The morning of the UNDP Elgon Half Marathon was torrid and daring. People of all ages – young primary school pupils, youthful university students, middle aged corporate workers and athletic enthusiasts in the twilight of their lives – graced the tracks, showcasing their finesse and will power.
There is a big chunk of the cohort that cheered for the finalists making their ground breaking wins in the 21km race while the easygoing team writhed in the ‘tortures’ of their 5km run-turned walkathon. I am a proud member of this group.
Mbale blessed the day with the brightest of suns and soon after the awarding ceremony, participants yearned to cool off the noon heat, eyes on the enchanting Wanale Falls which had played exibitionist all morning, visible from the City Center.
Runners smiled for the cameras – round brass medals hanging by green laces from the necks – excitement building by the minute as the bus to Wanale Hill roared to life. The tour was a complementary treat from the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities.
There couldn’t have been a more perfect reward than taking the hike to the bottom of the falls, savoring the glorious scenery of the Wanale Ridge and soaking in the outpouring falls plunging hundreds of feet to the base.
Hiking to the bottom of the Wanale Falls takes roughly 45 minutes to an hour, a perfect and achievable dare for individuals whose fitness had been put to test just hours earlier. Top of the falls hike is approximately 2 hours and the trail is steeper. The good news is, both destinations are equally rewarding.
The splendor of Wanale Falls
The trail to the bottom of the falls winds through local homesteads, mud and wattle housing structures perched on leveled ground by the hill slopes, lush coffee fields blooming with cherries, streams of clear water snaking through vegetable gardens and of course, a faint roaring sound – like water current pushing against unyielding boulders.
Once out of the trees, a clear view of the glistening white waters falling off a cliff ushers hikers to the scenic falls.
Mouths agape, the elated tourists howled in excitement at the glorious splendor of Wanale Falls. For many, the instinct was to grab a phone and capture the moment, others couldn’t wait to reach the base and walk right into the pool while some stood still, visibly spellbound by this wonder of nature.
It’s the sun rays beaming through the outpouring falls and creating the faint rainbow, the rumbling of the water hitting the rocky ground, mist wetting the dewy grass by the cliff edges and everything else laced in this phenomenon that for a moment, makes every other thing invisible before the sparkling eyes of the giddy observer.
The youthful and free spirited tourists were soaking wet in a minute, dancing and singing to TikTok’s trendy tune – “Viviano”, with interludes of that local record whose single line has become sort of a mantra for the already and soon to be broken-hearted – “atakwagala ob’omulaba” loosely translating to “You always notice when someone doesn’t love you or isn’t that into you.”
All is well that ends well, they say. The Wanale Falls tour might as well have been the highlight for many, especially those who were visiting Mbale for the first time.