Spend a Day in Jinja – the Adrenaline Capital of East Africa
Full Day Trip to Jinja From Kampala
The one day trip to Jinja is the best day tour for travelers that wish take a quick vacation away from Kampala. This one day tour offers the popular visit to the source of the River Nile in Jinja, and also provides some fantastic places to visit and activities to do along the Kampala – Jinja highway.
The trip sets off from Kampala at 7am prompt, 6.30am if from Entebbe or outside Kampala. Set out along the Kampala Jinja road to eastern Uganda.
After close to forty minutes of drive on a smooth paved road we will branch off at Mbalala trading center, taking a dirt road and driving for another 5 minutes to reach the Sezibwa Falls which will provide our first adventures of the one day trip.
The Sezibwa Falls are a small beautiful waterfall set in a tranquil environment, surrounded by forest, and bush land that teem with birds and small creatures such as monkeys and reptiles. The area is a cultural heritage site of the Buganda Kingdom. There is a legend told that the Sezibwa River was born by a human and was helped to flow by spirits which now stay at the Sezibwa Falls.
We will take a tour around to enjoy the beautiful waterfalls, scenery and wildlife, and hear from the caretakers about the spirits and cultural practices at the Sezibwa Falls.
After an hour’s tour at the Sezibwa Falls, we will get back to the highway and within thirty minutes reach the Mabira rainforest. Mabira is the largest forest in the central region of Uganda covering 306 square kilometers.
The forest harbors a remarkable diversity of flora and fauna including over 312 species of trees and shrubs, 316 bird species, 219 butterflies, 97 moths, and 35 species of mammals including primates such as Red-tailed Monkeys and Grey-cheeked Mangabeys. We will set out on 2 hour hike into the forest, walking on neat trails that provide good views into the forest undergrowth as well as canopy.
You get to observe plenty wildlife, and enjoy the peace and sounds of the forest that give you that beautiful feeling of being one with nature! A troop of Grey-cheeked Mangabeys has been habituated in Mabira forest that you stand a chance of encountering during the walk.
After the fulfilling Mabira forest tour we will be back on the road driving to Jinja. We arrive in Jinja town by noon and have an hour’s lunch break along the banks of the Nile.
After lunch you will set out for an hour boat trip to visit the source of the River Nile, the highlight of the day trip! Enjoy the beautiful greenery along the River banks and shores of Lake Victoria. Observe plenty of water birds such as pelicans, egrets, kingfishers, cormorants and herons.
The Source of Nile occurs at the edge of Lake Victoria, and bubbles can be seen at the water surface here indicating the spouting water coming from the underground before being joined by water from Lake Victoria to begin its 4000 mile journey to the Mediterean Sea. This source is the biggest contributor of water to the River with 30 percent, and other comes of Lake Victoria and other sources.
After the Source of the Nile boat trip we will depart for Kampala where we expect to arrive by 7 – 8 pm.
What an adventure! I would love to do this trip. This is a wonderful and informative blog.
Thanks Marie! xx
That’s such an awesome trips. We plan to come to Uganda in 4 months or so, would this trip be ok with a two year old baby?
You are the parent, i cant comment on questions like that.