Mountain Elgon National Park
Mountain Elgon National Park covers 1145 square kilometers and is renowned to be protecting the higher slopes of the 4321m high Mount Elgon shared by Uganda and Kenya.
Together with its extension to Kenya, the Mountain Elgon trans-border conservation Area that is 2,229 sq km is among the heritage sites declared as Man & Biosphere reserves under UNESCO in Africa.
Mountain Elgon National Park (Ugandan Side) was upgraded from a forest reserve status in 1993. Its Kenya counterpart measures only 170 square kilometers and is adjoined by a forest and national reserve.
Mountain Elgon
Elgon is an extinct volcanic mountain with the largest surface area in the world (50km by 80km (diameter)) and a 40 square kilometer caldera with a diameter of about 8 km. The mountain is found on the border of Eastern Uganda and Western Kenya. It is believed that Mountain Elgon that is one of the oldest physical features of the world erupting first around 20 million years ago, once stood higher than Mountain Kirimanjaro’s 5900m.
However, its height was reduced when an unusually violent eruption emptied the volcanoe’s magma reservoir and the cone no longer supported by underlying molten rocks collapsed inward to form the massive caldera on the Wagagai peak alongside millennia of erosion. Elgon is now the 4th highest peak in East Africa and 7th in the African Continet.
The mountain is locally known as ‘Masaba’ as called by the Local people living around, the Bagisu while the name ‘Elgon’ was named after the Anglicization of the Masai ‘El Kony’.
Map of Mount Elgon National Park
Attractions in the Park
Wildlife
Mountain Elgon National Park is home to over 300 species of bird including the endangered Lammergeyer and other special birds like the African Goshawk, Chubb’s cisticola, white chinned prinia, African blue flycatcher among others, and a number of mammals (over 24 species) that live on the mountainside though rarely seen such as the small antelopes, forest monkeys, elephants, and buffaloes among others.
Sipi Falls
Though this is outside the park, it is one of the top attraction around Mountain Elgon National Park. The 7km section of the Sipi Valley is immediately outside the park, in Kapchorwa and it is indeed improbably scenic.
Visitors enjoy the spectacular views as the river plunges over three sets of basalt cliffs during its decent to the plains beneath.
The Local People
Mountain Elgon is home to tribes; the Bagishu, Sabiny and the Ndorobo. The Bagisu live on the Southern and Western Slopes and are renowned for their colorful biannual manhood initiation ceremony for boys through circumcision, the Imbalu. The Bagisu also called the Bamasaba have a rich culture and consider the mountain to be the embodiment of their founding father Masaba.
The Sabiny also conduct circumcision ceremonies though for their case to young girls as an initiation to adulthood. However, this practice is very rare these days due to the high civilization and being criticized by the Women human rights activists.
The local people mostly the Bamasaba still depend on some forest produce and have made agreements with the park’s management to harvest resources such as bamboo poles and bamboo shoots locally known as ‘Malewa’, a local delicacy.
The Peaks and Caldera
The highest peak of Mountain Elgon still stands as Wagagai at 4,521m followed by Sudek at 4,503m, Koitobos at 4,222m and Mubiyi at 4,210m. The 40 sq km Caldera with an 8 km diameter is also another attractions to visitors to the park mostly hikers.
Vegetation
A highlight of any section through the Elgon is the traverse through the distinctive vegetation zones peculiar to East Africa’s highest mountains. While ascending Mount Elgon, there are four different forest zones: the lush montane forest (between the park boundary and 2,500m), the mixed bamboo belt (2,500 – 3,000m), the heath (3,000 – 3,500m) and the spectacular moorland hierarchs (over 3,500m), which contains rare species like the giant Lobelia Elgonensis and clusters of groundsels which are unique to Africa.
Wanale Ridge/ Cliffs
The National park also extends out from the main massif of Mountain Elgon along the 25 km long Wanale Ridge that tower 700m over Mbale. This is a tongue of lava that burst out of the side of the Volcano after the Cone had collapsed to block the main vent. A trail through Wanale cliffs explores the National Park’s regenerating forests on the ridge. Look for petrified wood in the Khaura cave and enjoy splendid views over the plains of Eastern Uganda.
What to do in the Park
There are several activities to do in the park.
Mountain Climbing
A number of routes ascend to the 4321m Wagagai peak, the summit of Mount Elgon. It should be noted that the Park is a Roadless wilderness and the climbing Elgon adventure can only be explored on foot. The routes used range from day walks to extended hikes over several days to reach the upper mountain.
A trained guide is however required during this activity while just like on Mountain Rwenzori, local porters make your hike easier on carrying bulky supplies (about 18 kg each porter) in addition to collecting water, cooking and preparing the Camp. The Caldera and the Peaks are the main destinations while along the way, a choice of trails passes interesting and unique flora and fauna, waterfalls, lakes, caves, gorges and hot springs.
Unlike the Rwenzoris, Mount Elgon is open to everybody as it is not a difficult mountain to climb no matter the trail you chose to follow. These trails include;
The Sasa Trail (4 Days)
This stands from the Budadiri town which is the closest to Mbale and most easily accessible. This trail provides the most direct route to the peaks, albeit with a stiff climb of over 1600m on the first day. It passes the Park’s largest area of bamboo forest and the lovely Jackson’s pool on the way to Wagagai Peak.
The Sipi Trail (7 Days)
The Sipi route starts at the Forest Exploration center at Kapkwai, a few kilometers upstream from the Sipi Falls. The trail visits the spectacular Tatum Cave hidden within extensive Forest.
The Piswa Trail (7 Days)
This trail starts at Kapkwata, 30km beyond Kapchorwa and it is quite long. It starts a higher altitude and follows a more gradual route to the Caldera. Enroute, you will see Podocarpus forest and a series of wildlife.
The Suam Trail
This is the longest and least used route. It starts at the Village of Suam on the Kenyan border crossing, following the Suam River through the Steep and spectacular Suam gorge to the hot springs on the Eastern side of the Caldera.
Generally, the full trekking circuit to the peaks takes 5 to 6 days to complete and you can make a Trans boundary adventure, ascending the Ugandan Slopes and descending on the Kenyan side. However, this requires prior arrangement to meet the Kenya Wildlife Services rangers at a crossover point at the Hot Springs in the Caldera.
It is also possible to vary your hike by ascending from one trailhead and descending to another. These trails have up to nine campsites, placed at strategic intervals. These are located near water sources, tent pads and latrines are provided. Meanwhile, simple supplies and camping equipment must be carried.
Forest Walks
Routes over varying length explore the forest passing via caves, waterfalls and viewpoints providing opportunities to observe different species of birds and primates.
Mountain Biking
The Sipi trail offers mountain bikers an exclusive adventure ranging from casual exploration of the many lovely trails in the vicinity to the challenging Elgon Enduro hosted by Sipi River Lodge.
Rock Climbing
The basalt cliffs around Sipi can safely be climbed since they have been bolted.
Other activities include fly fishing on the Sipi River, Coffee tours where a guided tour can be arranged to visit coffee gardens and see how Uganda’s finest coffee is produced from the Arabica beans grown on the Elgon Mountain.
Accessibility
Mount Elgon National Park lies 235km east of Uganda’s capital city. A tarmac road runs through Jinja to Mbale town at the western base of Mount Elgon, before climbing to Kapchorwa on the mountain’s north-western flank.
Murram roads lead off the Mbale-Kapchorwa road to reach the various trailheads.
Accommodations
There are several accommodation facilities that can be used by the visitors to the park ranging from Luxury to Budget:
- Luxury: Mbale resort hotel, Mountain Elgon hotel
- Mid-range: Sipi falls lodge, Lacam lodge
- There are other budget camping sites. The National Park itself provides dormitory accommodation and self-contained wooden cottages at the Forest Exploration Centre at Kapkwai. Meals here are available on request.
Outside the park, there are other simple accommodations at Kapchorwa and Budadiri.
Restrictions
The best times to climb Mount Elgon are during the dry seasons of June to August and December to March.
No technical climbing equipment or skills are required to reach the main peaks.