Red Chilli Hideaway

Red Chilli Hideaway has been hosting budget and independent travellers since 1999 and is one of the best-known backpacker bases in Kampala. For the past several years it has operated from a purpose-built home at Butabika, near Port Bell, set in five leafy acres close to the shores of Lake Victoria, just outside the busiest parts of the city. Visit Kampala describes it as popular with independent travellers, families and students.

The appeal is simple: affordable accommodation in green surroundings, with a pool and a bar where travellers swap notes, and an in-house travel team that can put you on a safari or day trip. Red Chilli is a licensed Ugandan travel and tour agent and a member of the Association of Uganda Tour Operators, and it runs scheduled and private safaris, including budget trips to Murchison Falls National Park, where it also has its own rest camp at Paraa on the southern bank of the Nile, with furnished safari tents, bandas and a campsite.

From the Kampala hideaway, the company runs a Lake Victoria sunset cruise of about two hours, a Kampala day tour, white-water rafting trips to Jinja, birdwatching at Mabamba Swamp and a day trip to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. This makes it a sensible choice if you have a few days in Kampala and want to combine city sightseeing with day trips at a backpacker budget.

Because it is outside the centre, you will need a taxi, boda boda or the company's tours to reach the main sights, and you should allow time for traffic. The setting is quieter than a city-centre hostel, and the grounds are a pleasant place to rest between trips. Rooms and options vary, so check the website or contact reservations for current room types before you book.

The hideaway suits backpackers, overlanders, students, volunteers and families on a budget, and anyone joining one of Red Chilli's safaris. The company says it has looked after more than 25,000 travellers. Book ahead in busy seasons, especially if you want a private room or a place on a scheduled safari. Contact the team by phone or through the reservations email.