Arua Tourist Places to Visit in Arua, Uganda, Kampala, East Africa, Africa

Arua Tourist Places to Visit in Arua, Uganda, Kampala, East Africa, Africa

Arua is a city in the Northern Uganda region of the African country, Uganda, located between 03°02′18″ N latitude and 30°54′39″ E longitude. Arua is situated around 440 km northwest of the country’s capital and largest city, Kampala. Arua is one of the major commercial towns of Uganda, home to the campuses of many recognized educational institutions of Uganda, mainly of Uganda Christian University, Makerere University Business School, Islamic University in Uganda and Muni University. In the tourism sector, Arua is an amazing natural and cultural tourist destination.

History of Arua:

The name of Arua derived from the nearby Arua Hill and its name literally means ‘in prison’ in the Lugbara language, indicating a jail on the hill. Arua also served as the capital of the former West Nile Province.

How to reach Arua?

Arua hosts an airport with scheduled flights from Entebbe in Kampala and Yei, served by Eagle Air. The airport is situated around 55 km away from the heart of the city. Taxis always be ready to serve visitors at the airport. Also there are buses plying between the airport and Arua town centre.

By bus, it takes around 7 hours from Kampala to Arua and the prominent bus operators serving this route include California Bus, ADIL Express, KK Transporters, Nile Coach and Gaa-Gaa.

Culture, Food and shopping in Arua:

Lugbara is the major tribal group forming the population of Arua, who speak their own dialect. Being a commercial town, Arua houses plenty of restaurants that are spread up all round the town with both Ugandan and international food. Arua Mall is famous for modern shopping, while Arua Central Market is well known for traditional shopping in Arua.

What to do in Arua?

Golfing
Hiking
Traditional shopping

What to see in Arua?

Barifa Forest:

The Barifa Forest is a large forest near the town of Arua, situated to the southeast of Arua Hill. It features compact grass formations, a large number of tree species typical of the area as well as Dorcus Inzikuru Stadium within the forest.

Arua Hill:

The Arua Hill is one of the major reasons for visitors coming to the town Arua. It is a hill with historical importance, overlooking the town Arua and offers the breathtaking views of the surrounding Barifa Forest and Arua town.

West Nile Golf Club:

The West Nile Golf Club is one of the major landmarks as well as tourist attractions in Arua. It is located on Weatherhead Park Lane. Its eye-catching landscape and nice golfing experience are memorable for visitors.

Arua Mall:

The Arua Mall is one of the new additions to Arua’s entertainment sector. The mall houses a large number of shops with latest branded gadgets and clothes. There are also many food corners and gaming options inside the mall.

Arua Central Market:

The Arua Central Market is a nice hangout site in the heart of Arua. Apart from shopping, visitors can also try to feel the local culture in this market.

List of other places of interest in and around Arua includes:

Ragem Beach
West Nile Distilleries
White Castle
Uganda Christian University campus
Muni University
Arua Regional Referral Hospital
Makerere University Business School campus
Kidepo Valley National Park
Ajai Game Reserve
TAKS Community Art Centre
Fort Patiko

Best time to visit Arua:

The best time to visit Arua is from December and March and June to September when the weather will be in condition and supportive for outdoor activities.

Where to stay in Arua?

The area is one of the nicest cities to stay in Uganda. The city houses many modernized hotels with all upgraded amenities. The below list includes hotels in Arua, Gulu (around 200 km) and Lira (around 270 km):