Makerere hill is one of the seven major hills on which Kampala was initially built. The hill is located in Kawempe division of Kampala north of Kampala’s central business district (2.5km) by road.

Like all the other major hills the hill is occupied by an educational institution an important landmark to the people of Uganda. On top of these hills seats the “spring of Knowledge” or as was popularly known in the earlier days the hill of the learned.” The main campus the Makerere University, the first and the best university – which has produced some of Africa’s best leaders like President Benjamin Mkapa, Julius Nyerere, Mwai Kibaki, Joseph Kabila, Julius Nyerere, writers like Ali Muzrui, Peter Nazareth, Mahmood Mamdani, Paul Theroux, Yasmin Alibhai Brown, Ngugi was Thiongo, John Ruganda, David Rubadiri among others and other important personalities like Amama MBabazi, Janet Museveni among others.

The university which was founded in 1922 can be accessed via the main gate on Makerere hill road 200m west of Wandegeya traffic lights on Bombo road. The land on which the university sits today can and its existence is attributed to Nsibirwa the then Katikiro of Buganda who convince the Lukiiko (Buganda parliament) amidst a lot of resistance to give the land to the colonial government. The land was handed to them. He was an advocate for education Inspite of the fact that he got non himself was later assassinated at the entrance of Namirembe cathedral where he was buried.  Today a university hall is named after him due to his contribution. The university was first established as a technical institute and later became the University of East africa.  In 1963 Makerere university became the university of East Africa with degrees that add up to a degree in the university of London and its students were considered as graduates of the British institution in 1970 Makerere university became an independent university of the republic of Uganda.

Legends say, that one day, one of the royals of Buganda had a night out with a concubine on the current Makerere hill and forgot to get back to the palace before dawn. Upon his realization that it was dawn and he was still with her it is alleged that he exclaim “Ganno Makerere”, (it had dawned on me) thus the name Makerere was unto the hill

The 300 acres made up of some spacious green grounds posses an aurora academic refinement at odds with the hustle and bustle of Kampala down town. The drudgery and best university library has an extensive Africana section that would be incredible to check out as well as countless resourceful books and reading space for those looking to read and research. The Makerere university bookshop stocks an ample selection of local and international interest academic works, and the Magret Trowel School of Industrial and fine art gallery is something you have to check out. Ohm did I mention to you that is one of the top birding destinations in the city. Numerous monuments and historical landmarks of great value are some of the attraction you will catch here. Plus the vervet monkeys that are friendly are popular visitors in some parts of the university.

While the older buildings – in particular, the main hall or main building with its handsome bell tower – will be of interest to students of colonial architecture. Students of contemporary architecture can also learn a thing or two, mainly the sort of thing they can expect to get away with these days from recent additions to the campus. The six university residential hall provides accommodation to the students. There are three female halls namely Mary Stuart, Complex and Africa, and six male halls Mitchell Livingstone, Lumumba Nsibirwa and university hall. However, due to the growing population could not keep up. The surrounding areas of Mulago, Kikoni, Bwaise and wandegeya have lots of hostels cropping up for students accommodation

The nearby wandegeya found at the base of the hill is a lively shopping centre that never goes to sleep with wild parties drinking numerous restaurants that go 24 hours. The young and vibrant university students that are regulars of the place catalyze the carousing