Bujagali Caves are a hidden tourism treasure
When one thinks of Jinja as a tourist destination, lots of activities come to mind.
Bunjee jumping, white Nile water rafting, a trip to the Source of the Nile and the famous Nile Bridge.
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Little is known about the Bujagali Caves but the history that surrounds these caves is well worth a visit once you are in Jinja.
I took a trip to Jinja, visited every famous destination but none made the trip more worth the Nile than my few minutes inside the cave.
The Bujagali Caves lie along the Bujagali water stream in Jinja.
The destruction of the Bujagali falls also affected the existence of four islands, Namba, Mangeni, Namwoyo and Kibuli according to historical records.
Each of the islands was named after the first person to settle on it. Namba Island, the former home of the spiritual leader Nabamba Bujagali, was named after him.
He is believed to be the embodiment of the river spirit, Budhagali. Namba Island is also the former Bujagali ancestral site.
Among other spots of interest around the Bujagali cave are the Holland Park, Nile Nest and Nile discovery where the annual Nyege Nyege festival is held.
The cave has 2 major hollow entrances, one at the bottom and the other slightly above it. The walls at the entrance of the cave are dump surrounded by Sodium carbonate(salty rock)and filled with a musty smell. This is said to be used in bettering the skin, once mixed with water and for cooking.
The cave goes on, it gets darker and narrower, littered with stuff that was used by the oracle Budhagali himself during sacrifices.
The cave also gets narrower and you have to crawl to the end of it. We were told that visitors are only allowed to access the caves during day because at night, the keepers of the cave, a python and a black cat, come out to survey and keep it under guard.
How true or real are these tales?
I can not tell but one thing is certain, visiting the caves is worth the experience.
