“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.” – Anthony Bourdain
Those that know me, know that I love adventure and my country. When Travel Maniacs advertised a Trip to Sipi falls in Kapochorwa, with the help of my friend Rytah I jumped on the opportunity of the 3 days adventure in the Eastern part of Uganda. I couldn’t wait for time to reach and we set off.
The journey was long but so interesting and fun. Our first stopover was at Najjembe trading center in Mabira forest where we enjoyed some of the best Ugandan roadside food. Chicken and Gonja are what I took and I always take that since it is easy to eat on the bus.
Uganda is really beautiful and we enjoyed the journey by viewing what nature has to offer. Mabira forest was breathtaking, the river Nile left us amazed. The new bridge is extraordinary and most of us took amazing pictures there. My bus friend Cathy celebrated her birthday at the Nile Bridge and artist Kenneth Mugabe sang her happy birthday song. It was memorable!
Our lunch was in Mbale city also known as the capital city of Eastern Uganda. One of the oldest districts in Uganda with amazing buildings to look at. The lunch was organized in a cool place where we sat outside and enjoyed a variety of Uganda’s delicacies but most importantly what the Bagisu is known for, “Malewa” greens mixed with something else and groundnuts. You only needed to be there to taste it to know what I am talking about.
We arrived at Sipi Valley Resort at like 9pm and it had rained so the bus could not take us up to the resort so we had to walk there and it was not pretty since we had to carry our bags on the head but still it was adventurous. Some people booked to sleep in the resort rooms but me and my friend Rytah, we had booked to sleep in the tent (camping). Actually, it was Rytah’s idea and she really had to convince me hard, her argument was like why leave your bedroom to sleep in the hotel room! camping is better. It was too cold since it had rained but we still had a great experience that made me want to try it again.
We woke up early for the hike and the chef was ready with our breakfast which was incredibly delicious. We grabbed the walking sticks, the tour guide briefed us and we set off for the hike.
We climbed hills and went down valleys in the beautiful Kapochorwa hills and valleys. We visited the first falls, the cave and the pool which were all mesmerizing. We took lots of pictures because those memories had to be captured.
We climaxed with the biggest waterfall of them all. From a distance, you start feeling the cool breeze and a few splashes from the waterfall. The water splash increased as we got nearer and nearer the fall. Only those that were ready to shower came near these mighty falls because this time the water splashed was too much to make you insanely wet. It’s beauty un marched!!! After seeing this last fall, some people went abseiling while some of us went back to the hotel. We felt like our trip had ended there, we wanted to remain with the beautiful memory.
The adventurous day was sealed with a barbeque chicken from Yo Kuku and a silent disco. The beauty of silent disco, you can enjoy the music from anywhere. While others danced in the gardens, some of us enjoyed from our friend’s rooms where we danced and took pictures. It was the best way to end the perfect day.
You need to Visit Uganda, it is beautiful. Thanks to Baker of Travel Maniacs for making our trip adventurous and enjoyable.
“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta
Photo credits: Peter Hogel
