Escape winter in the northern hemisphere and head for the tropics!
Our green and pleasant gardens and home offer comfy and friendly accommodation for the adventurous that come to Uganda to work or volunteer. We welcome locals and visitors that need a place to stay. At Makindye House you can rest, cook your own food and meet others of the same mind. You will feel safe in a compound that is guarded 24 hours and always open to your needs. We try to keep our charges low. This however does not mean that the standard of accommodation is low. Just look at the photos and our many excellent reviews! Five excellent, long-serving staff are employed to clean rooms, wash dishes, wash and iron clothes daily and provide 24 hour security.
“Hey everyone, this place is a dream! Beautiful location, friendly environment, fair prices. Every detail of our stay was pleasant. This is my go-to place to stay in Kampala!”
Jessica, January 2022
The space
Claire and Christopher write: Makindye House is a large, comfortable shared guesthouse in a quiet Kampala suburb. We are looking forward to hosting you in our own tropical paradise.
We have nine rooms in Makindye House and Makindye House Annexe.
Makindye House has five bedrooms which can be booked individually: two double rooms and two single rooms, sharing two bathrooms. In addition, the house has a large family room with a single bedroom attached; these two rooms share an en suite bathroom.
Makindye Annexe is in the same compound as the main Makindye House, just a few metres away. The Annexe has four bedrooms which can be booked individually: a large double room and three single rooms. All four bedrooms share the same shower room and toilet.
Shared guest facilities
Guests share the same compound and mature gardens. Free, secure parking is available.
Other than the bedrooms and private bathrooms, all areas of the guesthouse are communal spaces and available for you to enjoy, especially the lovely quiet area on the veranda. We also have a DVD player and hundreds of films and TV series to choose from. We have a small kitchen garden, which provides guests with fresh salad, tomatoes and beans. When in season, garden produce is free to guests.
“My friend Matthew and I really enjoyed our short stay at Claire’s house. It is an oasis of calm away from the bustle of the city center. I am already looking forward in booking my next stay when I am coming back to Kampala. Looking forward to meeting other interesting people and fun.”
Tobias, February 2022
Most of our guests come from Europe and the US and include medical students, development workers, development studies students, doctors, volunteers, freelancers, journalists, and tourists. Makindye House is a home away from home for our many young visitors and a secure environment for new visitors to Kampala. Guesthouse visitors often socialise together or just hang out on the balcony chilling and chatting.
Makindye Hill neighbourhood
Makindye is one of the most pleasant areas of Kampala. It is safe, quiet, people are friendly and there are plenty of places to eat within a short ride or drive from the house.
If you walk just a few metres up the hill you will get wonderful views of Kampala city below. If you are a runner, you can enjoy a morning or evening run around the hill. Makindye Hill is a quiet neighbourhood of marram roads, tall trees, birds (and the occasional monkey!)
We are within walking distance of three swimming pools. The Makindye Country Club or MCC has a pool, squash and tennis courts, gym and a restaurant. If you are a tennis player, please pack your trainers, we have spare rackets you can borrow. You can get a short-term membership at MCC. Latitude Zero Hotel is 150m further up Makindye Hill and is probably the most beautiful hotel in Kampala. It has spectacular views over Lake Victoria and Kampala. You can use the pool for a daily guest fee. The third pool is at Locus Hotel (formerly Bromelia) on Kizungu Road.
“Lovely space on Makindye Hill away from hustle and bustle of Kampala. Clean and simple accommodation, with very well equipped kitchen. Lovely staff who were helpful and friendly. Also met some very nice people during my stay. Highly recommend!”
Charlie, March 2019
Makindye trading centre (near Makindye Courts)
Makindye House is a 10 minute walk from the market, free wifi, shops, public transport. Coffee at Last is opposite the Makindye County Club. It has free WiFi, great brownies and takeaway meals.
Transport from Makindye House
At the stage you can get a “taxi” (small minibus or matatu) into town very cheaply. The main problem with the taxi is that, depending on the time of day, traffic can be bad, and cars move very slowly.
Most of our guests use “boda bodas” which are small 100cc motorbikes that can bypass the traffic jams and get you to your destination far more quickly. (The standard of driving varies a lot however and not all bodas are safe). Makindye House has a list of reliable boda drivers and mobile numbers that you can call. We also have a number of motorbike helmets, which we strongly advise you to use. We also have a list of “Safe Boda” drivers who will pick you up at the house. Uber drivers can find Makindye House easily.
What guests say about Makindye House
“Me and my 2 children had a great stay at Makindye House. The house is well equipped, cosy, clean and feels safe. There is always company, which is really nice. The garden is lovely. You can find shops, coffee bar, transport etc nearby. The house is located near the city center, though it is quiet. Easily accessible from the airport.”
Caroline, December 2019
“Claire’s was the ideal “home away from home” in Kampala. I felt immediately welcome, comfortable and safe. Features I especially appreciated included the large, well-equipped kitchen with my own food storage space, fresh avocadoes and greens from Claire’s garden, the friendly and helpful staff who took care of tasks like washing dishes and clothing and the relaxing garden space outside with large porch, chairs, table – and even a hammock. Claire and her daughter are great hosts – I hope to be back!”
Anne, February 2019
How to book
Please message Claire through Airbnb to find out about availability and she will get back to you and let you know which rooms are available for the dates that you have requested. Our eight rooms are under two listings on Airbnb: Makindye House and Makindye House Annexe.
Makindye House Annexe. Plot 182 Mobutu Road, – Bungalows for Rent in Kampala, Central Region, Uganda
Making an enquiry? If you call any businesses listed in this Travel Directory, please mention Diary of a Muzungu sent you.
