'Drinking' from Sipi Falls
I have been so immeasurably blessed to drink from nature's full and learn from it. Going to new places whenever the opportunity knocks on your door is the greatest but most rewarding risk ever known.
Visiting a water fall is always something that leaves you in wonder and it is definitely something that makes you believe there is indeed a creator that must have somehow fixed it all with a touch of art that is so less known to this world. It is this same feeling that hits me all the time! There is a force that literally draws you to nature's unrelenting flow of beauty and from it a power so remarkably real is reawakened in you. My last few days in eastern Uganda with friends, led us to the spectacular Sipi falls…..
Hiker enjoying views of main Sipi Falls
Sipi falls a series of three falls that stretch to the earth's full (100m i.e. the main drop of Sipi falls) and beam into the most beautiful rainbow, is located in Kapchorwa district along the lower slopes of mount Elgon(the fourth highest peak in Africa). The drive may take about 5-6 hours and is rather bumpy but manageable.
The road leading to the falls is smoother but hilly. You are surrounded by all those gigantic rocks as you ascend to the hiking point of the falls. At this point, the local guides will be there to help you up an unending truck to the falls. The hike is exhausting but with a number of interesting things as you literally move through the local people's gardens and homes, almost kicks off the exhaustion. I remember, in my own experience asking the tour guide, “Are we there yet”. He just smiled knowingly for he knew that the toiling was extremely worth every painful step.
Hiking through coffee plantations and gardens
We went through an endless stretch of descents and ascents, the descents where a lot easier obviously but also required a lot of balance and skill. Call me unfit if you like but before long, I was fighting for breath.
Just when we had all lost hope of getting the final reward, we came to one of the falls and the main one was indeed not so far off.
Finally at the base of the spectacular Sipi Falls, it is the most perfect reward indeed! Huge rocks covered in green with the most beautiful wild flowers greet you with a smile of heaven's touch.
The fall ends in a big splash, making a spectrum of carefully selected colors that nature could have only thought of. Standing close to the falls on huge rocks, it's almost like you are taking a cold shower only this time, the water flows with a mind of its own and all you can do is stand and enjoy the freshness and purity it brings. The only word that every single person could find to suit the falls description was “wow!” For some reason, no one could get enough of pictures, clicks of the cameras kept going on and on till some people literally run out of battery or even memory. It was one of those moments that words could not best describe.
Best ever "behind the falls" experience
Hesitantly and with gloomy faces , it was time to say bye to the spectacular falls and head on back to the road for the next adventure but our minds forever replayed the beauty and wonder of the falls. To this day I can tell you this one thing, visiting and hiking Sipi falls is one of the most fulfilling and rewarding adventures you can ever be part of. So, get your hiking shoes on and lets hit the road to Sipi Falls!
