Sipi Falls is a Must when Travelling in East Uganda

Sipi Falls is an arresting, single-drop waterfall on the western slope of Mount Elgon that’s easy to visit

Featured image courtesy of Dixon099

Sipi Falls is the most visited destination in Uganda’s Mount Elgon region. Its popularity stems from its impressive height, pretty tropical setting, and reasonably easy access.

It’s a no-brainer to visit this lovely site if you’re travelling through eastern Uganda!

Sipi Falls Sits on the Northern Slope of Mount Elgon

Image courtesy of Atyang344

Sipi Falls is located in the northern foothills of Mount Elgon. Mount Elgon is the eighth-highest massif in Africa and the world’s broadest free-standing mountain. It is shared by Uganda and neighbouring Kenya, with the larger portion sitting inside Uganda.

Sipi Falls, which is 95 m (312 ft) tall, is the last (and tallest) in a series of waterfalls along the Sipi River, which starts on the upper slopes of Mount Elgon. Happily, there are both high and low viewpoints for appreciating the glory of the waterfall as it emerges from the dense vegetation to drop dramatically over a basalt cliff face into a pool-filled depression.

Sipi Falls is Excellent Hiking Country

Image courtesy of Muhammad Lubogo

You can reach the base of Sipi Falls from the trading village of Sipi via an easy 20-minute walking trail. This means even those without much fitness can access the falls.

There are longer hikes available too that take you to higher viewpoints, the top of the falls, and the other waterfalls. A half-day hike, for instance, leads you up to Ngasire Falls, which is 85 m (26 ft) tall. If you’re keen for a hike, don’t neglect the slightly shorter Simba Falls, which is 74 m (243 ft) and has a cave behind its curtain that you can visit.

You can also go abseiling down the cliff face adjacent to the main Sipi Falls. This is a top-notch experience as you can see the waterfall from a further vantage point and also appreciate its great height in a visceral way!

Other Highlights of the Sipi Falls Region

Sipi Falls is part of an exceptionally pretty region marked by banana plantations, coffee farms, small villages, and thick, deep-green forest.

About 90% of the local population are members of the Sebei tribe, a Nilotic people known for producing many world-class track runners. The other 10% of the population are from the Bagisu tribe, a Bantu people group renowned for their entrepreneurship.

Many of the Sipi Falls hiking trails can be done as part of a cultural tour, where you learn about the coffee-making process and local village life, for instance.

If you’re interested in natural history, be sure to visit the Kapkwai Forest Exploration Centre. The centre is just 12 km (7 miles) from Sipi and is managed by the Ugandan Wildlife Authority. It’s an educational hub for learning about the mountain’s geology and endemic bird species, among other things. It’s also the base for various guided activities, including a hike to some of the nearby caves to learn about their roles in different cultural traditions and ceremonies.

Mount Elgon Offers Memorable and Affordable Mountain Trekking

Image courtesy of Kristina Just

If you’re visiting Sipi Falls, then you’re right by the entrance to Mount Elgon National Park. The park (together with its namesake in Kenya) protects the upper slopes of Mount Elgon.

Mount Elgon is an extinct volcano that’s part of the Rift Valley. The top of the mountain features an intact caldera – one of the largest in the world, in fact.

Wagagai Peak, at 4,321 m (14,177 ft) above sea level, is the highest point on the caldera’s rim. It’s therefore the mountain’s summit. And it sits within Uganda. You can do a guided four- to five-day summit trek to Wagagai Peak that requires no mountaineering experience or equipment. There’s also the option of a trans-massif trek that takes you from Uganda and into Kenya. And you can trek to the caldera’s other peaks too.

Whether hiking to Wagagai or another location on the massif, trekking on Mount Elgon is a very rewarding experience, for many reasons. One of the mountain’s main attractions is that you hike through beautiful Afroalpine heather and then moorland, similar to that found on East Africa’s other highest mountains. You can find many striking endemic and otherworldly plants here, like giant lobelias and groundsels.

Image courtesy of Gilles Bassière

If you’d like a challenging mountain trek but one that is quieter, more affordable, and more off-the-beaten-track than those offered by the likes of Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya, then consider trekking Mount Elgon.

Note: This blog post was first published in 2016. It was rewritten on 5 January 2026.