Ina, Melissa, and I took my car, yet to be named, on a little road trip to Sipi Falls in January. Without traffic and with good roads, it would probably be a 4 and a half hour drive. But, the 190 mile journey took us about 6 hours on the way there and 8 on the way back because we hit some bad traffic coming back to Kampala. We stopped at Mbale Resort Hotel for a late lunch on our way up. There’s a nice pool that you can eat by and the food was pretty good, and cheap by Kampala standards. The roads to Mbale are pretty nice (just need to keep an eye out for all the speed bumps) and it’s just the last 45 mins or so from Mbale to Sipi that are full of potholes. Crow’s Nest is a really popular budget option and has a great view of the falls. But Lacam Lodge, where we stayed, includes all meals (and they're great) so once you factor in food costs, at $25 a night, I would highly recommend it. We stayed in their dorms, but they also have nicer bandas that have their own bathrooms and outdoor seating area. You can also arrange all your activities through the lodge. Our amazing guide, Manugsho “Steve” Martin took us on a 4-5 hour hike of the three main falls in the area. I’ll let the photos speak for themselves. The following morning, we checked out Mangusho’s favorite waterfall before hitting the road and heading back to Kampala. ![]() Mangusho (which means “elephant”) is half Kenyan and half Ugandan. His dad was a Masai warrior but unfortunately killed by poachers when Mangusho was young. Soon after, Manugsho, his mom and brothers moved back to Sipi, the home of his mom’s tribe, the Sabine. Before he turned 18, Manugsho participated in the male circumcision ceremony which is a pivotal right of passage. In Kenya, this ritual is done in private with only males present, but in Uganda, the ceremony is a huge public gathering and celebration. Teenage males will spend the year prior to their circumcision building themselves a home close to their parents. Once they have “proven themselves” they will live on their own, but it’s important to still be closely their families. As a well educated son of a warrior, Mangusho was chosen to go first. During the ceremony, the males are not supposed to flinch or cry - their faces are even painted so it’s very obvious if they do. Those that don’t make it through the circumcision are publicly shunned (I think they’re actually given slashes on their arm so it’s visible to everyone) and likely will never have a family. We asked Mangusho what he would do if he had sons - would he circumsize them in the hospital or have them endure the same pain he went through? He said that for safety, he would prefer the hospital but because the male circumcision ceremony is such a big part of Sabine culture, he would want them to participate in the ritual. We loved learning about Mangusho’s life and would highly recommend him as a guide!! Sipi is beautiful and relaxing - perfect for a 3 day weekend getaway. With more time, I would have loved to climb Mt. Elgon which we could see in the distance. Wanale Ridge in Mbale is also supposed to be really great.
Dad
2/11/2016 07:08:03 am
You took the car for a 190-mile drive! Weren't you concerned that it might break down during the journey?
Tiffsny
2/11/2016 09:44:33 am
That was a long drive for the 3 days weekend . Please don't drive this far with that old car and no staying at hostels please.
Emily
2/14/2016 08:13:47 pm
Beautiful pics of the falls! WOW! and love the little lizard (is it a lizard?) friend - so cute! :)
Justine
2/14/2016 10:23:55 pm
Thanks Em! It's a chameleon! :) Comments are closed.
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AuthorI'm eager to learn about the world around me and find that travel (and food) is one of my favorite ways in which to do so. Archives
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