Nile River Festival – Jinja Weekend Trip

The Nile River Festival (NRF) is an epic four-day event that celebrates all that is awesome about the River Nile here in Uganda. Kayaking, rafting, mountain biking, stand-up paddleboarding, parties, big air ramps, and live music, all with the backdrop of some of the world’s biggest whitewater. This is a spectacle for anyone and a great time for all. Check out the festival schedule or visit the Kayak The Nile website, linked here for more information about the event!

Please note that MCU is not organizing any accommodation or transport at this time – please use the WhatApp or Facebook groups to organize shared rides and see where others are staying. For more questions concerning the logistics please contact +256 700 543192 (Lindsay!).

Follow this link to sign up for the Nile River Festival Weekend together with Kayak The Nile in Bugagali, Jinja: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hYsUwxqlfbEdatjKMs0lTgKEaFEZjcOx/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=109780256311281994262&rtpof=true&sd=true

NRF 2023 SCHEDULE:

THURSDAY 26th JANUARY

BUNGEE UGANDA PARTY – Fancy dress party to celebrate Liberation Day and the start of the Nile River Festival Celebrations.

FRIDAY 27th JANUARY

MASS FLOAT – Fun for all, as Mass Float of Kayak, Paddleboard, Raft, Tube or…. Inflatable Pink Unicorn. Whatever your chosen Float, we will group together below the bungee to kick start the weekend’s activities by floating down 5km to Explorers River Camp, Bujagali.
BIG AIR RAMP – A trademark event for the Nile River Festival, the Big Air Ramp competition returns, for this one spectators will amass along the bank of the Nile River to cheer on the competitors as they slide down the huge Big Air Ramp and fly through the air.
NILE RIVER EXPLORERS PARTY – After the Big Air Ramp we will head up the stairs to the NRE bar and have a huge party with jelly wrestling, drinking and dancing !

SATURDAY 28th JANUARY

KAYAK ENDURANCE RACE – Competitors line up in pairs below Bujagali Dam to race over 20km downstream, portaging Kalagala Falls and passing Adrift River Club and Overland Camp before finally crossing the finish line below Vengeance Rapid. Fastest pair wins !
ARROW RAPID RACES – A brand new spectator and participant friendly event, the Arrow Rapid Races will pit competitors against each other in heated races. Race classes include: Kayak, Tandem Kayak, Extreme Rafting and River Bug (Advanced Tubing).
ADRIFT OVERLAND CAMP PARTY – The Saturday night party is at the new Adrift Overland Camp Bar. This will be a night to remember !!

SUNDAY 29th JANUARY

FREESTYLE KAYAKING EVENT – For the final event of the weekend, participants will head straight out from Adrift Overland Camp and paddle up to Bubugo Falls. Participants will take turns to strut their stuff on some of our favourite features on the Mighty River Nile, like: Real Deal Hole, Real Deal Wave, Superhole, Itanda Hole and Phoenix Wave.

MCU Kayaking Weekend – Bujagali

This weekend, the MCU is headed to Jinja and the White Nile River for discounted group lessons with the stellar team at Kayak The Nile.

Paddlers of all levels — especially beginners — are welcome. It’s always a fun weekend out of the big city! For more info, including MCU discounts, and anything else you might need to know, sign up here.

Non-kayakers are more than welcome to come and enjoy a chilled out weekend with MCU. There are plenty of non-kayaking options like swimming, stand-up paddle boarding, and more!

Be sure to book accommodation with Nile River Explorers or Nile River Camp directly. Camping is available in addition to dorm rooms and safari tents.

For transport options, it is possible to sign up for the NRE Shuttle, but post to our Facebook page and we’ll hep you find a ride! If you’re a driver, let us know!

Email Josh, our Kayaking Coordinator at jsg1@ualberta.ca if you have any questions.

MCU Kayaking Weekend – Bujagali

This weekend, the MCU is headed to Jinja and the White Nile River for discounted group lessons with the stellar team at Kayak The Nile.

Non-kayakers are more than welcome to come and enjoy a chilled out weekend with MCU. There are plenty of non-kayaking options like swimming, stand-up paddle boarding, and more!

Be sure to book accommodation with Nile River Explorers or Nile River Camp directly. Camping is available in addition to dorm rooms and safari tents.

For transport options, it is possible to sign up for the NRE Shuttle, but post to our Facebook page and we’ll hep you find a ride! If you’re a driver, let us know!

Email Josh, our Kayaking Coordinator at jsg1@ualberta.ca if you have any questions.

MCU Kayaking Weekend – Hairy Lemon Island

This weekend the MCU is headed to Hairy Lemon Island for discounted group lessons with the stellar team at Kayak The Nile.

Non-kayakers are more than welcome to come and enjoy a chilled out weekend with MCU. There are plenty of non-kayaking options like swimming, lounging on the island, frisbee golf, and more!

In addition to signing up using the online form, please book your accomodation directly with Hairy Lemon Island here. Camping is available as well as dorm rooms, but book fast!

Shuttles for transport are not available, but after you sign up, post to our Facebook page and we’ll help you find a ride! If you’re a driver, let us know!

Email Josh, our Kayaking Coordinator at jsg1@ualberta.ca if you have any questions.

MCU Kayaking Weekend – Bujagali

This weekend, the MCU is headed to Jinja and the White Nile River for discounted group lessons with the stellar team at Kayak The Nile.

Non-kayakers are more than welcome to come and enjoy a chilled out weekend with MCU. There are plenty of non-kayaking options like swimming, stand-up paddle boarding, and more!

Be sure to book accommodation with Nile River Explorers or Nile River Camp directly. Camping is available in addition to dorm rooms and safari tents.

For transport options, it is possible to sign up for the NRE Shuttle, but post to our Facebook page and we’ll hep you find a ride! If you’re a driver, let us know!

Email Josh, our Kayaking Coordinator at jsg1@ualberta.ca if you have any questions.

Hairy Lemon Kayaking and Social Weekend

The long awaited Hairy Lemon weekend is back. So get ready for the social highlight in MCU’s calendar with a big fancy dress party on Saturday night.

For the kayakers the Hairy Lemon weekend offers the great opportunity to explore a different part of the river and run some new rapids. Kayak the Nile will be offering discounted kayaking lessons for beginners to advanced kayakers. For more details and sign-up click here to sign-up.

Non-kayakers are more than welcome to join – judging from last time there were definitely more people just enjoying a chilled out weekend than kayaking.
As the Hairy Lemon is an island, it is vital that you book accommodation and please note that the usual shuttle service is not available for Hairy Lemon weekends.
Please email laurabierer@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Nile Kayaking Weekend

This MCU kayaking weekend will be on February 25-26^th in Bujagali!

Once a month MCU heads to Jinja for discounted group lessons with the stellar team at Kayak the Nile. Paddlers of all levels – including beginners – are welcome. It’s always a fun weekend out of the big city! More info take a look at Kayak the Nile and here for the MCU discounts and all-you-need-to-know on the lessons. The sign-up sheet will become available after the last month’s lesson took place – so please do not sign up yet.

Non-kayakers are more than welcome to join and enjoy a chilled out weekend with MCU. There are plenty of non-kayaking options from swimming, stand-up-paddle-boarding on the Nile, going on community walks, horseback riding and many more.

Please email laurabierer@gmail.com if you have any questions.

3rd Annual Girls Gone Nile

For the third time, ladies in Uganda are taking over the Nile! The weekend will be about female paddlers supporting each other on and off the river and is a good chance for women to learn from one another while enjoying all the Nile has to offer. The event is open to all skill levels. Non-kayaking ladies are welcome to come hang out but if you learned on the Nile you must have done at least 3 lessons with Kayak the Nile to paddle. Note, this is not an official lesson with professional instructors, this is more of a casual gathering for women to get together to share and build experience and push each other in a encouraging environment. Fill in the Google Form to sign up!

Girls Gone Nile 2016 from Shannon Orcutt on Vimeo.

The only costs involved are if you need to rent kayaking equipment and we’ll split the price of transport. You should bring your own lunch for both days and we will be doing dinner and breakfast potluck style.

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 11

We will meet at Kayak the Nile in Bujagali at 10AM drive to Jenny and Charlie’s land at Superhole. We’ll do a brief Superhole session then the intermediate/ advanced group paddle down to Nile Special. We’ll be cooking out, camping, and living it up at the land.

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12

We’ll make a quick breakfast then head out to the river likely splitting into a beginner and more advanced groups to practice skills and surfing around Superhole. Likely leaving the land around 3pm.

2017 Nile River Festival

The Nile River Festival is a four day event hosted by Kayak the Nile that makes the most of some of the biggest rapids in the world and celebrates all that is awesome about the River Nile, here in Uganda. Every year, the NRF draws some of the best athletes from around the world to compete for the overall champion title.

MCU often has a big group spectating and competing so be sure to mark your calendar!

For event updates, check the Facebook event page and event website!

Nile Kayaking Weekend

This MCU kayaking weekend will be on January 14-15^th in Bujagali!

Please email laurabierer@gmail.com if you have any questions.