Kabale
Uganda · Africa
About Kabale
Kabale is one of the major cities in South-Western Uganda with major tourist attractions such as Lake Bunyonyi and the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
Kabale travel guide
Understand
Kabale is about 420 km (260 mi), by road, southwest of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city and lies 2,000 m (6,600 ft) above sea level. Kabale is a market town and a transport hub as the main road from Kampala continues through the town, to the border with Rwanda at Katuna, 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Kabale. Another road continues westwards to Kisoro, where travellers may continue to either the Democratic Republic of the Congo or the Rwandan town of Ruhengeri. Kabale is often used as a stop-off point for people visiting Lake Bunyonyi but is a far less convenient base than Kisoro for those who want to visit the two parks famous for mountain gorilla tracking: Mgahinga National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The Virunga Mountains along the Rwandan border are visible from the town.
Getting there
Horizon, Abapakasi, Jaguar, Bismarkan and Gateway have buses from Kampala take around 8 hours. Link buses from Fort Portal take around 8 hours. Buses from Mbarara take around 3 hours. Kasese 7 hours. Kisoro 2 hours. Kigali, Rwanda, is 104.3 km away.
See
Home of Edirisa Museum, muhumuza Road. 8:30AM-5PM. Has a small gift shop. USh 5000. (updated Sep 2015)
Do
Echuya Eco-tourism Association, ☏ +256-392-584882, [email protected]. A non-profit community group, Echuya Eco-tourism Association offers guided hikes in Echuya Central Forest Reserve for USh 30,000. The reserve is located an hour away from Kabale on the Kisoro road. There are two trails which cross forest, bamboo, and a rare high altitude swamp. Cultural visits with Bakiga, Batwa, and Bafumbira communities are also possible. Self-sufficient campground USh 20,000. US$10. (updated May 2016)
Buy
Stanbic Bank. Has a Mastercard/Visa Card ATM. Kabale - Kisoro Rd (updated Apr 2015) Equity Bank, Plot 2, Kabale Road, Flockline Building, ☏ +256-800 232 700, [email protected]. M-F 8:30AM-5PM, Sa 8:30AM-1PM, closed Su and public holidays. Has a Mastercard/Visa Card ATM. (updated May 2015) Royal Supermarket., Kisoro Road (near the post office). Well-stocked supermarket. (updated Jun 2015) Crane Bank. (updated Sep 2016) Active Supermarket, kisoro Road (few minutes after kabale main stadium on kisoro Road and a main branch at the main Round about). Well-stocked supermarket. Centenary Bank, Plot 129, Kabale Rd, ☏ +256 414 699 594, +256 414 699 548. M-F 8:30AM-5PM, Sa 8:30AM-1:30PM. Has a Mastercard/Visa Card ATM. Mwanjari Market. along Kabale Katuna Road. It is open every Monday and Friday. In the market you find in clothes first class and second hand, all types of shoes, beddings, bags, kitchenware, foods and snacks
Eat
Skyline Hotel and Skyblue Motel Dinner Buffets (Main Janction.). Eat all you can. USh 10,000. (updated Sep 2015) At Kings Hotel: roasted pork Best chips at Manhattan Hotel on Kable road
Drink & nightlife
Locally made poridge known as Obushera. Brewed beers and spirits in the town bars and clubs. Local porridge known as "enturire" is commonly found in Bugongi.
Sleep
Lake Bunyongyi is 7 km away. The Home Of Edirisa, Muhumuza Rd (Next to Crane Bank.). The only place in town with a working Wi-Fi connection (most other places claim to have Wi-Fi, but "it's broken"). Good place to meet other travellers of "volunteers", okay food, free Wi-Fi (Dec 2013). Dorm USh 17,000; room (2 beds) USh 25,000 (shared bathroom); room (1 large bed) USh 35,000 (en suite, large bed, Wi-Fi signal in the room). Kabale Backpackers, Muhumuza Rd (Right next to The Home Of Edirisa.). Good and clean rooms, dorm bed/single/double/twin room with own bathroom. Dorm bed USh 15,000, single room USh 25,000, double room USh 35,000. New Shade tree, Kabale Road. . Single room USh 10,000. (updated Apr 2015) Miami Tours and Travel. Fan single room. Has a lunchtime buffet. USh 20,000. (updated Apr 2015) Amagara Guest house. Single/double rooms. USh 20,000/25,000. (updated Jun 2015) Victoria Inn, ☏ +256 486422154. Single/double rooms. USh 30,000/40,000. (updated Jun 2015) Hotel Home Again, Kabale-Mbarara Road (500 m from the kabale market). Check-in: noon, check-out: 11AM. Standard room with own bathroom and cable TV. From USh 25,000. (updated Jun 2015) Hotel New Africa, Mbarara Road. Check-in: 10AM, check-out: 10AM. Double room with outside bathroom. USh 30,000. (updated Aug 2015) Kings Hotel, Mbarara Road. Check-in: noon, check-out: 10AM. Double room with own bathroom, fridge and cable TV USh 40,000. (updated Aug 2015) Cephas Inn, Makanga Hill. White Horse Inn T.Wills Hotel, Mukikoregi behind All Saints Church Kabale Capricorn Hotel
Go next
Lake Bunyonyi Rwanda Kisoro Mbarara Fort Portal
Overview adapted from Wikipedia, travel guide fromWikivoyage (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.