Sempaya hot springs is among the most remarkable natural attractions found in Semuliki National Park in Uganda Bundibugyo District on the border of the great Ituri Forest in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The amazing Sempaya hot springs hold 2 hot springs (situated about a 30-minute walk from each other) both boiling at over 1000C. Locals refer to one as the male and the other as the female hot springs and on your Uganda tour in Semuliki park, you can explore all of them.

Nyasimbi- a female hot spring is a spectacular boiling geyser spraying bubbling water and the male hot spring Bintente measures about 12m in diameter. Amazingly, the steam of Semuliki National Park hot springs can be seen as a beautiful cloud while you’re still far in about 2km away from this area.

During your visit, you’ll find locals around. It’s believed that these mighty springs have powers to bless- give wealth and heal diseases. For a notable experience, tourists can enjoy boiling eggs and even bananas in the boiling pools around till they get ready for consumption.

Note: Locals commonly refer to these fascinating hot springs as Sempaya- a Kiswahili dialect meaning Sehemu mbaya. This area was a difficult side with steep challenging rocks & terrain during the construction of Fort Portal Bundibugyo Road along the Rwenzori Mountain ranges.

What is the history of Sempaya Hot Springs? Below is a captivating legend about the formation of Sempaya hot springs- the largest hot springs in Uganda.

1. Formation of the Male Hot Springs in Semuliki Park

Although tourists visit the male hot springs as tourist attractions, the native Bamaga people consider it a sacred temple to the male gods and refer to it as Mumbugu.

Traditionally, the male hot spring in Semliki park are associated with wealth, and normally men offer sacrifices here to the male gods in exchange for prosperity.

Mzee Adonia Balinsanga, the ruler of the indigenous Bamaga clan, claims that the place of the male hot springs is historical. It’s stated that once when Bamaga women went to get firewood from the forest, they observed a hairy man dressed in a bark cloth wielding a spear and leading a dog in a zig-zag configuration around that spot.

The local women hurried back home to inform their husbands, who decided to pick him up and take him to their houses, eventually finding him a wife from their cultural village- Nyansimbi. The recovered man was eventually named Biteete, and he continued hunting; nevertheless, he once left for hunting and never returned!

After three days, the village men started to hunt for him, but all they found was his spear, no trace of him or his dog. At this point, they concluded that the man had vanished in the same area of the hot springs, and the spot became known as the Male Spring.

2. The Formation of a Female Hot Springs in Semliki Park

The local Bamaga Tribe refers to the inner female spring as Nyasimbi and they believe their female gods reside in the hot springs.

According to the local myth, the men who searched for Biteete following his disappearance came home and told his wife Nyansimbi who also rushed into the forest and never came back! However, after a while, only her clothes were found in the area around the other hot springs and locals refer to it as the female hot spring.

Up to date, the Bamaga People think that their female ancestors live beneath the female spring, and thus do the male ancestors live beneath the Male hot spring. This is how the 2 hot springs of Semuliki park got their names- the female and male hot spring.

Geographical Formation of Sempaya Hot Springs

Among other names, a hot spring is also called a geothermal spring or hydrothermal spring. This wonderful steamy hot water boiling geographical feature on Semuliki park’s eastern border was formed as a result of the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater onto the earth’s surface.

In case water infiltrates into the earth’s crust and gets into contact with the very hot rocks underground due to great geothermal heat, it’s heated up! Increased pressure within the interior of the earth forces the water to rise through a fissure to the Earth’s crust forming a hot spring.

For thousands of years, people have been bathing, and enjoying natural saunas, and others use them for medical treatment. However, some are hot enough that can cause blisters or death in case of immersion.

Traditional Importance of Semuliki National Park Hot Springs

Today, the natives carry traditional ceremonies every year to this area to please their ancestors. Although this area is designated as a park, natives are free to visit.

During your Uganda wildlife safari in Semuliki park (a less visited national park in Uganda), you’ll encounter half-naked local people in the springs seeking blessings from their ancestors. For instance, the local ladies who visit the female spring are supposed to benefit from them by offering prayers and sacrifices to honor their female ancestors. They beseech the female gods to be fertile and to give birth well.

Some people take this salty water to their homes as holy water with powers to bless the family with good health and wealth. The water can heal some skin diseases!

For a memorable trip, travelers exploring Semuliki Park hot springs usually take a natural sauna as well. This is done at a safer point where water is not so hot!

Other Tourist Attractions in Semuliki National Park to Explore on Top of Sempaya Hot Springs Adventure

Uganda wildlife safaris in Semiliki National Park go beyond exploring the Sempaya Springs! There are other attractions in this park to see as well and these are discussed below.

1. The Beautiful Birds in Semuliki Park– the eastern extension of the Great Ituri Forest

Being a paradise for forest Uganda birding tours, Semiliki National Park has a distinct bird checklist rising about 441 bird species including some bird species in the Congo guinea Biome.

Bird-watching safaris in Semuliki park are mostly done along the Kirumia Trail. Expect to spot White-crested kingfisher, Red-rumped Kingfisher, Pimping hornbill, African Piculet, Blue-billed Malimbe, Grey Parrot, Yellow-throated cuckoo, and many more.

1. Various Primate Species in Semiliki National Park

Counting Olive Baboons, Black and white colobus monkeys, Vervet monkeys, Chimpanzees, and Red-tailed Monkeys among others, Semuliki forest boasts about 9 primate species. Other night creatures include Bush babies.

Most of these beautiful monkeys are spotted during nature walks along various beautiful beaten forest tracks, for example, Red Monkey Track and Sempaya Nature Trail leading to Semuliki geothermal springs.

iii.    Other Wildlife in Semuliki Valley

In Semuliki Forest National Park, over 60 mammal species including forest Buffalos, Forest Elephants, African civets, Water chevrotain, and Pygmy scaly-tailed flying squirrels among others including primates dwell there. However, it’s being a tropical rainforest, few can be encountered during forest walks.

The savannah grasslands of the nearby Semuliki Game Reserve offer the best experience for game viewing.

Primates are the most spotted wildlife species in Semuliki Valley.

 Other attractions in Semuliki Park- a primarily lowland tropical forest

• The local people around the park including the Batwa- the native forest dwellers in the park
• Semuliki River. River Semuliki is among the notable rivers in Uganda
• Lake Albert nearby

How to Get to the Male & Female Hot Spring
Sempaya Hot Springs in Semuliki National Park

The magical Sempaya hot springs are found within Semuliki National Park in the western region of Uganda in the Bundibugyo district. This area lies on the floor of the western arm of the Rift Valley.

Getting to Semuliki National Park hot springs is mostly via road. There are 2 routes, and the shorter route is driving from Kampala to Fort Portal via Mubende town taking about 5-6 hours. The longer route from Kampala goes through Masaka, Mbarara, Kasese and then Fort Portal covering around 465km within 7-8 hours.

Using the longer route is more rewarding as it holds numerous amazing stopovers such as the Equator monument, Lake Mburo park as well Queen Elizabeth park- the medley of wonders.

On reaching Fort Portal Town, you’ll drive on a rough road to connect to Sempaya Springs in Semuliki park while enjoying the beautiful views of the legendary Rwenzori Mountain ranges and other wonderful things.

Best Time to Visit Semuliki National Park Hot Springs- The Sempaya Hot Springs

Tourists on Uganda safari tours can visit Sempaya hot springs within Semuliki park year round but, the best time is during the dry months when rainfall is minimal. The dry months are June to early September as well as December to February.

Semuliki Valley being a tropical rainforest, this park can receive rain in most hours of the day during the wet months (March to May and late September to November). So, to avoid being inconvenienced by rain, visit Semuliki park in dry months.

The accommodation for tourists in Semuliki park varies from luxury, as well as midrange and budget facilities. Semuliki Safari Lodge is mostly used.

A visit to Semuliki park hot spring (hot waters) costs 40$ for international travelers.

Tourists on Uganda safaris in Semuliki park particularly Uganda birding tours should never miss a walk to explore Sempaya geothermal springs! These geothermal features have a fascinating legend about their formation and the Bamaga people around take these Uganda hot springs as a sacred location. Locals go there to ask for wealth and blessings from their ancestors (gods) believed to live underneath them, especially in the outer male spring!

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