Discover Fort Portal Crater Lakes; Named Uganda’s main tourism capital, the scenic Fort Portal town is a charming and the most pleasant adventure base, known for its scenic beauty and unique geological formations. Set at the confluence of Uganda’s major attractions, Fort Portal is the most hospitable destination, boasting a pleasant year-round climate influenced by its high altitude along the eastern walls of the Albertine Rift.
The small, charming town of Fort Portal is also the capital of the Toro Kingdom, whose royal palace sits high on the hill overlooking the bustling business town. It derives its English name from a small British colonial garrison fort built here in the late 1890s to protect the young kingdom then. Fort Portal’s magnificent landscapes are covered by tea-covered hillsides, rainforests, and several volcanic crater lakes formed by the same forces that shaped the rift valley. And the fertile hillsides are tamed with banana and coffee estates.
Exploring Fort Portal Crater Lakes
The towering landscape around Fort Portal is pocked by a series of crater lakes numbering up to 50, created by volcanic activity that shaped the rift valley. These scenic craters are divided into two clusters; the largest is the Kasenda volcanic field, which lies about 30km south of Fort Portal town, and a smaller volcanic field just 5km north of the town.
These characterful volcanic craters offer a scenic adventure to outdoor enthusiasts who can explore them on short hiking and biking experiences. Naturalists can choose to explore the steep, forested rims of these crater lakes to tick off various species of monkeys and a rich bird list.
Activities to do around Fort Portal Crater Lakes
Exploring Amabere ga NyinaMwiru Caves and Lake Saka and Kigere Crater Lakes
One of the main adventure attractions here is the unique Amabere ga NyinaMwiru cave and the cluster of crater lakes located just 5km north of Fort Portal town. Amabere ga NyinaMwiru (NyinaMwiru Breasts) derives their name from the dripping stalactite formation that resembles a woman. The cave is an important cultural site to the local Batoro, who believe their founder, Ndahura, was raised here. Legend says a young princess whose breasts were cut off by her furious king father sought refuge here and was met and impregnated by King Isaza.
The princess conceived a son, Mwiiru, whom she fed on the milky limestone substance that dripped from hanging stalactites. It is said the young Mwiiru grew strong to later become King Ndahura, the founder of the Bachwezi dynasty that eventually conquered the Great Lakes kingdoms. A tour of Amabere Cave is a part of a scenic walking trail that hikes up to a viewpoint that offers an excellent all-around view of the three craters: Lake Saka and Lake Kigere up to the distant Rwenzori Mountain ranges.
Trail Duration and Difficulty
The scenic walking trail that leads around the three crater lakes and Amabere Cave is roughly 8km (2/3 hrs) long and considered a moderate-level trek with a short, sharp ascent to the main viewing point. Rewards include stunning views of the surrounding farmlands, distant mountain ranges, and wide valleys.
The Ndali/Kasenda Crater Lakes
Spread across a 15 km² area, the Ndali/Kasenda crater field reveals the most intense violent volcanic eruptions that shaped this entire landscape. The Kasenda/Ndali cluster of crater lakes lies about 30km south of Fort Portal town and totals more than 50 in number, differing in both character and form. Several of these lakes are now filled with crystal-clear blue waters hemmed in with steep, forested hillsides, while others are wide and gentle-sided shallow depressions heavily cultivated. The surrounding volcanic-rich soils are the most fertile in the country, supporting large estates of coffee, tea, and bananas. The towering scenic landscape around these crater lakes is dotted with a wide range of accommodations offering a serene environment and a perfect base to explore a plethora of adventure activities, including
Popular Adventure Activities around the Ndali/Kasenda Crater Lakes
Exploring the Ndali/Kasenda crater lakes includes hiking, motorbike tours, coffee, vanilla and banana demonstrative tours, and nature walks. These experiences are led by informative local guides who will lead you along local footpaths past humble homesteads, bustling day markets, and schools to reveal a typical Ugandan rural lifestyle. Activity duration ranges from as short as 2-4 hours to a full-day experience.
Crater Lakes Hiking and Coffee/Vanilla Experience
The most popular activity is a guided walk and hike around these crater lakes, mostly tailored to your available time and interests. These tours bring you to viewing points high enough to reveal the stunning scenery characterized by green carpets of tea, rainforests, and the entire crater lake-pocked landscape.
Banana, Coffee, and Vanilla Farm Experience
Favored by a high altitude and high rainfalls, the fertile volcanic soils here are the best in the country, dominated by large estates of tea, coffee, and vanilla as the main cash crops, along with banana varieties. Guided community walking tours offer combined hiking and demonstrative experiences where you visit and learn about coffee and vanilla farm tours to gain insights on these high-demand crops grown locally.
Hike to Mahoma Falls
One scenic trail combines a trek around Lake Mwamba extending to the characterful Mahoma Falls set in a small forest gorge beyond Kabata village.
Birding and Primate Viewing Guided Nature Walks at Lake Nkuruba
Bird watchers and naturalists will be rewarded by guided walks along the forested crater lake rims that are rich with a variety of forest birds and a number of primates. Of these sites, Lake Nkuruba stands out with well-established forest trails and knowledgeable guides. The primate list at Lake Nkuruba includes black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed and vervet monkeys, and grey-cheeked mangabeys.
Exploring beyond Ndaili/Kasenda Crater Lakes
Trek along the chimpanzee in Kibale National Park.
The main trailhead and visitors’ reception of Kibale National Park, known for its epic chimpanzee trekking experiences, lie within a 20-30km distance, requiring some minutes from any of the accommodation here.
Hike the Rwenzori Mountain ranges.
Staying around the Ndali/Kasenda craters, you can visit the Rwenzori Mountain ranges on a multi-day hike or just a day tour. The nearest park trailhead of Nyakalengyija lies some 40 km, or an hour’s drive, from here.