshops at the DanceAfrica celebrations at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York.

Book ahead, especially for groups, through the reservations line or email. Ndere holds reservations for only 15 minutes after a show starts, so allow plenty of time for evening traffic in Ntinda. Several of the venues are outdoors, so bring a light layer for cooler evenings. The Sunday show is the obvious choice for families with children, while the Wednesday show suits first-time visitors who want the widest range of dances.

The centre also has accommodation with breakfast included, a gift shop, a convenience store and safe parking, which makes it a practical base on the north-eastern side of the city. The Baha'i Temple on Kikaaya Hill and the Namugongo shrines are both within reach for a daytime visit before an evening show.