Why Igongo is a better stopover to the gorillas

The journey to the mountain gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park is about nine to ten hours from Kampala and in between tourists have to make some stopover for relaxation, stretching and smokers can take this chance to smoke a stick of cigarette. Tourists normally leave Kampala for gorillas at seven am and lunch time is always in Mbarara town and this town has few options which we need to compare in this article.

Igongo Cultural Centre

Until recently, Agip Motel has been the leading place in Between Kampala and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park where tourist stop for easing themselves as well as for a lunch break With the emergence of Igongo Cultural centre, most tourist vehicle are now divided on whether to stop at Agip Motel or Igongo Cultural Centre. The advantage of Igongo Cultural centre as a stop over to the gorillas is that there so many things to see. Igoongo has a museum which is by far the best in south western Uganda if not in Uganda. This museum is very well organized and guides at Igongo are very well informed about the cultures and ethnographic collections in this museum. A walk around this museum while on your lunch break is truly rewarding.

Igongo has several shops selling crafts where tourists can purchase curios from. This therefore means that it is a one stop shop for lunch, shopping and relaxation. These shops display bags, shirts and so many curios for people to buy.

Every weekend, Igongo Cultural center normally hosts traditional parties for the Banyankole. They have garderns where tents are laid and ceremonies take place there. If one is interested in witnessing wedding or give away ceremonies, there many chances that Igongo will provide you with this opportunity as long as you have enough time.

The government is constructing a bypass that branches off after igongo cultural to connect with the Mbarara-Kasese main road as well as the Mbarara-Kabale high way. This therefore means that tourist vehicles who wish to avoid traffic jam in mbarara town will prefer having lunch at Igongo cultural centre and then use the bypass to go to either Kabale or Kasese. This therefore puts Igongo cultural centre a head of Agip Motel and other eating places when it comes to tourists going to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and other National Parks located in the west and southwestern Uganda.

Agip Motel

This is the traditional stopover for coffee or Lunch for tourists vehicles to and from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Queen Elizabeth National Park. As of today, their level of service is and has been very good. It is strategically located at the entry of Mbarara town and closer to Shell petro station where vehicles can refuel and the fact that Agip is in town, it makes it easy for tourists to visit banks and shopping moles. The only advantage is that the bypass which is being constructed might take away some clients and also competition from what to see while on your lunch break may also affect them.

En route to mountain gorillas, there several stopovers that one makes. The first one is at Mpambire Royal drum makers to witness how local drums are made from tress and animal hides. Many tourists have never witnessed something like this and on your Kampala-Masaka road, you will be able to see this with your eyes if time allows.