Jinja sits on the northern shore of Lake Victoria at the point where the lake's waters narrow and spill northward into the Nile — the starting point of the world's longest river. That geographical accident has made it one of the most visited towns in Uganda, and the adrenaline industry that's grown up around the rapids has given it a second identity as East Africa's adventure capital.
The town itself is a pleasant, slightly ramshackle place. Colonial-era buildings line the main streets, market stalls overflow onto the pavements, and the pace is several notches slower than Kampala. You can get everywhere on foot or by boda-boda. Most travelers end up staying longer than planned.
The Nile here is young and fast. Between Jinja and Bujagali — about ten kilometres downstream — the river churns through a series of grade 4 and 5 rapids that have drawn white-water kayakers and rafters from around the world since the 1990s. White-water rafting, kayaking, and bungee jumping are the headline acts. The Nalubaale Dam (formerly Owen Falls Dam) has tamed some of what was here, but there's still more than enough river to keep things interesting.
The Source of the Nile — where Lake Victoria commits its waters to the 6,700-kilometre journey north — is marked by a memorial garden a short boda-boda ride from town. Beyond the rapids, Jinja is a good base for the Mabira Forest Reserve, a dense patch of tropical rainforest about 15 kilometres away that's excellent for birding and forest walks.