Have you ever wondered what adventure activity you can engage in within Mount Elgon National Park? Situated in the Eastern side of Uganda, Mount Elgon National park offers a backdrop of the most fascinating tourist activities for tourists who visit Uganda and East Africa in general for safaris. It is no doubt that the eastern side of Uganda is endowed with several interesting activities such as Mount Elgon, the Sipi falls and the Source of the Nile in Jinja district. Jinja district is the adventure Capital of the World offering several adventurous activities such as white water rafting, biking, bungee jumping, quad bike rides, horseback rides, Jet boat rides and River surfing.
You have to be comfortable visiting Mount Elgon National Park because you will unleash your strength while at the same time enjoy nature that this National Park offers to tourists. There are several activities to enjoy and they include Trout fishing in Sipi falls, abseiling, nature walks, biking, birding, mountain climbing and of course mountain biking.
In order to develop the activity, the Uganda Wildlife Authority opened up mountain biking trails in 2012 around the Mount Elgon National Park hence making it possible as it is today. The landscape of Mount Elgon is rugged with rocks, brook and rain washout and numerous and sharp declines, making is a real adventure to engage in. There are former logging paths and gravel paths in the perfect forest Valleys. Fizzy streams and change in the vegetation types such as the Afro-montane forests in addition to the steep slopes of the Mountainside which all contribute to the remarkable beauty of the magnificent Mount Elgon and you will be totally assured of relishing incredible views of the real African wilderness. What makes this destination perfect for mountain biking is the fact that it is not thronged by tourists, hence the few who visit enjoy an authentic mountain biking experience.
A mountain biking trail starts from the Sipi Trading Center transversing some of the most breathtaking areas to Chema Hill in the spectacular Kapchorwa Town. Biking through this magnificent trail lasts between one and a half hours to 2 hours and offers the most incredible views of the three Sipi waterfalls in addition to the Karamoja Plains. There is also the famous Sasa trail on Mount Elgon that starts with a community walk through farmlands where you will be amazed by the Arabica coffee farms and ends to the National Park and the Mudangi cliffs. This trail goes in a zigzag pattern through a succession of slopes and rock climbs that are extremely deep to ride but tourists are rewarded with the eye-popping views across the foothills of Mount Elgon and the Plains of Soroti.
Tourists planning to participate in mountain biking around Mount Elgon have to note that bikes are not provided, but the bikes to use for the adventurous activity can be hired from the Sipi River Lodge and arrangement have to be made in advance. This is what makes Mountain biking in this place challenging than it is with other places.
Much as biking within Mount Elgon National Park is the best biking experience, there are other places tourists can visit for the same adventure and they include Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, around the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains, Mgahinga National Park in addition to mountain biking around Kabwoya Wildlife Reserve which all offer tailor-made for mountain biking adventures.
What you need for Mountain biking within Mount Elgon
The following are the most important requirements of mountain biking within Mount Elgon; Strong hiking boots are a must have for mountain biking within the Mount Elgon, enough drinking water is also important to keep you hydrates and a Helmet is handy to protect your head in case of accidents among others.
Besides mountain climbing, nature walks, bird watching and cultural encounters, the Mount Elgon National Park is perfect for mountain biking that allows tourists to explore the nature and beauty of the National Park and the surrounding areas in another way.