Sempaya hot springs have tremendously attracted very many number of tourists into Uganda. The Sempaya hot springs are commonly known as ‘Semuliki hot springs’, because the hot springs are found in Semuliki National Park. While here, you will be able to see both the female and male hot springs. The rate at which these hot springs boil up is more than that of Kitaga hot springs.
In Bwamba county, a remote part in Bundibugyo district lie the ever boiling Sempaya hot springs. Through the vegetation cover of Semuliki National Park is where the trail leads you to Sempaya hot springs. The surrounding hosts different attractions including bird species, butterflies and different primates including the red-tail monkeys, black and white monkeys and green jet monkeys among others.
As you approach these hot springs, a strangle parget smell of hydrogen sulphuric hits your nose, as welcome scent to this mother nature geographical formation. After seeing the rate at which these hot springs boil, you will wonder how they came about.
Scientific Formation of Hot Springs
Scientifically, hot springs occur when water sips into the earth which is heated by magma. The earth surface causes the water dries above the surface to form the hot springs. The water from the hot springs is heated by gear thermal heat, which is a temperature of rocks within the earth increasing in depth, also known as gear thermal gradient.
When the water Pacolet deeply into the crakes, it gets heated then comes into contact with the hot rocks. It is then forced back up with much pressure to produce bubbles. So, such areas with hot springs are usually non-volcanic (inactive) areas.
It is reported that residents came to call this Sempaya hot springs because when one of the constructors of Fort Portal – Bundibugyo road finally arrived here, he described the process using Swahili words ‘sehemu mbuya’, which means a difficult place. To the residents it sounded like ‘Sempaya’ and that’s how this place got its name.
The Sempaya hot spring steam water gets out of the ground boiling at 103o Celsius. These unique features surrounded by Semuliki National Park vegetation are said to be male and female, and this is how they are differentiated.
Activities Done Here
The female hot springs are locally known as ‘Nyasimbe’. Here, many locals come for healing with the believe that there are secret gods who will administer healing upon them. Pregnant women also come here with the belief that god will ease their delivery.
The most exciting activity here is cooking of food, because the temperatures are so high. Foods like matooke, cassava and Irish can be cooked in this water and get ready for eating within a few minutes. Most tourists prefer boiling eggs and when they are ready, they are hot like those prepared using gas cooker or fire wood.
On other side of the area are the male hot springs, locally known as ‘Bitente’. It is said that it was formed before the female hot springs. Bitete is also said to have been the husband of Nyasimbe, the female hot springs. The myth behind these two is that they were a married couple, who disappeared within the forest, but Bitente later emerged as a hot spring. The wife, Nyasimbe, is believed to have also emerged later as the female hot spring, after she disappeared while looking for her husband.
Today, many perform annual traditional ceremonies to also appease the gods around ‘Bitete’, the male hot springs. In addition, they throw coins in the water and make sacrifices though this does not stop the adventurous tourists to explore the area. Besides tourists, researchers and school children, are accompanied by different monkey species in the surrounding, which also take time to enjoy the hot springs.
Tourists visiting Sempaya hot springs can spare time and visit the nearest attractions including chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park. You can also visit Toro – Semuliki Wildlife Reserve and Queen Elizabeth National Park for an amazing wildlife safari experience among others.