Hello

Your subscription is almost coming to an end. Don’t miss out on the great content on Nation.Africa

Ready to continue your informative journey with us?

Hello

Your premium access has ended, but the best of Nation.Africa is still within reach. Renew now to unlock exclusive stories and in-depth features.

Reclaim your full access. Click below to renew.

Caption for the landscape image:

Unlocking Bulambuli tourism potential

Scroll down to read the article

Tourists look at the scenic Bulambuli. PHOTOS/EMANZI NDYAMUHAKI

Talk about Bulambuli District right now and everyone’s mind will run to the disaster that befell Bulunganya Sub-county a few weeks ago, when multiple landslides triggered by heavy rains hit and left about 38 people dead and several missing.

The landslide struck the villages at the foot of Mt Elgon and buried about 45 houses and displaced hundreds. Gardens and livestock were also buried, leaving survivors nursing wounds and pondering their next move.

Similar disasters have happened and affected the Eastern region before, leaving a stain and overshadowing the beauty that the Greater Elgon region is endowed with.

But the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities is on a mission to shine a light on Bulambuli, revealing the beauty that lies in the district and confirming to the rest of the world that the region has a lot of positives to focus on amidst the landslide challenges that are seasonal.

In a recent tourist attraction profiling visit, ministry officials and local leaders in Bulambuli took the media to explore some of the focus areas that must be used to tell the positive story of the area.

The pride of nature

The district chief administrative officer, Emmy Ejuku Olaboro, revealed that Bulambuli has two ecological zones; the highlands and lowlands, with each endowed differently.

“The major attractions we have are the waterfalls, the ancient caves, the hills and the coffee which is grown in the fertile mountains and is a tourist package,” Olaboro said.

The Elgon region produces one of the world’s finest coffee types -Arabica, and Bulambuli is one of the areas with lots of it.

Cliffs, streams of fresh water, Birintanyi gorge, the people and culture are all potential tourist attractions that the ministry and local leaders hope to tap into.

With the visit held in December, it was the last month of the tradition Imbalu season, a circumcision ceremony in which boys are initiated into manhood. It is also a symbol of unity.

Imbalu is usually held in August and December of even years and has the potential to attract people from all over the world to experience the culture of the Bamasaaba.

“All these are not well-known and it is my prayer that we continue to work with the ministry to make Bulambuli a preferred tourist destination,” Olaboro said.

Stop over

Sipi Falls in Kapchorwa is arguably the region’s most famous tourist attraction. The recently commissioned Teryet High Altitude Centre is the other but both are in the Karamoja region, some distance away from Bulambuli.

On the other side, Mbale has the famous Wanale Ridge and numerous waterfalls that attract tourists.

Olaboro said: “People travelling to Northern Uganda could make a stopover in Bulambuli, explore the beautiful scenery, appreciate nature and make tourism and activity that benefits the locals who have preserved these gems. Bulambuli is known for her great Arabica coffee, and agro-tourism has a huge potential here.”

The ministry is optimistic that Bulambuli can add to the several tourist options available for people to explore and learn more about Uganda.

Sisiyi Falls

Located in Tanka Village, Simu Sub-county, Bulambuli District, Sisiyi Falls originate from a water mass on Mount Elgon.

The Sisiyi Falls 

Measuring up to 103 metres high, the falls have the potential to attract tourists but currently look deserted. The name Sisiyi, according to the locals, comes from the Kiswahili phrase Sisi kwa sisi that was often used by the people who lived by the slopes and depended on the flowing water to look after their animals and domestic use.

“There are cattle keepers who lived in this area, a small community who treasured the falls and often stated they only had each other to rely on. Sisi kwa sisi – they always said and that’s how the falls got their name, Sisiyi,” Benjamin Mayoga, a manager at one of the accommodation facilities around the falls, revealed.

The two cottages at the base of the falls are in dire need of renovation after years of inactivity. It is said that there was booming business before the Covid-19 pandemic hit.

Mayoga is optimistic that it is only a matter of time and the place will be back in business for the world to explore the beauty hidden in Bulambuli. 

Birintanyi gorge

Birintanyi gorge connects lower Bulambuli to the hilly areas of Lusha subcounty.

It is an S-shaped tarmac road cutting through rocks to create a narrow gorge that has since become one of Bulambuli’s scenic tourist attractions.

The beauty of the walls dressed with creeping plants and water flowing give tourists the perfect sight before accessing the upper part of the area.

Other attractions

There are several other attractions that only need highlighting to increase the number of visitors Bulambuli gets in a year.

Gamwenya Cave and Gundu Falls, located in Namboga A Village, Lusha Sub-county, serve a two-in-one kind of experience to tourists.

Gamwenya, the biggest cave in Bulambuli with a hollow stretch of about 400km, has a large water pool at the deep end. Only the brave will get the opportunity to beat the darkness and crawl through the narrow pits that lead to the water down under.

Gamwenya is said to have housed locals in the past as they looked after their animals but is currently a source of manure for crops within the area.

“We are told that people of long ago used to sleep in this cave while they reared cattle. Today, we collect the soil from inside here and use it as manure supplement for our crops,” Michael Namenya, a local tour guide, revealed.

Before one gets into the cave, there is a light waterfall that sources its waters from various streams in Lusha Sub-county. In Kagyere Village, Bulago Sub-county, Kagyere River cuts through the Bulambuli highlands to form a series of waterfalls.

Kagyere I and Kagyere II Falls provide locals with water for domestic and agricultural purposes. The water is also used for coffee washing.

Gabuguto Rock is another feature Bulambuli is blessed with. The rock found in Masiira Sub-county offers tourists a clear view of the larger Elgon region.

The Ladders that connect lower Bulambuli to the upper side also offer a great sight to visitors. Students who attend schools such as Masiira Secondary and Buginyanya Comprehensive Secondary School have to connect to the upper parts of the area via the ladders on a daily basis.

The complicated situation for the locals especially during the rainy season, can easily be turned into a tourism experience and the government of Uganda. In 2024, the Ministry of Works and Transport allocated Shs1.8b to replace the wooden ladders with metallic options. The metallic ladder will not only be a relief to the locals in terms of access to basic services, but also a safe adventure for tourists to engage in.

Bulambuli is not the first area in which the Ministry has done tourist attraction profiling exercises. 

The profiling exercise was earlier done in the Lango Sub-Region, covering districts including Oyam, Otuke, Apac, Kole, Alebtong, Amolatar, Lira, Kwania and Dokolo.