New attraction in Fort Portal
On your next visit to this area, take some time to discover the Tooro Botanical Gardens. These gardens are not your classic quiet botanical gardens like the ones found in Entebbe which have impressive trees and plants.
The Tooro Botanical Gardens are different – they are vibrant, organic gardens.
When entering the gardens you will be taken in by the abundance of colourful flowers and trees like Impesentia, Bixa, Rose varieties, Cana Lillie's, Calluendra and many others. 
Forty people, mostly women work in these gardens where everything is grown organically.
You can learn about a wide variety of plants by touring around the demonstration gardens of flowers, medicinal plants, trees and shrubs and herbs and spices.
Dedicated staff members will explain the different plant species and will give you an insight into the many uses of the medicinal plants. You can also smell and taste the different herbs and spices.

The South entrance of the gardens can be found on the right hand side of Kampala Road as you are entering Fort Portal.
In a secluded area part of 100 acres has been developed into beautiful gardens.
In the heart of the gardens are the Eucalyptus Grandis trees which were planted in 1956 - the original mother trees of Eucalyptus seeds for East Africa.
Around these mother trees the first demonstration garden was established in 2001.
In 2006 the garden took a giant step forward by signing a 25 year lease with the National Forest Authority (NFA).

The Tooro Botanical Gardens in the Rwenzori region are part of the Albertine Rift Valley at an altitude of 1,500 meters. It has a very distinct climate, broken landscape and very high biodiversity with a wide range of native and non-native plant species.

The Tooro Botanical Gardens is showcasing and conserving the diverse living plant collection from the Albertine Rift region. Seeds and cuttings from indigenous trees are collected and grown in the Gardens while methods of tree propagation are being explored and researched.

Tooro Botanical Gardens are community gardens. They are working hand in hand with the community. Schoolchildren are being educated about the beauty of nature and to respect their natural environment. Farmers can learn how to grow crops organically and are taught how to use their land in a sustainable way – they have the possibility to buy fruit and vegetable plants to produce a greater variety.

Tooro Botanical Gardens aim to be self sustainable. In the Nurseries there is a wide range of assorted ornamentals and garden and indigenous forest trees for sale. You can purchase flowers and organic vegetables like leeks, beets roots and fennel.
You can buy herbal teas and herbs and spices produced in the Gardens like, artemisia (an anti-malaria booster), centella (a memory booster) and garlic tincture (to regulate blood pressure). They also sell natural mosquito repellent.

In Tooro Botanical Gardens you can experience conservation in practice.

Garden Tours one or two hours 5.000 Ush for foreign residents,
3.000 Ush for East African residents and 1.000 Ush for Ugandans.

For more Information, please contact:
Tooro Botanical Gardens
Director: Mr Godfrey Ruyonga
Mobile: +256 782 673188. Email: toorobg@yahoo.com