Owino Market

Owino, officially St Balikuddembe Market, is the largest market in Kampala and one of the largest in East Africa, tens of thousands of traders packed into a site near the old taxi park. Second-hand clothing is the biggest trade, arriving in bales from Europe and North America and sorted, repaired and resold; alongside it are food, produce, hardware, electronics and fabric. The lanes are narrow, crowded and disorienting, and the noise is constant.

What you actually see

• The second-hand clothing - the mivumba trade, sorted and resold in bulk.
• The produce section - fruit, vegetables and staples from across the country.
• The fabric stalls - kitenge and other cloth sold by the piece.
• The scale - tens of thousands of traders in one dense site.

When to go

Year round; mornings are busiest and best stocked. It closes late in the afternoon. Sundays are quieter with fewer traders.

Honest expectations

It is extremely crowded and pickpocketing is common; valuables should be left behind. The lanes are narrow and it is easy to become disoriented. Photography draws unwanted attention and asking first matters.

Nearby

Kampala centre surrounds it, and Mengo Palace is southwest.