The main fall
Brown rock into a basin.
Sandra Aceng — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sandra Aceng — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sandra Aceng — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sandra Aceng — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Rod Waddington — CC BY-SA 2.0
Sipi Falls is a series of three waterfalls on the north-west slopes of Mount Elgon, an extinct volcano in eastern Uganda close to the Kenyan border. The site looks out over the distant Karamoja plains. It is one of the most visited places in the east of the country, with its mild air, walking trails and coffee farms on the slopes. The largest, known as Sipi, stands at 95 metres. The middle one, Simba, lies further upstream to the east and drops 74 metres. The third, Ngasire, is higher up and falls about 85 metres. All are close to Mount Elgon National Park. The Sabiny people live in this area, growing arabica coffee on the high ground. The main fall drops from a brown rock edge above a wide cave, into a basin ringed with bright green, with a thinner thread of water beside it in the rains. From the opposite side you see the whole cliff with the fields above it. A rainbow sometimes forms in the spray. Trails pass banana and coffee farms and small caves. It is about 37 km from Mbale in a straight line. Going down to the base means steps and slippery ground, so take a local guide and suitable shoes. Camps offer coffee tours and abseiling beside the falls. There is more water in the rains, but the trails are harder, so choose according to what you want.
Brown rock into a basin.
On Elgon's slopes.
The wall and the fields.
Sipi, Kapchorwa District, eastern Uganda
Yes, on a long walk with a guide, though it is tiring if you are not used to climbing.
Not always required, but the trails cross private farms and a guide makes it easier.