September 22, 2026
Jinja, Uganda’s adventure capital on the White Nile, is about to get a very different kind of visitor. This November, the riverside just outside town will host Nyege Nyege 2026, East Africa’s largest music and arts festival, drawing more than 200 artists and a live Wakaliwood film shoot to a riverside camp just 35 minutes from Jinja. For a stretch of river Canadian travellers have mostly discovered through rafting and safari trips, it’s a sign that Jinja’s profile on the world stage is rising fast.
The festival’s riverside camp is run by the same outfitter behind much of Jinja’s white-water rafting, kayaking and bungee scene — the very activities that anchor a Nile-focused trip here. As global attention turns toward the source of the Nile for entertainment and adventure alike, it’s a good moment to book a trip that lets you experience the river on your own schedule, before or after the festival crowds arrive.
Van Sun Travel’s Uganda: Nile to Lakes Adventure spends nine days moving from the source of the Nile in Jinja — with white-water rafting on some of the world’s most celebrated rapids — to the calmer waters of Lake Bunyonyi and its scattered islands. It’s built for travellers who want the adrenaline of the river and the stillness of the lakes in a single, small-group trip, with no need to time a visit around a festival calendar.
Ready to see Jinja’s stretch of the Nile for yourself? Explore the full Uganda: Nile to Lakes Adventure itinerary, or contact Van Sun Travel to start planning your trip.
