Sipi Fallls

Hey everyone


So this Saturday I went with some of my Hospital mates to Sipi Falls. Its 45 min drive outside of Mbale heading towards Kapchorwa, at the base of Mt. Elgon. The trip was sensational. We walked for over 4 hours touring the area and looking at the 3 falls. The first and largest water fall can be seen from the Lodge where started from. We got some pictures at the lodge over-looking the cliffs towards the water fall. It was massive.

We headed over to the second falls. It was truly amazing. There was a cave behind the water fall where we could walk and stay dry but still take photos pointing out. It was a great view. So we hiked up the side of the mnt past the second water fall towards the third and final one. That was some hike just to get there and see that one.

So at the third water fall we got more photos and just relaxed and surveyed the landscape. It was amazing...Reminded me of being at home, on top of whistler and looking into the vast distance of the environment. Here was no different. You could see 100's of miles until the background faded into the horizon. The trees, the land, everything was so beautiful. The one thing that made me even more impressed and appreciative of what I had...the mountain sides are covered in crops that the locals grow and use. We saw a lot of dung/mud huts consrtucted on the mountain sides, with cows, goats and chickens walking all over. Lots of little kids running about playing and working. But I was amazed at these people for the life they were living. Hauling equipment up and down the slopes, carrying food and water containers...it was just amazing....

Our guide took us to a small cave just of the road. It was used by locals as a place of shelter during the rainy seasons. He then took us to his home where he grew up and we met his mother and father, and all his brothers and sisters. They live in a quaint little house of mud and wood, and have a tin roof over it. Quaint, but very nice and very nicely kept. OUr guide, Joel, his family grows coffee that they sell to the Sipi market vendors, one particular company. So he was kind enough to sell us some coffee beans. This Ugandan coffee is special as it only grows between 1600-1900 m and only in this area. It was really good. I mangaed to get some green unroasted beans. So i'll try and raost them myself.

All in all it was a great trip with some great friends. I would do it again but make sure I went and see the biggest water fall. I may want to do a further trek past the third falls because there is supposed to be another even farther in behind on Mt. Elgon....

anyways its been fun chatting...i'll try to post some pictures...
bye for now

tom

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