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Wonder
Sipi Falls
In short
Well known natural wonder in the Eastern Uganda is Sipi Falls. This is a group of three impressive cascades on the Sipi River over a distance of some 2 kilometers.
42.8%
GPS coordinates
Height
Width
Stream
Map of the site
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In detail
Sipi Falls have formed on the north-western slope of Mount Elgon. It is a giant, 4,321 m high, and extinct stratovolcano. There are known approximately 1000 waterfalls on the slopes of this prominent mountain.
The three cascades have formed on the Sipi River and follow each other over a distance of some two kilometers.
The best known and the most impressive is the lower cascade (First Fall). It is a beautiful plunge of free-falling water over an overhanging cliff. This cascade is some 95 – 100 m tall – diverse authors give slightly different heights.
The middle cascade, also called Simba, is less tall – 69 – 74 m. In the upper part, it flows along a steep rock and then falls in a free fall over a rock overhang. Here the river is divided, forming two plunges. Nearby is a smaller cave.
The uppermost cascade – Ngasire – again is an impressive, vertical plunge, 87 m high. This is a less visited and beautiful sight. The stream with a small island is divided into two neighboring plunges.
Sipi Falls is a well-known touristic destination with guided tours that include agricultural experience as well – an introduction to the locally grown Bugisu Coffee and sep plant that, reportedly, gave its name to the falls. The hike to all three cascades is some 7 km long and highly rated due to its beauty. It is better to avoid the dry season of the year because there is little water in the falls.
References
- Peter Appel, Volker Schenk, Andreas Schumann. Sipi Falls, Uganda. Mission Africa Safaris. Accessed on 25th June 2022.
Linked articles
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