TOP FIVE THINGS TO DO IN FORT PORTAL

“Uganda, the Heart of Africa” – #stolen

I like that description. Its factual and fresh. Factual in terms of geographical location and fresh because its about time we moved on from the colonial “pearl of Africa” tag line….

On this occasion, I travelled to Kabarole district, the land that boasts of many geographical attractions including; the largest number of crater lakes in Uganda (52 lakes), the magnificent rift valley and mountains of the moon/Mt. Rwenzori. In terms of weather, its generally cooler than the rest of the country, and don’t we all love that! For these reasons, it stands out as a popular holiday destination for both locals and foreigners.

So, with the winds of adventure blowing hard in that direction, and happiness in my heart, I headed out to Fort Portal (the largest town in Kabarole) and these are my top five things to do:

1. Enjoy a rift valley drive and views of Mt. Rwenzori.

Let the ranges of Mt. Rwenzori gently lead you in and out of the town: do smile back for she’s a friendly giant! While at it, make time for a slow drive along the less beaten paths and into the villages, to enjoy a front row view of the; stunning Rift valley, Lake Albert, the Blue Mountains of Congo and River Semliki. Unfortunately, visibility wasn’t so great because of the dense cloud cover (common during the dry season). So, plan this activity during the rainy season and you won’t be disappointed.

2. The Crater lake drives and walks

Given that you have 52 crater lakes to pick from, only time will limit you. I toured Lakes Kigere, Saka, Nyabikele and Kyaninga. I later enjoyed a sunset walk along the rim of Lake Kyaninga. Turned out to be my favourite view of Fort Portal (for now).

3. Have a picnic on the rim of a crater.

Lake Kigere made a good first impression. Easily accessible and with vegetation that exudes a perfect tropical paradise, what’s not to love! For the more energetic, a short hike up to the hill top guarantees a clear view of the three lakes; Kigere, Saka and Nyabikele. I’ll leave that for next time.

4. Visit Amabere ga Nyinamwiru and enjoy the water falls.

A walk through a forested path takes you hundreds of years back, to a time when gods and demi-gods roamed the earth! The Chwezi gods to be exact. And they forbid me to share what I saw, so head down here and see for yourself. But for educational purposes, they don’t mind pictures. Learn about the stalagamites and stalactites and what the gods thought of science. You will be amazed by the myths and legends associated with the strangeness of nature.

5. Enjoy a forest walk.

Lucky for your, there are plenty of forested areas to choose from. I tend to rush through these walks because crawlers and insects are not my favourite things. But for those who don’t mind, the forest walk around Lake Kyaninga and on the way to Amabere ga Nyinamwiru seemed interesting.

 

Cheers

Saw Bizzy!