On the 4-day Mount Elgon mini-hike you will explore eastern Uganda and glimpse the uncluttered wilderness of the Karamojong plains. Sipi Falls are a series of waterfalls and pools that cascade against a backdrop of red-coloured rock in the foothills of Mount Elgon, a volcanic caldera shared with Kenya. Hike Elgon’s slopes and explore the caves before travelling to Jinja for adventure activities on the River Nile and Lake Victoria.
Early in the morning, our driver guide will pick you from your hotel for the journey to eastern Uganda. En route, we will stopover in Mabira Forest for a guided walk. Explore giant ancient tree species, butterflies and bird life such as Nahan’s Francolin, Wood-Hoopoe, African Pitta, Tit Hylia, Yellow Longbill, Grey Longbill, Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrikes and Illadopsis species. Primates include red tailed monkeys and Ugandan Mangabeys. If you’re lucky, you may also spot shy wildlife such as bush-pigs and blue duikers. We then proceed to Jinja town for lunch in the afternoon and continue our journey to your lodge adjacent to Sipi Falls.
This one day mini trek will start at the Kapkwai Forest Exploration Centre, Budadili or Kaptwa Centre, at an altitude of 2,050 metres. With packed food and gear, the Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger guides and porters will lead you through the montane and bamboo forests as you ascend the mountain.
After breakfast, you can engage in a choice of two activities: an exploration of Sipi Falls or a nature community walk. The exciting Sipi Falls expedition takes you to explore the 3 sites of Sipi waterfalls. Enjoy scenic views of the breathtaking falls and rockpools and its stunning scenery. On the nature community walk option, we walk one of three trails: the Namugabwe Cave trail takes you to a historical cave filled with bones; the Dirigana Loop Trail leads to Dirigsana Falls and Gabushana Cave; on the Mt. Elgon coffee tour, hear the story of coffee ‘from seed to cup’ and learn the traditional art of roasting coffee and brewing beer from millet. Return to the lodge for lunch, check out and we drive to Jinja town, arriving early evening.
On day four of the tour, you have a choice of options which include white water rafting, kayaking or a village walk. Uganda has some of the best white water rafting and kayaking activities. With experienced and knowledgeable guides, here you will get a thrilling experience on the River Nile. This 3-hour activity ends in time for an early lunch. Alternatively, you can take an (optional) village walk around Jinja town to explore the livelihood of the people. In the afternoon, we visit the Source of the Nile for a short boat ride to see where the world’s longest river starts. A visit to Itanda Falls is an optional activity. Itanda Falls is a powerful, mesmerising stretch of grade 5 and grade 6 white water that can be viewed from a rocky hill.
Later in the day, take the Gayaza Road towards Kampala. Stopover at Gallery Antique a traditional tribal arts gallery showcasing African sculptures, shields, pottery, museum-quality headrests, spears, masks and other exciting ancient art pieces. Meet Joe Ndyanabangi a dealer and collector who has travelled through sub-Saharan Africa for during the last 20 years collecting and researching about tribal. The tour will end when our driver returns you to your drop-off point.
