7 days Extraodinary Ankore African Culture Tour

After breakfast, our guide will pick you from your hotel of residence, brief you about the exclusive Ankore Culture tour and you embark on your trip driving to the western region of Uganda. You will make a stopover at Lukaya roadside market for refreshments and proceed to Igongo Cultural Museum where you will have your Lunch too.

After the Museum visit and lunch, embark on your trip to Itaaba Royal Palace -the first and last home of the great leader, father of Nkore/Ankore Kingdom, the first king of Nkore/Ankole and the last King of the Cwezi Dynasty; Great Lakes Region who was called Omugabe Wamara Ruhanja Njojo Ibuga Ryabweera son to Omugabe (King) Ndahura and Nyakahima. This palace was found in the 14th century and it is the first palace of the first king of Ankore/Nkore Kingdom. You will be briefed upon arrival at the palace on the dos and donts while touring the Royal Palace, later proceed to three cooking stones (amahega ashatu ga Nkore) onto which the great Ankore kingdom was formed that is Kakama, Kiiru and Kahima which were built in form of houses to mark the ritual of the ancient Royal leaders of the place.

You will then proceed to the Ishaazi (fire place) that has been preserved since the 14th century to date, this Ishaazi was always lit more on the 31st night of December to commemorate the end of year and welcoming the new year according to the believers in Cwezi. Later you will proceed to the Palace museum to see the Royal Regalia (ebikwato byengoma) like the shield of Omugabe Wamara Ruhanja Njojo Ibuga Ryabweera , spears, drums, animal skins with different meanings , Orugyegye(an organized place with grass of pleasant smell laid) onto which wooden milk pots (Ebyanzi), Ekicuunga (pottery fumigator used to smoke the Ebyanzi) before putting milk for the visitors to be flavored, a board game (Omwesho) that has been preserved since the 14th century todate, a Tamarisk tree (Omuzigangoma) into which the two Royal drum Bagyendanwa and Kabembura were made, fascinating sights of the Hills of Ankore ,valleys and streams that flow beneath KAARO KARUNGI (a very stunning village) among others.

More of the history of the Great Kingdom will be heard enroute your Palace tour and later proceed to milking the Ankore long horned Cwezi cow (okukama ente ye’nyankore) at sundown from which you will be prepared an evening tea for you to enjoy and return to our hotel or lodge in Mbarara city or outside the town. Dinner and overnight stay at:

Available hotels:

High end : Emburara farm lodge

4-star Boutique Hotel: Lake View Resort Hotel Mbarara

Mid-range: Acacia hotel Mbarara | Agip Motel Mbarara |Hotel | Igongo culture center & country Hotel

After an early breakfast, your guide will drive you back to Itaaba Royal Palace in Nyakayojo to experience a complete day of a traditional Ankole/Nkore herdsman right from the morning hours to nightfall, you will be given a walking stick and two cows to walk with a Royal guide to the bush and shrubs near the palace for grazing and later at mid- day advance to the cattle drinking place to do the Okweshera activity (the process of leading the cows to the drinking place and enabling them drink) followed by Okutseetura (guiding the cows back to the Palace)-here you are given only two Cwezi cows to walk with. You will have lunch of the traditional Ankore staple food and enjoy the rest of the afternoon listening to the history of the great kingdom of Ankole/Nkore from the source.

Later at night from 19:00hrs you will come closer to Ishaazi (fire place) to listen and learn more of the social and moral behaviors of Ankore Kingdom, poems, riddles, the tales of Ankore and the core history of the Kingdom, have dinner of the local Ankore traditional dishes like Akaro (mingled millet) and Eshabwe (local delicious Mayonnaise) till 22:00hrs and return to your hotel/ lodge for another night stay.

High end: Emburara farm lodge

4-star Boutique Hotel: Lake View Resort Hotel Mbarara

Mid-range: Acacia hotel Mbarara | Agip Motel Mbarara |Hotel | Igongo culture center & country Hotel

Budget Hotels: Kosiya Hotel & Service apartments | Wagga Resort Mbarara | Pinnacle Hotel Mbarara | Hotel B plus

After breakfast, you will transfer to Kazo –a place which has two great archaeological sites of the Cwezi Dynasty that is Kyandahi caves and Nyakahondogoro caves and several healing centers (Endembo) of Aba Cwezi that have been preserved to date-the journey takes 2 hours. On arrival at Kazo, you will visit Orurembo for a one Cwezi healer Nabasa Lillian who will brief you on the etiquettes while at Orurembo and later unveils the details of the whole worshipping process of Aba Cwezi right from 14th century -the order has never changed overtime. In Orurembo there is also Orugyegye which you will have seen at the Palace in Itaaba where offertories to Ruhanga (God) are placed to seek blessings. More details of the divine power like telekinesis, clairvoyance, foretelling of Aba Cwezi will be told and the duties of each leader Cwezi belief.

Later you will proceed for lunch enroute and embark on your tour to Kyandahi caves. At these caves you will enter underneath to see very huge rooms of Aba Cwezi where they pray and worship from since the reign of Omugabe (king) Ndahura, also inside there is ekigabiro where worshippers put offertories and there are also very dark room where worshippers go to worship but not advised to spend an overnight therein.

After your morning breakfast, your guide will drive you to Nyakahondogoro caves in Kazo district-one of the archaeological sites of Aba Cwezi along with Omu Cwezi Clairvoyant leader who will guide you enroute to the caves about rituals done there, the sacred prayers conducted there from, tell you the detailed antiquity of the site and the present day, after your arrival near the site-your Safari motor vehicle will be have to be parked at the lower hills of the site and you will change the means of transportation by using local bodaboda ride that will aid you ascend to the foot of the Nyakahondogoro cave and later start your simple hike to the top of the caves where there is an entrance to the caves.

Upon reaching the top of caves, you will have the utmost and perfect view of Buruga and Burengye bweizo’ba (East &west) of Ankore Kingdom, this will reward you with a magnificent scenery that allows memorable photos and there is a very high chance of encountering Aba Cwezi dressed in white clothes or veils, sounding drums while worshipping.You will appreciate Aba Cwezi traditional way of worshipping and later proceed for a very rewarding nature walk that will enable you encounter some primates like Vervet Monkeys and different bird species.

After the nature walk, you will proceed for lunch at your Safari Lodge and rest till sundown

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

On this day after your morning breakfast, you will transfer to Mbarara City and proceed to a Suburb called Biharwe – a place known for Abahima settlers whose pride is in possession of thousands of herds of cattle, vast banana plantations to mention. You will hike the Biharwe hill to the Eclipse Monument. The solar eclipse in Biharwe happened in 1520 AD at the Reign of Omugabe Ntare I Nyabugaro Bweera at the time when the Great King of Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom called Omukama Olimi I Rwitamahanga Kirimbi who invaded Nkore/Ankole Kingdom and battled Omugabe Ntare I Nyabugaro Bweera and defeated him, soon after the battle, the sun was seen physically descending from the sky and immersed itself in Lake Mutukura and the whole of Nkore was totally dark -people were surprised! And Omugabe Ntare I Nyabugaro Bweera hiked Biharwe hill, stood at the hill and sacrificed a White Cow, White Sheep and a White Cock then after the prayed to Ruhanga form stability of the world and restoration of the daylight.

The sun ascended to the sky and the daylight returned -that is why the monument was built after to commemorate the event . Later Nkore kingdom was hit by famine and enhanced the Obwijuganyonza epoch and people started eating a wild red berry called Enyonza and whoever used to intend to go and marry-they used to take the wild red berries (Amayonza -plural of Enyonza) as dowry.Later, you will advance to Mbarara town for a city walk at High street, visit the central market to search for pure Honey, Ghee, and other souvenirs like Enkoni (Ankole walking stick) and proceed for Lunch at your Safari Lodge/ Hotel and rest till nightfall.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

After your breakfast, you will transfer to Kampala/Entebbe.

End of the 7 days Extraordinary Ankore African Culture tour.