Popular tourist attractions in Kisoro

Popular tourist attractions in Kisoro – Mgahinga gorilla National Park in Uganda

Popular tourist attractions in Kisoro – Kisoro town is Located in the South-Western Uganda and borders Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the South and West, respectively. It also borders the districts of Kanungu in the North and Kabale in the East.

Kisoro district is a border town with an estimate population of about 220,000 people whereby the main town has a population of about 10,700 people.

This district covers an area of 729.7 Kilometres squared with land and vegetation and the district is hilly and key highlands include Mount Muhabura at 4127 metres above sea level. About 3.88 and 2.95 per cent of the district area is covered by open water and wetlands, respectively. Forest reserves occupy about 0.96 per cent of the area.

Popular tourist attractions in Kisoro

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Located in Kisoro district in the south-western part of Uganda, this National Park was gazetted in 1991 and is a part of the great Virunga Conservation Area, which is 434kilometres. Although it is the smallest in the country covering about 33.7kilommetres, it is very important as it is one of the only two National Parks in Uganda that in habitat the endangered Mountain Gorilla one of the key tourist attractions in Uganda.

Primate/Wildlife viewing

Besides the Mountain Gorillas, there are other wildlife animals found in this National Park which include; Buffaloes, forest Elephants, Bushbucks and the threatened Golden monkey among others making game viewing another key activity within this National Park.

Volcano Climbing

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park offers three extinct volcanoes for physically fit hikers. The three volcanoes, Mount Sabyinya (366m), Mount Muhavura (4127m) offer excellent volcano climbing experiences

Cave Exploration

Garama cave is one of the caves where the once crafty Batwa people (who were warriors) lived and fought their neighbours, the Bantu. The cave is 3kilometres from the National Park headquarters and it takes about 4 hours. The guide will show you how the Batwa people lived and fought out of the cave. The cave is 342metres in length and 14m deep and is now inhabited only by bats.

Viewing platform/hills

This is about 800metres from the National Park gate. On top of this platform one is able to view the magnificent scenery of the National Park and the surrounding areas. There are display panels at the hill point that give you information about what you see. The hilly nature of Kisoro caused by volcanic activity gives the visitors opportunity to hike, which is one of the rapidly developing activities.

Bird Watching

Avi-tourism is a fast growing activity in this area. This activity is carried out along the edge of the National Park .A stroll along the buffalo wall towards Congo takes you through a wetland area that is rich in a variety of different bird species.

Nature walks

Forest walks are carried out within the forested part of the national park.
Nature walks are done within and outside the communities.

Community/Market visits

Market visits are on a particular day of the week. This is usually a life time experience for the visitors. Community visits are also organised so the visitors can get to know more about the people of Kisoro (Bafumbira and Batwa).

Crater Lakes

Kisoro has a number of crater lakes, the most outstanding being the emerald-green Lake Mutanda located 14kilommtres north of Kisoro town. The lake offers the best experience of sun downers/sunset cruises. It is also ideal for canoeing, fishing and other recreational activities.

Scenery Viewing

The spectacular views of the rift valley and the magnificent crater lakes offer great scenic views thus making scenery viewing one of the important tourist activities. Other spectacular sceneries include the Abbis at Muremure in Kitende parish.

Cultural Performances

The rich and unique culture of the Bafumbira and Batwa people enhance the display/performance of beautiful cultural dances and practices which would leave the visitors yearning for more. These performances are done on request by the visitors.

Crafts and Souvenirs industry

The rich culture of the Bafumbira and Batwa people includes unique and diverse variety of crafts and souvenirs baskets and souvenirs beautifully woven to the last detail. These are a unique product that could enhance community tourism in Kisoro. The extensive papyrus swamp stretching from Kisoro to Lake Bunyonyi in Kisoro may sustainably be utilised to provide the raw materials.

Cave exploration and Antiquities

Cave exploration and antiquities are already under exploration in the district. The lava tubes left after volcanic activity are added to the scenic attraction of the caves. The prominent caves include Ruhenju in Gigozi parish, Soko in Soko parish and Mwambike near Mutorere Secondary School. The caves were used as safe haven during the tribal wars.

Hotel and Catering

The district has a number of outstanding tourist hotels. These include Gahinga Rest Camp, Mgahinga Safari Lodge, Volcanoes Hotel and Sky Blue Motel. During the 2001 survey of tourism establishments, there was a total capacity of 453 beds. The hotel and catering sector in the district employed 143 people at the time. Contact Great Adventure Safaris if you would like to book any of popular tourist attractions in Kisoro and we can help you arrange all the services.