The Semuliki Female hot springs have a lot of cultural attachment to the Bamaga people, who live near Semuliki National Park. The Bamaga were the first to assume powers over the hot springs before Uganda Wildlife Authority took over management of the entire park. These falls had been named ‘Nyansimbi’ associated with its wealth and as a wife to the male hot springs.
The Bamaga community had a cultural belief and believed that their female ancestors lived around these female hot springs. This made them allow their female partners to carry out worship and offertory around these hot springs, accompanied with sacrifices of different nature. Sacrifices ranged from drinks, coins, animals to food crops.
Cultural performances for the women counter parts are performed here at Semuliki female hot springs. There is belief that barren women are able to get fertile and deliver, therefore women could come and visit the area seeking fertility so as to bear children.
Major Activities At the Female Hot Spring
The female hot springs boils up to a temperature of 1030 c, so, currently with the development of tourism, boiling of eggs is the major activity taking place at the hot springs. Visitors drop their eggs into the boiling hot waters and pick them up fully boiled. The eggs take roughly 5 to 10 minutes to get ready. The eggs later mixes with the sodium carbonates from the water which makes it tasty with no need of adding table salt.
Others do carry bananas, cassava and sweet potatoes to boil at the hot springs, which takes roughly 30 to 60 minutes. It’s really a great fun at the female hot springs as you stand and stare at the bubbling waters. You may opt to step near the fountain that spreads the hot water in an amazing way with great photography moments.
No boiling at the male hot springs since it’s just a pool of water with no specific place to place the food materials. Residents believe that the male do not cook, that’s why there is no boiling point at the male hot spring. All the boiling and cooking is done at the female hot spring which has the highest temperatures and different boiling spots.
Relaxation at Semuliki Female Hot Springs
There are grass thatched huts around where you can take a rest as you wait for your boiling materials in the hot springs to get ready. You can later eat or just seat and avoid heat from the hot sun as you gaze the eye catching fountain water forcing itself out of the solid sodium carbonate.
There are also sounds from primates such as baboons and whistles of birds, which can be heard from the site. The site being a little close to the main road means that you will also hear sounds of moving vehicles from a distance. It is such an amazing place to relax your mind as you, with beautiful views of the entire place.
Besides a visit to Semuliki female hot springs, visitors can always add a nature walk and birding experience in Semuliki National Park. Others continue further for an amazing mountain hiking encounter of Rwenzori mountains.