Cave adventure experience on Mount Elgon
The Cave adventure experience on Mount Elgon is very unique and some of the caves can be visited during the Sipi Falls hike. Exploring the caves has a beautiful bonus such as looking for crystal stones which were formed during the melting process and the purified wood features formed on rock and other volcanic features. The Caves on Mount Elgon acted as homes for the Sabinys a long time ago and currently, they are used as historical sites for storytelling, cultural experiences, and some other activities.
Mount Elgon has many caves and unique and beautiful sceneries in Uganda. Some of these caves are near the Sipi Falls, such as Mise Cave, Kaptum Cave, and others like the Bumwambu Cave in Bulambuli district.
Most of these caves were formed because of volcanic activity and water erosion. Some of them are not lava as they lie in volcanic agglomerate geological layers and not in lava. In these cases, these layers comprise of blocks of lava injected in eruption bound with volcanic ash and fossils of large trees buried as well as dead animals during the eruption process.
The Caves on Mount Elgon contain minerals such as crystal stones, and salty rocks which were used by the people in the past as salt sources for their animal nutrition.
The cave adventure gives you a great opportunity and experience to explore and learn about ancient times.
Mise Cave is one of the most visited caves in Sipi which is located just along the Kapchorwa – Mbale road. The access is very easy, and it is a nice opportunity to explore this cave. The cave is known as an ancestral home. In the local language, Kupsabiny Mise Cave means “cools”. This cave acts currently as a historical place and is mostly used for cultural rituals. Mise Cave being the widest cave on Mount Elgon was the residence of the King of the Sebei people. King Chemonges Yovan Maikuf.
In general, Mise Cave has minerals, crystal stones such as milky quartz, rock crystals, and salty rocks which the cows used to lick during the time being hidden in that cave. The Sabiny people used to hide their cattle during the times of cattle raiding by their neighbors the Karamojon warriors.
Tutum Cave in Mount Elgon National Park is the hidden treasure on Mount Elgon and can be accessed through the Kapkwai Exploration Center.
Tutum Cave is the largest cave with the most beautiful attraction on Mount Elgon. This Cave can be visited during the Mount Elgon hike.
Kaptum Cave in Sipi is one of the largest caves in Sipi but is also less known, and less visited because of the narrow entry, though it is known by a few people. The Cave is just on the way to the Sipi Waterfall near the Sipi Valley Resort. Kaptum Cave is about 200 meters long and even the entry is narrow, the cave opens up to about 15 meters and gets narrow again for the rest of the cave.
This cave has been the home to a popular clan known as Kaptwoben Clan, meaning the people who love staying in the cave. This clan even kept living in the cave after establishing houses and currently, they live just on the top of the cave.
The Kaptum Cave has also minerals such as crystal stones and salty rocks and this cave also hosts bats. These bats are totems to the Kaptwoben clan.
Bumwambu cave in Bulambuli is a hidden cave and was an ancestral home for the Bagisu tribe. The Bumwambu cave was also used for keeping cattle inside because the cave is wide, long, and has salty rocks as well.
Our rates
East African Residents: UGX 15.000
Foreigners: $5,-
