Tucked away in the engrossing escarpments of Bundibugyo, the Sempaya hot springs are a beautiful meadow at the end of a short trail in the lowland tropical forests of Semuliki National Park.
Contrary to what Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight burned at the back of your mind, the descending trail at Sempaya is lined with the lushest of greenery; palm, semi deciduous trees and Uganda ironwood, a picture-perfect track that ushers you into a clearing, this time however, not of dandelions and tulips or peonies, but a ground buzzing with hot water jets and steam – a blazing meadow, like I would refer to it.
Approximately 70km from Fort Portal town, Sempaya hot springs is cradled in Ntandi town council, Bundibugyo district and the sight of its features; the female and male hot springs, is as spell-binding as the winding road that leads to it.
On days when scores of people are touring the area, like it was the case for the just concluded Explore West campaign organized the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, noise from the elated tourists tends to block the peculiar sound of the 100 degrees celsius water gushing out of the ‘female’ hot spring, projecting into the air at about 2 meters before hitting the rocky ground.
Proximity to the rock that forms a base for this ever-flowing fountain avails an opportunity for tourists to appreciate the speed and pressure that triggers the gush. An all-natural, mesmerizing phenomenon, like a cubic meter of hot water pushing its way through a 3-centimeter leak on a major pipeline.
Thanks to the boggy ground, a wooden rail was erected across the clearing connecting both the female and male hot spring spots. For free spirited travelers like myself, the deck was a perfect aisle for practicing our vanity strut in clumpy hiking shoes and it was everything I thought it would be, satisfying! It’s definitely not an aisle to a ‘happily ever after’ but the scenic sight of the hot springs will remain even after the alter vows have lost meaning; it’s a forever kind of memory.
Formation
Hot springs are formed when subsurface magma heats groundwater, creating steam and hot water. The hot, less dense water rises through fissures and cracks in the ground. When it reaches the surface, features such as geysers, fumaroles, hot springs, and mud pits are created.
The ground across this meadow is littered with puddles of warm, hot water, boggy with mud, algae and other micro-organisms. Some puddles have water so hot tourists camp by to boil eggs and matooke to accompany their next adventure.
The hot puddles give off steam, which, on hotter days dissipates more easily, giving way for a mild mirage on the far end of the clearing.
Local beliefs
Like many of the natural phenomena, locals in the area, especially the Bamanga people, attach meaning to both the male and female hot springs. They are sacred spots. For example, the female hot spring is believed to be a female god and locals hold appeasing sessions for it as they seek intercession and favors.
Pregnant women in particular visit the female hot spring to pray for safe delivery while those yet to bear children pray for fertility. The appeasing sessions involve slaughtering animals and throwing coins into the hot springs.
The male hot spring, not as blessed in the squirting department as the female, is equally fascinating with the amount of hot water that that jets out of its opening in endless continuity.
What’s so special about Semuliki National Park?
Its location, across the floor of the Semuliki Valley on the remote, western side of the Rwenzoris at the border with Democratic Republic of Congo gives Semuliki a feel of the central region of the continent which blends with the East African elements like vegetation and weather.
The Semuliki River (which forms the international boundary) is a miniature version of the Congo River, the forest is home to numerous Central African wildlife species, and the local population includes a Batwa pygmy community that originated from the Ituri.
As a result, the park technically provides a taste of Central Africa without having to leave Uganda.
While Semuliki’s species have been accumulating for over 25,000 years, the park contains evidence of even older processes. Hot springs bubble up from the depths to demonstrate the powerful subterranean forces that have been shaping the rift valley during the last 14 million years.
This biologically diverse region also provides shelter to a further 120 mammals, including several primate species such as baboons and chimpanzees, as well as elephants and antelopes. There are around 441 recorded bird species hosted in this forest, including 23 Albertine Rift endemics.
Tour Activities
While in Semuliki, one can opt for activities like birding, nature walks, game drives, cultural experiences with the Batwa and of course, visiting the Sempaya Hot Springs.
Also referred to as a “True birders heaven”, Semuliki harbours a large number of predominantly Central African species which cannot be found anywhere else in East Africa including some of Africa’s most sought-after birds such as the Congo Serpent Eagle, Black-wattled Hornbill, Long-tailed Hawk, Lyre-tailed Honeyguide among others.
Other species that can be spotted in Semuliki include but not limited to the Capped Wheatear, Common Stonechat, Abyssinian Ground-Thrush, Grey Ground-Thrush, Little Grey Greenbul, Toro Olive Greenbul, Mountain Greenbul, Yellow-throated Nicator, Western Nicator, Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrike, Petit’s Cuckoo-shrike, Black Saw-wing, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Long-tailed Hawk, Red-thighed Sparrowhawk, Chestnut-flanked Goshawk, Grant’s Bluebill, Afep Pigeon, Blue-headed Coucal, Bates’s Nightjar, Swamp Nightjar, Cassin’ Spinetail, Sabine’s Spinetail, White-bellied Kingfisher, Shining-blue Kingfisher, Gabon Woodpecker, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Yellow-billed Barbet.
