Have you been to Sipi Falls before? In our experience, the place is beautiful but can also give a pretty touristy and awkward feeling. Fortunately, there’s much more natural and cultural beauty to explore on Mount Elgon. Remote villages. Traditional caves. (Many more!) untouched waterfalls. May we take you into the wanderlust-wonderland of Kapchorwa and Kween District?
A top-5 of the immersive experiences you can do beyond Sipi:
1.Walk into a timeless world (Mosopisiek Trail)
Our flagship activity is the 2 or 3 day Mosopisiek Trail. Up to the 1990’s, the Mosopisiek lived in the forest of what is now Mount Elgon National Park. Mushrooms, milk fresh from the cow and various types of indigenous greens. These healthy ingredients are still present in a contemporary Mosopisiek diet. The Mosopisiek are friendly people who love to introduce you into their daily lives. And with hidden caves and rarely visited waterfalls, the nature of this area is simply stunning!
Typical Mosopisiek houses with Mount Kadam on the background. Photo credit: Juma Chebet
2. Engage in the culture of the Sebei (Cave Experience)
Since 2017 we are working together with a local group of drama artists: the Sebei Cultural Storytellers. These young and passionate youth have the mission to revive the ancient Sebei warrior culture. War, marriage and circumcision. During their Cave Experience you will learn various songs and dances of the Sebei ancestors. In a highly fun and engaging way!
French guest during a Cave Experience in 2021, together with Sebei Cultural Storyteller Timothy
3. Discover the Land of Champions (Group or guided run)
What not everyone knows about Kapchorwa: It is the cradle of Uganda’s running talent. Multiple World and Olympic champions live and train here. Through our partner organisation Run Kapchorwa you can run or walk on the same dirt trails as Joshua Cheptegei, Peruth Chemutai and Victor Kiplangat. In the meantime, learn about the interesting stories behind the success of these local and international heroes!
Nice to know: The roots of Uganda’s long-distance running champions lie in Mosopisiek land (see activity 1 above). Read more about it on page 14 of our Adventure Tourism magazine. During the Mosopisiek Trail you have the chance to gain more insights on the running culture.
4. Challenge your hiking muscles (Kapchorwa-Benet Trail)
Rolling green hills. Spectacular rock formations. Amazing viewpoints. The Kapchorwa-Benet Trail is a true off-the-beaten track experience. However, you need to enjoy the challenge of 1,400 elevation meters. Your guide for this activity is either David or one of his protegees: Cephus or Leah. All are natives of the area which makes it easy to connect with the friendly villagers:)
Team of local guides and international visitors during the first exploration of the Kapchorwa-Benet Trail in March 2020
5. Do the piswa Trail (THROUGH UGANDA WILDLIFE AUTHORITY)
Piswa is the longest though most gentle trail to the peaks of Mount Elgon. Close to the homestay of David (Mosopisiek Trail) there is an outpost of the Uganda Wildlife Authority. This is where you can start this unique hiking adventure. The Piswa trail is endowed with rare plant species and a great variety of vegetation zones. For more information about the Piswa Trail we recommend getting in touch with Juma of Massif Montane Expedition. Read also our blog with a 5-day report on climbing the peaks from this remote and beautiful side of the mountain.
How do the activities presented in this blog sound? Please let me know by leaving a comment below!
This blog is written by Daan Oxener, a Dutch social entrepreneur who is based in Kapchorwa since 2016. Daan manages Home of Friends Guesthouse, together with his fiancé Eliza. He is passionate about documenting Mount Elgon’s beautiful nature and remarkable culture. Daan is also engaged in Community & youth empowerment through adventure tourism.
