Sempaya Hot Springs lie within the steam-filled lowland forests of Semuliki National Park between the northern foothills of the towering Rwenzori Mountain ranges and the southern tip of Lake Albert in western Uganda. The hot springs are a major highlight and attraction drawing visitors often on a Day-trip from Fort Portal and beyond. Hot springs are associated with the active geothermal process where underground water is heated by magma deep in earth crust, then exploiting active fault lines within the rift valley they rise to the surface as hot geysers and hot pools.
Sempaya Hot Springs is an important cultural site for the local Bamaga who named the pair as male and female. The male is called Bitente while the female is named after his wife Nyansimbi. The local legend says, one day Bitente who was a renown powerful hunter went on his hunts and didn’t return, after waiting for some days, his wife Nyansimbi followed on with a search for him but also disappeared around the geyser hot spring. Today, these hot springs are an important cultural site where Bamaga people bring in annual ritual sacrifices as part of worship of their ancestors.
Exploring the Sempaya Hot Springs
Exploring both Sempaya hot springs is a 1-hour guided walk that begins from the Sempaya visitors’ office leading you through a typical lowland forest structure dotted with palms bustling with primates and a good bird-list. The trail arrives first onto the female host springs field, where the main geyser spurts out hot boiling water with temperatures of over 100 degrees Celsius to about 2m high. Around the geyser field are numerous smaller bubbling springs of mineral-rich boiling water where you can boil eggs and plantain for demonstration.
West of the female hot springs, the trail continues on with a trek of about 30 minutes to come onto the boardwalk that leads to the male hot springs, a giant steamy hot pool of about 12m wide lined with colorful algae. The male hot spring stands in a verdant clearing of swamp surrounded by palms and sweeping grass. Along the edges of the hot springs is a hut dedicated to the cultural practices of the Bamaga that associate these pools with their ancestors and ritually bring in sacrifices.
Trail difficulty and dress code
A trail to the hot springs is really flat and easy except for the humidity. Good walking shoes are essential, as it can get wet and muddy around the hot springs and in the rainy season. A hat is important, and so is sunscreen and insect repellent. Carry plenty of drinking water on this guided walk.
Getting to Semuliki National Park and Accommodation
Sempaya Hot Springs set within the Semuliki National Park are only 60km (1 hr drive) from the tourism town of Fort Portal, easily visited as a day trip. Still, the hot spring tour can be easily tailored with a birding trip here and, even better, combined with a wildlife tour in the neighboring Semliki Wildlife Reserve.
Overnight at Semuliki National Park can be in the comfortable guesthouse run by by the park office of Ntandi or in upmarket and luxurious facilities in the Semuliki Wildlife Reserve. Beyond the national park, the town of Bundibugyo, 10km from the park office of Ntandi, has various guesthouses.
Park Fees
Visiting the Sempaya Hot Springs in Semuliki NP requires an entrance fee of 35 USD for foreign nationals and 25 USD for foreign residents in Uganda. East Africans pay 15000 UGX.