Know as the Adventure capital of Uganda it has a lot to offer in terms of adventure activities and sports to its visitors.
Jinja town, white water rafting, visiting source of the Nile, Mabira forest, kayaking,quard bikes, horse riding, bungee jumping, Ssezibwa falls, Itanda falls
Jinja town is located in the eastern part of Uganda neighboring the other districts of Mukono, Kayunga, to the west, Mayuge, and Iganga to the east and Kamuli in the north. It is approximately 81 kilometers from Kampala the capital city of Uganda. Jinja its self is a district in Busoga sub region. Jinja sits on the northern shores of Lake Victoria near the source of river Nile. According to 2014 population census in Jinja town is the largest metropolitan area in the district of Jinja.
In 1960-1970 Jinja town was the industrial heart of Uganda and during that time its development was on high basing on the fact that it had good roads, railway services, factories and a lot of tourism sites.
Jinja is a heart of tourism in Uganda basing on the fact that it has a lot of unique tourism sites as seen below.
The source of the Nile. It’s in Jinja where the source of the Nile River is, the second largest in the whole world. This was discovered by the John Hanning Speke in 1858. The natives who lived there knew it but it was john hanning Speke to be the first western explorer to discover it. It was later commissioned and improved to be a tourist attraction after implementing the recommendations that helped to enhance its potential as a tourist attraction for both domestic excursionists and foreign tourists.
Itanda falls. These falls are located on the Nile River. They are 18km away from Jinja town. They are covered with nature that offers an opportunity for birding/ bird watching, picnic outings and camping.
Kyabirwa falls. These located in a distance of 8km, these falls have got a wonderful scenery and landscape that is suitable for camping (campsite) though not yet fully adventured. It is also good for birding (bird watching) and ethno botany.
Lake Victoria beaches.The beaches on Lake Victoria have been partially exploited due to their location of tourism developments mostly the hotels. The beaches do have the following sites sailing clubs, tilapia clubs and Masese. Apart from the beautiful scenery, the lake can be used for water sports, which do attract both domestic and foreign clients, together with foreign nonresident tourists. Also the waters can be used for sport fishing and canoeing.
Lake Victoria islands. There are various islands on Lake Victoria that include Lwabitooke I and Lwabitooke II, Samuka and Ndaiga. Surprisingly some of the islands are not yet exploited for tourism purposes though they have potential. They have got potential for boat racing, overnight camping, sport fishing, day excursions and various water sports.
Historical sites and antiquities. Jinja has got a variety of historical sites. These include Bujagali ancestral site for the Soga tribe ancestral spirits, the Bujagali falls for the Busoga king’s palace at Nakabago, Mpumude hill which is the historical meeting place of the Busoga chiefs and colonial governors, Mpumude this was where the Omukama Kabalega of Bunyoro Kingdom died from.
Industries. Jinja was the first ever industrial park in the early years of 1949. This was mainly after the commencing of the construction of Owen Falls Dam that was to generate electricity to favor the smooth running of industries and business at large. The following are some of the industries and factories that are found in Jinja textile industries, beer industry (Nile breweries), steel rolling factories (Jinja steel rolling mills), Sugar factories (Kakira sugar works), grain milling(Jinja grain milling),fish factories(Masese fish factory), tea processing factories(garden tea)
Agro-based industries such as sugar and tea processing establishments have potential to attract foreign resident and non-resident tourists, if included in the tour packages, for tourists coming from countries where the semi-finished or finished products are exported.
The hydroelectricity plant at Jinja Owen Falls is also an attraction, especially for the school tours and other domestic tourists
Jet boats ride up. You can take a jet boat ride up the rapids of River Nile. This is a safe adventure as you are handled by an experienced pilot who understands the river and its nuances well. This looks like a roller- coaster ride on the water. Always the word exhilarating comes to the mind and best describe a time in a jet boat on the Nile. This activity can always be booked in advance for you and we can always include it on your itinerary.
Sunset cruise. Sunset cruise always can be organized for you. Private sunset cruise are always conducted durig sunset (6:45PM) in Uganda and then total darkness sets at around 7:10PM. Sunset cruises are always conducted around 6PM and ends around 7PM giving you a 2hours experience on River Nile. The Nile is not only white-water in Jinja, but there are some serene spots that are perfect for a sunset cruise. This is especially true if you have a great Nile Sunset with its entire splendor. This cruise is always adventurous as it is accompanied with snacks and drinks.
Bungee Jumping. This is an activity that we don’t advise people with faint hearts to go for. This can be done at any time of the day. Bungee jumping can be done anywhere in the world, but that done on the largest river on earth is a different experience.
Source of the Nile. Sir John Speke’s discovery of 1858 attracts a large number of people from all over the world. Today they constructed a park surrounding the area where many come to see the source of the Nile. These gardens are quite peaceful and beautiful. Near the river is a statue of pg Mahatma Gandhi whose ashes are strewn in the Nile. This site is developed to fit today’s world class tourism standards. Due to these standards its one of the most visited site in Uganda and east Africa.
Itanda falls. This is the best example of white waters on the Nile and it’s in 27kilometres outside Jinja. These falls give you a chance of viewing the true white water adventure on the Nile River. These falls have sights and sounds that delights your senses and make you desire to stay longer on the Nile
Mountain bike riding along Jinja. Biking along River Nile and beyond has grown popular over and is done by most tourists that visit Jinja town. This is a safe and sane activity which can be done by families together with their children and people of all ages. This activity is even offered with an experienced guide who also knows how to fix bikes which rarely break down.
Quad biking. This is one of the most popular activities after white water rafting. This can be fun with the whole family and mainly to people who have more days to spend in Jinja.
White water rafting. White water rafting in Uganda is only done on the River Nile and its starting point is in Jinja and it ends in a small village called Itanda. This is one the adventurers experience on the River Nile. This can be arranged for you at any time of the year and depending on your interests and time you can choose to do half a day or enjoy more of the Nile River rapids for the whole day.