Sipi Falls – the hard way there 070

Next Sipi Falls: Already, Mt. Elgon in sight, a comfortable ride of 1 hour on a rather good road.

Mount Elgon
good road to Sipi Falls about 1 hour’s drive

But we are too optimistic, a local motorbike stopped us to tell that the road is blocked for a few weeks as a landslide has swept away the road and we have to take a detour of 200 kilometers to Sipi Falls.

The road is more than bad, and it looks like we will reach Sipi Falls not before midnight. That means many hours of driving at night, what you should not do in Africa.

The road is not marked on any map and so we stop and ask a truck driver to see if we are still on the right track.

The road is fine the driver says he thinks probably the direction is fine but not the road conditions. Promptly and as expected, we come into the night, horrible driving around.

Steffi
Our friends in their Land Rover

We have left early in the morning at around 6.00 and were driving on bad road, crossing rivers where there was no road at all, passing a swamp, no stop, only pee break and we were not even sure if we are on the right track. We came through landscape, where we were sure, never ever had here a foreigner been, as people (there were a few) were starring at us, as we would come directly from the moon. So it started to rain, which made things not better and above all it started to get dark.

Mount Elgon
It is getting dark

The road got muddy and the sight was almost none, but you can not believe, there were people on the road, which we hardly could see, so really dangerous. We were tired and wanted to stay over night and continue the next day, but it was immposible to leave the road as everywhere was swamp, and we could not sleep in the middle of the road. Later in the evening we realized that we were on the right track and a few kilometres before Sipi Falls the tarmac began. Exhausted we arrived in Sipi Falls after midnight. AND hungry.

Alexandra is always the good soul and started to prepare steaks and potatoes for all of us. Hectolitres of beer let us slip into the night.

Sipi Falls
Sipi Falls Campsite

It was not until the early morning we can see where we landed. The view from the campsite to the Sipi Falls is gorgeos.

Sipi Falls
Sipi Falls

60 meter the water masses plunge into the depths. The complex of waterfalls consists of four separate falls that lie at 1770 meters above sea level. The campground is nicely laid out, with tropical plants and washing huts in traditional style. We do not want to lose time and jump into the hiking shoes, a mountain guide is also on hand,who leads us down to the falls.

Sipi Falls
The path down to Sipi Falls

The descent is fierce. Over narrow wooden ladders with ropes to hold we climb down a rock wall, just in the style of the Austrian mountains.

The guide carries my tripod, I am absolutely thrilled with the guy. Again and again we meet people who are climbing with heavy loads on the head. Tough people in Uganda.

Sipi Falls
banana transport

A woman balanced a bundle of wood on the head, unbelievable. Soon we arrived at the foot of the falls. A great spectacle. Breathtaking.

Sipi Falls
Sipi Falls

The rise, however, was ​​more difficult than expected. Exhausted we reached the top and we cook immediately. Of course, we have beef filet, what else. We men are in paradise. The women cook, we sleep. Nothing to complain about.

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