The community visitor’s center in the Rwenzori foothills is the place to be if you want to get the best out of your visit to Rwenzori. It is the first of its kind in the region, where you can reach and plan all the components of your Rwenzori trekking or experience visit.

This visitor center is inspired by the Best Tourism Village upgrade initiative of United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). The community has put it as a model and one stop center for travelers who want to explore the Rwenzori nature, landscapes and cultures in the shortest time possible.

When visiting Rwenzori, you no longer need to spend days or months planning your trip to Rwenzori, you just need to reach out to or visit the community visitor center and you will find all the information and logistics in one place.

The visitor’s center is built for the locals to meet their visitors in the most respectable way. While here, the community shows you around the village and a cross-section of Bakonzo life in just one spot. If you have more time, they take you on short guided tours around the village in the foothills, where you can spend from a few minutes to several hours as you explore the nature, culture, scenery, and landscapes of the Rwenzori Mountains.

From here, they also offer volunteer placements in a range of projects including traditional farming and agro-processing, enterprise development, conservation and tourism, women empowerment, skilling, girl child empowerment, and education. These volunteer opportunities are ideal for people who want to learn as they help change the lives of the local people. While at this center, the locals feel at home and the visitors feel very welcome. This is yet the best way to experience in the Rwenzori Mountains.

Experiences:

This is what you will experience when you visit the Ruboni Community Center.

Handicrafts purchase: A handicraft shop is stocked with locally made handicrafts. It is the ideal shipping center for gifts to use in your home or bring back home to your friends and loved ones.

Local meals, and snacks: Our kitchen offers only Ugandan dishes. Our meals and snacks are made by the local people with the local ingredients made to the traditional test that suites our guests who want to enjoy the local Ugandan cuisine. from making a Rolex to the most complex local dishes, you can also participate in the cooking process (prior booking) as part of the Ugandan food experience.

All sorts of drinks: A well-stocked bar with most of the modern and local drinks. our snack bar also offers hot drinks such as tea and coffee. in the local village, you can also participate in the experience of making the local drinks at a small tour fee.

Tour information: We have an info point about the short and long tours, treks, and safaris in the Rwenzori foothills, mountains, and queen Elizabeth national park. on request, our experienced team will also help you on how to travel to any part of Uganda. All information to our visiting guests is free of charge. Remote guidance on travel consulting around Uganda for guests who are not intending to visit is at a small fee of 10$.

Entrance

The minimum entrance fee is 1000 Uganda shillings for members and 4000 Uganda shillings for none members. The entrance fee enables you to get the benefit of this open networking spot in the village.

Includes:

• Experience of being in the centre facility
• One predetermined local drink
• Access to the bar, and gift shop
• Free parking for one day (subject to availability)

Excludes:

• All meals ordered
• All drinks ordered
• Attending experiences organized for sale

What to bring:

It is possible to just arrive and enjoy the center’s services. However, depending on your interest, such as taking tours, participating in the experiences, or doing longer treks, you may need some items that you must pack, just in case. These include

• Walking shoes or boots as it can get muddy on the nature trails
• Insect repellent
• Hat and sun cream
• Layers and waterproof jackets (climate is changeable)
• Cash for tips and gift purchases
• Drinks and snacks can be purchased
• Binoculars for bird watching (optional)
• Refillable water bottle
• waterproof plastic bag to protect cameras etc