The Igongo Cultural Centre is one of the most visited tourism sites in Uganda. The center is Located in the South western town of Biharwe, just about 12 km away from Mbarara city and along the Masaka/Mbarara road. Due to its location along a busy Tourism highway, the Igongo Cultural Centre is a major attraction in Mbarara City.
Many Travelers who are visiting Uganda for gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, mountain Rwenzori hiking, or game drives to Queen Elizabeth national park make a stopover at the Igongo cultural Center to experience all the amazing activities on offer. The center is a favorite for student researchers, cultural tourism enthusiasts and people looking to get away from the noisy Kampala or Mbarara city centers.
The Igongo Cultural Centre was commissioned by president Museveni as a major cultural tourism site in Uganda and opened to the public in 2011. The Centre was built to attract people from within Uganda and other parts of the globe. Travelers get to relax in the cultural center’s lush green gardens which is perfect for photography, picnics and parties. The Igongo cultural center may be the best place to study everything about the Ankole people and their culture. It is a place where the past meets the present. You will get to experience not only the Ankole culture but also that of other indigenous Uganda tribal groups.
While at the Igongo cultural Center, you will be sure to enjoy lots of activities. It’s a large establishment and a complete tour can take 6 hours or even the whole day. A visit includes visiting the Eitaramiro culture village from where you will learn about the day to day life in a typical Kigezi and Ankole household/homestead. While at the homestead, you will see household items like traditional garden tools, grinding stones, millet grains, calabashes, milk gourds, hides and skins among others. There is also a music and dance troupe at the Igongo cultural Center. The traditional dancers will entertain you with their amazing local instruments and dance styles. One dancing style involves recreating a cow horn in a twisted move. Those who spend more time at the center can also learn how milk is traditionally processed to form cow ghee or other products. Local Guides are available at the Center to ensure that tourists learn as much as possible about the local culture. The Guides will also ensure that you are an active participant in in the activities.
What is the entrance fee to the Igongo Cultural Centre? There is no entrance fee to the Igongo Cultural Centre as a facility. However, those who wish to visit the Igongo Cultural Museum pay an entrance fee of 25,000 Uganda Shillings. You might want to read about how to plan for a trip to Uganda.
Places to Visit and more Details about Activities at the Igongo Cultural Centre
Although we have already described some of the activities at the Igongo Cultural Center, we can continue to provide more details about the different sections and places to visit within the establishment. These sections include: –
The Igongo Cultural museum: At the museum, you will see lots of amazing things that are an important part of the Ankole culture and to a wider extent other tribes found in the western part of Uganda. The tribes in western Uganda have a similar heritage. Among the items you will view at the museum are animal skins and hides, traditional milking pots, calabashes, milk gourds, traditional stools, Ankole cultural wears, Ankole cultural regalia and the longhorn Ankole cattle which are a pride among the local population.
The Nkwanzi book store and crafts shop: Right within the Igongo Cultural Center is the Nkwanzi crafts shop from where Travelers get the opportunity to purchase some souvenirs inform of amazing traditional jewelry, bags, hats and African garments among other items. The book store is also the right place to find written literature about the Ankole and other kingdoms of Uganda. In fact, you will also find books about the history of Uganda’s politics, religions and people who made a difference to society.
The Mpororo Court: Tourists who visit the Igongo Cultural Center will also get an opportunity to visit the Mpororo court which is also known as the Kitami palace. In the past, there was a powerful female ruler of Ankole known as Kitami. She is described as a fat brown woman who was a very influential ruler in the 18th century. A palace was set up at the Igongo cultural center which is similar to that of Queen Kitami. While at the Mpororo court, you will catch sight of sculptures belonging to Queen Kitami, milk pots, drums and weapons of war (spears and shields). There is also a women Council within the Mpororo Court similar to the ones that used to serve the famous Queen back in the day.
The Cultural Village: This is perhaps the most interesting section of the Igongo Cultural Centre. This village is known as the ‘Itaramiro’ which is loosely translated as ‘a place where people gather”. A visit to Eitaramiro culture village is highly rewarding for cultural tourists because it has its own attractions. Expect to see several traditional huts with grass roofing and constructed with unique traditional designs. Within this cultural village are both cattle keepers and crop farmers ready to share information about the Ancient Ankole kingdom and its evolution over time. In the evenings, Tourists can participate/learn the local Ankole riddles while enjoying warmth from the camp-like fire.
Accommodation at the Igongo Cultural Centre
The Igongo Cultural Center was built in an area which is accessible and hence with a variety of accommodation facilities. The accommodation facilities are in form of hotels and cottages. One can find both luxurious and budget friendly rooms. Most visitors book with the Igongo Country Hotel which is built within the Igongo Cultural Centre. The hotel provides excellent accommodation in a very peaceful environment for relaxation. There is a swimming pool and beautiful nature surrounding the hotel. The hotel provides about 50 high quality self-contained rooms. Some of the rooms are built in form of cottages with African design. Other hotels close to the Igongo Cultural Village include Hotel Triangle, Agip Motel, Lake View Resort Hotel and many more within Mbarara City Itself.
In a nutshell, tourists can make the most out of their time visiting the western parts of Uganda by including a stop at the Igongo Cultural Center as part of their Uganda safari. Visiting this cultural Center will make their visit in Uganda more complete because they will be exposed to the ordinary African traditional way of living.
