Kamapla-Masaka-Mbarara-Kabale 434kms 8 hours
Kabale-Kisoro 88 kms 3 hours
Kabale-Bwindi 108 kms 3-4 hours (See notes on Bwindi as there are several access route)

Most visitors to Uganda will probably come through Kabale at some stage on their journey. Whether proceeding to Bwindi or Mgahinga for Gorilla tracking activities and or Volcano climbs many will find it necessary to over night here or at Lake Bunyonyi. Kabale can be cold and wet although July/Aug/Sept is usually very dry and the town very dusty. Mist is common in the early mornings enveloping the town.

The district is heavily populated and extensively cultivated.

Getting there and away:
The tarmac road ends in Kabale. If proceeding to Kisoro the last 88 kms from Kabale to Kisoro is on marrum road.

There are several 'Express public buses' that leave during the day form Kampala for Kabale usually up to 1 pm. The Horizon bus company has the monopoly on the route. Buses stop in Masaka and Mbarara. There are 2 buses a day that continue through Kabale to Kisoro and Bunagana (Dr. Congo border). The first bus arrives in Kisoro around 17.00. These buses return the following morning from Bunagana to Kampala. The first buses will begin leaving Kabale around 05.00am. Horizon bus operate a daily bus at 07.00am through to Fort Portal via Mbarara and Kasese.

The Post Bus runs daily from Kabale to Fort Portal. You can make this journey also by changing public buses in Mbarara.

Several matutus and pick up trucks make the journey to and from Kisoro through out the day. They are prone to serious overloading and are usually in poor mechanical condition. You would be advised to wait for the public bus.

Lake Bunyonyi is 8 kms outside of Kabale. Proceed through town when coming in from Kampala to the end of the tarmac. After 1 km a left turn at well sign posted junction takes you to Lake Bunyonyi where a raft of tourist facilities are available to you. Many of these facilities are sign posted on the previously mentioned junction. Coming from Kisoro if you miss the junction and find the tarmac at the beginning of Kabale the junction was 1 km back.

The route to Lake Bunyonyi is marrum and becomes very steep after 2 kms. It may be necessary to engage 4 Wheel drive especially when the road is wet.

For those without transport, a Private Hire can easily be arranged in Kabale. Walking will take 2-3 hours. Alternatively at the junction to Lake Bunyonyi eventually you will find a commercial vehicle proceeding to the lake. You will be expected to pay something small.

Accommodation:
Kabale has no shortage of accommodation. Most visitors to the town are en-route to Lake Bunyonyi, Kisoro or Bwindi.

Top End:
Greenhills Hotel: Set up on the hill overlooking Kabale town with a swimming pool and sauna room this is the premiere hotel in Kabale. It is not easy to get to if your on foot however for those with vehicles the hotel junction is sign posted close to the Gorilla Tourism office in town. Tel. 0486 424442. All 24 rooms are self contained. The room rate includes breakfast, swimming, sauna and steam bath.

Executive Rooms (6) Double occupancy Ushs60,000- (Ushs40,000- Single occupancy)
Deluxe Rooms Ushs50,000- (Ushs35,000- Single occupancy)
Twin Room Ushs50,000-.

White Horse Inn: Tel 0486 423336, 0772 459859, Fax 0486 423717, located at 25 Rwamafa Rd. Safe and secure parking for those with vehicles. Bar & Restaurant. Clean rooms with bathrooms. Located on the hill over looking Kabale on Lwamafa Rd. There are 2 steep access roads up to the hotel.

Ushs85,000- Single, Ushs110,000- Double/Twin, Ushs170,000-Suite, Ushs900,000-Executive suite inc breakfast.

Jopfan Country Hotel: Tel. +256 (0)782 840292, (0)782 412741, (0)772 334506,
email: jopfancountryhotel@yahoo.com. Located at Plot No 1 Bourdillon Road, Makanga which is 1.2kms from town just footsteps away from Kabale Golf Course on the hill looking over Kabale town and terraced hillsides. 19 spacious well furnished self contained rooms with DSTV and conference facilities and gardens.
The hotel is close to The White Horse Inn.

Single Ushs41,000-, Double room Ushs72,000-, Twin rooms Ushs72,000-, Deluxe Double Ushs82,000-
Rates include breakfast and local government taxes.

Cepha's Inn: Tel 0486 422097, 0782 636370, 0772 444536. Located opposite Green Hills on at Plot 7 Archers road. 22 clean comfortable rooms, swimming pool, sauna, steam bath, games room, restaurant and bar with DSTV. Over looks the rolling hills of Kabale.

Singles Ushs40,000-, Twin Ushs60,000-, Executive Double Ushs80,000-,
Delux Ushs120,000-
Rates include breakfast and all local government taxes

Mid Range:
Queens Hotel: Located in town close to the overnight bus parking. Good value accommodation, clean rooms and restaurant menu available. DSTV services. safe secure parking. Tel. 0486 424054, 0772 970845.

7 rooms, Single or Double self contained Ush35,000- including breakfast.

Victoria Inn: Renamed The Sky Blue Annex. Tel. 0486 423414/422154, 0772 405794, 0772 487559. 20 self-contained clean rooms, hot water available. Small bar and restaurant. Sign posted off the main road opposite the Royal Supermarket. Convenient for those wanting to take an early morning bus to Kampala. Express buses to Kampala 'park-up' and overnight in the same road as the Victoria Inn. This is near to the football stadium in the center of Kabale indicated by a 3 meter gray concrete wall.

Ushs18,000- single, Ushs25,000- double inc breakfast.

Highland Hotel: Tel. 0486 422175, Mobile 0712 949850 - This is a well known location in Kabale housing the Kabale Business Center/Tourist information office. Read note on 'Kabale Amenities' below. The hotel provides safe and secure parking for those with vehicles. Bar & Restaurant located in annex.

Single Ushs15,000-, Double Ushs30,000-, Twin Ushs30,000-, Double Delux Ushs35,000-

Budget:
Edrisa Hostel: Tel. 0752 558558, email: info@edrisa.org. This vey popular venue in the heart of Kabale town also hosts the Bakiga cultural museum. The hostel does great meals at very low prices and is a great place to relax and share travel information with other travellers. Free wireless internet access for guests. Extensively used by volunteers on project for Edirisa. Located opposite the Hot Loaf bakery.

Dorm bed Ushs5,000-, Single room Ushs8,000-,Twin Ushs15,000-, Double self contianed Ushs20,000-

Visitours Hotel: Tel. 0772 443449. Located next to the market and matatu park. Has a great verandah overlooking the street. Cheap, friendly but shabby. Meals available.

Single Ushs5,000-, Double Ushs10,000 self-contained rooms.

Skyblue Motel: Tel. 0486 422154. 0772 405749/487559. Opposite the matatu park and the Visitors Hotel. Like the Visitors Hotel it is popular with Backpackers. Cheap, bucket hot water showers, meals available.

Single Ushs Ushs8,000-, Double Ushs10,000-. Self-contained double Ushs18,000-. Self-contained single Ushs12,000-.

Skyline Hotel Kabale: Tel. 0486 426476, mobile. 0772 389030. Located next to the Sky Blue on the main road opposite the market and bus park. Buses for Kampala depart from in front of the Skyline. Buffet lunches Ushs5,000-.

Single Ushs7,000-, Double Ushs10,000-.

Camping:
Golf Side Campsite & Restaurant: Tel 0772 458272. Located as the name suggests by the Golf Course on what is know as the hill above Kabale town. Follow the sign posts for the Green Hills Hotel from town. Golf Side is located on the junction of the turn off to Green Hills on Archers road.

Rooms Ushs10,000-, Camping Ushs5,000-

Mechanical Emergencies:
Kabale has at least 4 fuel stations. All have facilities to allow minor servicing of vehicles. The Shell on the approach to town from Kampala at the junction to the Rwanda border and Kigali is the largest station in town. In the back streets of the center of town there is a road where you can source spare parts, arc and gas welding is possible and larger repairs can be done to a vehicle. Do not leave the vehicle unattended at any repair shop! Part exchanging is common so beware.

Medical Emergencies:
The hospital is located in the old part of town near the 'White Horse Inn'.

Activities:
See the lifestyle of the Bakiga the largest tribe in South Western Uganda. Located opposite the Hot Loaf Bakery the Kabale museum provides an insight into the traditional life of the Bakiga peoples. The museum has a restaurant, info centre, fair trade gift shop and small hostel (great for early morning buses to Kampala).

Amenities:
There is a large market daily in Kabale next to the matatu park with no shortage of fresh produce. There are many small supermarkets that include Royal Supermarket on Kabale Road where there is a good variety of produce on the shelves and frozen products available.

There is a Hot Loaf Bakery in town close to the Kabale museum with a selection of very sweet and dry cakes. Fresh bread is not always available in the morning.

There are several forex offices and banks. Travelers cheques may present a problem. Try the Highland hotel where the Tourist Information Office offers foreign exchange, e-mail telephone and fax services. This office is a good place to buy post cards and specifically a regional map known as the Kigezi Tourist Map. This map (scale 1:125000) is an invaluable tool to navigating the district from Kisoro to Kabale to Bwindi and north to Queen Elizabeth NP.

Internet access has arrived in Kabale. The Voice of Kigezi Internet Cafe can be found 300m from the main taxi/bus park at Plot 50 Mbarara Rd. Look out for a raft of satellite dishes on the roof of the building. Surfing rates Ushs50-/min.

The Post Office sells phone cards for Uganda Telecoms telephones. MTN mobile have a transmitter in Kabale. MTN offer both cellular and public telephones in Kabale.

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