IS BUJAGALI FINISHED??
Because of the spectacular falls and rapids, Bujagali had been the major white water rafting spot in Jinja but this could have changed with the construction of the Bujagali Dam. The raging flowing waters along the first 8km of the Victoria Nile which saw a lot of white water rafting and kayaking have now been diverted through the turbines of the constructed dam. This has submerged the Bujagali falls and most of the nearby rapids including the Grade 5 rapids at Kyabirwa (Total Gunga) and Namizi (Big Brother/Silverback). As a result, a beautiful lake, Bujagali Lake has formed. All rapids above the dam are closed for rafting and kayaking. Not all is lost however as rafting trips can still start below the dam and expect to encounter a number of interesting rapids up to Itanda.
ITANDA NOW THE REAL DEAL
Unlike Bujagali, Itanda is still unknown to many. Itanda is a hidden jewel of the Nile that is known to only a few kayakers and rafters including Prince William of Great Britain. This stretch of the Nile is blessed with spectacular rapids, waterfalls and beautiful hillsides. With Bujagali being taken over for hydro electricity production, Itanda is now the ideal spot for rafting in Uganda. Itanda has three levels of rapids, which include Grade 6, which is the most challenging of all, Grade 5 and Grade 4. It is such spectacular and “dangerous” as well. This is a stretch that even local fishermen dread. One can say this stretch of the Nile is naturally optimized for nothing other than white water rafting and kayaking.
Other than the spectacular falls and rapids, Itanda has spectacular scenery of verdant hillsides, lots of birds, monkeys and baboons that you savor during your white water rafting adventure.