When most people think of paradise, they think of a place of extreme beauty or delight of happiness, but to me, paradise is Wanale Hill as it embodies both qualities.
Wanale is that hill with jagged slopes, located in the outskirts of Mbale Town and yes, it is from it that the town got its name. It is a grass green mountain that soars into the clear blue skies.
Wanale is not only an ancestral home but also a farmland off which they feed and drink. They are just as much a part of the mountain as it is a part of them. Through smiles and laugher, they will happily give you directions and tip you on how to maneuver the different obstacles along the way so as to taste the sweetness of victory.
As you journey, you will be seeing the famous Wanale waterfalls, otherwise known in Luganda as ‘Nkonkonjeru ridge‘. The name translates as ‘white cock’. It was given to it for its whitish colour. This usually turns chocolaty brown though, especially in the rainy seasons as the rich soils atop the hill get eroded by the river.
Beyond its beauty, Wanale means the world to the Bagisu people since it is where Imbalu circumcision ceremonies are flagged off every even year. Imbalu is a festival like circumcision ceremony in which boys are ushered into manhood.
Every visitor to Mbale district has gazed upon the imposing beauty from a distance, but a real visit up close with Wanale reveals just how much Uganda is gifted by nature. If you are into mountain climbing or trekking, Wanale should be a great attraction. The ascent to its peak is exhilarating.
Wanale or Nkokonjeru hill, as some people call it, is an impressive mountain replete with precipices, escarpments, deep valleys, water streaked cliffs, caves and rocks.
Standing at a height of 6,864 ft., Wanale can be viewed from all areas in Mbale and the neighboring districts. It covers a huge portion of Bugisu’s land surface.
Mbale town literally lies at its foothill. From the town, one can discern three splendid looking waterfalls which all originate from the mountain top.
Wanale Hill: Bugisu’s Temple of Nature
Wanale is Bugisu’s temple of nature. From old days, many visitors to the town were awed at the sight of this mountain. The waters that flow from Wanale hill spread to every river in Uganda.
Named after one of the sons of Masaba, the patriarch of the Bagisu, Wanale hill is believed to be the place where Nabarwa, the Kalenjin woman, who prevailed upon Masaba to get circumcised before they got married, came from, on her way from Kenya.
The Nkokonjeru name was used by Semei Kakungulu’s people who used to refer to the mountain by that name. This came from the legend that Wanale, son of Masaba, reared only ‘white chicken’. It is believed that Wanale lived on top of Mount Elgon. Friends from Bugisu called him ‘Singokho’ or someone who likes chicken. The Baganda chose to name the mountain Nkokonjeru because of the many white chicken Wanale reared. Most of the mountain’s earliest inhabitants lived in caves.
Any visitor to Mbale will see it, standing tall with pride and grandeur, with such an imposing beauty from a distance. Mount Wanale is a great attraction; the ascent to its peak is exhilarating.
There are many caves on the mountain, though people know only one. The early Bamasaba who called Wanale home dwelt in these caves. Wanale has four hills, but few people know about this too.
Caves and Mystery
A hike through a trail at the western end of the ridge will lead one to Khaukha cave, which is the most prominent cave of them all. Legend has it that Khaukha cave which has calligraphic inscriptions on its walls, has an ill-fated water stream.
Many people thought it was an illusion until four men became lame when they crossed the stream. Nobody could explain how that happened. It was and is still a mystery. The other wonders that Wanale offers are its many cascading waterfalls. Namatsyo waterfall, for example, drops two miles down from the mountain top and makes deep tunnels in the rocky bottom.
The waterfall disappears down in the rocks under. It is completely obscured and immersed. The water re-emerges and hits the surface from its underground pathway in villages like Bumboi and Mooni.
The cave has unsaturated salt locally known as magadi in lumaasaba and kisuula in luganda or rock salt commonly eaten by animals and people. Legend has it that Khaukha cave has an ill-fated water stream known as Mwausa, a tale supported by one of the residents.
How to get there
From Mbale town, one can walk approximately 18 miles to Wanale’s base. By taxi or personal car, it is a 30-40 minutes ride. Take a left turn after the Mbale High Court and follow the road that goes down to Busamaga Primary School. From here, you take a right turn onto Bumboi road for 15-20 minutes.
You can witness some of the most beautiful views and landscape you’ve ever seen. Banyan trees, wild flowers, granite and limestone rocks, lush banana and coffee plantations, cows and goats grazing on land that seemed to be on top of the world.
After visiting Mount Elgon National Park, Uganda is such a blessed destination that you can explore as a beautiful garden. You can make your way to Murchison Falls National Park, one of Uganda’s spectacular wildlife safari park, to encounter the big five on your lucky day. Don’t miss the amazing boat cruise amidst the aquatic life and countless bird species. Further west, you can’t afford to miss the lifetime gorilla trekking safari in Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks.