Mount Elgon National Park Travel Guide
A Complete Guide to Mount Elgon National Park, with travel information on what to do, where to go, things to see, maps & guides, where to stay, tips & advice. This is the most complete guide to hiking Mount Elgon with complete travel information to help you plan a trip to the park & the neighboring areas.
On this Guide
Find out more about the mountain, where to hike, where to stay, trekking information, a bit of history, communities that live on and around the mountain and much more. We focus on the part of the mountain that falls inside Uganda as this is what we know a bit about. Have you visited Mt Elgon? Have photos to share or stories to tell? Let us know and we’ll publish them here. Help spread the word!
Mount Elgon National Park
Mount Elgon National Park is located in the eastern part of Uganda just at border with Kenya. A visit to this region, you get a chance to discover the hidden treasures within Mount Elgon National Park and the Sipi waterfalls.
This park is a home to Mount Elgon which boasts of its largest surface area in the world with a caldera covering an area of about 40 square kilometers at its summit. Wagagai is its highest peak and straddles at altitude of about 4321 meters and features as the second highest peak in Uganda just after the Margarita of Rwenzori Mountain ranges. In Africa, it is the 8th highest peak although for many years, it featured as the tallest in this continent.
Mount Elgon Tours & More
Would you like to experience Mountain Elgon? Here are some of the most popular tours to the Elgon. These include day trips to multiday hiking tours to the highest peaks of the mountain.
The Mountain – Mesmerizing Mount Elgon
Mount Elgon is one of the best safari destinations located in Mbale and Sironko districts in Uganda and it is the eighth highest mountain in Africa. This mountain rises from the largest base of any freestanding mountain in the entire world. Mount Elgon was formed as a result of the tectonic activity that created the Rift valley and other volcanic features many years ago.
Imagine an ancient mountain, a volcano that has been standing solitary and silent for millennia. It is a base one of the largest in the world. Its springs feeding numerous rivers and waterfalls. Its rich soil nourishing communities across two countries and where you can wander the uncrowded trails to its summit at over four thousand meters (or fourteen thousand feet).
Mount Elgon is a bit of a secret. Its mesmerizing beauty and the unhurried tempo of the surrounding communities make this region an ideal place to relax, breathe in plenty of fresh air and be refreshed.
The tallest peak of Mount Elgon form a jagged circle around the caldera and has a diameter of about eight kilometers which is dotted with small crater lakes as well as the hot springs created by the Pleistocene glacial activity.
The tallest peak is well known as Wagagai which is set on the Uganda side of the border and lies on the southwest caldera rim. There are other peaks like the Mubiyi in the north, Kiongo in the south and the Jackson’s summit in the East.
The local people known as the Bagisu call the mountain Masaba, a name that was derived from their founding ancestors who is said to have appeared from a cave on the slopes many years ago. Meanwhile there was a European called Joseph Thomson who was the first to reach the mountain’s lower slopes and came nearer to it from the Masaai land.
Things to See
Mount Elgon National Park is one of the least explored protected areas in Uganda. A visit to this park rewards you with authentic experiences and while on your safari, the above listed activities should be a must for you to include in your bucket list. The east of Uganda provides a wonderful variety of landscapes, vegetation and cultures. Right on the border with Kenya towers Mt. Elgon, an extinct volcano and one of the higher mountains in Africa. Because of its gradual slope, a climb to the caldera or crater rim (4321 metres above sea level) does not require mountaineering skills. On the wooded slopes, part of which includes Mount Elgon National Park, great caves, gorges and waterfalls provide some of the most exciting scenery in Uganda, and the terraced coffee plantations and bamboo forests just enhance the wonderful views. There are lots of things to see and do in Mount Elgon National Park.Flora and Fauna
The cool heights of this magnificent volcano provide respite for humans from the hot plains below and the higher elevation offers refuge to unique floral and faunal diversity. The lower part on the other hand features the tropical montane forest with expansive stands of the bamboo. Above 3000 meters, the forest disappears and heath appears then the afro alpine moorland that covers the caldera. Unique species of plants are found within this park including the giant groundsel and the endemic lobelia elgonensis.Mammals
Mount Elgon is a home to a number of mammal species including duikers, leopards, buffaloes, hyenas, elephants, Baboon, Genet, Hyena, Duiker, Civet bushbuck, tree hyrax, buffalo, waterbuck, bush pigBirds
Birdlife is particularly prolific in this area and a good bird book is essential. Some of the incredible birds to look for include the lammergeyer vultures, white starred forest robin, Jackson’s francolin and many more.Unique Culture
In every region the colourful dances, dress and handicrafts of the people are well worth seeing. The village markets bustle with life, and local craftsmen work as they have done for generations. In this area visitors can discover the infinite variety our lifestyles and heritage which make Uganda so special.Places of Interest
There are several places of interest that are worthy exploring near Mount Elgon National Park. These include;Sipi Falls
The Sipi Falls are a particular favourite with photographers, as is the old fashioned house that was a retreat for the last colonial governor of Uganda.Nyero Rocks
In the Kumi district are Nyero rock paintings. Three painted shelters, close to each other, are a fascinating relic of life in Uganda four centuries ago.Tororo
Tororo is a gateway to neighboring Kenya through Malaba town so there is always plenty of local traffic in the village along the road. Standing like a sentinel out of the flat landscape is the Tororo rock, a volcanic plug, rising about 1,800 metres and with steps and ladders constructed to aid climbers.Karamoja Region
In the north-east lie the vast wide open spaces of Karamoja. In add land of scenic beauty, rocky mountains that were once active volcanoes interrupt the plains in spectacular fashion.Things to Do
There are several things to do during your holiday in the Mount Elgon Areas. From popular hikes to trout fishing, there is more to do during your safari. Here are the top adventure activities to do;Hiking/climbing Mount Elgon
If you are adventure enthusiast, climbing Mount Elgon is one thing you shouldn’t miss out while on Uganda safari in Mount Elgon National Park. This volcano features among a few tallest mountains in Africa and offer incredibly life changing hiking experiences. Hiking through this volcano takes you about four days or more depending on how fit you are to climb. However, you can hire a porter to help you in case of heavy luggage and a guide is assigned to you. To be part of this amazing adventure, you tent a tent and some food. However, there are also lower elevation trails that you can embark on or you do a full day hike with packed lunch. This mountain is the 4th tallest in East Africa and it is best hiked during the dry season.Bird watching
For birders, Mount Elgon National Park is one of Uganda’s birding paradises and while on safari it should be a must for you to visit. A birding tour in this park rewards travel endeavors with incredible sights at bird species like eastern bronze napped pigeon, hartlaub’s Turaco, African hill babbler, dusky turtle dove, lemon dove, alpine chat, black throated wattle eye, thick billed honey guide, mountain yellow warbler, African blue flycatcher, chinspot batis, MacKinnon’s fiscal, Doherty’s and luhders bush shrikes, Chubb’s cisticola, cinnamon bee-eater, black kite, black apalis, tacazze sunbird, grey cuckoo shrike. This park features a number of trails around the foothills that take about half day nature walk for you to spot out numerous bird species and flora. Besides, you can as well embark on bird watching via the Sipi waterfalls trails.Rock climbing
The rock climbing experience offers you opportunity to explore the outside parts of Mount Elgon National Park to Sipi. About 14 climbs require different levels of rock scaling techniques and all the gear can be rented from the Sipi Falls Tourist Guides Association. The most challenging hike is the 35 meters climb and the simplest is 15 meters and all of these reward travel endeavors with dramatic views of the major waterfalls and the expansive Karamoja plains. The climb is breathtaking but so rewarding.Trout fishing
This is another amazing adventure and in the whole of Uganda it is only conducted in the Sipi waterfalls and Mount Elgon. It allows you to fish for the mountain trout. This rare adventure experience is done on River Sipi and rewards equally just like it is a case with sport fishing in Murchison falls national park where you catch and release the Nile Perch.Cultural encounters
Besides hiking and wildlife experiences, Mount Elgon National Park is surrounded by local communities and this region is known for its rare cultural experiences. While on cultural tour, you can pay a visit to Abayudaya Jews-a renowned small community that lives around Mount Elgon and the Sipi falls. You can also embark on community walk to Budadiri community to enjoy unique cultural dances, learn more about food preparation techniques and others. This region is also known for the Imbalu circumcision-a cultural experience that comes once a year and in every even year. Sipi Falls Tour Hiking AbseilingPlan Your Trip to the Mount Elgon National Park
Getting There
Mount Elgon National Park lies 235km east of Kampala. The park can best be accessed by road. Learn about how to get to Mount Elgon National Park.Access the Mountain
Your climb should be organised from the Mt. Elgon National Park Headquarters in Mbale, which is 4 hours from Kampala via Tororo. There are trailheads at Budadiri and at Kapnarkut, outside of Mbale. Budadiri is accessible by public transport.Accommodation
There are many options for accommodation in Mbale. Visitors may stay at the Mt. Elgon Hotel, or at one of several small lodges in town. Inside the park, there are simple camping sites. You must bring your own camping equipment.Guide to Mount Elgon Hiking
Mount Elgon (4,321 m), the 4th highest mountain in East Africa, is an extinct volcano, located in the eastern part of Uganda on the border with Kenya. The park boundaries contain 1147 km2 of the mountain. Most of this area is covered with typical afro-montane vegetation, complete with giant groundsels and bamboo forest. Many travellers find Mt. Elgon an exciting alternative to some of the more strenuous climbs in East Africa. It has many of the same attractions, with a milder climate and a lower elevation. Climbing the peaks requires no special equipment or technical climbing experience. It is possible to summit the mountain in as little as three days, but a slightly longer visit will permit a more thorough exploration of all that Mt. Elgon has to offer. Its slopes enchant visitors with caves, hot springs and waterfalls. Visitors can hike to the highest peak of the mountain, Mt. Wagagai. They can circle the rim of the caldera or climb down to the crater floor to see the Suam Gorge and the hot springs. For your trip, remember to bring food, a tent, a sleeping bag, and warm clothing.Latest News and Updates
Find out all the latest news and alerts happening around the Mount Elgon National Park.
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