We chose to stay at the newly opened Sipi River Lodge.

The lodge is situated above the largest of the three visible falls on the Sipi River, the Sipi Falls, set amongst 17 acres of private land including the 80 metre Kapsururu Falls and several caves. The lodge consists of the main house which has been converted into a restaurant and bar with an airy veranda offering a mesmerising view of the waterfall. The lodge is run by three young British men who originally came to Uganda as rafting guides in Jinja. They saw the opportunity to turn the lodge into something special – which is exactly what they have done. The old cliché that it is like a “home away from home” is really fitting and the main building has that wonderful cosy feeling – warm colours, books lying around and on the shelves, nik-naks and curios, old prints, maps and carving adjourning the walls, a log fire, background music and a small well stocked bar. All the roof beams are exposed and more curios are hiding on the beams. What is really great is that currently they can only accommodate about 15 guests so you really do feel at home, the restaurant is like a private dining room and you get the personal service from the hosts, Ian, Fraggle and Will.

The lodge has a variety of accommodation styles located close to the main house. The cottages and bandas are all named after the peaks on Mt Elgon. The largest cottage, Chepkui is perched on the hillside with stunning views of the falls, features en-suite bathroom and flushing toilet and can accommodate up to six people. Downstairs is a lounge area with sofa, a double room and the bathroom, and upstairs another double bed and bunk area.

There are also a couple of thatched bandas beside the river in front of the main house which also have views of the falls. Two of the bandas, Piswa and Sasa are fairly basic but comfortable, their best feature being the double beds which are built from local stone. Throughout the lodge there is attention to detail from the candles in the rooms to the flowers on the pillows. The bandas share shower facilities and bathrooms. The showers and toilets, like the rest of the lodge are also uniquely finished – stones make up the shower floors, the basin stands are local hardwood and decorated with fresh flowers picked from the garden. Currently the bandas are lit by candle and tilly lamps which I quite liked, although lighting will be installed soon. The third banda, also named after an Elgon peak, Suam is set up as a dormitory which can sleep up to five people.

It’s great to see lots of local materials used for the building and decoration and this is also true for the food. They grow their own vegetables and some fruits in the garden, which is reflected throughout the season within the menu. The food could be called farmhouse, with freshly baked bread served with each meal which is simply scrumptious. Breakfast consists of fruits, fresh bread, jams, local honey, and eggs. Lunch is served in two courses, and while we were there, we were treated to delicious home made quiche, garden salad, more yummy bread and cheeses served on the veranda.

In the afternoon the staff bakes fresh cakes to go with the afternoon tea – the chocolate brownies were luscious. Dinner is a four course meal, starting with soup which you need if you are staying there as it gets rather chilly in the evenings. For the main course we had a choice of fish (Tilapia fillets) or steak with a selection of vegetables and Irish potatoes. Dessert was pineapple crumble with custard. I was very impressed by all the food as a whole; it was well presented, tasty and served hot. And, it’s nice to sit in a fairly intimate dining room with a log fire in this very homely lodge. Apart from the locally purchased honey which benefits the community, the lodge also buys local Arabica coffee which is roasted in house and available throughout the day.

If you have not been to this part of Uganda, there is a variety of activities all located within walking distance of the lodge, including hiking, climbing and trout fishing. Short hikes in and around the local area allow you to see the plethora of waterfalls, breathtaking landscape, and abundant birdlife. The short waterfall walk will take you to the base of the 100m main Sipi waterfall, up the wooden ladders to the bat caves, and back up to Sipi River Lodge, from where you can visit the second Kapsururu Falls and the caves at its base. A longer walk can take you up to the third set of falls and is quite a trek but the view from the top is worth the hike. The lodge can organise packed lunches and guides who can introduce you to the local area and Sabine customs. For the serious trekkers, one can summit Mt Elgon (4,321m). It is the second largest freestanding volcanic base in the world and hiking Wagagai Peak can be arranged from the lodge including porters, guides, food and equipment.

For the more adventurous, there is climbing and abseiling to suit all standards, made up from ten sport climbing routes bolted into the cliff face adjacent to Sipi Falls. Abseiling options range from 'easy' 25m descents all the way to the 100m waterfall descent. Robs Rolling Rock - a Ugandan company initially trained by Italian climbers - operates these climbing and abseiling activities. Sipi River Lodge also offers archery on their grounds.

For those who have never tried trout fishing before this is a great place to learn. Elgon Trout Fly Fishing is run by Bingo Small (See article on Trout fishing, Pages 8-9) and located within the secluded upper reaches of the Sipi River, Rainbow Trout fly fishing is currently 'catch and release' only. Rods and equipment are available for hire at the lodge, and tuition and clinics are available on request.

Internet access is also available for guests with laptop computers at 10,000 UGX per hour. Whether you are there to enjoy the challenges of the great outdoors or simply to relax and take in the sweeping views and abundant birdlife, Sipi River Lodge promises you a memorable stay.

For more information on rates please see their web site www.sipiriverlodge.com, write to info@sipiriverlodge.com, or call +256 (0)751 796 109.