Fort Portal

Fort Portal

Fort Portal is a town in the western region of Uganda, which is the seat of the Kabarole district and historically the seat of the Tooro Kingdom. It is a Bantu kingdom within the borders of Uganda. The indigenous people of the kingdom are the Batooro, their languages are likewise Rutooro, Bakonzo, Babwisi/Bamba. Fort Portal was named after Sir Gerald Portal, a 19th century British diplomat, as he had his base here. The town lies at an altitude of about 1500 meters, overlooking the Ruwenzori Range and the Mufumbiro volcanoes. It is connected by road to Rubona, Kyenjojojo and Kyegegwa. The town is a major market and processing center for cotton, peanuts, sesame seeds, maize, coffee, tobacco, castor-oil seeds, tea, tropical fruits and vegetables. To the east of the town are several tea plantations. Fort Portal provides a base for mountain climbing in the Ruwenzori Range, and is home to the palace of Toro omukama. The Bwamba Pass, the Hot Springs of Bundibugyo and the Ileri Forest are also nearby attractions.