Exploring Fort Patiko
Fort Patiko is found in Gulu district, northern Uganda. It’s a piece of the 19th – century history and was built by Sir Samuel Baker as a military Fort in order to stop slave trade. The Arabs in their search for trading venues stumbled upon Ocecu Hill present-day Gulu district and they built three huts to assist as stores for ivory, foodstuffs and ammunition as well as skins and hides. Slave from northern Uganda and southern Sudan were key item in their trade and Ocecu became the place for sorting slave. In Patiko, dark spots are believed to be blood stains of slaves, as seen on the rock. The Fort witnessed terror from Arab slave trade dealers who would behead slaves. The natural beauty of the place rose above its dark history and provides tourists with the chance to feel the beauty felt by the early explorers and thus increasing tourists to Uganda.
The place became a place for historical attraction because of its beautiful views of mountains and hills coupled with extensive vegetation and thus attracting tourists’ visits to Uganda. These relics of Fort Patiko in northern Uganda have been in ruins for years until efforts to restore it were started. Recently, United Nations Development Programme, through the Ministry of Tourism, flagged off a press farm trip to rediscover the 138-year-old Fort Patiko which once served as a slave market thus boosting the tourism sector.
Attractions:
- Patiko is a beauty and the views are spectacular – mountains and hills grace her extensive vegetation. And she advantageously sits near Nimule, South Sudan and onwards to eastern Egypt.
- Fort Patiko has amazing scenery which offers great photography. It boasts of lots of rocks that slaves were made to curve into models of different creatures such as sharks, the map of Africa, Lake Victoria and human heads among others.
- The hilly fort also has antiquities such as the grinding stones that the slaves used for grinding millet. Florence Baker, whom the abolitionist had rescued from a slave market in present-day Bulgaria, left inscriptions of the Holy cross on the rocks at Patiko. Exploring the old fort gives one a feel of a day in the life of a slave.
- Tourists activities can be enjoyed, the fort is beautiful from end to end with different sceneries which can be photographed like rocks which slaves used to curve into different creatures such as sharks, map of Africa, Lake Victoria and human heads of slaves who were executed plus antiquities like grinding stones which used by the slave women.
- A mark of rosary which was left by sir Samuel Baker’s wife in the compound where she used to pray from every morning.
- Oyoro’s passage named after a slave who managed to escape by jumping over a deep communication trace.
How to get there:
Fort Patiko is about 50 minutes ride on boda boda from Gulu. Unfortunately, there is neither accommodation nor hospitality facilities like restaurants around the fort. Tourists are advised to bring their requirements such as food, airtime, and water among others.
Accommodation:
Budget accommodation facilities plus luxurious accommodation are found in Gulu District for tourists to choose where to spend the night.
Listening to this story at Fort Patiko is amazing and your mind runs back to the slave days. Around the compound are axe slices which were used to behead the slaves during the execution, lucky men who stayed were forced to dig more caves for accommodations out of rocks while women were forced to grind tones of millet till their hands bled.
Other attractions near Fort Patiko
- Guru Guru Caves
The caves are located about 25 kilometers north of Gulu town. They are said to have been used as safe haven during the Lamogi rebellion and historical inter-clan wars among the Lou. The Guru guru caves offer opportunity for further diversification of tourism products when developed.
- Amoro Hot spring
The Hot spring is located about 35 kilometers from Gulu town, in Paga parish, Amoro sub-county, Kilak County. The hot spring covers an area of about 100 square meters and is the largest found in northern Uganda. Although undeveloped, the hot spring has a lot of potential for tourism exploitation. The surrounding landscape is suitable for developing campsites and excursion grounds.
- Tochi Resort Beach
Located about 20 kilometers south of Gulu town, Tochi beach is a low lying sandy bank of River Tochi. The beach has potential for development into an important tourist attraction for excursions, camping and bandas.
- Guruguru caves
The caves are located about 25 kilometers north of Gulu town. They are said to have been used as safe haven during the Lamogi rebellion and historical inter-clan wars among the Luo. The Guruguru caves offer opportunity for further diversification of tourism products when developed.
- Hill Climbing
There are a number of isolated hills in the district that offer opportunity for hill climbing. These are: Kilak, Ato, and Patiko and Moro hills.
- Atiak Colobus Monkeys
A large concentration of colobus monkeys exists in the Atiak forest reserve near the Albert Nile. The fairly rare mammals, wide variety of bird species and the Savannah short forest canopies combine to give a potential attraction that may be enhanced by tourist trails and camping.
- Cultural Performances and Antiquities
The Acholi dance and antiquities have not yet been fully developed to tap the potential benefits from tourism. There are plans by the local authorities to establish a cultural centre in Gulu town for crafts, souvenirs and cultural ornaments and regalia.
Hotel and Catering
A number of accommodation establishments are new and appear to be resulting from increased demand for accommodation by relief agencies operating in the district. The outstanding hotels in the district include Paraa Safari lodge, found in Murchison Falls, and Hotel Pearl Afrique in Gulu town.
Join us (terrain safaris) on this tour to learn more about the hardships of the local people and appreciate panoramic views of the nearby villages and nature. Arrange to visit this amazing place of history and sceneries plus other attractions in Gulu.
Drop us an email on in**@*************is.com OR CALL 0704625961.
