Karambi Tombs are one of the must visit attractions within Tooro Kingdom and Fort portal Town in general.
This cultural and historical site is where you will get to learn about the history of Toro and how the once big kingdom came to separate into Tooro and Bunyoro Kingdoms.
The Karambi Royal Tombs are located at 6 kilometres/4 miles south of Fort portal Town and represents a rich part of the Tooro culture.
This site is a home to the graves of the Royal family members of the Tooro Kingdom from the Kings, Princes and Princesses.
While at the site, you will see the graves/Tombs of Omukama Daudi Kyebambe IV (Kasagama), Omukama (King) George Kamurasi Rukidi III and Omukama Rukirabasaija Patrick David Matthew Kaboyo Olimi III (father to the reigning Omukama Rukirabasaija Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV).
You will therefore find three Tomb houses for the three former Kings of Tooro Kingdom.
While at the Karambi Tombs, you will so much about how the custodian of the Tombs is selected (from which clan), you will see the Tombs of all the past Kings which house the royal regalia such as drums, calabashes, spears and other tools used by the different Tooro Kings buried at the site.
The outside cemetery is the resting place for the other Royal members (princes, princesses and Queens).
These Tombs are perfect for a serene expedition and good after strenuous adventures like Chimpanzee tracking, hiking within the Amabere Caves or when coming from the Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The Tooro Kingdom was created in the early 19th Century, when the then Prince Kaboyo son of the then King Kyebambe disobeyed his father.
The view from outside the Tombs may not say much but the rich history of Tooro is packed inside the three Tombs.
It is interesting that the Tombs are also constructed according to the era where by the more current the former King, the more modern the Tomb is-based on the architecture.
Entrance into the Karambi Tombs is not very difficult but has to be done with the permission and in the Company of the custodians/caretakers who also live around the Karambi Tombs.
In spite of being neglected for so long, the Kingdom has plans of renovating the Tombs and structuring it into a modern tourist facility that will also shelter a museum, a swimming pool and a tour and travel company that will bring in more revenues for the Kingdom.
There are also plans to build more tombs, the fact that the Kingdom intends to keep the Karambi Tombs as the main burial ground for all the Royals of Tooro Kingdom
As earlier mentioned, the Karambi Tombs are situated 6 kilometres or 4 miles to the South-western side of Fort portal Town on the Fort portal-Kasese Road in Western Uganda.
This site is perfect to be explored in addition to other places such as Kibale Forest National park and the Amabere caves.
Looking for the off beaten places you can include on your Uganda Tour? The Karambi Tombs is where you will get to uncover the rich part of Ugandan Culture and history relating to the Tooro Kingdom, because it is a burial site for three of the Kingdom’s former Kings (Abakama)