Butiaba Escarpment lies in the flat land of the western rift valley on the eastern shores of Lake Albert in Masindi district, in northwestern Uganda. This is part of Murchison Falls National Park. Reaching the escarpment is about 4 hours and 30 minutes via Hoima road, which is approximately 255 kilometers from Kampala, the capital of Uganda.
In 1930s, Butiaba escarpment was an important transportation hub, where goods crossed borders from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Sudan, being transported by boat across Lake Albert to the harbour at Butiaba.
At Butiaba, goods were transported overland, through Masindi to Masindi Port. At Masindi Port, the produce would be loaded on barges, ferried across Lake Kyoga to Soroti. Then at Soroti, it would be loaded onto railway wagons for transportation by rail to Mombasa, Kenya, on the Indian Ocean, for export. Imported goods and merchandise were transported along the same route, in reverse.
Later in the 1970s, the East African Railways Corporation was dissolved which led to the decline of Butiaba route, so the harbor became dormant. Currently, there is the discovery of petroleum deposits near Butiaba Escarpment under Lake Albert, which is a significant role in the transportation of equipment, manpower, and petroleum from Butiaba Harbour.
Tourist attractions at Butiaba escarpment near Murchison Falls National Park.
Butiaba Escarpment plays a major role in attracting visitors from different parts of the world. This has helped in boosting tourism in northwestern Uganda because of such attractions like: –
The hot springs
Butiaba Escarpment is surrounded with hot springs at Kibiro salt garden which can be accessed within less than an hour from the area. The water at the hot springs boils at 100°C all year, so, most people who visit Butiaba Escarpment also engage in visiting the hot springs for various reasons, healing being one of them.
It is great to watch water form bubbles as it reaches its boiling point. For those interested, you can place in Irish potatoes, green bananas, and even eggs to experiment. When these foods get ready, they can be served. This water forms a stream flowing to the west where it meanders to pour into Lake Albert.
The worst part of this is that some animals die, especially when they enter water thinking its temperature is like that of Lake Albert.
Kibiro salt garden
Kibiro salt garden is known as the small fishing village found at the base of the Western Rift valley along the south-eastern shores of Lake Albert. This is just 39km away from Butiaba escarpment and less than an hour drive. Visiting Kibiro salt garden takes you to different activities such as salt mining. Water processing in this area is salty and it flows over salty soils, which makes people choose using traditional ways of mining and processing salt, for both consumption and for sell.
Community tour to learn about tradition believes and ways of life.
While at Butiaba escarpment, you will have a unique opportunity to interact with local people as you get to know their traditional believes. Those who stay near hot springs have different beliefs and myths which are told to foreigners and other visitors.
Some locals believe that the water in the hot springs completely cures many diseases like scabies, wounds, and measles among others. They also believe that the hot springs can only be visited up to 7:00 pm because after that time spirits are in the springs, so if you are there after that time you can anger them.
Visit Lake Albert – after Butiaba Escarpment
Being at Butiaba Escapement, you can’t miss such a golden opportunity to visit Lake Albert that shares its border with DRC in northwestern Uganda. Lake Albert is one of the great lakes in Africa that stretches from Uganda to DCR, making it Africa’s seventh largest and the world’s twenty seventh largest lake. The lake is fed by Semuliki River and the Victoria Nile.
Lake Albert has its natural attraction and physical activities that take place within the lake, that visitors can engage in. These include, fishing, swimming, bird watching, sunbathing, sightseeing, and boat cruise among others.
So, Butiaba escarpment welcomes visitors all year round.
Uganda is a land of great wonders, with a lot of diversities, from wildlife safari game drives to meeting several primates on a chimpanzee trekking safari experience in Kibale Forest National Park. You can also choose the amazing lifetime gorilla tracking safari by visiting Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.