Mount. Elgon National Park which is shared between Uganda and Kenya with Uganda taking the biggest share but the Kenyan side was gazetted first. This beautiful mountain is found in Mbale district in eastern Uganda and is a major source of livelihood for the Bagisu / Bamasaba and the Sabiny plus other forest people called the Ndorobos. They get water from the Sipi falls and their staple food Malewa from Mount. Elgon.
Several thousand years ago, Mount. Elgon was so high it exceeded Mt Kilimanjaro but time and the elements have slowly brought it to the 4th highest position in East Africa. It had its first eruption 24 million years back and has the biggest surface area of all extinct volcanoes closing in at 4,321 meters high with Wagagai as its highest peak.
This volcanic mountain also has the largest known beautiful crater caldera at the top with amazing scenery plus a view of the other peaks and a peek into Kenya. The Bagisu people that live next to and around the mountain, refer to it as a manifestation of their powerful God Masaba.
The Park is home to a number of wild animals to mention but a few, the slopes are home to elephants, buffalo, and a variety of small antelope. The thick montane forest hosts the black an white colobus monkeys, the blue monkeys and a record number of 300 bird species like the Tacazze sunbird and the lammergeyer.
Best time to visit Mount. Elgon National Park.
It is best to hike mount. Elgon in June up to August or December to March but the slopes are always in good condition to visit throughout the year.
Activities To Do in Mount. Elgon National Park.
Hiking adventures.
Mount Elgon is a hiker’s paradise with a gentle steep that allows you to hike longer hours without exhaustion. It offers a lot of rewarding scenery along the way and most of all you get to see the top most Crater Lake with its bubbling hot springs. Don’t forget the birds and the wildlife along the way, the infamous Sipi falls, cave paintings next to the Budadiri trail and finally the breath of fresh air itself. You don’t just hike this mountain; you enjoy nature to the fullest.
Mountain walk
The mountain boasts of diverse vegetation eg the lush Montana, the bamboo belt forest, the moorland, the giant lobelias, the shrubs and thickets plus very many wild flowers. You also get to meet the locals along the way and interact with them. They will probably tell you about the circumcision festival called imbalu and how to prepare malewa sauce. Just bring a camera and a notebook along.
Short Day Trekking
The dense forest offers a trail to the Kapkwai caves, a tree that talks and the chebonet falls. It takes approximately two days and is good for deeply exploring the national park at a gentle pace as well.
It also offers the Wanale trail with cliffs, caves and waterfalls plus a vast expanse of the mountainous shrub land. This is great for people with children that can’t hike the steep parts of mountain Elgon but still want to enjoy the beauty that Mount Elgon holds.
The Sipi Falls Trek.
This trek has three trail heads that lead you to the mountain with the first one starting at Budadiri and it’s called the Sasa Trailhead which passes through the dense bamboo forest then there is the Sipi Trail head which takes you to the Tutum cave and finally the Piswa trail head which takes you through the polycarpus forest it is also favorable for wild life tracking or viewing.
All routes are done with a tour guide and they take approximately 5 days with stops at properly maintained camps in between to rest and relax. Bring your best footwear and leave nothing behind except your footprints
Community walks.
Dive deeper into the cultures of the Bagisu and Sabiny by taking a walk through the community to see coffee plantations, local food and local practices.
This is usually done with a guide who introduces you to the locals and breaks the barrier between visitor and host thus giving you ground to ask questions as well as answer some. Just be kind and the people will be welcoming.
