The Elgon region is renowned for various tourist attractions; from the thousands of waterfalls that draw in adventurers, the rich culture spanning an eons-old Imbalu practice complemented by the enchanting Kadodi dance to highlands that produce one of the world’s finest coffee – Arabica.
Sipi Falls in Kapchorwa is arguably one of the region’s most famous attractions, topping a long list of other touristy spots including the recently commissioned National High Altitude Training Center in Teryet, grounds where world athletic champions like Joshua Cheptegei have honed their craft.
While Mbale, the region’s main city easily offers tourists scenic views of the Wanale Ridge and her numerous waterfalls right from the city center, a few kilometers away, in Bulambuli District, an array of attractions await visitors.
To give Bulambuli the much-needed highlight as a tourist destination, the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities (MTWA) has embarked on a profiling exercise aimed at documenting and disseminating information on various attractions within the district.
The first leg of the exercise commenced on Thursday December 19th as a team of Tourism Development Officers from the Ministry and journalists from select media houses joined the District Commercial Officer and other sector players in Bulambuli for the exercise.
Why Bulambuli?
Bulambuli District has in the recent past grabbed headlines in leading dailies both locally and internationally, not for its thundering 103-meter Sisiyi Waterfalls albeit, but a disastrous landslide that buried several villages, leaving at least 113 people missing, and at least 28 dead.
Occasioned by heavy rainfall, the Bulambuli landslides triggered memories of the 2010 Bududa landslide which left about 300 people dead. These natural disasters have left a stain on Eastern Uganda, overshadowing the beautiful tourist attractions the region is endowed with.
According to the Chief Administrative Officer Mr. Olaboro Emmy Ejuku who is also a travel enthusiast, Bulambuli has two ecological zones; the highlands and lowlands, both with unique features “which makes it interesting.”
“The major attractions we have here are the waterfalls, the ancient caves, the hills, the coffee which is grown in the fertile mountains and is itself an interesting tour package, cliffs, streams of fresh waters, the people, culture and of course the Biritanyi Gorge which surprises many pending on the season. But all this is not well known and it’s my prayer that we continue to work with the Ministry so make Bulambuli a preferred tourist destination,” Ejuku told the press on Friday during day two of the profiling exercise.
Ejuku notes that Buambuli is a vital entry to many places in the region and would also make a great detour for people traveling to the Karamoja region in the North.
“People travelling to the Northern part of Uganda would make a stopover in Bulambuli, explore the beautiful scenery, appreciate nature and make tourism and activity that benefits the locals who have preserved these gems. Bulambuli is known for her great Arabica coffee, Agro-tourism has a huge potential here,” he added.
The Ministry is optimistic that promoting tourism in Bulambuli will give the sector an edge in the Elgon Region, availing tourists with more to explore.
Phoebe Basalirwa Masete, a tourism promoter in Bulambuli, notes that profiling and marketing tourist attractions in Bulambuli will revive tour and travel activities especially for destinations whose tourist numbers have not recovered since Covid-19.
“Even when we have prized attractions, Bulambuli is not known and this ultimately blocks avenues for local people earning from tourism. Many tourists leave Mbale and head to Kapchorwa, Sebei, and Karamoja yet Bulambuli is as endowed with the attractions. Sisiyi Falls actually has a longer plunge than Sipi. We are grateful to the Ministry because profiling our area means more people will have access to this information and tour operators can consider us,” Masete said.
Profiled attractions
Sisiyi Falls
At 103 meters high, Sisiyi Falls outpours off the unyielding Sisiyi Ridge – its brown-gold rock color, reminiscent of the Sipi cliff – roaring white waters and endless precipitation that ushers hikers to cooling light showers.
Located in Tanka Village, Simu Sub-county, Bulambuli District, Sisiyi Falls originate from a water mass on Mount Elgon. Locals say the name Sisiyi was derived from a Swahili expression used by people who lived by the slope and heavily depended on the flowing waters for domestic use centuries ago.
“There are cattle keepers who lived in this area, a small community who treasured the falls and often stated they only had each other to rely on. Sisi kwa sisi – they always said and that’s how, as per the legend, the falls got their name, Sisiyi,” Benjamin Mayoga, manager of the Sisiyi Falls accommodation facility narrates.
At the foothill of the falls, a once cozy bed and breakfast facility lies in ruin having not bounced back from the 2020 closure occasioned by Covid-19. Two round cottages, a lounge and camping site have not been in business for a while.
Monkeys and birds loam the trees that dominate the hill. Visitors pay Shs 5,000 to access the waterfalls site.
Mayoga is optimistic that once Bulambuli is marketed as a rich tourist destination, the facility will start to recover.
Biritanyi Gorge
About 60 meters of S-shape tarmac road was dug through a hill to connect lower Bulambuli to the hilly Lusha subcounty, creating a narrow gorge that has since become one of Bulambuli’s scenic tourist attractions.
This road construction blocked the flow of the Biritanyi River so depending on the season, travelers heading to Lusha subcounty are either surprised with a full-blown water stream on the tarmac that they have to wade through or a dry road, picturesque gorge with water falling off the high cliffs, giving the flora species an ever-so-revitalizing dewy touch.
The cliff bases have water pools all year round and only abate when the heavy rains occur. Tourists are often mesmerized by the beauty of the walls draped with creeping plants, grass and lush ferns struggling against gravity in vain.
Gamwenya Cave & Gundu Falls
Located in Namboga A village, Lusha Subcounty, Gamwenya Cave is the biggest in Bulambuli, about 400 meters of the hollow stretch. At the deeper end of the cave, a large pool of water sits in utter silence, only known to those who dare to crawl through the narrow pits.
At the entrance of the dark cave, a light yet imposing cascade flows off the arch, probably the lightest waterfall you will encounter in Bulambuli. Gundu waterfall is its name, sourcing its waters from various streams in Lusha subcounty.
Used as a lodging facility back in the day, the cave is a gift that keeps giving. Locals collect the rock debris from the floor of the cave which contain minerals that are essential in crop growing.
“We are told that people of long ago used to sleep in this cave while they reared cattle. Today, we collect the soil from inside here and use it as manure supplement for our crops. We receive about 10 tourists per month who come to check out these features,” Michael Namenya, a local tour guide says.
Contrary to the usual as regards such caves, Namenya says there are no traditional and spiritual attachments to Gamwenya.
“There are no jajjas (ancestral spirits) here that people congregate to appease,” he said.
Kagyere Falls
River Kagere winds through highland Bulambuli, creating a series of waterfalls named Kagyere I and Kagyere Falls II.
Kagyere Falls I is found in Kagyere Village, Bulago Subcounty in Bulambuli District. Smaller than Kagyere Falls II which is located about 100 meters south, the falls cascade a shorter cliff, overlooking a lush green field. Locals use the water for domestic and agricultural purposes, a steady supply for coffee washing also known as the wet processing.
Zebubu Cave
Also found in Bulago Subcounty, the towering rock (which looks like its edges were chiseled by a scalpel) offers tourists a wider view of the villages below and a storage unit for onion farmers who dry their produce on the dugout floor.
The rock has salt properties and has hence been excavated by locals to provide salt leaks known as ‘shilongo’ for their cattle. The cave is still used as shelter during rainy seasons by people and cattle. The roof of the cave being soft rock, locals are keen on the falling debris lest they become victims to the ‘shedding’ rock.
It is said that the land surrounding the cave and the Kagyere Falls was bought by a foreigner, a white man named Mazaki Tom who envisions developing the area for tourism purposes.
Gabuguto Rock
Towering over Masiira Subcounty, Gabuguto Rock is yet another daring feature Bulambuli is blessed with. Domes crown the ginormous rock, giving tourists a view of the larger Elgon region stretch.
The Ladders
As aforementioned, Bulambuli has highland and lowland areas. Apart from a narrow gorge dug to connect to Lusha subcounty, locals in some sub-counties access basic services after ascending or descending wooden ladders covering about 5km.
The ladders connect lower Bulambuli to upper Bulambuli where students that attend schools like Masiira Secondary and Buyinyanya Comprehensive Secondary School have to tread on flights of wooden ladders daily.
While this is a complicated situation for the locals especially during the rainy season, it makes for a good community tourism experience. The Government of Uganda, through the Ministry of Works and Transport recently allocated Shs 1.8 billion to replace the wooden ladders with metallic options.
Once the metallic ladder construction is done, leaders in Bulambuli say, it will not only bring relief to the locals but will be a safe adventure for tourists to engage in.
The Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities has done tourist attraction profiling exercises for various regions of the county, creating tourism service directories and disseminating the information through other media outlets. Earlier this year, the profiling exercise was done in Lango Sub-Region, covering districts including Oyam, Otuke, Apac, Kole, Alebtong, Amolatar, Lira, Kwania and Dokolo.
