08/05/2024
SEMPAYA HOT SPRINGS IN SEMULIKI NATIONAL PARK UGANDA
Sempaya hot springs are one of the tourist attractions in Semuliki national park, located in Bundibugyo district in western Uganda. Visitors to Semuliki are mainly attracted by these hot springs that are next to Ituri forest which borders Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
Sempaya derives its name from a Kiswahili phrase “Sehemu Mbaya” (the difficult side) because of the steep challenging rocks and terrain during the road construction of Fort portal – Bundibugyo road. Though there is the scientific explanation on formation of Sempaya hot springs, the Bamaga clan staying around the hot springs have their own story of Sempaya’s formation.
According to the head of Bamaga clan, Mzee Adonia Balinsanga says the hot spring have a history. It is said that the Bamaga women went to collect firewood in the forest and while there, they saw a man dressed in a bark cloth with a spear and dog moving in zig zag way, when they came back home they told their husbands about the man and the husbands decided to go pick him up and bring him to the village. They later got him a wife (Nyansimbi) from the same village. The man was later named Biteete and he continued hunting.
Biteete went hunting one day and didn’t return, after three days the men went out in search of him but didn’t find him nor his dog. They only found his spear at the current male hot spring and so they believed he disappeared here.
On their return home they informed his wife who also ran into the forest and disappeared and only her clothes were found at the current female hot spring. So the two hot springs have been named the male and female hot spring till today. The Bamaga clan believe their ancestors both male and female live under the male and female hot springs respectively. Sempaya hot springs is visited by many people, both local and foreign tourists to enjoy the amazing scenery..