SAHO 004:  Mbale City Tour and Wanale hiking 3 days / 2 nights.

DAY 1 : From Kampala, drive East wards for Jinja, The East African Adventure Capital. The Nile starts its 4000-mile journey to the Mediterranean from Lake Victoria.  Join us to see the source of the Nile and the surrounding environment. Next, tour the Itanda Falls ‘’ Jinja’s hidden jawel‘’ on the north of the city. Depart for Mbale City and tour the Abayudaya Community (The Jews of Uganda) on Nabugoye Hill. The vegetation is impenetrable and turns foggy the atmosphere. The wildly fertile nature expands beyond it and bends towards the impressive Elgon volcano.

The only Jewish community in Uganda is located on Nabugoye Hill. Their members are known as Abayudaya and although their mythical origins are still recent -in 2014 they celebrated a century life and their founding members passed away not a long time ago-, their everyday reality is already tinged by legend.

But the Abayudaya community, scattered around their synagogue, is not isolated but they live together with other religious expressions that satisfy the spiritual nature of their inhabitants. Jewish, Muslims and multiple Christian churches are neighbors in the tangled paths joined by Nabugoye Hill. “All of us are human being”, they usually say. Next, tour Semei Kakungulu tombs.  Dinner and overnight at Mbale Resort Hotel.

DAY 2:  Hike to Mount  Wanale, Bugisu’s temple of nature and the long arm of Mount Elgon. This is an impressive mountain with escarpments, deep valleys, water streaked cliffs, caves and rocks.
It is standing at a height of 6,864 ft, Wanale can be viewed from all areas in Mbale and neighboring districts. It covers a huge portion of Bugisu’s land surface. Mbale town literally lies at its foot. While in Mbale town, you can see many waterfalls making Mt. Wanale to be one of the most beautiful mountains in Uganda. Tour Coffee shambas (gardens) with a short community walk.

Next, tour the Mutoto Cultural ground. This site is found near Mbale City in Mbale District in Eastern Uganda is where the Bagishu circumcision rituals are performed.

This Mutoto Cultural Ground is a renowned place in the Masaba land and it’s in these grounds that boys are initiated into manhood through a traditional practice called the imbalu (circumcision).  Although male circumcision has become widespread across Uganda and it’s mainly carried out in hospitals, the practice of circumcision was first practiced by the Bagisu people living around Mt. Elgon region although they did this the traditional Way.

The Bagisu (Bamasaaba) people believe that through circumcision, a boy is initiated into manhood and is at that point that one is considered mature. The circumcised boys are normally given various gifts from their relatives and friends and it is a very big celebration within the respective families. The Imbalu ceremony is carried out each even year. (like 2016, 2018, 2020, etc)

Before carrying out this cultural ritual, the concerned elders first check all the candidates presented for that ritual to determine if they are true Bagisu (Bamasaaba) as well as identifying their clans. Once the candidate has met these, then they go on to perform the ritual.

The Elgon region is a place of great historical significance as well as a place of interest for many tourists who visit the country on a Safari in Uganda. It comprises of different districts like Mbale, Sironko, Manafwa, Bulambuli as well as Bududa, found at the bottom of Mount Elgon  which they believe to be incarnation of their fore father Masaba.

You will be entertained by cultural performers in the early evening. Dinner and overnight at Mbale Resort Hotel.

DAY 3:   After breakfast, depart for Kampala and proceed to Entebbe International Airport  for your onward evening flight.  End of service.