1 day Jinja City Tour Uganda

The main highlights during this 1 day Jinja tour are: –

• Visiting Mabira forest and going for a jungle or canopy walk
• Visiting the Sezibwa Falls
• A comprehensive tour of the town
• Visiting the source of the Nile
• A boat ride
• Visiting the Kalagala falls
• Optional activities like bungee jumping, white water rafting, tubing the Nile, quad biking or horseback riding.

Our tour driver will pick you up from Entebbe, Kampala or Jinja in the morning (6:30am). Pickup can be from your residence, hotel or any point. The driver/Guide will take you through the program of the day and let you know what to expect. After the briefing, the driver will start the journey to Jinja in case pickup was in Kampala/Entebbe. As you travel towards Jinja, enjoy the great views of Kampala and its suburbs. Some of the best roasted chicken can be bought along the way and especially in a popular fast food market in Namawojolo.

Sezibwa Falls: The first stop will be at the amazing Sezibwa falls – 20 miles from Kampala. The falls are created as the river Sezibwa flows down a group of rocks. These beautiful falls are not just scenic wonders but an important cultural site for the people of Buganda. On reaching the Sezibwa falls, a resident Guide will take you around the site. Check out the amazing scenery and enjoy the cool atmosphere around the falls. You will be taken for a hike to the top of the falls for even better views and opportunities to take photos. The Sezibwa falls is a birders paradise with species such a Cormorants, Great Blue Turacos, Striped Kingfishers, White-throated Bee-eaters, Woodland Kingfishers among others.

The Ssezibwa falls are also home to three species of primates, butterflies, cobras, green Mambas, lizards, mongoose and otters. If time allows and you are interested, you can request to be taken to a shrine at the top of the falls to learn about the history and myths surrounding the formation of the shrine. Legend has it that the falls were created by spirits that chose to settle at the river Sezibwa. Because of that many people visit the resident witch-doctors to perform sacrifices and gain favor/blessings from the gods.

Mabira Forest: After the Sezibwa falls, the next stop is the Mabira forest. Mabira is the largest rainforest in central Uganda. It covers an area of about 300 square kilometers and is home to ancient trees, 219 species of butterflies, 316 species of birds, reptiles, flowers and moths. Mabira is also home to small primates like the Grey-cheeked Mangabeys, Red-tailed and Vervet monkeys. One can also spot squirrels, bushbucks and forest duikers. While in Mabira, you will be taken for a nature walk which takes about 2 hours. Alternatively, you can choose to go for Zip-lining. Zip-lining allows you to get an aerial view of the forest and observe resident creatures like birds or primates. After completing your tour of Mabira, the driver will continue the journey towards Jinja. As you approach Jinja, you will bypass the vast sugarcane and tea plantations in Lugazi.

Jinja Town Tour: Once you reach Jinja, you will be taken straight for a tour of the town. Before and immediately after Uganda’s independence, Jinja town had a large Asian population. They were in charge of most of the businesses and industries in the town. When president Idi Amin of Uganda expelled them, the industries were left in the hands of inexperienced individuals who had connections to the government at the time. Many of the industries collapsed but some have now been revived. During your tour of the city, you will be taken to see some of the industries that were once famous for supplying products to all countries of East Africa. Apart from the industries, there is also the old Asian-style buildings which were built during the colonial times.

Source of the Nile: After touring the town, the driver will take you for lunch at a suitable restaurant in town. The next objective will be to visit the source of the river Nile. The source of the Nile is located at a point where the river Nile leaves Lake Victoria and begins its long journey to the Mediterranean Sea in Egypt. You will not only take a boat to the exact source of the Nile but also further to Lake Victoria and some beautiful islands. The entire area has amazing scenery and you could spend the whole day marveling at small islands, fishermen throwing their nets or locals washing clothes along the river banks. Birders will be impressed with species available like Cormorants, Egrets, Fish Eagles and Pelicans. After visiting the source of the Nile by boat, you will stop to buy souvenir from some of the best artisan shops in the country

Kalagala Falls: This will be the next destination after visiting the source of the Nile. The Kalagala falls are known for whitewater rafting and other water sports like tubing the Nile or canoeing. After visiting these falls, you will start the journey back to Kampala or Entebbe.

White water rafting:  This is one the most popular adrenaline raising activities in Jinja. Jinja is arguably one of the best places to go for white-water rafting in Africa. Countless tourists visit the town just to experience the mighty rapids of the Nile in their full flow. In fact, there was a time when Jinja was among the leading whitewater rafting destinations in the world. The Nile river in Jinja had several grade 4, 5 and 6 rapids but these have been reduced until the government decided to destroy some of the rapids to create electricity dams. White water rafting in Jinja can be organized as a half or full day activity. By the end of the activity, you would have a great appreciation for the beautiful scenery surrounding the Nile, the amazing rapids, birdlife, different primate species and much more.

Quad Biking: Whereas Quad biking is becoming a common activity in different parts of the country, the one in Jinja is special because it is designed to allow participants enjoy the beautiful scenery surrounding the Nile. Quad biking in Jinja allows tourists a chance to experience among communities living close to the river Nile. The bike trails pass through village farms, the river banks and patches of forest. By the end of the activity, you would have had close encounters with the local people and understood how they go about their daily lives

Bungee jumping: Bungee Jumping is the ultimate adrenaline raising activity. In Jinja, the activity involves jumping towards the Nile from a tower which is about 44 meters high. A rope is tied around the ankle of a participant so that they don’t fall into the water. The jump takes about two minutes and can be arranged both at night and in the day. Bungee Jumping in Jinja was closed in 2019 but there is hope that it will be relaunched in 2021.

Other activities: Apart from the activities discussed above, travelers intending to book this 1 day Jinja tour can also opt for Kayaking, a sunset cruise, horse riding, tubing the Nile, canoeing or visiting one of the waterfalls.

This I day Jinja tour includes: –

1. Lunch and bottled water
2. Transport, fuel and an English Speaking Guide
3. Visiting Mabira forest for a nature walk or Zip-lining
4. Visiting the source of the Nile
5. Touring Jinja town
6. Pickup and drop-off at the airport

The 1 day Jinja city tour excludes: –

1. Personal expenses like tips to the Guides
2. Accommodation
3. Air tickets and Visa
4. Travel and Medical Insurance

In order for you to have the best experience while on this particular Jinja tour, you need to pack a good camera to capture the memories, a hat to protect you from the sun’s rays, an insect repellent to keep off mosquitoes in the forest and river Nile. You also need Light clothes to avoid excessive sweating, sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun’s rays and sunscreen in case it gets too hot.