Namugongo Pilgrimage Planning Starts With Where Your Church Group Sleeps on 2 June

The Namugongo pilgrimage is the journey Christians make each year to the Uganda Martyrs shrines at Namugongo, about 11 to 16 km east of central Kampala, for Martyrs Day on 3 June. Church groups travelling from abroad should plan to arrive by 1 June, book rooms early and organise their own transport to the shrine.

For a group leader, the hard part is not the faith or the liturgy. It is getting thirty people from Entebbe to a field shared with hundreds of thousands of pilgrims, keeping everyone together, and getting them back to a bed. This guide covers the history, what 2026 taught organisers, a day-by-day plan, costs to budget for, and how to add a safari afterwards.

Photo by Keith Kasaija on Unsplash

What Happens at Namugongo on Martyrs Day?

A Namugongo pilgrimage ends at open-air Catholic and Anglican services honouring the Uganda Martyrs, attended by pilgrims from across Uganda and much of Africa. Crowds gather overnight, gates open before dawn, and the main Mass runs through the morning.

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The martyrs were young pages and royal servants at the court of Kabaka Mwanga II of Buganda who refused to renounce Christianity. The best-known, Charles Lwanga, was burned at Namugongo on 3 June 1886, which is why the feast falls on that date. Pope Paul VI canonised the 22 Catholic martyrs in 1964 and then visited Namugongo in 1969, the first reigning pope to come to sub-Saharan Africa. John Paul II followed in 1993 and Pope Francis celebrated Mass there in 2015.

For each Namugongo pilgrimage, a different Catholic diocese leads, or animates, the national liturgy; Kasese Diocese was given the role for 2026. The Church of Uganda runs its own celebration at the Anglican site on the same day. Your group will usually attend one service, so decide early which, and make sure your local parish or diocese contact knows you are coming.

The Catholic Basilica, the Anglican Shrine and the Martyrs’ Lake

The Catholic Basilica is shaped like a traditional African hut and stands on 22 copper pillars, one for each Catholic martyr. It was opened on 3 June 1975 and declared a minor basilica in 1993. Below it lies the martyrs’ lake, a pond rebuilt with spring water, where many pilgrims collect water to take home.

The Anglican shrine marks the place where a group of martyrs was burned and buried. Its Uganda Martyrs Museum opened in 2015 and shows replicas of the prison, the executioners’ post and the fireplace. Reported entry has been around UGX 10,000 for adults, with weekday opening, so a quiet visit before or after the feast is a good part of any Namugongo pilgrimage for groups who want time to reflect.

Is the Namugongo Pilgrimage Going Ahead, and What Did 2026 Teach Organisers?

The Namugongo pilgrimage normally happens every year, but 2026 showed it can change at short notice. In May 2026 the national celebrations were postponed because of Ebola concerns, and the Catholic bishops asked the faithful to celebrate in their parishes.

According to Vatican News coverage of the 2026 postponement, some foot pilgrims had already set out when the decision came. The World Health Organization declared Uganda’s outbreak over in late August 2026. Even so, the US Embassy health alert of 28 October 2026 reports that screening and a passenger locator form were reintroduced for arrivals after cases in the region, and that the Uganda-DRC border remained closed.

None of this means a June Namugongo pilgrimage is off, but it does change how a group should book. Check your own government’s travel advice before you commit, choose flights and hotels with clear change terms, and make sure every traveller has cover through travel insurance that includes cancellation. We would rather tell a church committee this now than in May.

How Should a Church Group Plan the Days Around 3 June?

A church group should plan five to six days in Uganda for a Namugongo pilgrimage: arrive two or three days early, visit Munyonyo first, move close to Namugongo on 2 June, attend the feast on 3 June and keep a rest day after.

The table below is the Namugongo pilgrimage shape we suggest for a first group. It leaves room for the long hours on the feast day and for the traffic, which is the one thing every returning pilgrim warns about.

Start at the Munyonyo Martyrs Shrine

The Munyonyo Martyrs Shrine stands on the shore of Lake Victoria in south Kampala, where the martyrs were first sentenced and some were killed. Many foot pilgrims begin their Namugongo pilgrimage at Munyonyo, so visiting it first gives your group the story in its true order.

Photo by Robin Kutesa on Unsplash

Munyonyo is far calmer than the Namugongo pilgrimage grounds in the days before the feast, which makes it the better place for a group Mass, a talk by your chaplain, or simply time by the water.

Namugongo Pilgrimage Day Itself

On 3 June, leave your hotel in the dark, carry water, a folding stool, a rain jacket and a phone power bank, and agree a meeting point that does not depend on mobile signal. Expect to walk the last stretch, since vehicles are kept back from the shrines. Plan to stay together until the main service ends rather than splitting up for the lake.

Where Should Pilgrim Groups Stay, and How Do You Reach the Shrines?

Groups on a Namugongo pilgrimage are best placed in hotels on the eastern side of Kampala, closer to Namugongo, with a private bus and a driver who knows the Martyrs Day road closures. Central Kampala works for the early days but adds hours on 3 June.

Photo by Robin Kutesa on Unsplash

Rooms near the shrines fill months ahead of every Namugongo pilgrimage, as dioceses across East Africa book whole hotels. Aim to confirm rooms six to nine months before June. Many local pilgrims camp in the grounds; that suits young, fit groups with a local host parish, but most overseas groups are happier with a bed, a shower and a 4 am breakfast.

Vehicles, Rooming and Keeping a Group Together

For a Namugongo pilgrimage of 15 to 30 people, one coaster bus is simpler than several cars, because the whole group moves at once and one driver waits at one spot. Larger groups split into buses of a similar size, each with a named leader holding the passenger list. Twin rooms keep costs down, while single rooms for clergy or older travellers are worth budgeting from the start.

Give every pilgrim a matching scarf or cap, a card with the hotel name and the leader’s phone number, and the same meeting point. Each year Ugandan media report stranded pilgrims and lost children after the feast, so a firm return plan matters more on a Namugongo pilgrimage than anything else on the day.

Travelling from Kenya? Nairobi to Kampala is roughly 650 km by road through the Busia or Malaba borders, a very long day, or about an hour by air. Our group safari team can arrange either.

What Does a Namugongo Pilgrimage Cost for a Group?

The cost of a Namugongo pilgrimage for a group depends mainly on flights, the hotel standard and how many days you add. Entry to the services is free, so the budget is travel, beds, transport and any safari extension.

We do not publish a fixed Namugongo pilgrimage price, because group size and dates change everything. Use the table to build a realistic budget per person, then ask us for a quote based on your numbers.

The logic of group pricing on a Namugongo pilgrimage is simple: anything shared, such as the bus, guide and fuel, gets cheaper per person as the group grows, while anything personal, such as flights, rooms and permits, does not. A group of 20 sharing twin rooms will pay noticeably less per head than a group of eight with many singles.

Adding a Uganda Safari After the Pilgrimage

A Uganda safari after the Namugongo pilgrimage makes the long flight worth even more, and June falls in Uganda’s drier mid-year season, when forest trails are firmer. Three to seven days is enough for chimpanzees, savannah game or mountain gorillas.

Photo: Divulge Adventures

Kibale is the easiest primate add-on to a Namugongo pilgrimage, and our guide to chimpanzee trekking in Kibale explains how the treks work. Queen Elizabeth National Park, close by, adds lions, elephants and a boat trip on the Kazinga Channel. The 7 Days Primate and Wildlife Safari Uganda links these with Bwindi in one week.

Photo: Divulge Adventures

For gorillas, read our Bwindi gorilla trekking guide and the honest look at how hard gorilla trekking is before you decide who in the group should go. A shorter option is the 4 Day Gorilla Trekking Safari to Bwindi. Pilgrims who prefer an easier day can visit Jinja and the source of the Nile instead, one of the attractions in Uganda that suits all ages.

Why Travel as a Private Church Group Rather Than Join Strangers?

A private church group on a Namugongo pilgrimage keeps its own prayer schedule, pace and safety plan, which matters on a day when hundreds of thousands of people share one site. Joining a mixed tour means fitting around strangers’ timings.

With your own bus, your Namugongo pilgrimage group decides when to leave for the vigil, when to rest and when to head back. Older pilgrims can be dropped closest to the walking route, and a chaplain can lead Mass at Munyonyo without fitting in with other parties. Our page on how to organise a group safari explains how we handle rooming lists, deposits and one point of contact for the leader.

Paperwork for a Namugongo pilgrimage is easier too. One organiser collects passports, checks visas and passes on the latest health advice to everyone at once. If your group is also visiting Kenya or Rwanda, our guide to the East Africa Tourist Visa shows when one visa can cover all three.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Namugongo pilgrimage?

The Namugongo pilgrimage peaks on 3 June, Uganda Martyrs Day, which marks the day Charles Lwanga was burned at Namugongo in 1886. Foot pilgrims start arriving in late May and many camp from around 1 June. Groups flying in should land by 31 May or 1 June to settle near the shrine before roads close.

How far is Namugongo from Kampala and Entebbe Airport?

Namugongo sits roughly 11 to 16 km east of central Kampala, in Kira Municipality, Wakiso District. Entebbe International Airport is about 40 km south-west of Kampala, so allow well over an hour from the airport to Namugongo on a normal day and far longer in the days around 3 June, when traffic near the shrines builds heavily.

Do I need a visa for the Namugongo pilgrimage?

Most international pilgrims need a Uganda tourist visa for the Namugongo pilgrimage. The single-entry visa costs US$50 (checked November 2026) and is applied for online through the Uganda immigration portal. If your group is also visiting Kenya or Rwanda, the East Africa Tourist Visa may work out simpler. Always confirm current rules before booking flights.

Can a church group combine Martyrs Day with a gorilla trek?

Yes, a church group can combine Martyrs Day with a gorilla trek, and June is a good month for it because it falls in Uganda’s drier mid-year season. Bwindi is a long drive or a short domestic flight from Kampala. Book gorilla permits early, since June is busy, and keep one rest day between the pilgrimage and the trek.

Was Martyrs Day cancelled in 2026?

The national Martyrs Day celebrations at Namugongo were postponed in May 2026 because of Ebola concerns, and Uganda’s Catholic bishops asked the faithful to mark 3 June in their parishes instead. WHO declared Uganda’s outbreak over in late August 2026, but health screening was later reintroduced, so organisers should check official advice before committing a group.

Final Thoughts

A Namugongo pilgrimage asks more planning of a group leader than most trips: early rooms, a pre-dawn start, a firm meeting point and an eye on health advice. Get those right and the day itself is unforgettable, with time afterwards for Uganda’s forests and parks.

If your parish is thinking about a Namugongo pilgrimage next June, start the conversation now, while rooms near the shrines are still easy to find.