NYERO ROCK PAINTINGS

Lovers of cave art should be able to indulge their passion in the eastern regions of Uganda. The district of Kumi thus conceals several sites known for their rock paintings (Komuge, Mkongoro, Kapiri; the latter is easily accessible since it is located 24 km south-east of Soroti, a few hundred meters from the national road leading to Mbale) of which the most famous is that of Nyero. Icelui, classified, is composed of six natural shelters whose walls are decorated with geometric patterns (ellipses, dots...) and more particularly with concentric circles of white or red colour. The most impressive wall of the site (a vertical wall more than five meters high) is located in the shelter called Nyero 2. More than forty figures, some of them evanescent, have been represented there. In addition to concentric circles, motifs reminiscent of the shape of a canoe or an acacia pod have also been painted. The Nyero rock paintings remain enigmatic: many questions remain unanswered (dating, meaning, authors...) and elements of answers are rare. Some researchers suggest that the oldest representations of the site may be 12,000 years old, while the most recent ones may be less than 1,000 years old. If you wish to reach the inselberg on which the shelters are nestled, take the national road from Mbale to Soroti and Lira. Once you reach the town of Kumi, take the track through the town towards Ngora. The site is located a little more than one kilometre past the village of the same name, Nyero. To cover the 60 km by public transport, take a matatu that will drop you off in Kumi, then take a second one heading towards Ngora, asking the driver to drop you off at the entrance of the site. From Kumi, you can also use a boda-boda. Kakoro, 20 km northwest of Mbale, is another interesting getaway. The Kakoro rock paintings, although more weathered, have similar patterns and colours to those of Nyero; in any case, the granite kopje on which they were made offers beautiful views of the surroundings. To get there, from Mbale, take the Soroti and Lira road to the town of Nakaloke (8 km), then follow the track to Kakoro via the village of Kabwangasi. Matatu, on the main road, and boda-boda, on the track, should allow you to reach the site.