Nyege Nyege Festival 2025 returned this year with a milestone. Ten unforgettable years of music, culture, adventure, and freedom. Celebrated against the roaring backdrop of Kalagala Falls in Kayunga, Jinja. Nyege Nyege Festival 2025 wasn’t just an event, but a four-day escape where thousands pressed pause on the rest of the world. And right from the first sentence, it was clear that Nyege Nyege Festival 2025 had once again proven why it remains one of East Africa’s biggest tourism magnets.
For four days, from 20th to 23rd November. Life took on a different rhythm. A softer rhythm. A wilder rhythm. A rhythm where strangers became instant friends. Where overthinkers left their hesitations at the gate. And where the only rule was simple, let loose! With over 4 performance stages, each with a different vibe. There was everything for everyone.
This 10-year edition didn’t only celebrate music. It celebrated Uganda. It celebrated culture, fashion, art, tourism and the country’s growing reputation as the region’s creative heartbeat. Nyege Nyege has always been anything that promotes tourism, and this year. It lived up to that definition in every sense.
Day One: Arrivals, Setup, and A New World Forming
The first day of Nyege Nyege is always a slow stretch, like the first page of a good book. People arrived in waves. Locals, tourists, backpackers, influencers, creatives, artists, and festival lovers from all corners of the world. Tents went up everywhere. Some camped inside the designated zones, others outside the venue. And together they formed a temporary village that pulsed with anticipation.
The setting, Kalagala Falls did more than serve as a backdrop. It elevated the festival into a full tourism experience. Many attendees turned it into a trip. Arriving early to explore waterfalls, go rafting, experience village life, and enjoy local cuisines before the festival officially kicked off. Others prioritized the festival and later, brushed off the chaos with a soothing safari. Actually, a few are still roaming around freely in the country. You can feel that Nyege Nyege brings people not just to dance, but to explore Uganda. From its attractions to its people and its cultures.
Daytime on the first day was quiet. People were still settling in, meeting their tent neighbors, buying souvenirs, walking around the grounds, and trying out the food stalls. But the real magic of day one came at night. When darkness fell, the festival came alive.
The first night was an introduction, a warm-up. DJs, MCs, TV hosts, and performers created a soundscape that eased everyone into the spirit of Nyege Nyege. Friendships were forming without effort. You could turn to someone, greet them, laugh with them, share food, share drinks. And boom, you had a crew for the night. Nyege Nyege has always been for the free-spirited. And for anyone who overthinks social interactions, this wasn’t the place for hesitation.
Day Two of the Nyege Nyege Festival 2025: The Festival Finds Its Heartbeat
If day one was about settling in, day two was about ignition. It was Friday. People had clocked out of work from across the country. Buses were arriving, cars were rolling in, and by sunset, the grounds were almost fully packed. Everything started booming, literally and figuratively.
Performances became hotter. Stages were fuller. The dancing intensified. Artists like Fik Fameica electrified the crowds. DJs took the decks like they had been waiting a whole year to unleash energy. Vendors were busy from all corners. Bars overflowing, nyama choma grills smoking, roasted chicken crackling, tilapia sizzling. Culinary tourism was alive everywhere you walked.
Nyege Nyege isn’t complete without adventure, and the adrenaline junkies had their moment too. At the edge of the festival, overlooking the water, bungee jumping stole the spotlight. Screams, laughter, cheers. It all added to the soundtrack of freedom. For many international visitors, this jump became their introduction to Uganda’s adventure tourism.
By 2am, the festival had fully transformed into a world of its own. No outside stress. No deadlines. No overthinking. Just rhythm, lights, and joy.
Day Three: Ssuuna Ben and ‘Dj Carlos Lopez’ Take Over the Stage
If Nyege Nyege has a reputation for unpredictable magic, day three proved why. Day 3 was what everyone looked forward to. All single day ticket holders eyed this day. This was the night of DJ Ssuuna Ben, the master of traditional drum-and-beat fusion. His performances are never just shows. They are rituals, ceremonies of rhythm that summon the wildest parts of people.
And as expected, the moment he stepped onto the stage, the crowd erupted. Branches, yes, actual tree branches filled the air. People waved them above their heads as if calling on the spirits of fun. Dust rose, lights flashed, drums thumped, and for a moment. Kalagala didn’t feel like a festival, it felt like a cultural eruption.
Ssuuna Ben brings Uganda’s cultural sound to the international ear, and this moment was tourism gold. Visitors recorded videos, asked about the meaning of the drum patterns, and tried to imitate the dances. Culture, fashion, tattoos, traditional-inspired outfits. This was the night where Uganda showcased its creative identity boldly and loudly.
And before this cultural eruption, the most selling Ugandan artist surprised the crowd when he showed up in his alter ego, DJ Carlos Lopez. He not only has melodic vocals, but can also mix various sounds into a satisfying uniform beat. He later on performed some of his biggest hits. Leaving the audience excited.
Food vendors cashed in big. Merch sellers smiled from ear to ear. Wholesalers moved boxes faster than they could unpack them. For many, Nyege Nyege is the biggest earning opportunity of the year. By the time the night softened into early morning, people were drained yet satisfied. And still ready for one more round.
Day Four of the Nyege Nyege Festival 2025: Fireworks, Goodbyes, and A Promise to Return
The final night carried the same energy as the rest. Music, dancing, laughter, new friendships, and encounters that felt like they could only happen at Nyege Nyege. But the highlight was the fireworks show. The sky lifted into color. Explosions of red, blue, gold, and white lit up the river, the forest, and the thousands of faces staring up in awe. It was the perfect ending to a decade-long celebration.
People hugged strangers. People smiled at the memories they had made. And as the smoke cleared, you could sense a shared feeling. The world outside may be waiting, but for four days, Nyege Nyege gave us a beautiful break from it.
A Festival, A Culture Pulse, A Tourism Engine
Beyond the music and madness, Nyege Nyege remains one of Uganda’s biggest tourism drivers. It brings the world to Jinja. It pushes visitors to explore waterfalls, rafting routes, lodges, craft markets, cultural sites, and local cuisines. It promotes culture. Through dance, drumming, fashion, and traditional performances.
Art, through installations, designs, stage setups, and creative expression. Fashion, through outfits, body art, accessories, and African identity. Tourism through pre / post safaris and excursions. And tasting different local and street foods, culinary tourism!
For 10 years, the Nyege Nyege Festival has been more than a festival. It’s a tourism movement. And at Kalagala Falls, during its 10th anniversary, it reminded us again why Uganda remains the “Pearl of Africa”. A place where culture meets nature, music meets adventure, and strangers become family.