Jinja day tour from Kampala: Source of the Nile boat ride

The Nile actually starts where you stand on the boat.

This day tour from Kampala travels to Jinja to visit Sezibwa Falls, walk Mabira Forest with a local guide, and take a boat to the Source of the Nile where the river separates from Lake Victoria. Private transport and lunch are included. The guide speaks English and picks you up from your hotel at 6:30 am.

Step-by-step itinerary

Jinja and Nile source adventure

• Pick up from Kampala or Entebbe
• Drive along Kampala-Jinja Highway
• Visit Sezibwa Falls cultural site
• Snack at Namawojjolo Market
• Forest walk in Mabira Forest Reserve
• Photo stop at Jinja Nile Bridge
• Boat ride to Source of the Nile
• Visit Reptile Village
• Lunch and city drive in Jinja
• Return to Kampala or Airport

The experience

The drive from Kampala to Jinja runs through sugar and tea plantations and roadside markets, ending first at Sezibwa Falls: a Buganda cultural site in Mukono District where you learn the origins of the falls and the river, along with the traditional beliefs and folk stories tied to the place. After a light breakfast of roasted chicken at Namawojjolo Market, you head into Mabira Forest Reserve, the largest rainforest in the region, for a two-hour walk on forest trails with a local guide. The forest holds over 300 bird species, primates, mammals, butterflies and plant varieties you would not encounter on your own.

From there you drive to the Jinja Nile Bridge on the Kyabazinga Highway for photographs, then proceed to Kingfisher for the boat ride to the Source of the Nile. At that exact point on the water, you see where the Nile waters start to flow and where they join Lake Victoria, the largest freshwater lake in Africa. The boat passes the Speke Memorial Monument, where the British explorer first identified the river, and the Gandhi Monument. After the boat ride, you visit the Reptile Village, then drive through Jinja town, Uganda's oldest industrial city, before lunch and the return to Kampala.

What’s included

• Private transportation from your hotel in Kampala or Entebbe.
• an English-speaking driver-guide for the full day.
• lunch.
• entry to Sezibwa Falls, Mabira Forest Reserve and the boat ride to the Source of the Nile.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 06:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (26 to 60 years) · Senior (61 to 80 years) · Youth (16 to 25 years) · Child (7 to 15 years) · Infant (under 7): free

GroupUp to 6

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 15 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPets welcomeNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by MuAfrika Adventures Ltd

Is this one for you?Book this if you're traveling solo or with your group and want a private vehicle that sets its own pace through Ssezibwa Falls, Mabira Forest, and the Nile source, rather than syncing with a shared tour schedule.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (16 to 25 years); Child (7 to 15 years); Infant (under 7): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Sezibwa Falls and why is it the first stop?

Sezibwa Falls is a Buganda cultural heritage site in Mukono District where the river originates. The stop introduces you to the traditional beliefs, folk stories and origins of both the falls and the river before you reach the Nile itself later in the day.

How long is the forest walk in Mabira Forest?

The forest walk takes two hours on trails through Mabira Forest Reserve, where a local guide points out the over 300 bird species, primates, mammals, butterflies and plant life in the rainforest.

What exactly happens at the Source of the Nile on the boat?

On the boat ride to the Source of the Nile, you reach the exact spot where the Nile waters separate from Lake Victoria and begin their journey to the Mediterranean Sea. You see the Speke Memorial Monument, where the British explorer first discovered the river, and the Gandhi Monument at that same point.

Does the tour include meals?

Lunch is included in the tour price. You also stop for a light breakfast of roasted chicken at Namawojjolo Market along the highway.

What time does pickup happen and where?

Your driver-guide picks you up from your hotel or residence in Kampala or Entebbe at around 6:30 am, then drives you along the Kampala-Jinja Highway to begin the day.