Lying 256 kms north east of Kampala, bordering with Kenya in eastern Uganda, Mount. Elgon covers an area of 1155 sq. kms. It offers a diverse variety of scenery, vegetation and cultures. Mt. Elgon is an extinct volcano with a gradual slopes to the crater rim, lying at 4,321 metres above sea level. Mountaineering skills are not required. The whole region is excellent for hikers and climbers, with caves, rock painting, gorges, waterfalls providing excellent scenery. Sipi Falls, at the foothills of the mountain is a favourite destination.
At 4,000km² Mt. Elgon has the largest volcanic base in the world. Located on the Uganda-Kenya border it is also the oldest and largest solitary, volcanic mountain in East Africa. Its vast form, 80km in diameter, rises more than 3,000m above the surrounding plains. The mountain’s cool heights offer respite from the hot plains below, with the higher altitudes providing a refuge for flora and fauna.
This National park is 140 km north of Lake Victoria. It covers an area of 1, 279 sq km and is divided by the border of Kenya and Uganda. The Ugandan part of it also covers 1,110 sq Km and that of Kenya covers 169 sq km and the Kenyan part was gazetted in 1968 and that of Uganda in 1992. This national park was also named after Mount Elgon as an extinct shield volcano on the border of Uganda and Kenya.
The National park is divided down the middle by the Kenyan Ugandan boarder and it’s an important water catchment for the Nzoia River that flows to the Lake Victoria and for the Turkwel River that flows into Lake Turkana. The climate is also moist to moderate dry and the annual rainfall received here is 270mm, the dry season also runs from June to August and from December to March but it can rain anytime.
Species
Mount Elgon National Park is home to over 300 species of birds, including the endangered Lammergeyer. Small antelopes, forest monkeys, elephants and buffaloes also live on the mountainside. The Mount Elgon National Park has a variety of small game including, duiker, hyena, leopard, chimpanzee, buffalo and elephant and numerous species of birdlife.
The higher slopes are protected by national parks in Uganda and Kenya, creating an extensive trans-boundary conservation area which has been declared a UNESCO Man & Biosphere Reserve.
A climb on Mt. Elgon’s deserted moorlands unveils a magnificent and uncluttered wilderness without the summit-oriented approach common to many mountains: the ultimate goal on reaching the top of Mt. Elgon is not the final ascent to the 4321m Wagagai Peak, but the descent into the vast 40km² caldera.
Park at a Glance
Size: 1,121km²
This extinct volcano is one of Uganda’s oldest physical features, first erupting around 24 million years ago.
Mt Elgon was once Africa’s highest mountain, far exceeding Kilimanjaro’s current 5,895m. Millennia of erosion have reduced its height to 4,321m, relegating it to the 4th highest peak in East Africa and 8th on the continent.
Mount Elgon is home to two tribes, the Bagisu and the Sabiny, with the marginalized Ndorobos forced to dwell deep within the forest of Benet.
The Bagisu, also known as the BaMasaba, consider Mount Elgon to be the embodiment of their founding father Masaba and refer to the mountain by this name.
Mount Elgon slopes also support variety of vegetation that ranges from Montane forest to the high open moorland that is studded with the giant lobelia and the groundsel plants. This vegetation also varies with the altitude and the mountain slopes are covered with the olive olea, wet montane forest. at the higher altitude it changes to Olive, bamboo heaths and the giant groundsels.
The main diversity of the park also includes the Juniper and Elgon olive trees, giant podocarpus, the pure stands of the podocarpus gracilior and many orchids. There are also elephants, buffaloes, small antelopes, duikers, forest monkeys, black and white colobus, blue monkey, red tailed monkeys, as well as lions and leopards.Mounta Elgon is also home to over 144 bird species and some of these include; eastern bronze naped pigeon, the Jackson’S Francolin, the Lammergeier as well as the Hartleaub’s Turaco.
The invertebrates found here also include the endangered dragonfly, the Mathaais long leg that was discovered in 2005 and was named after Nobel Prize winner Wangari Mathaai. The park has also got many butterfly species.
About the conservation management, the land around Mount Elgon was managed based on the indigenous power structures and the rules that refused certain utilization of the natural resources on the communally owned upper elevations of the mountain. This national park was gazetted in 1929 and became Mount Elgon crown Forest in 1940 and in 1951 became a central Forest Reserve.
The main attractions found here include the fauna and flora and the park has got scenery that includes the cliffs, caves, gorges, waterfalls, calderas, the hot springs and the mountain peaks. And the most common areas are the 4 explorable caves where you can find the frequent night visitors like the elephants and the buffaloes who come to lick the natural salts that are found on the cave walls. There are also the panoramic views of the area escarpments, the gorges, mesas and the rivers. The main activities here include; the vehicle circuits that lead to animal viewing areas, the self-guided walking trails, the hiking to the endebees bluff, the primate and bird watching tours, the cave adventures and the camping photography.
Accommodation
There are five designated campsites at Sasa River, Mude Cave, Hunters Cave, Piswa Patrol Hut and Kapkwata with basic amenities. Visitors needs to carry their own tents and food. Our community accommodation facilities around this park are the Crows nest, Moses Campsite. Please see our community holidays. Kapkwata Guest House has three main rooms with a sleeping capacity for seven people. There are several hotels in Mbale town ranging in price and quality.