Hoima City is located in the western region of Uganda approximately 200 kilometers from the capital Kampala. The city is famous for being the home of the King of Bunyoro Omukama Solomon Iguru I. The city is part of the kingdom of Bunyoro formerly the Bunyoro-Kitara kingdom. However, with the discovery of oil as the main mineral in this area, the city is currently known for oil and is often regarded as the Oil City. Hoima City does not stop at the oil and the Bunyoro Kingdom no, the city is a definition of civilization mingled with a touch of culture, tradition, and tourism. With the current events of developments taking place in this city like the building of the stadium to host the Africa Cup of Nations matches in 2027, the city is about to transform. As visitors tour the city of Hoima, there is a lot to encounter including some of the following.
Bunyoro Kingdom
The Bunyoro kingdom is the biggest and strongest kingdom in the western region of Uganda. Hoima City hosts the headquarters of the kingdom and the palace of the king, Omukama Solomon Iguru I. A visit to the kingdom will present visitors with an incredible chance to expose the traditions and cultures of the people of this region. They can also engage in their traditions and cultures like songs and dances and also the traditional culinary. Visitors can also learn the cultural norms, values, and beliefs of the people of Hoima through tales of their traditions and history from their cultural elders.
Katasiha Fort and Caves
The Katasiha Fort and Caves is a historical site in the Bunyoro kingdom and was once the biggest fort in the region. It was constructed by the king of Bunyoro Omukama Kabalega in 1894 as his haven after he had abandoned Mparo his palace, to hide from the British after he resisted their rule. The river Bigajuuka flowed before the fort hence providing extra security to the king as it was the first line of defense before his army. Visitors can explore the caves and fort and discover how the king protected himself and his army.
Kabwoya Game Reserve
Kabwoya Game Reserve is one of the newly formed game reserves in the country after it was gazetted in 1980. It started as a controlled area for game hunting but due to poor management wildlife in the park was poached out. In 2002, it was established as a wildlife reserve and the Uganda Wildlife Authority re-introduced the wildlife to the reserve. Animals in the reserve include Uganda kob, bush duiker, oribi, warthog, bushbuck, hippos, buffaloes, bushpig, and colobus. The reserve is also a natural habitat for more than 400 bird species such as blue-headed sunbird, strange weaver, dwarf honey guide, yellow-eyed black fletcher, and grauer’s warbler to mention but a few. The Kabwoya Game Reserve stretches for over 70 square kilometers along the Lake Albert shoreline area. Visitors can engage in a game drive in the park, especially in the morning hours to encounter the game as the feed while in the comfort of the visitors’ vehicle. Night game drives are also provided to encounter the nocturnals as they feed and hunt such as leopards.
Visit Lake Albert
Lake Albert is also among the attractions in Hoima City. The lake is located on the border line of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Visitors to the lake can engage in a boat cruise experience to encounter wildlife like hippos and crocodiles. The boat cruise experience also blesses you with scenes of other wildlife species that are usually spotted at the lake shores quenching their thirst. These include elephants, buffaloes, waterbuck, oribi, duiker, and warthog among others. While at the lake, visitors can also visit the many fishing villages interact with the local fisher, and learn about the different species of fish living in the lake.
Mparo Tombs
The Mparo tombs are also an important cultural and historical site, especially among the people of Hoima City. Mparo was once in time the capital of the kingdom of Bunyoro because it was the palace of king, Omukama Kabalega in 1872. The capital and palace of Mparo were later turned into Mparo tombs after the death of Omukama Kabalega when he was buried there in 1923. Visitors can now explore the tombs and learn about the history of the kingdom, the leadership of the former king, and the cultural rituals practiced at the tombs.
Murchison Falls National Park
The mighty Murchison Falls National Park is the largest protected area in the country Uganda. The area spans over 3,840 square kilometers with some of the unique landscapes and species recorded in the country. The park is located approximately 2 hours from Hoima City and can be accessed by road on the Hoima-Masindi highway. Visitors to Murchison Falls National Park can explore the park through different activities like game drives, boat cruises, or even chimpanzee trekking on the northern side of the park in the Budongo forest. This is Uganda’s largest natural mahogany forest and one of the largest in East Africa. Visitors can also explore the Murchison Falls, the world’s strongest waterfall where water of the Victoria Nile is squeezed through a narrow gap and plunges into a small pour below.
How to get to Hoima City?
As mentioned earlier, Hoima City is located in the western region of the country, and accessing the city can be road. Hoima City is approximately 200 kilometers from Kampala and traveling by road can take about 3-4 hours. However, with the current developments of the Kabalega International Airport constructions, accessing Hoima City will be by air soon.
