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The hidden beauty of Kapchorwa District
The Sipi Resort Lodge at the base of the falls.
Most people do not know that Kapchorwa is endowed with physical beauty. Heading there, I was amazed by the smooth winding roads, beautiful scenery, hikes and the magnificent Sipi Falls, writes Lambert Brian Rusoke
Given a chance to select one’s dream vacation destination, many Ugandans would look to the western part of the country, believed to be endowed with the best tourist attractions. With the numerous geographical features that come with being part of the Great Rift Valley section, the debate may end as soon as it starts. But that would be to a person who hasn’t taken the challenge to a different level. Mention Kapchorwa, and the puzzle becomes complex to those not accustomed to being beyond the source of the Nile or Bujagali Falls in the eastern district of Jinja. Yes, the east has Tororo Rock and Mt Elgon plains, but with a magnificent waterfall to usher you into Sebei land, prominent for female circumcision, Sipi Falls may just be the starter to acknowledging this part of the country.
Getting there
Kapchorwa District is inhabited by the Sebei and the land stretches from the heights of Mt Elgon, to the hot plains of Karamoja. From Kampala, it’s roughly a four hour drive, through Mbale town, then off the Mbale-Soroti road. Either way, for one trekking from the northern part of the country or even West Nile, the trip takes you through Lira, then Soroti, Kumi and off again just a few kilometres to Mbale town. It’s at this junction that the journey gets “out of hand”. The road gets so smooth with many sharp bends, and for a debutante on long journeys, this could send shivers all through. As the car continues, one is able to view from the top where they are hailing from, and it’s with this kind of scenery that a stopover must be made to catch a glimpse of the numerous beautiful maize gardens, plus the flora that encompass this region. The danger of such a road of course is the inability for motorists to negotiate such sharp corners, especially for the heavy vehicles, thus causing accidents.
Doing the hike at Sipi
It is fun to watch the acrobats of a water body, no matter the location and Sipi Falls is another of the water acrobats. About 10kms to Kapchorwa town, a mirage-like view at this scenery is tempting enough to halt the journey. And from the Sipi Resort Lodge at the base of the falls, one gets the relevant information required to do the hiking. The menu from therein entails the charges for the hiking and of course the camping expenses, just in case one is interested. It’s a way to exercise though not as tough as mountain climbing; some perseverance will come in handy as people do not do 200 metres or so that often.
There, one gets to view the falls sideways, with water sprinkling onto the rocks underneath, and onto the souls that have trekked up. Refreshing sprinkle if I may add, after the sweating due to the hiking. Also, a glance at the caves embedded at the base of the water falls are an attraction, but eerie. The reverse hike doesn’t labour much as the first. With a bar and restaurant at the base of the falls to welcome one from the adventure, there can only be a few complaints.
And into the town...
With a good road leading to this Sebei territory, it’s just a matter of time before the town gets better in terms of the infrastructure. There are many NGOs, many basing their existence onthe activism of opposing female circumcision. Banks are also making their way into the town, with Centenary Bank joining Stanbic in providing financial services. Their major aim is targeting the agricultural sector, which is the main source of income for the area. However, this hasn’t come as easy as the bankers may deem. First, most locals are comfortable keeping their money in their pillows, so saving with the banks is alien to them. One thing they like is acquiring the agricultural loans to boost their farm yields, yet an uncertainty for banks when it comes to pay-back time, putting in mind the calamities that could come with the differing planting seasons.
And where do the corporate crowd hang out, one may ask. Well, some decent hotels for accommodation (prices ranging from Shs25,000-Shs70,000) and meals are available. Masha Hotel, Pacific Hotel and Noah’s Ark Hotel stand out from the crowd. With a chance to enjoy the delicious Sebei dishes, my memories were all tied to the beautiful geographical scenery that the trip to Kapchorwa presented, and Sipi was the icing on the cake. If the circumcision season had found me there, the town life would have been different I guess.
