Jinja and the Source of the Nile

Overview

Jinja sits where the White Nile flows out of Lake Victoria and begins its 6,650-kilometre journey to the Mediterranean, a point John Hanning Speke identified in 1862 after one of the great arguments in exploration history. The source itself is marked by a garden and a small monument, and a boat out to the spot is the standard visit. But Jinja's modern reputation rests on what the river does downstream. Grade five white water below the town made this the rafting capital of East Africa, and although the Bujagali dam drowned some of the best-known rapids in 2012 and the Isimba dam took more in 2019, the remaining commercial run is still among the best day trips of its kind anywhere. Kayaking, bungee jumping over the river, quad biking and stand-up paddleboarding all operate here. The town itself has a pleasant colonial-era core and an Indian architectural legacy, and Mabira Forest, halfway back to Kampala, is good for birds and zip-lining.