Sezibwa Falls : Sezibwa falls history, sezibwa falls activities, ssezibwa falls location
Located in Mukono district in Uganda, Sezibwa Falls is a beautiful natural attraction dotted with beautiful waterfalls surrounded by lush vegetation. Sezibwa is like a scene out of a movie and a great stop for nature lovers visiting Uganda. Sezibwa Falls is usually visited while heading to Jinja,also known as the adventure capital of East Africa, a stop a Sezibwa Falls is a great way to break the journey between Kampala and Jinja as you spend time reconnecting with nature and learning about the cultural attachment that the people of Buganda have to Sezibwa. Sezibwa Falls is located 32km away from Kampala off the Kampala – Jinja highway.
The cultural history of Sezibwa Falls
Sezibwa Falls is a cultural heritage site for the people of Buganda and is a cultural ground for the Baganda. When you visit the site, you will notice people around the falls, some washing clothes and others spending time in the lush gardens that surround the waterfalls. This is because the Sezibwa River is believed to be supernatural and is spiritual ground where traditional rituals are performed.
On the upper side of the Sezibwa Falls, you find a number of shrines where the traditional rituals are performed and you will notice people around the shrines. The name Sezibwa originated from the term “Sezibwa Kkubo” which translates as “My path cannot be blocked.”
The history of Sezibwa Falls is intriguing and is one of the reasons why a number of tourists are attracted to this cultural heritage site. It’s a great way to learn about the culture, beliefs and the traditions of the people of Buganda.
The people of Buganda belong to the Buganda Kingdom which is a sub-national kingdom within Uganda led by the current King named Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi 11. The “Kabaka” which in their local dialect translates as King oversees all Kingdom activities and stays at the Kabaka’s Palace. The Baganda are the largest ethnic group in Uganda, mainly occupying the central region of Uganda and are a Bantu ethnic group that is known for their strong attachment to their cultural traditions.
Sezibwa Falls is therefore an important cultural ground for the people of Buganda and the Kings of Buganda have in the past visited the site in search of blessings. A notable sign of the King’s visits is the old olive tree at Sezibwa that was planted by Kabaka Mwanda during his visit to Sezibwa in 1889.
Traditional Legend of Sezibwa Falls
Traditional legend has it that a woman named Nakangu Tebatuusa gave birth to Twin Rivers named Sezibwa and Bwanda. According to the story, Nakangu Tebatuusa had a dispute with her husband named Nsubuga Sebwaata which led to her leaving her home for her parent’s home. Legend says that when she got to her parent’s home, her father advised her to go back to her marital home and work on whatever disagreements they had. Her mother escorted her and left her close to her marital home, as Nakangu continued with her journey to her marital home, she got tired along the way and decided to rest.
It is said that while she rested, she ended up supernaturally giving birth to Twin Rivers named Sezibwa and Bwanda. The two rivers were each flowing in different directions. Bwanda River flowed smoothly towards a place called Nyenga while Sezibwa River is believed to have met obstacles along his path but was helped by a spirit known as “Nalongo Nnkubo”. The spirits settled in the Sezibwa area around the falls, shrines were built near the falls to worship and appease them. Rituals are performed at the shrines and sacrifices of animals are made to appease the spirits. Believers visit the shrines to ask the spirits for success in their endeavors, healing, blessings and so much more. Aside from Nalongo Nnkubo, other spirits are believed to have settled at Sezibwa and these include Musoke the “god of rain”, Walumbe the “god of life and death”, Kibuuka the “god of war”, Mukasa the “god of wealth and fertility” and Musisi the “god of earthquakes”.
Things to do at Sezibwa Falls
A number of Sezibwa Falls activities are listed below and for nature lovers, Sezibwa is a great stop. Things to do at Sezibwa Falls include;
Nature Walks
A nature walk is the most popular activity at Sezibwa Falls and offers one an opportunity to spend time enjoying the beauty of the lush vegetation and the calm environment that surrounds Sezibwa Falls. The sound of the waterfalls, the beautiful pool of water flowing through the site, the green compound, the sound of birds chirping and the beautiful old trees is a nature lover’s dream. Sezibwa is one of the best places in Uganda to reconnect with and spend time enjoying nature in all its glory. The nature walk starts at the entrance, then to the waterfalls through the walkways and then ends at the rocks. You also get to spend time just below the waterfalls taking in the beauty of the water splashes.
Photography
Sezibwa Falls is also a great place for photography as the waterfalls offer a stunning backdrop for photos dotted with the beautiful gigantic trees and lush vegetation. The streams of water are also great for photo moments and videos. For birders who are into bird photography, the site offers good opportunities to photograph birds especially water birds and forest birds.
Rock Climbing
Sezibwa also offers an opportunity to do a short rock climbing hike to the top of the falls. The view from the top is worth the short climb and can be a great way to experience the falls from the top. Please ensure that for this activity, you travel with good shoes for rock climbing as the rocks can be slippery.
View of Sezibwa Falls from the top
Bird watching
For birders, Sezibwa Falls can be a good site to stop by while birding in Uganda as about 200 species have been recorded here. To fully exhaust the site, its best to visit with a professional birding guide. Birds to look out for include Reed Cormorants, African Finfoot, Great Blue Turaco, Ross’s Turaco, Pied Crow, Emerald Cuckoo, Speckled Mousebird, Palmnut Vulture, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Green-backed Camaroptera, Giant Kingfisher, African Gray Hornbill, Woodland Kingfisher, Blue-spotted Wood dove, African Paradise Flycatcher, Green Hylia, Red-eyed Dove, Green Crombec, Red-headed Malimbe, Western Nicator, Black and white Mannikin, Tambourine Dove, Vieillot’s Black Weaver and Common Bulbul among others.
Picnics
Sezibwa Falls is also a great place for a picnic and can make for a getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city. You can visit with friends and family, set up nicely in the compound sections and enjoy a quiet day in nature. This can be a great way to relax, unwind, and enjoy the waterfall view as you bond with family and friends.
Community Visits
For an immersive experience with the culture and community that surround Sezibwa, you can go on a community visit. You can go on a village walk for an experience of how the locals live. During the community visit, you can visit the some of the shrines located near the falls, here you learn the cultural traditions of the people of Buganda, learn about the spirits and the ways in which they worship their ancient gods and spirits.
How to get to Sezibwa Falls
The Sezibwa Falls location can be a tricky one so you have to make sure that you keep your eye on the road so that you do not miss the turn off the main road that leads to the site. Sezibwa Falls is located 32km away from Kampala and is situated between Lugazi and Mukuno. If coming from Kampala you turn off the main road after seeing the sign post of Sezibwa River Resort, same applies if you are coming from Jinja town. The drive from the trading centre with the Sezibwa River Resort signpost takes about 10 minutes, you drive through sugar cane plantations, go through a valley then climb a hill before finding the Sezibwa Falls sign post on your left. The road between the trading centre and Sezibwa Falls is a dirt road so make sure you have a good car to navigate the terrain especially if you visit during the rainy season.
Sezibwa Falls Entrance Fee
One might wonder, how much would it cost me to visit Sezibwa Falls Uganda? The Sezibwa Falls entrance fee is Ugx. 10,000 which is about $3.
Guidelines for visiting Sezibwa Falls
Below are a few guide lines that we suggest if you are planning to visit or visiting Sezibwa Falls;
- Being a cultural heritage site and spiritual ground for the people of Buganda, please respect the grounds and the people there to worship when visiting. Respect to their privacy is also encouraged.
- Please do not litter the grounds. If you have any rubbish, store it in your bag and dispose it off at the dustbin at the reception or store it in your car and dispose it off later.
- If you plan to climb to the top of the falls, carry good hiking shoes as the rocks that lead up to the top are slippery.
- It is common to see dead livestock at the bottom of the falls which have been sacrificed at the top to feed to Sezibwa as part of the appeasing rituals so do not be alarmed when you see them.
