Located just a stone’s throw from the border between Uganda and Kenya, Tororo is a small town east of Kampala. It served as a garrison for the Uganda Army during the Uganda-Tanzania War and was taken by the Tanzania People’s Defence Force in 1979. Seven years later, it was recaptured by the Uganda National Liberation Army as part of the Ugandan Bush War.
Things to do in Tororo
Watching over the town is Tororo Rock, a distinctive landmark that can be seen from all over the Tororo District. An easy walking trail leads up its slopes, with a series of ladders accessing the 1,483-metre-high summit. Along the way, stop to explore the ancestral caves, several of which are decorated with rock paintings.
On the southern edge of the town centre is the Tororo Golf Club, an 18-hole course that offers magnificent views of Tororo Rock. You can mingle with the locals on the greens before grabbing a drink at the clubhouse restaurant. If you’re travelling with kids, head to the Tororo Lions Children's Park or relax in the Municipal Gardens.
Tororo makes an ideal base for visiting the Busitema Forest Reserve, which is home to baboons, vervet monkeys and black-and-white colobuses, all of which can be spotted on guided treks. It’s also a popular spot for birdwatching, with kingfishers, long-tailed cuckoos and Ross’s turacos among the species recorded here.
Getting around Tororo
Tororo is around an hour’s drive from Mbale and four hours from Kampala. Entebbe International Airport is 4.5 hours away and has flights to destinations across the globe. Long-distance buses connect to Tororo and the town centre is compact enough to explore on foot. Renting a car and driver is the most convenient way of getting around the region.