Sipi Falls & Mount Elgon

A town with three tiers of waterfalls on the northwestern slope of Mount Elgon. Walk between the falls, abseil down the main falls, tour the Bugisu coffee estates, or use it as the starting point for climbing Mount Elgon.

Sipi is a mountain town in Kapchorwa District in eastern Uganda. It sits on a basalt escarpment about 1,800 m above sea level on the northwestern slope of Mount Elgon. The town is famous for the three-tiered waterfalls formed by the Sipi River. It is one of eastern Uganda's most popular hiking getaways and one of the gateways to Mount Elgon. The area is home to the Sabiny people, and the hillsides are covered with Arabica coffee and banana plantations.

The climate is cool, about 20°C during the day and chilly at night. December to February and June to August are drier, with easier trails and clearer views. March to May and September to November are the rainy seasons, when the waterfalls carry the most water but dirt roads are muddy and slippery.

Highlights: hike the three falls with a local guide, linking the Main Falls, Simba Falls and Ngasiri Falls, and swim in the pools. Abseil about 100 m beside the Main Falls or climb the cliffs. Join a coffee estate tour, from picking to roasting, and make your own cup of Bugisu coffee. From the Kapkwai entrance, take the forest trail into Mount Elgon National Park to see Cheboniet Falls and caves. Fit hikers can take 4-6 days to reach the summit of Wagagai Peak, at 4,321 m.

Getting there: from Kampala, take a bus to Mbale (about 4-5 hours), then a minibus (about 1-1.5 hours) to Sipi. You can also hire a car. Plan 2-3 days; climbing requires an extra 4-6 days.

Notes: for community trails, hire a licensed guide and avoid roadside 'guides' who ask for money. Bring a raincoat and non-slip shoes.

Top sights

• Sipi Falls (Main Falls) – A waterfall with a drop of about 95 m on the northwest slope of Mount Elgon, plunging vertically from basalt cliffs into a deep gorge, and…
• Upper Sipi Falls (Simba & Ngasire) – Two more falls upstream of the main falls, linked by the classic three-falls walk along the river valley through coffee gardens and village…
• Mount Elgon National Park – One of the largest extinct volcanoes in the world by base area, a national park of mountain forest, bamboo groves, alpine moorland and cave…
• Sipi Escarpment Viewpoint – Basalt cliffs at the edge of Sipi town, with views over the waterfalls and northern plains, rock climbing and sunsets, the best viewpoint i…
• Bugisu Coffee Farm Tour – Visit small-farm coffee gardens on the slopes of Mount Elgon and experience Bugisu Arabica, from harvesting, pulping and drying to roasting…
• Wagagai Peak – The highest peak of Mount Elgon, at 4,321 m. The climb takes 3–5 days through forest and alpine moorland, with Jackson's Lake along the way.
• Kapkwai Forest Exploration Centre & Chebonet Falls – The national park entrance near Sipi, with three loop day trails leading to Chebonet Falls, bamboo forest and caves.
• Wanale Ridge – A flat-topped ridge east of Mbale with waterfalls, caves and a paragliding launch site, overlooking Mbale town and the plains.
• Mbale – The central city of eastern Uganda at the foot of Mount Elgon, a transport and supply hub for trips to Sipi and climbs.

Where to eat

• Endiro Coffee (Lacam Lodge) – The restaurant at Lacam Lodge beside the main Sipi Falls, run by Ugandan coffee brand Endiro, where you can enjoy coffe…
• Sipi River Lodge Restaurant – A boutique lodge restaurant at the foot of the second Sipi Falls, serving coffee grown and roasted on site, with banana…