The tourist city of Fort portal lies in the western region of Uganda, set along the eastern wall of the rift valley escarpment. Favored with a pleasant climate, lush landscapes dotted with expansive tea hill sides, tropical forests and crater lakes, the Toro Kingdom capital is the most beautiful region in the country and a destination in its own right.
Fort portal sits at the heart of western Uganda’s major tourist attractions and used as a base to explore them. The towering Rwenzori mountain ranges lie on its the west, the lowland forests of Semuliki National Park with its captivating hot springs in the north-west and the chimpanzee tracking quest in the primate’s capital of Kibale National Park in the south. Further in the south west is Queen Elizabeth National Park known for its diversity of wildlife. The quiet and clean town is overshadowed by the beautiful royal palace of the reigning King Oyo Nyimba Rukidi IV standing high on the city’s western edge overlooking the sprawling neat business district along river Mpanga.
Adventure Activities in and Around Fort Portal
Whether you are just passing around this pleasant town or an adventurer seeking low-key challenge, or a holiday seeker looking out for serene and quite environment Fort portal town has offers even more. Excellent accommodation options are available within the town itself and around several crater lakes catering all budgets. While here;
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Take a Hiking or Biking tour to Explore the Crater Lakes
Fort portal’s volcanic crater lakes creates an amazing and inspiration landscape. The more than two dozen crater lakes are divided into two clusters; the northern cluster and the Ndali-Kasenda cluster. The northern cluster of crater lakes lie about 2km out of town with adventure experiences ranging from half-a-day to 30mins biking, hiking and nature walks along the tropical rainforest rimmed crater lakes and panoramic scenic views.
A walk along the northern cluster lakes brings you to the mythical Amabere-ga-Nyina Mwiru cave with its small but lovely chilly waterfalls set within a small patch of tropical forests teaming with birds. Some 20km south of Fort Portal town, the Ndali-Kasenda cluster of crater lakes dot the escarpment wall landscape and lie within and close to each other. Most are surrounded by tropical rain forests and team with variety of primates and birds providing a serene place to camp.
Experience here, include nature walks, excellent biking experiences and community walks giving one a first-hand interaction with local agricultural communities residing around this crater region. The picturesque lakes are serviced with variable fine accommodation amenities suitable for all budgets and used as a base for chimp tracking at the nearby Kibale NP.
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Trek along the Chimpanzee in Kibale National Park
Only 25km south of Fort Portal town, lies the primate’s capital of Kibale National Park where some 13-species of primates occur including several habituated Chimpanzee communities. This mid-altitude forests provides excellent trekking experience along the eastern chimpanzee communities on a two daily scheduled program. Visitors on a trek get to spend an-hour observing this complex social man no-so-distant relative in its native rainforests.
To naturalists seeking more time in nature, this excellent forest is rich in birdlife, plant life and butterflies accessed on guided nature walk activities and night walks. The nearby Bigodi swamp is favorited by bird watchers to its varied riverine and swamp habitats that also host over 9 species of primates.
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Hike the Rwenzori Mountains Ranges
The Rwenzori Mountains ranges are the continents highest ranges towering some 5109m on Margherita peak. Adventurers seeking an ultimate and the most rewarding challenge, would dare these ranges on a day to multi-day organized hikes to the summit. Other low-key but scenic hikes on foothills of Rwenzori are available close to Fort Portal suitable for all budgets and fitness levels.
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Visit the Hot Springs at Semuliki NP
The lowland forests of Semuliki NP lie some 45km north west of Fort Portal set between the northern foothills of Rwenzori and the southern tip of L. Albert. The rich forest is an extension of the great Congo lowland forests into Uganda hosting several bird specialists unique to this habitat. Visiting birders will be excited to the rich-checklist of a typical Guinea-Congo species here at their eastern limits.
Adventurers will however be attracted to the majestic pair of hot springs here and a cultural attachment it has on the local Bambuti and Bamba that resides on the edges of Semuliki NP. The scenic drive through the escarpment and the Rwenzori Foothills is the best in the country.