Tour Guide Calls for Improved Facilities at Fort Patiko.

A tour guide working at Fort Patiko in Patiko Sub-County, Gulu District has urged authorities to improve visitor facilities at the historic site to increase tourism and enhance the experience of guests.

Ronald Okello Onen, who has guided visitors at the site for more than 16 years, says some of the current amenities do not meet the standards expected by many foreign travelers. He explains that sanitation facilities at the location are one of the major concerns raised by visitors.

According to Onen, modern washrooms would greatly improve comfort for tourists and strengthen the image of the site as an important heritage destination. He appealed to the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities to consider installing flush toilets and upgrading other essential services.

Beyond sanitation, Onen believes the area would benefit from additional services such as small restaurants, resting spaces, and souvenir stalls where visitors could purchase locally made crafts. These additions, he says, would encourage tourists to spend more time exploring the historic location.

Fort Patiko occupies about 73 hectares of land and is widely known for its role in the history of the slave trade in northern Uganda. Historical accounts indicate that the site was taken over from Arab slave traders by British explorer Sir Samuel Baker in 1872.

The location was officially recognized as a protected historical site in 1972. Today it continues to attract visitors interested in learning about the region’s past.

Last year, the site welcomed about 150 visitors, many of whom were school pupils visiting for educational purposes. The fort is often studied in connection with topics examined in Uganda’s Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE), making it a common destination for school trips.

Tourism observers say that strengthening infrastructure at heritage sites such as Fort Patiko could help preserve Uganda’s historical legacy while also supporting local economic activity through increased tourism.

By Blaq Promotionz