Top Things to do in Sipi falls
The Sipi falls are among the popular attractions visited in eastern Uganda and they are located in Kapchorwa. The waterfalls are located at the foothills of Mount Elgon which is among the popular hiking destinations in the eastern part of Uganda. Some of the items to pack for the tour around the falls include good hiking shoes, sunglasses, sunscreen, rain jacket, cameras, water bottle among others.
- Hiking
Hiking is commonly done by tourists visiting the Sipi falls during their tours around the eastern part of Uganda.
There are 3 waterfalls which are visited at the Sipi falls and the hikes at the destination involve moving through the local villages and continuing a steep climb with a local guide to get to the top of the waterfalls.
Tourists can enjoy the beautiful views around Sipi falls during their hikes as they follow different trails at the destination. All 3 of the waterfalls can be visited and are found at different altitudes and offer unique vantage points and views of the landscape.
The highest waterfall at Sipi is at an altitude of 100 meters and the other waterfalls are at an altitude of 75 meters and 85 meters. The distance covered during the hikes around the Sipi falls is 7 to 8 kilometers and the hikes can take about 3 to 4 hours.
T he hike to the Sipi waterfalls can get slippery and walking sticks are provide to support tourists during the activity. Tourists can enjoy views of the waterfalls and take many photos and views of the Sipi area which is scenic.
- Coffee tours
Coffee tours are part of the safari experience that tourists enjoy during their tours around the Sipi falls. There are many coffee farms around the waterfalls and tourists can visit the plantations.
The type of coffee which is grown around the Sipi falls is Arabica coffee. Tourists can learn how to pick coffee with the locals, lean how coffee is planted, how to harvest the coffee, how coffee is packaged and they also get to try out the local coffee.
The locals take tourists through the picking of the coffee and grinding the coffee the local way using a mortar and pestle. By engaging in this activity, tourists support the local community which benefits from growing the Elgon coffee.
- Abseiling
Abseiling is among the adventure activities which take place during tours around the Sipi falls and this activity involves moving down the waterfalls tied to a rope. The rock face is about 100 meters tall and is the point where tourists descend during the abseiling tour.
Safety equipment such as ropes, climbing harnesses, gloves and helmets are provided for tourists to enjoy the abseiling experience at the Sipi falls. This experience is done along the rock face and offers tourists a closer view of the waterfalls from the top to the bottom of the waterfalls.
Tourists can also enjoy rock climbing during their tour around the Sipi falls which can be done by experienced and also non experienced tourists. Over 14 routes can be used during this activity and the tourists during this activity are provided with rock climbing equipment.
Fewer tourists engage in the rock climbing experience at the Sipi falls since it is not very popular among people visiting the destination.
- Community tours
Community tours around the Sipi falls involve interactions with the local community and getting to experience their culture and way of life.
The locals tourists can interact with during these community tours include the Bagisu and the Sebei among others. During interactions with the Bagisu, tourists can enjoy traditional dance performances such as the Imbalu dance among others.
There are also different cultural practices which the Sebei take part in that tourists can enjoy during the cultural tours around Sipi falls.
- Bird watching
There are over 250 bird species which tourists can see during their safaris around the Sipi waterfalls. Some of the bird species which can be seen during bird watching experiences at the destination include Moorland Francolin, Moustached Green Tinkerbird, Jackson’s Francolin, Black-Collared Apalis, Black-shouldered kite among others.
Many other bird species can be spotted in the Mount Elgon area and they are over 350 in number which can be seen anytime of the year.
- Cycling and mountain biking
Tourist can also explore the Sipi area during cycling tours following different routes around the local communities.
The cycling tours can also be done around the plantations in the Sipi falls area and this activity is done with local guides. Some of the places where mountain biking is done around the steep slopes of Sipi include around the Sipi river lodge area and also around the slopes of Mount Elgon.
- Cave exploration
There are caves which tourists can enjoy exploring during Uganda tours around the Sipi falls which are located underneath the waterfalls.
Behind the waterfalls, there are caves and the trail leading to the caves can be slippery therefore tourists are advised to proceed with caution during this activity. There are different caves found at the destination and some of these caves go close to the rock face.
The caves which are formed as result of erosion and they include Kaptum cave, the Mise cave among others. tourists can also enjoy cave explorations around Mount Elgon and visit caves such as Towei cave, kitum cave among others.
- Nature walks
Tourists visiting the Sipi falls can also engage in nature walks and enjoy the sunrise and sunset around the Sipi area.
During sunset walks around the Sipi falls, tourists can enjoy views of the plains below and they are led to the viewing points where they can enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and some snacks. Local guides move with tourists during this activity.
The best time to engage in the various activities carried out around the Sipi falls is during the dry season in June to September and also around December to February.
