Top Things to Do in Mbarara City : Mbarara is known as a beautiful city and a city with the most beautiful people known as Banyankole, however, this city has been known as a cattle rearing zone and their economic activity is agriculture. Mbarara city is one of Uganda’s fastest growing cities besides Kampala city in terms of industry and infrastructure as well as modernized buildings including hotels, hospital shopping malls, plazas, and arcades. More still, it is also well developed in terms of education, hosting a big university called Mbarara University of Science and Technology thus marking it as one of the largest educational centers in Uganda and was founded in 1989.
Other famous places that sell Mbarara on top are;
Mbarara Century Bottling Company Limited ‘’Coca Cola’’.
Nile Breweries, Mbarara Steel plant, Mbarara Regional Hospital, Mayanja Memorial Hospital, Ruharo Mission Hospital, Bishop Stuart University, Mary hill high school, and Mbarara high school among others.
More so, Mbarara offers important routes to the neighboring countries –Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. We see Mbarara also an important tourism route that connects to some of Uganda’s famous national parks. Travelers from Kampala can try to check out the 1-Day Kampala Tour Package.
Few facts about Mbarara;
Mbarara lies about 290 kilometers away from Kampala City by road. It also owns the top bus companies plying the Kampala Mbarara route named ‘’Horizon and Swift coaches.
Mbarara boosts with countless accommodation facilities within and outside town. Most booked lodges include; Agip Motel, Rwizi Hotel, Oxford Inn and Lakeview Resort Hotel many more.
Best time to visit Mbarara city; Ideally, Mbarara can be visited throughout the year. Start from December to February and June to Mid-September but fewer spots of rain.
Here are the top things to do in Mbarara City
Igongo Cultural Centre; This Centre was constructed in 2011 along the Mbarara to Masaka road. It is built on the ground which owns the former palace of the king of Ankole thus making it one of the top leading cultural sites in Uganda. It also promotes a great cultural heritage of the people of the southwestern Uganda region.
Therefore, the key attraction in the Centre is the Eriijukiro Museum which takes about 30 minutes. Comprised the Eitaramiro cultural village which displays the typical Kinyankore household that looked hundreds of years ago. Here are traditional household items like calabashes, milk gourds, animal skins, grinding stones, and fireplaces made of stones.
The Igongo Cultural Centre also is comprised of other tribe sections like the Batooro and Bakiga. If you planning to visit Igongo Culture Centre, you can get in contact with the staff to help you with arrangements.
Outside the city, you can go visit Bahima Village and honey yams. On a visit to Bahima expect to learn how to make ghee butter locally from milk. You free to join the herdsmen’s graze with them the cattle in the swamp.
Sanga Cultural Village ‘
If you want to experience more of the culture in the Mbarara region. You can take a visit to Sanga Cultural Village. On a visit here, you will be able to meet Hima women with vast information about the tribe, the role of women in the household, and other ancient traditions.
Mbarara City Tour;
Mbarara is renowned as a fast-developing city and on a visit to the city never leave going for a city tour. It is known as the first place to go to the local market and through visiting it you will be exposed to you the culture of the people and gives you quite an awesome kind of life and challenges they face. On visit expect to find both the locals and tourists. On a visit, we advise highly recommend that you hire a car to avoid the risks of Uganda a boda.
Visit the water bodies;
However, Mbarara has got various water bodies passing through its boundaries. The most famous waterfalls include; Lake Nakivale, Lake Kachere, and River Ruiz. Lake Nakivale lies on the southeastern side of Mbarara City and it’s only 40 kilometers from City to the Lake. River Ruiz gets its water from the highlands in the Busenyi district, it also flows to Lake Kachera. Part of Lake Kachera is found in Lake Mburo national park.
Visit Lake Mburo National Park; Lake Mburo National Park lies 30 minutes away from Mbarara by road but under the Kiruhura district. Lake Mburo National Park is one of Uganda’s smallest national parks, home to a range of wildlife species especially antelopes, zebras, hyenas, leopards, mongooses, Buffaloes, waterbucks, and impales among others. The park is also a paradise of bird species such as shoebill stork, papyrus yellow warblers, red-faced barbets, wood doves, Common Scrimitarbill, Bare-faced Go-away Bird Red-headed lovebird, African finfoot many more. Activities to do; Quad bike, Horse bike tour, Game drive, Birding, Guided nature walk.
Visit the long-horned cattle of Ankole;
While on a visit to Mbarara city never leave without reaching out to this beautiful Ankole cattle in the land of milk and honey. In Uganda, the Banyankole tribe has the largest cattle farms. The moment you approach the city; you will visit countless farms if you have enough time. Each farm comprises hundreds or thousands of cattle. While at a visit to one of the farms, you can have a chance and be taught how to milk a cow manually.
Other places to visit; Go for Gorilla Trekking which is done outside Mbarara city though it’s one of the outstanding attractions in Uganda Gorilla trekking can be done in Bwindi National Park just 4 hours away from Mbarara to Bwindi in the southwestern region in Kanungu district. Bwindi National Park is home to half the remaining population of endangered mountain gorillas in the wild.
