Jinja the adventure capital of east Africa
Jinja the adventure capital of east africa: Jinja is an industrial town and one of the most visited towns located in Eastern Uganda 80kilometres from Kampala city. It lies in the north shores of Lake Victoria which is the largest lake in Africa. Jinja is the adventure capital of east Africa due to various attractions such as the Source of the Nile which is the longest river in the world offering activities like white water rafting, bungee jumping, kayaking, jet boating, lake Victoria beaches, Islands on lake Victoria, markets along the road sides, Sezibwa falls which is a beautiful waterfall located in Mukono district between Kampala and Jinja, Mabira forest which is located Kampala-Jinja high way in Buikwe district and offers interesting activities like zip lining, nature walk, birding among others, Itanda falls which are found on River Nile offering activities like camping, bird watching, islands on lake victoria such as Ngamba, Lwabitookell, Ndaiga, historical sites such as the kings palace, Bujagali ancestral site among others.
Activities done in Jinja
White water rafting, this is an interesting activity in Jinja where visitors paddle in the middle of River Nile while passing through different rapids which are graded from grade 1 to grade 5 which is the most difficult level and after the end of each rapid the guide asks if you want to continue to another level or go back to an easy level and this is done through voting. White water rafting gives you an opportunity to enjoy paddling in the middle of River Nile as you enjoy islands, spills of the water, rapids as well as viewing the fishing villages, locals washing and fetching water on the riversides among others.
Bungee jumping, bungee jumping is a thrilling activity on River Nile which can either be done during the day or at night. Visitors who want to participate in bungee jumping can be tied the body together with the face looking down allowing them to float and the legs which will be tied on a large elastic cord. You will then dive down to kiss the river which will be about 40metres from where you will be tied. It’s an adventurous activity though limited to visitors with certain illnesses like heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes among others.
Kayaking, River Nile offers two types of kayaks for example the sit on top kaya which doesn’t need any experienced visitors and the tandem kayak for experienced visitors. During kayaking on River Nile you will have spectacular views of River Nile, the bird species, animal species, surrounding communities, Islands, farmlands among others which give you great experience during your adventure in Jinja the capital of East Africa.
Horse riding, Jinja is the second destinations apart from Lake Mburo national park in Uganda where horse riding activity is carried out. Horse riding in Jinja starts with a briefing and a training for the inexperienced riders and can either be done in the morning or in the evening with two trained guides one in front and another one behind to ensure that no one gets any difficult. This is a unique activity carried out on the shores of River Nile which takes about 1 to 3 hours ride and you will get an opportunity to explore the neighboring communities, tea plantations, sugar plantations, hills, among others while on the horse back.
Jet boating, jet boating in Jinja is the most adventurous activity in that it’s done on a motorized high speed boat with an experienced guide. When cruising on River Nile with a jet boat, you will be hitting the water waves with a high speed boat hence giving you the best excitement on your safari.
Swimming, River Nile is one of the water bodies in Uganda which is free dangerous animals like hippos, crocodiles and also free from bilharzia and other infectious diseases which makes it the best place for swimming.
Quad biking, this is a thrilling activity that can be done by adults and children up to 12 years of age. Quad biking in Jinja starts with a briefing then training and practice session for the inexperienced riders and take 1, 2, 3 or 4 hours. During quad biking you will ride a bike through the forests, farmlands, surrounding villages among others.
Zip lining, while going to Jinja town, you will pass via Mabira forest which is one of the rainforests in Uganda. Zip lining is a thrilling activity in Jinja which will give you an opportunity to explore the forest, tall trees with spectacular views of griffin falls, bird species, grey cheeked Mangabeys, squirrels, red tailed monkeys among others. Zip lining can either be done in the morning or in the evening, takes about 4 hours and rewards you with lifetime experiences.
Mountain biking, mountain biking is an exciting activity which is done in three destinations that is Bujagali where you will be able to explore areas around Bujagali falls, villages farmlands, with views of the local people among others, Bugembe trail where you will be able to explore Jinja town, source of the Nile and also cycle up to the viewpoint for clear viewing of lake victoria. The third destination for mountain biking in Jinja is Mabira forest where you will cycle in the forest, visiting surrounding communities, viewing different tree species, bird species, primates among others. mountain biking is done with a help of an experienced guide who will be showing you the trails to follow, sharing information about different destinations and also helping you to spot some bird species, primates tree types among others.
Birding, birding is best done in Mabira forest in that it harbors about 315 bird species. During birding in Mabira you will follow various trails in the forest such as grassland trail and you will view bird species such as speckled tinker bird, yellow long bill, purple throated cuckoo, Cassins hawk eagle, African dwarf kingfisher, hairy breasted barbet among others. Birds in Jinja can also be viewed during the boat cruise at the source of the Nile, horse riding, Quad biking among others.
Sport fishing, this is carried out on River Nile and visitors who want to engage in sport fishing should first purchase a permit and bring their own fishing gears. It is done on a catch and release policy and the most fish caught include the Nile Perch, Tilapia, Cat fish, Lung fish, Protopterus among others.
Where to stay on your tour in Jinja the capital of East Africa
There are a number of luxury, midrange and budget accommodations where you can stay on your adventure safari in Jinja town including Jinja Nile Resort, the Nile Porch, Wild Waters Lodge, Kingfisher Resort, the Haven, Rain Forest Lodge, Gately on the Nile, Explorers River Camp, 2 Friends Guest House, Brisk Hotel Triangle, Bilkon Hotel, Sunset Hotel International, Jinja Safari Hotel, Mansion Hotel among others. The lodges offers different services and facilities such as swimming pool, reading desk, conference room, Wi-Fi, free breakfast, comfortable beds, barbecue, well stocked bar, restaurant where they serve traditional and international dishes among others.
Best time to visit Jinja the adventure capital of East Africa
Jinja can be visited all year round though the best time to go on a tour is during the dry season in the months of June to August and December to February. The dry season is also known as the peak season and during this period there is less rainfall therefore most activities like horse riding, mountain biking, zip lining, birding will be successful. The dry season also has drawbacks like overcrowding and high prices for the lodges. However visitors can also visit during the wet/rainy season in the months of March to May and October to November because some activities like quad biking become exciting during the wet season due to mud. During the wet season the lodges give discounts to visitors hence favoring the budget travellers.
For visitors who love adventure, Jinja is the best place to visit in that it has various activities that you can engage in such as white water rafting, zip lining, kayaking, bungee jumping, sport fishing among others which will give you breathtaking experiences.
