Tour Highlights
Mabira Forest Reserve
Sipi Falls
Tour Overview
This one day Sipi tour starts and ends in Kampala. It will take you through Eastern Uganda but also via Mabira Forest Reserve for a short nature walk. The forest is located along the Kampala-Jinja highway in Buikwe district between Lugazi and Jinja. It is home to many endangered species like primate Lophocebus, a variety of birds, butterflies, as well as different endangered tree species. Mabira forest has a number of touristic activities carried and these include forest walks, zip lining, bungee jumping, bird watching, mountain biking, among others.
This tour starts at $90
The highlight of the tour is Sipi Falls, which is a series of three waterfalls located in Eastern Uganda, 271 kms from Kampala, approximately a 3 hours and 45 minutes’ drive. It is shared by three districts of Kapchorwa, North-Eastern Sironko and Mbale. These all lie on the edges of Mount Elgon. In this area are a number of tourist activities carried out including nature walks, community walks, hiking, tea plantation visits, guided tours, among others.
ITINERARY
Early in the morning at 6:00am after breakfast, our tour guide will pick you up for transfer to Sipi Falls with a stopover at Mabira Forest Reserve for a short forest walk. This forest supports a wide range of wildlife, therefore expect to see a lot of different giant ancient tree species like rubber trees, mahogany, primates (like a variety of monkeys), butterflies and rich birdlife like the Nathan francolins, the purple throated cuckoo, et al.
After the forest experience, you will continue to Mbale town for 1 hour, have your lunch en-route before proceeding to Kapchorwa. You will be able to reach in the afternoon and you will be guided on a hike to further explore the revered Sipi Falls. The hikes around the falls offer stunning views of the Karamoja plains and the slopes of Mount Elgon. You will also visit the Sipi river, and on your way back you will see a common plant; sep, indigenous to the banks of the Sipi river from where it got its name. After this exploration, you will then embark on your return journey to Kampala, reaching in the evening.
ACTIVITIES
Mabira Forest
Also known as “Mabira Central Forest Reserve”, it is a thick tropical rainforest characterised by dense canopies and according to www.ugandatourismportal.org, it is the largest tropical rainforest there’s in the country, but unfortunately, it is a greatly endangered ecosystem that stands high risks of massive destruction due to the on-going human activities that have caused people to encroach on its land.
Mabira forest is located on the main Kampala–Jinja highway in Buikwe District. It is 54 kilometres from Kampala city centre and 26 kilometres from Jinja town. Its ecotourism site is about half a kilometre from the road head along a short dirt road off Najjembe trading centre. The Forest is accessible by all vehicles, private or public, throughout the year.
It is one of Uganda’s largest surviving natural forests, covering an area of 306 square kilometres. Mabira has a natural habitat of 312 species of trees, other varieties of plant life, a home to 315 species of birds, 218 butterfly species, 97 moth species and 23 small mammal species. (Source: www.nfa.or.ug)
While in Mabira forest, you can undertake a number of activities. Some of these are forest walks with over 68 kilometres of well-developed trail length, mountain biking, bird watching, environmental education and research, camping and picnics, primate watching, butterfly identification and general forest exploration. While on an adventurous journey, for instance, there are several well networked trails to take to whether on a guided or unguided stroll. Of the ten trails Mabira has, the forest trails are good for nature walks whereas the grassland trails are preferred by the bird enthusiasts.
Sipi Falls
Sipi falls is located in Kapchorwa, which is found in the eastern part of Uganda, approximately 277 kilometres from Kampala. It takes about 4 hours and 30 minutes to get there by road. Kapchorwa’s neighbouring districts of Mbale and Sironko are also known to be related to these agreeably most beautiful waterfalls in Uganda.
This trio of steep falls separated by brant hills is found on the foothills of Mountain Elgon, just at the edge of Mount Elgon National park nearing the Kenyan border to Uganda. The name sipi was derived from the word ‘sep’ which is a wild banana-like indigenous plant that grows along the banks of the Sipi River. Sep is used by the locals in that area as medicine for treating ailments such as fever and measles.
Of the three saults that make up Sipi falls, the 95 metre main drop is more attention-grabbing and thus a darling to the viewers. That is why most places of accommodation are built facing it. The vast plains that wind up the distance offer magnificent views, making a hike in this area a venture worth undertaking.
There are a number of other activities to undertake while at Sipi falls. You can go on sightseeing and bird watching sprees, visit the Sipi River and the native communities, check out the coffee plantations on the lower slopes of Mountain Elgon or get immersed in abseiling and rock climbing.
When planning for a hike, bear in mind that since all the waterfalls are not clustered together in the same locality, it is impossible to view them simultaneously. Nevertheless, they can be seen in one day at different intervals, which makes it all the more interesting. The paths to these falls are approximately 7 to 8 kilometres as you walk. It takes about 3 hours to visit all the falls, but this pretty much depends on individual fitness and pace. As you hike, you will need walking sticks to give you support because of the steep slopes at certain spots. Also, in case it rains, the paths get slippery and rather muddy.
For the hikes, still, there are different starting points depending on which waterfall to visit first. In the event that you have limited time to hike, you are strongly advised to start with the main waterfall and then proceed to the others thereafter. However, if you have plenty of time at your disposal, it is always better to first make for the first and second water fall, take a break, then crown it all with the third and most breathtaking of them all. At the base of the falls, you will notice some rocks at the mouth of the caves and beyond that look like they were manually sculpted to appear like seats. However, they were sculpted not by man but by Mother Nature herself.
Please note that vehicles cannot access all these spots owing to the steep terrain. In spite of this, you should look forward to having an amazingly unforgettable experience, because at your disposal will be some local guides who are very knowledgeable about the historical and geographical background of the area. Also, should your car get stuck because of the bad weather, you needn’t worry as they will readily offer you a helping hand.
GET OFFER
Please complete the following form so we can send you a personalized price!
ADVENTURE INCLUSIONS
Package Includes:
Accommodation on full board.
Drinking water
Meals
Free Wi-Fi
Transportation
Entrance fees to all destinations mentioned in the program
All activities mentioned in the Program
English Speaking tour guide/Driver
Airport transfers
Package Excludes
Visas
International transfers.
Tips.
Personal effects of any nature
Meals not mentioned in the program