Activities to do around Fort Portal : There are different activities to do around Fort Portal which is among the must visit destinations located in the western part of Uganda. The drive from Kampala to Fort Portal can be via the Kampala-Mubende-Fort Portal route or using the Kampala-Mbarara-Kamwenge route. Among the facts about Fort Portal include that it was named after Sir Gerald Portal.
Some of the activities to do around Fort Portal include the following;
- Visiting the Tooro palace
During tours in Fort Portal, you will take part in a tour around the Tooro Palace for a chance to get to know more about the culture of the Batooro.
The palace is located on Karuzika hill and has a beautiful architectural design. The king of the Batooro is King Oyo Nyimba Rukidi IV who is also among the youngest kings in Uganda.
- A tour around Kibale national park
Kibale forest national park is among the destinations which can be visited during a tour around Fort Portal town.
The national park is home to chimpanzees in Uganda and is popular for chimpanzee trekking experiences. There are 13 other primate species found in Kibale national park including black and white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey, vervet monkeys, red tailed monkeys, L’hoest monkeys among others.
Visiting Kibale national park gives tourists an opportunity to spend time with chimpanzees in their natural habitat during chimpanzee trekking which costs 200 USD per person.
Activities which are carried out around Kibale national park also include chimpanzee habituation, guided nature walks and bird watching excursions.
- Visiting the Amabeere ga nyina Mwiru caves
The Amabeere caves are among the historical sites to visit around Fort Portal and they are stalactites which are also of cultural significance to the locals.
Visiting these caves also involves hiking the Nyakasura hills for about 3 hours and waterfalls can also be seen when exploring the Amabeere caves. The caves are associated with the Batembuzi dynasty and it is said that they were named after the daughter of one of the kings (Nyinamwiru) who refused to marry a man that her father wanted her to marry and her breasts were cut off.
The locals believe that the rocks at the Amabere caves which emit a white like substance are the milk of Nyinamwiru.
- Crater lakes tour
Fort Portal is a town which also has many crater lakes which can be visited during tours around the town and they were formed as a result of volcanic activity.
There are over 50 crater lakes around Fort Portal and some of the crater lakes include Kyaninga lake, Lake Nkuruba, Kasenda crater, Lake Nyabikere, Lake Nyinabulitwa, Lake Nyamirima, Lake Nyinambuga, Lake Nyanswiga, Lake Mubiro among others.
The lakes are of different sizes and activities which can be done around the crater lakes include nature walks, hiking, fishing, photography and also bird watching. The Kyaninga crater is located near Kyaninga lodge.
- Visiting Bigodi
Visiting Bigodi is another activity to do around Fort Portal and it is home to many bird species including endemic bird species.
Bigodi wetland sanctuary is among the best birding spots around Fort Portal and some of the bird species which can be seen around the Bigodi area include the Great Blue Turaco, hornbills, Kingfishers, Yellow Throated Tinkerbird, Blue Throated Roller, Grey Crowned cranes, White Shrike Flycatcher, Western Nicator, Papyrus Gonolek, Waxbills, Cuckoos among others.
Activities which are carried out around Bigodi include guided nature walks and also visiting the Bigodi community.
- Visiting Semuliki national park
Another national park to visit around Fort Portal is Semuliki national park which is known for the Sempaya hot springs.
Attractions in Semuliki national park include De Brazza monkeys, vervet monkeys, olive baboons, white belled duiker among others. There are also numerous bird species found in the national park including Black Wattled Hornbill, Blue crested Flycatcher, Dwarf Honey guide, Orange weaver among others.
Activities to do around Semuliki national park include bird watching, guided nature walks and also community tours.
- Cultural tours
Cultural tours can take place in neighboring areas of Ntoroko, the Bigodi community and also interacting with the local Batooro and getting to know about their way of life.
The Batooro are known for their gentle and calm nature and during interactions with them, you can get to know more about their pet names such as Atwoki, Abwooli, Araali among others and also enjoy traditional dance performances.
- Boat rides
Boat rides are also among the activities which can be done around Fort Portal in areas such as the crater lake areas.
The exploration of the crater lakes around Fort Portal by boat can be done around Lakes such as Lake Nkuruba, Lake Nyinambuga among others.
- Hiking
Hiking the Rwenzori mountains is another activity to do around Fort Portal and the mountain ranges form the backdrop of the town.
The Rwenzori mountains also known as the “Mountains of the moon” is one of the best places for hiking in Uganda and is also the highest mountain in the country at an altitude of 5109 meters.
Tourists can also hike to the crater lakes in Fort Portal and also around Kibale national park. Other places where hiking is done include around the Amabere caves, Nyamisika waterfalls among others. The day hikes can take about 4 hours or more depending on the location of the hike.
- Tea plantation tour
Fort Portal is also known for its extensive tea plantation which can be seen in the different parts of the town.
During the visits to the tea plantations led by the local men or women, tourists get to learn how to pick the tea, how tea is processed and can also visit the tea factory.
Many other destinations can be visited from Fort Portal town including Queen Elizabeth national park which is about 4 hours drive from the town for a chance to take part in activities such as game drives and boat rides during wildlife safaris around the destination.
