Once a year, in September, the peoples of the Ateker family gather in one place to dance, sing, debate and celebrate. The Karamoja Cultural Festival is a community-led event that moves from district to district, and it is the best single time to see the culture of north-eastern Uganda in full colour. For a traveller who wants more than a village visit, it is a week that changes how you see Uganda.
What the festival is
The festival is a voluntary, community-led celebration held every September. It brings together the Karimojong and their neighbours in Uganda, the Teso, and Ateker cousins from beyond the border: the Turkana of Kenya, the Toposa of South Sudan and the Nyangatom of Ethiopia. The aims are cultural preservation, regional unity and peace. It also promotes tourism and gives host communities a platform to present themselves on their own terms.
Hosting rotates between the nine districts of Karamoja: Moroto, Napak, Abim, Kotido, Nabilatuk, Nakapiripirit, Amudat, Kaabong and Karenga. Each host district shows off its landscape, hospitality and traditions.
The 2026 festival
The 11th Karamoja Cultural Festival took place in Moroto from 6 to 12 September 2026, at the Naitakwai Grounds, under the theme “Unity in Culture, Strength in Peace, Prosperity through Tourism and Natural Resources”. President Yoweri Museveni attended on 9 September. That festival has now finished. The host district and dates for the next one are announced each year, so ask us and we will tell you what is confirmed.
What happens
- Dance and music: groups perform their traditional dances, including the striking high-jumping edonga, in feathers, beads and skins.
- Forums and dialogues: elders, women and youth talk about peace, land, climate, cross-border cooperation and development. Resolutions are read out at the closing ceremony.
- Sacred gatherings: elders hold traditional blessings, including at the akiriket, the traditional shrine.
- Exhibitions and markets: beadwork, crafts, food and honey.
- Games and sports: traditional games and contests.
- Cross-border exchange: visiting groups are received and gifted by the host community.
Attending respectfully
- You are a guest at someone else’s celebration: ask before photographing performers or elders.
- Book accommodation very early. Rooms and camps in the host town fill quickly.
- Travel with a local guide who can explain what you see and introduce you.
- Buy crafts directly from makers at fair prices.
- Expect crowds, heat, dust and long days. Bring water, sun protection and patience.
Please read our Responsible Travel page.
Combining the festival with a safari
Most travellers add Mount Moroto or the host district’s mountains, a Karimojong village and cattle-camp visit, and Kidepo Valley National Park. See our pages on Moroto, Mount Moroto, Kotido, Kaabong and The Ik people.
Practical information
- When: every September, for about a week. The exact dates and place are announced each year.
- Getting there: a long drive from Kampala to Karamoja; we plan the transport and overnights.
- Safety and health: we check current advice and travel with local guides. See our Health & Safety page.
The festival with Offmap Safaris
We plan festival safaris around the confirmed dates, combining the celebration with hiking, culture and Kidepo. Plan your safari, message us on WhatsApp +256 701 243 304 or email [email protected].
