Kabale

Kabale is a small city in Western Uganda near Lake Bunyonyi.

Understand

Kabale's 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.

Get in

Horizon and Gateway buses have buses to and from Kampala takes around 8 hours. Buses to and from Fort Portal take around 8 hours. Buses to and from Mbarara take around 3 hours. Kasese 7 hours. Kisoro 2 hours. Kabale to Kigali Rwanda is 104.3 km.

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, echuyaforest@gmail.com. A non-profit community group, Echuya Eco-tourism Association is now offering 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 Bachiga, Batwa, and Bafumbira communities are also possible. Self-sufficient campground USh 20,000. US$10. (updated May 2016)

Buy

• Stanbic Bank. Has an Mastercard/Visa Card ATM. (updated Apr 2015)
• Equity Bank. Has an 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)

Eat

• Skyline Hotel and Skyblue Motel Dinner Buffets (Main Janction.). Eat all you can. USh 10,000. (updated Sep 2015)

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)

Go next

• Lake Bunyonyi
• Rwanda
• Kisoro
• Mbarara
• Fort Portal