Apart from popular adventures like gorilla tours, Uganda also offers cave exploration trip. Uganda is by far gifted with different formations of land and among them are the caves. Each cave in Uganda offers its own historical and cultural back grounds.
Caves are formed as a result of different forces or erosion (in ward erosion). But most caves form in karst, a type of landscape made of limestone, dolomite, and gypsum rocks that slowly dissolve in the presence of water with a slightly acidic tinge. Rain mixes with carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as it falls to the ground and then picks up more of the gas as it seeps into the soil.
Most popular caves in Uganda are the Bat caves in Queen Elizabeth National Park which acted as hiding places for the people in war and used to shelter the bushmen. The Garama caves in Kisoro district were used as shelters for the Batwa Pygmies. The Nyero caves in Kumi district, Mabere Ga Nyina Mwiru caves in Fort portal, Semwamwa caves all act as tourist attractions in Uganda.
Mountain Elgon National Park enables the adrenaline junkies a great opportunity to discover a few stunning and mysterious caves that go through interesting trails.
Kitum Cave: Kitum cave can be spotted inside the tremendous Mt Elgon National Park. The cave is non-solution formed with volcanic rocks. The common animal you can spot here are the African Elephants.
Mackingeny Cave: Settled in vast fruit bats and candid horseshoe bats towards the back the Mackingeny Cave is one of the most stunning caves you can spot in Mountain Elgon.
Cave Complex in Barawa situated in Kapchorwa district. The beautiful, natural cave. The local guides will narrate for you about the historical back ground of this cave. You will be told how ancestors used to live, eat and sleep in this cave.
Yatui Cave in Sabu village, Kween district – known because of a ritual with ancestor’s bones during circumcision season.
Mutuuso Cave in Kitowoi Parish, Kween – Expect to find skeletons in these caves but the local guide will overshadow your fears as he will narrate for you the history of the place, the sprits among others.
Mise Cave, along the main road in Sipi – Regarded as Sebei ancestral home and sacred place. In Kupsapiiny Mise means cools. It is believed that the quietness of this cave unites conflicting parties. The historical value also lies in the fact that the cave has crystal stones and salty rocks. These could be licked by the cows if the Sabiny would hide in this same cave during the cattle raiding by the Karamajong.
Kaptum Cave in Sipi – It is known by a few because of its small size. This makes it hard for people to enter with large groups animals. Kaptum means ‘home of songs. The natives would gather here to sing local songs and call up on sprites to intervene in case there is a conflict party.
Tutum Cave in Mount Elgon National Park – At a 11km. hike from Kapkwai Exploration Center, Tutum Cave is the largest cave and a spectacular attraction on Mountain Elgon. The cave can be visited through a day hike organized by the Uganda Wildlife Authority in Kapkwai.
Garama cave: 342 meters long and 14 meters deep is situated in Mgahinga National park beneath a plateau northern edge of the park, 3km away from Ntebeko. Garama Cave used to shelter the Batwa Pygmies for many years back.
The packing list on caves tour:
Light-weight, warm clothes in multiple layers, long-sleeve shirt and full-length pants, Rubber rain boots (wellies) are best for wet caves; combat boots with good traction are best for dry caves.
Bring a flashlight, bottles of water, and something to eat. It is recommended to bring at least an extra pair of socks. Ideally, you bring a complete set of dry clothes.