Also referred to as the Amabeere Ga Nyinamwiru, the Amabere Caves are found 8kms from Fort Portal Town in Western Uganda. At the caves, ancient myths and legends still reign. The caves and the three surrounding Explosion Crater Lakes plus the waterfall that tumbles down from the cliff above the caves, are a most interesting half day adventure that can be easily taken on the way to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Amabeere Ga Nyinamwiru is translated as ‘the breasts of Nyinamwiru’. The Toro folklore has it that the caves acquired the name after King Bukuku, one of the ancient rulers of the Batembuzi Dynasty of the current Toro and Bunyoro Kingdoms, in a bid to make his daughter Nyinamwiru less attractive to men, he cut off her breasts and had them thrown inside these caves. This was after the king had received a prophecy that his daughter would one day get married and have a son, Ndahura, who would kill the king and take over his throne.
The story goes on to say that the plan failed and the king, Bukuku hid Nyinamwiru in the cave. However, with her allure still strong she became pregnant to the Batembuzi King Isaza and later gave birth to his son, Ndahura. Unable to breastfeed the infant herself she used what looked like milk dripping from the stalactites, which appeared milky because of its calcium content. Ndahura went onto fulfil the prophecy and took over Bukuku’s throne, which had rightfully belonged to Ndahura’s father Isaza. Ndahura went on to form one of the great empires of the Great Lakes area of Africa, according to legend.
However, there is a scientific explanation that the so-called breasts are in reality stalactites (a type of formation that hangs from the ceiling of caves, hot springs, or manmade structures such as bridges and mines). Calcium carbonate when blended with water drips down and forms the stalactites. The water dripping made to look milky by the calcium carbonate suspension is called “breast milk” by the local people who live near the caves.
A visit to the Amabeere Caves is a combination of a nature walk, cave exploration and local culture as portrayed in the folklore told by the tourist guides. To cap the tour of the sites is the Mabere waterfall, a breathtaking scenery where tourists cannot avoid taking a photo with the falls in the background.
