Eastern Uganda – Thanks to an intoxicating blend of adrenaline adventures and superb scenery, eastern Uganda is a must on any East African journey. Here the mighty Nile begins its epic journey north. White-water rafting the Nile River is the main draw for adventurers seeking a wild ride, but there’s also the subtler, sweatier pleasure of trekking through Mount Elgon National Park or relaxing with a visit to stunning Sipi Falls. The regional capital of Jinja offers a charming and friendly base on the shores of Lake Victoria where travelers can spend a few days or more enjoying the chilled atmosphere and top-notch outdoor activities.
When it comes to tourism and attractions in Uganda, most tour operators present either Mgahinga Gorilla National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for the popluar gorilla tracking. Second on the list of what to do in Uganda is the chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest National Park alongside other popular tourism activities like the primates walk and bird watching in the numerous lakes, wetlands and forests. Mountain climbing to the peak of the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains or game drives in the different savanna parks across in the country are always on the traditional itineraries of Uganda.
However, Eastern Uganda stretches from the shores of Lake Victoria to the lush banks of River Nile in Jinja, to the high altitudes of Mount Elgon before dropping to the lowlands of the Karamojong countryside and finally to the arid landscapes of Kidepo Valley National Park.
With the intoxicating blend of adrenaline adventures and ultimate scenery, eastern Uganda is necessary on any East African safari itinerary. It’s here where the mighty Nile River begins its epic journey northwards. White-water rafting the Nile River is the main aim for adventurers seeking a wild ride on the Nile white waters. Away from the Nile, there’s also the subtler, sweatier pleasure of trekking through Uganda’s second highest peak, Mount Elgon National Park or relaxing with a visit to luxuriant Sipi Falls. The regional capital of Jinja that is also dubbed as the adventurers’ capital of east Africa offers a charming and friendly base on the shores of Lake Victoria or on the banks of the world’s longest River Nile where intrepid travelers can spend a few or more days while enjoying the cool atmosphere and a wide variety of top-notch outdoor activities.
To date, Eastern Uganda destinations have not experienced the full benefit for their natural endowment, as the Uganda safaris to those areas have been limited due to cases of lack of marketing, good will and not well developed infrastructure. At the wake of the time when travelers to Uganda are getting to realize and appreciate the importance of sustainable tourism, and moving away from over tourism, the plight of the tourism potential in the greater eastern Uganda is beginning to gain ground.
Eastern Uganda is one of the rich havens that have alluring attractions to Uganda safari products with the potential to attract all-time safari goers from all over the world.
Jinja lying on the eastern side of the mighty Nile River and a the home to its maiden source has a range of adventure activities like the popular bungee jumping, quad biking, white water rafting and the newly unleashed Kangulu hill whose adventurous hiking challenges have prompted even the first time travelers to try their luck.
The region of Eastern Uganda is also a home of the Sipi Falls with has positioned itself as a major attraction. From here, Uganda safari itinerary flows freely in three separate majestic waterfalls in the district of Kapchorwa, Sironko and Mbale close to the other star feature – the Elgon Mountain. At 4321 meters, Mount Elgon is the largest mountain caldera in the whole world and with the largest volcanic base on the same scale.
Apart from the well-known attractions in eastern Uganda, other remarkable features include the famous Tororo Rock in the outskirts of Tororo town. The Busitema Forest home to different primates’ species, indigenous tree species, birds and the rich and colorful cultural heritage of the Imbalu circumcision ceremonies among the Bagisu whose festivity has always attracted a number of tourist.
In the northeast, lies the protected areas of Matheniko, Bokora, Pian Upe, and the Kidepo Valley National Park. All these consist some of the unique wildlife and birds’ species some of which aren’t found elsewhere in the country such as Ostrich and Cheetah.
The conducive weather, different organic foods, navigating various wetlands and water channels, climbing the beautiful Mountain Elgon, a visit to the source of the River Nile in Jinja, and above all the unique cultural practices of the people as many tourists would certain enjoy are all in Eastern Uganda.
