Fort Portal

the central mosque

My journey from Mweya (Queen Elizabeth National Park) to Fort Portal takes two legs. The fare to Kasese, some 45 minutes away and costs USh3,000. It crosses the Equator line marked by two markers on the highway. It is here that trekking parties depart for The Mountains of the Moon. For me, this would be another voyage in itself, but i jump into a mini-bus for the hour and twenty minute journey to Fort Portal.

The town is quite clean, wide streets and even boasts sidewalks! It also offers spectacular views of the Mountains of the Moon – sounds much nicer to me than the Rwenzori Range.

unbelievably this is currently a derelict building

On Tin’s recommendation i first check into the Ruwenzori View Guest House, in the green suburb of Boma, run by an elderly British/Dutch couple. After a serious lack of sleep at QENP i feel i deserve a bit of a splurge. I take Room 8, the only non-attached room for Ush40,000 (single/double with attached USh72,000/94,000) including a whopping all you can eat breakfast. I choose to eat dinner in, and although it costs USh24,000, i can honestly say it is the best meal i have enjoyed in Africa. There is a choice of soups, veg. and non-veg. Mains with salad and rice, and an apple crumble and ice-cream dessert accompanied by coffee. The meal is taken family style and non-residents of the hotel, predominantly NGO workers, make for extremely interesting discourse throughout.

Maurice our host has been in Uganda for 16 years and clearly is very knowledgeable about his adopted country. He informs me that Uganda now has the highest road death-rate in the World, and warns of the population explosion taking place in Kampala – the Ugandan population has doubled since the 1991. Scarily, although he swears blind, up until recently locals have been keen to contract HIV. I’m simply blown away by this information, but he informs me that contracting the virus meant priority and high quality medical treatment. NGOs and government aid has provided outstanding improvements to hospitals both in Uganda and indeed further afield, but only if they treat carriers. Now the lists have recently closed, HIV contraction has notably declined.

You can contact Ineke and Maurice for a booking on +256 – (0)4834 22 102

With no MTN phone or Net connection, i decide to check out the accommodation options in town. The Continental Hotel (Lugard Road) has dark and poorly maintained rooms for USh10,000 per single, the Kenneth Inn for USh31,000 (including breakfast) and the smart and comfortable Rwezori Traveller’s Inn (Lugard Road) for USh32,000. I opt for the Visitour’s Inn who offer me a special on their Executive room for USh25,000 (reduced from USh30,000 per night) if i stay 3 days. It’s clean, comfortable and spacious. It can be found on the junction of Lugard Road and Babitha Road.

cleaning the bike

It is currently “Locust Season” and at 3.18am i am awakened by a plague of these critters invading my room on Biblical proportions. It’s horrendous and hide myself under my mosquito net, and then try and return the beasties out the window in the morning.

For eating options, it is well worth a track up to Boma to dine at Ruwenzori View Guest House. They eat at 8pm and you will need to book in advance.

The Garden restaurant near the main mosque on Lugard is highly recommended, although the bush tucker seems to have disappeared off their menu. A range of Continental and African dishes are available, and assisted by the presence of Heinz tomato ketchup amd American Garden mayonnaise.

The pepper steak and fries is good at Rwezori Traveller’s Inn. The cheeseburger decidedly disappointing. A bit of a personal fave is the Pier Pizzeria and Italian restaurant also on Luard. The pizzas range from USh8.000 – 19,000 but they also offer “Baby” ones for half price which are good for one. There are also pasta offerings and breakfasts available too. The generator is pretty annoying and it is in operation every time i visit.

For grocery treats, head to Andrew and Brothers where olives, gouda cheese and a variety of other goodies can be obtained.

The bric-a-brac market by the bridge is somewhat shabby and has little interest for the passing travellist.

There are ATMs in town, but the electricity supply is highly sporadic and often out for huge periods throughout the day.