Sipi Falls
Waterfalls in Uganda
title: "Sipi Falls" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["waterfalls-of-uganda", "kapchorwa-district"] description: "Waterfalls in Uganda" topic_path: "general/waterfalls-of-uganda" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sipi_Falls" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Waterfalls in Uganda ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox waterfall"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Sipi Falls |
| photo | Sipi Falls2.jpg |
| photo_caption | Main falls at Sipi |
| location | Sipi, Uganda |
| coords | |
| height_longest | 100m |
| :: |
| name = Sipi Falls | photo = Sipi Falls2.jpg | photo_caption = Main falls at Sipi | location = Sipi, Uganda | coords = | type = | height_longest = 100m | number_drops = | average_flow = | world_rank = ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Sipi_Falls.jpg" caption="The close-up front view of Sipi Falls."] ::
Sipi Falls is a series of three waterfalls located on the north-western slopes of the eponymous extinct volcano, Mount Elgon, in Uganda, with views over the Karamoja plains. The falls are situated to the northeast of Sironko and Mbale, adjacent to Mount Elgon National Park, which is located 1.7 kilometers (1 mile) away from the Kenyan border. The falls account for 10% to 20% of all tourist visits to Uganda every year.
At its highest point, the largest of the three waterfalls, known as Sipi Falls, stands at 95 meters (312 feet) high. The middle waterfall – known as Simba Falls, lies further upstream to the east. This waterfall has a drop of 74 m (243 ft). Further uphill is the third waterfall, known as Ngasire Falls, with a drop of approximately 85 m (262 ft).
Location
The falls are located two miles northeast of the town of Sipi, 273.6 km (170 mi) northeast of the Ugandan capital of Kampala. The falls were formed by the Sipi River flowing from the upper slopes of Mount Elgon, and terminate in the Lake Kyoga basin.
Name origin
The term "Sipi" is thought to have its origins in the local word sep, which denotes an indigenous plant resembling a wild banana after the Sipi River. This plant is commonly found along the Sipi riverbank and is characterized by its translucent, green fronds featuring a crimson rib, giving it an appearance reminiscent of a wild banana. The plant is also used as a medicine for treating fevers and measles by the local people in the area. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Indigenous_Sep_Plant_Along_Sipi_Riverbank_02.jpg" caption="The sep plant, an indigenous species resembling a wild banana, thrives along the Sipi riverbank."] ::
Economy
The Sipi Falls area grows Bugisu Arabica coffee, which is profitable for the local people.
References
References
- Briggs, Philip. (2010). "Uganda". Bradt Travel Guides Ltd.
- Ham, Anthony. (2017). "Lonely Planet Africa". Lonely Planet Global Limited.
- Barlas, Robert. (2019). "Uganda". Cavendish Square.
- Schumann, A.. (March 2015). "Ugandan geosites". Geology Today.
- Williams, Lizzie. (2014). "Uganda Handbook". Footprint Handbooks.
- (2021-11-19). "Sipi Falls in Eastern Uganda - Landmarks - This is Uganda".
- (January 2021). "Variabilities and Trends of Rainfall, Temperature, and River Flow in Sipi Sub-Catchment on the Slopes of Mt. Elgon, Uganda". Water.
- admin. (2022-01-05). "Sipi Falls Uganda - Hiking, Abseiling, Touring & Entrance fee".
- Briggs, Philip. (2020). "Uganda: The Bradt Travel Guide". Bradt Travel Guides.
- "Sipi Falls Uganda, Hiking, Tours, Abseiling, Costs & Travel Tips".
- manyaafrica. (2022-09-27). "Sipi falls Uganda.".
- Jemba. (2025-11-10). "What’s the best coffee to buy in Uganda?".
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::