5 Days Sipi Falls and Pian Upe Game Reserve safari
This 5 Days Sipi Falls and Pian Upe Game Reserve safari is a safari aimed for Eastern Uganda. The Safari tour will combine adventure, culture, waterfalls, wildlife, and fun to Sipi Falls and the less visited Pian Upe Wildlife reserve, where spotting cheetahs will be luck for Uganda Safari guests all year round.
5 Days Sipi Falls and Pian Upe Game Reserve safari Itinerary
Day 1: Transfer to Sipi Falls, Afternoon Village walk
Day 2: The long awaited Sipi falls tour
Day 3: Transfer to Pian Upe and go for Afternoon cultural community Tour
Day 4: Sunrise game drives plus sunset game drives.
Day 5: Go for a nature walk and return to Kampala
5 Days Sipi Falls and Pian Upe Game Reserve safari details
Day 1: Transfer to Sipi Falls – Afternoon Sipi falls
Your tour guide will pick you up from your hotel / place of residence or home in Kampala for the drive East of Uganda to the famous Sipi falls. You will pass through Jinja and have amazing scenic views of Mabira forest. The total drive time can be up to 5 hours to Kapchorwa where you will find these amazing falls.
Upon arrival, check in the reserved hotel, relax as you prepare for the village tour after lunch. In the afternoon go for a guided village walk and see how the locally grown Arabica coffee is processed.
Day 2: Sipi tour
After breakfast, you depart for the Sipi Falls safari’s highlight: a walk to the three Sipi Falls. These are large water falls, and you will get a great view of them as well as get close enough to hear the roar of the water and feel the water splash on you! This will be a guided tour led by a local guide who will tell you about the history, culture, flora, and fauna of the Sipi Falls area.
The Sipi Falls are named after the Sipi River, which flows from the base of Mount Elgon, which is located between Uganda and Kenya. One of the Sipi falls is up to 100 meters high, and adrenaline junkies can abseil down it. The falls are surrounded by community walking paths and hills covered in lush Arabica coffee trees. Rock climbing and abseiling descents of the main Sipi falls are organized by on request by those willing to partake the thrilling adventure.
Climbs of varying difficulty are available, with 10 spot climbing routes bolted into the cliff face adjacent to Sipi Falls. The abseiling options range from simple 25m descents to 100m waterfall descents. After the tour, head back to the lodge for late lunch, relax as you await your dinner and overnight.
Accommodaion option: Sipi River Lodge
Sipi River Lodge is a semi-luxurious lodge in Eastern Uganda with breath-taking views of one of the Sipi falls. Sipi River Lodge is one of the most stunning, comfortable, and intimate lodges in the Sipi area.
You can visit the second of three Sipi waterfalls and caves from the lodge. The lodge has a lovely restaurant with excellent food and a cozy fireplace to keep you warm on chilly evenings.
There are three spacious self-contained cottages and non-self-contained bandas that are less expensive but still provide the same standards.
Day 3: Transfer to Pian Upe – Afternoon cultural community visit Tour
Wake up for breakfast and later, you’ll be driven to the Pian Upe wildlife reserve for a cultural and off the beaten path experiences. Pian Upe is one of Uganda’s lesser-visited wildlife reserves, but it has a lot to offer a discerning traveler.
You will arrive at UWA bandas, eat lunch, and then go on a cultural community visit to learn about the ways of the people who live here. Through performances of traditional dances, and the raiding of cattle, you will learn about their traditional marriages and weddings.
While at Pian Upe game reserve, expect to see a variety of wildlife, including roan antelope, hartebeest, zebras, buffaloes, dik-dik, jackals, and numerous birds, as well as the occasional sighting of cheetahs. Return to the camping area in the evening for dinner and to reflect on the events of the day around the campfire.
Day 4: Sunrise game drives – sunset game drives.
Following an early breakfast, you will embark on a guided morning game drive. Keep an eye out for early risers, such as the hunting cheetah.
Other animals to look out for include the jackal, roan antelope, zebra, buffalo, dik-dik, hyena, baboon, patas monkey, and many more. You will eat lunch, relax, and then go on a sunset game drive. You will return to your lodging for dinner and sleep after the second game drive.
Day 5: Go for a nature walk and return to Kampala
This is the last day of your 5 Days Sipi Falls and Pian Upe Game Reserve safari. After an early breakfast, you will embark on a three-hour nature walk to the hyenas’ hill, where you will see various bird species, lizards, and possibly hyenas, as well as breathtaking sweeping views. After the hort dventure, return to the lodge for checkout, have an early lunch and later you will be transferred back to Kampala with stretching road breaks. You will arrive in the late evening. This marks the end of your 5 Days Sipi Falls and Pian Upe Game Reserve safari.
Accommodation Option: UWA Bandas
UWA bandas are simple, self-contained, and clean; however, don’t expect much as the reserve is not yet well-known or developed for tourism.
There are self-contained tents and thatched cottages that provide a true wilderness experience with breathtaking views of the reserve and the hills. The meals are also very simple.