Mount Elgon National Park

This is one of the 10 national parks in Uganda; a country located in the east of the continent of Africa, neighbored by Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Tanzania among others. The other nine national parks include; Bwindi impenetrable national park for the mountain gorillas, Mgahinga national park for rare golden monkeys, Semuliki national park for a profusion of birds, Queen Elizabeth national park – home of the rare tree-climbing lions, snowcapped Mountain Rwenzori, whispers of Lake Mburo National Park, primates in the lush Kibale forest national park, mighty thundering waterfalls of Murchison Falls National Park.

Mountain Elgon National Park is the only national park in the eastern part of Uganda, about 140kms north of the giant Lake Victoria – third largest freshwater lake in the world. It spans through the Kenya-Uganda border while covering an area of about 1,279 sq.km of land; it extends to 1,110 km² within Uganda and 169 km² in Kenya. The mountain from which the park got its name is reported to be having the largest base on earth, with an 80km diameter and rising to about 3000m above sea level and surrounding plains.

It is situated approximately 245km from the Capital city – Kampala. The park seats on manafwa district, Kapchorwa, Mbale city, Bulambuli, Kween and Sironko. The portion in Kenya is accessed through the Lwakhaka border post in manafwa and Bukwo districts. A small group of former forest dwellers – Ndorobo, as well as the Bagisu and Sabiny are the major ethnic groups living outside the park, while engaging in farming and several other economic activities. The stunning scenery of Mountain Elgon national park is one inspiration worth glancing at.  Mountain Elgon Summit is called Wagagai, standing at 4321 m above sea level, making it the second-highest in Uganda and one of the highest in the continent of Africa.

Brief history about Mount. Elgon National Park.

In 1929, the portion of Mountain Elgon in Uganda was gazetted as a forest reserve, managed by the forestry department. In 1937, some people settled in the place, using it for farming and other activities. It was then renamed Mountain Elgon crown forest reserve in 1940, paving a way for the creation of a central forest reserve in 1951. The Benet-Ndorobo ethnic group, a group of hunters and forest inhabitants, were displaced from the area to create room for conservation purposes. Forward to 1994 January, the wide portion of land was added to the central reserve and converted to a national park. The park is now managed by Uganda Wildlife Authority.

Accessing Mount. Elgon National Park takes about 4-5 hours, from busy Kampala to Mbale via Jinja City. The route is marked with variety of green plantations, breathtaking landscapes and busy towns.

Attractions in the park.

Mountain Elgon.

In the East of Uganda and north of Kisumu – Kenya is Mountain Elgon, one of the highest stand-alone mountains on the continent of Africa. This is one of the oldest and highest stand-alone Volcanic mountains in the East of the continent of Africa. Mountain Elgon’s highest peak is Wagagai, towering at 4321mtrs above sea level. This is believed to be one of the oldest extinct volcanic mountains in Africa, having existed for over 20 million years, with one of the largest calderas at its summit. The Volcanic base is about 80km in size.

At the base of Elgon Mountain are several human settlements, undulating plains and a variety of flora and fauna. The tropical montane forest features bamboo trees, which act as food for the many resident primates and the people inhabiting the place. As the hike gets to about 300m, the forest disappears to the alpine moorland, entirely covering the caldera. Additionally, other captivating floral species here include; the Lobelia elgonensis and groundsel. Mammals such as the duiker, hyenas, Buffaloes and leopards may also be sighted in the park on a lucky day.

Bird watching.

The bird list of Mountain Elgon National park contains not less than 300 rare bird species; about 40 endemic to this region and approximately 56 Afro-tropical highland species. These include among others; the Jacksons’ spur fowl, Red-chested owlet, Hartlaubs Turaco, hunter’s cisticola, moorland francolin, alpine chat, black-shouldered kite, crowned hornbill, tacazze sunbird and the endangered lammergeyer.

Mammals.

The park is habitat for a variety of mammals such as the tree hyraxes, spotted hyena, oribi, bushbuck, aardvark, white and black Colobus monkeys, buffalos, serval cat, forest hog, forest elephant, baboons, duiker and defassa waterbucks to mention but a few.

Mountain Elgon caves.

Several caves are found in and around the park. These are always reported to be licking the walls at the caves. The caves include among others; Chebui caves, Kebenob-teretit caves, kochonget, mackingeny and the kitum.

Jackson’s Pool and Jackson’s Peak.

This is located at the western wing of Mount Elgon, standing at 4,050 along the backdrop of Jackson summit. In 1889, Fredrick Jackson, the first European to hike to the top of Mount Elgon named this pool after himself. It is a natural feature, with stunning shallow waters.

Sipi Falls.

The three powerful waterfalls at Sipi offer one of the most magnificent sceneries along the lower slopes of Mount Elgon. Sipi Falls is located in Kapchorwa; with so many visitors arriving each year to relax, rewind and capture the thundering sounds.  It is a stunning place, set apart for photography, swimming and refreshment. Ascending and descending Sipi falls is best done during daytime and lasts for roughly 4 hours or less, depending on the fitness levels and hiking speed. The three falls lie at an altitude of 1,775 meters.

ACTIVITIES IN MOUNTAIN ELGON NATIONAL PARK.

Guided Nature walks / hikes and primate watching.

This is done during daytime, and the trail routes stretch for about 4-7 km, thus offering amazing viewing spots. The routes pass through places with wide range of primates, such as the white and black Colobus monkeys and baboons among others, birds and Tutum caves.

Hiking / Mountain climbing.

This is a great safari destination in Uganda, a wonderful hiking option for those who love mountaineering activities. The circuit to Wagagai summit takes about 5 days, whereas through the Sipi or Sasa trails. Other routes to the peak include among others; the Pisa trail which exposes visitors to a variety of wildlife through the forest.

Bird watching.

Bird watching is one of the activities at Mountain Elgon national park at the designated bird-watching trails. The bird list is comprised of over 300 bird species, easily seen in the morning hours and afternoon. The birding exercise is done along with the lush scrub and forested area at Chebonet River.

Some of the species to look out for include; Baglafecht weaver, White-chinned prinnia, African Goshawk, Chubb’s cisticola, African blue flycatcher, Doherty’s and the Luhders bush shrikes.

Cultural adventure.

Follow the local drum beats of Kadodi traditional dance, watch the local attires and enjoy the local cuisine (malewa); a product of bamboo stems and coffee. The Bamasaba people – also known as Bagisu and the Sabiny’s, leave at the mountain slopes take visitors through some of the most thrilling cultural dances, village walks and eats.

Camping and photography.

The park is a whole world of wonder and adventure. Taking a night or more with your camera taking breathtaking photos, and watching the African moon deep in the night offers unforgettable memories. Lake Mburo National Park has got some of the most captivating landscapes.

You can spend the holiday taking photos of the captivating landscape, wildlife species and the caldera. Their ranger guides help in identifying the photography spots, and other stunning places around the park.

The five camping sites in this park are located along the hiking trails. Other activities include Mountain Biking and Rock climbing.

Packing list.

Depending on the number of days, you intend to spend at the park and the activities; the following is the list of what to carry. This includes; gloves for your hands, sufficient water for quenching your thirst, first aid kit, good hiking boots, hat to cover your head, rain gear, a sleeping bag, camping bag, warm clothes and quality hiking boots.

Cost of hiking Mountain Elgon.

The cost of a hiking permit costs 65 USD for foreign non-residents and 60 USD foreign residents and 55,000 UGX for East African residents. These charges include park entrance, ranger fee, and some portion sliced to the local projects at the communities, following the Uganda Wildlife Authority tariffs.

Best time to visit Mount. Elgon National Park.

Mountain Elgon National Park is open for visitors all year round. However, it is well explored in the dry months, where there are fewer interruptions and rains. Uganda’s dry months are June to September and December to March. However, it is also important to note that the rains can fall even during the non-rainy seasons, thus the need for adequate preparation.

The fun and sceneries at Mount. Elgon National Park are some of the best in the world all over. The place is so calm and beautiful, with a wide range of flora and fauna.

Share page:

You may also like:

Authentic gorilla trekking at discounted rates

Book authentic mountain gorilla experience at
highly discounted rates and visit gorillas in Uganda & Rwanda.
Book Now