Things to do in and around Fort Portal
Tooro Kingdom Palace
Toro royal palace is one of the most attractive centers you wouldn’t miss while exploring the tourism potentials of Kabarole. The palace stands prominently on Harukoto hill within the heart of Fort Portal city giving a clear and scenic view of the entire palace buildings with their unique architectural designs.
Toro Royal palace serves as a cultural monument to people and supplements on the other tourism sites of Fort Portal Tourism City.
The Amabere Caves
The Amabere Caves also known as the Nyakasura Caves given their location at Nyakasura Falls, are located some five miles from Fort Portal on the Bundibugyo Road. Not really caves, more a large overhang, the name Amabere Ga Nyina Mwiru translates as “Breasts of Nyinamwiru” with Nyinamwiru being the daughter of a local usurper king who reportedly had her breasts cut off to make her less attractive to men.
This rather drastic plan failed and the king, Bukuku of Toro then hid her in the cave. However with her allure still strong she became pregnant to the Batembuzi King Isaza and later gave birth to their son, Ndahura. Unable to breastfeed the infant herself she used what looked like milk dripping from the stalactites, which appeared milky because of its calcium content. Ndahura went onto fulfil a prophecy that he would become king and take over Bukuku’s throne, a throne that was rightfully Isaza’s. Ndahura went on to form one of the great empires of the Great Lakes area of Africa. Or so legend has it!
The Crater Lakes
Fort Portal is surrounded by over 50 crater lakes, some of which are hard to reach. However, if you feel active you can walk a trail of 18 km on which you can see at least 5 crater lakes, volcanoes and waterfalls or you can take a Boda or a driver and visit the Kasenda Crater Lakes. There you can swim in Lake Nkuruba and hike up a small hill to the Top of the World viewpoint from where you have the perfect view over crater lakes and the Rwenzori mountains.
Tour Around Fort Portal
Fort Portal “the garden city” is one of Uganda’s most beautiful cities. named after Sir Gerald Portal, the British Consul General of Zanzibar and the fort that was constructed in the late 1800s as a way to protect the Tooro Kingdom from King Kabalega of Bunyoro and his persistent guerrilla raids.
Semuliki National Park
Semuliki National Park is slightly different from other national parks in Uganda as it doesn’t boast much animal wildlife, though there is some, however its main attraction is its birds and hot springs. The park is next to the Semuliki and Lamia rivers and is located on Uganda’s border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo with Lake Albert to the park’s north and the stunning Rwenzori Mountains to its south-east.
The park is home to 442 bird species, 53 mammals and look away if you are squeamish ~ Goliath and Rhinoceros beetles some of which measure four inches long!
Other attractions are a Pygmy village and the hot springs at nearby Sempaya known for having a hot water geyser shooting up from an eight-meter wide hole.
Rwenzori Mountains National Park
Rwenzori Mountains National Park was designated in 1991 achieving World Heritage site status in 1994 to protect the highest parts of the mountain range and covers most of the centre and eastern half of the mountains, a home to morethan 70 mammal species and 217 bird species.
Rwenzori mountains are known for their stunning views and as a world-class hiking and mountaineering destination.
Mpanga Market in Fort Portal
Mpanga market, the biggest permanent market in Fort Portal municipality and the whole of Kabarole district. The Market boasts of 600stalls,400piches and 200shops. The Market is managed by the Municipal authorities of Fort Portal Muiciparity, Kabarole district
Mpanga Market is situated nearby to the protected area Fort Portal Central Forest Reserve and Fort Portal Post Office.
Kibale Forest National Park
Kibale Forest National Park is close to fort portal town. Go on a short walk through the deep green forest and then see the primates having a blast in the bushes.
See how Chimpanzees live their family lives and that the babies are driving their mothers crazy just as well as ours.