Mbarara is one of the most developed districts of Uganda found in the western part of the country. It’s a commonly crossed district by many of the Uganda travelers as it’s at the center considering many of the tourist attractions located in the west, south and southwestern parts of the country. This therefore explains why it appears in many of visitor’s journeys. It acts as a stopover for many where people get to the town center, touring its markets and craft shops and even the Ankole Kingdom though some get a chance to visit the Katonaga forest sanctuary the home to the unique and shy sitatunga antelopes. Mbarara town is symbolized by the statue of the long horned Ankole cow. It’s signified by crossroads leading to either Kabale (the Switzerland of Uganda) or Kaseses districts.
Access Routes
There are several ways / routes that can be used when heading to Mbarara; Kamapala – Mbarara high way taking about 3 hours, Mbarara – Masaka highway which is about 2 and a half hours drive, Mbarara – Kabale high way about 2 and a half hours , Mbarara – Lake Mburo National park covering less than an hour, and eventually the Mbarara – Kasese route of 2 and half hours. Whichever route is chosen, the road network is well constructed and established and all brings you safely to the Great land of the Ankole Kingdom.
Getting there and away:
Mbarara can easily be reached by both the public and private means. Where there are several bus and taxi routes / trips that a made to and fro Mbarara on a daily baisis, and even from the various western locations of Kabale, Kasese, Masaka, Lake Mburo, Rwanda and Burundi. There are several bus companies in Kampala operating these trips and you are free to make a booking with any of your choice however, in the festive seasons, the bus prices tend to go high. There are some examples of the operating bus companies which include: Honest Bus Services, Endigyito Bus, Horizon Coaches, Swift Safaris, GASO Bus , whose bus fares range between 8000 and 15000 Ugandan shillings per trip.