If you are heading to Eastern Uganda, then
Mount Elgon National Park shouldn’t be missed off your bucket list. The park offers refuge to Mount Elgon, an extinct volcano that rises to 4321 meters, with Wagagai Peak as its highest. This volcano first erupted about 24 million years ago, and in prehistoric times it stood taller than Mount Kilimanjaro. It covers about 4,000 square kilometres and features the world’s largest volcanic base. Mount Elgon National Park is situated in eastern Uganda, just on the border with Kenya.
It also offers refuge to more than 300 bird species, including, among others, the endangered lammergeyers; small antelope families; elephants; buffaloes; forest monkeys; and many more. Its floral and faunal species range from the lush Montana, mixed bamboo belt forest to vast moorland, studded with the rarest and endemic plant species such as the giant lobelia and groundsel plants peculiar to Africa, as well as thick shrubs and brilliant wild everlasting flowers. The park is mainly surrounded by the Bagisu and Sabiny, who are largely subsistence farmers.
What to do in Mount Elgon National Park
For hikers or mountain climbers on a
Uganda safari, Mount Elgon National Park should be a must-visit for you during your next vacation in Africa. Hiking adventures in this park take you through its magnificent scenery and into the surrounding areas of Mount Elgon, where hikers can see several forest monkeys, small antelope families, and elephants and buffalo. You can also hike to the magnificent Sipi Falls, which reward visitors with breathtaking views of its 3 remarkable waterfalls and the surrounding areas.
The park offers refuge to about 300 distinct bird species worth exploring on a
birding safari; most of these are never found anywhere in Uganda.
- Trekking to the Sipi falls.
For trekkers, there are about 3 major trailheads that take you through Mount Elgon peaks and the Sipi falls. These include the Sasa, Sipi, forest exploration centre, and Kapkwai to Piswa trailheads. The Sasa trailhead takes trekkers through the park’s largest bamboo forest and is also the direct route to the peaks, but it features steep slopes of about 1600 meters at its starting point, and it can also be reached from Mbale. The Sipi trailhead rewards visitors with exploration of its stunning Tutum cave, hidden within the extensive forest, while the Piswa trail features mainly the Podocarpus forest, offering exceptional wildlife views.
There are about nine (9) campsites within Mount Elgon, most of which are situated strategically at the trekking routes. Camping adventures are conducted only at designated campsites, and visitors are encouraged to bring their own camping gear.
This mainly rewards visitors with the most incredible forest exploration and includes cool mist at Che-bonet falls, the Kapkwai cave, the talking tree, and stunning scenery. On Mount Elgon, the Wanale trail loop features vertical cliffs along the ridge and many waterfalls, offering visitors spectacular views. You can also spot petrified wood in the Khauka caves while catching panoramic views of the plain areas in eastern Uganda.
There is also a 3-11 kilometre hike that offers visitors the opportunity to discover most of the park’s rare montane forest, plants, wildlife, and more. For this experience, you will need good walking shoes, a rain jacket and extra batteries for your torch.
Best time to visit Mount Elgon National Park
This park can be visited at anytime of the year but better to pay a visit during the dry season that starts from June to August and December to February.
Accommodation facilities in Mount Elgon National Park
The notable accommodations in Mount Elgon National Park include Mount Elgon Hotel, Country Home, Mbale Resort Hotel and Sunrise Inn-these are mainly found around Mbale town. At the Sipi falls area, there are camping wooden bandas while at Suam and Kapkwata there are guesthouses and at the Forest Exploration Center there are dormitory style rooms especially at Kapkwai.
In conclusion, Mount Elgon National Park is one of the best national parks in Uganda with remarkable tourist attractions that are worth exploring by visitors on safari to eastern Uganda. If you are planning for your vacation to Kidepo Valley National Park or Murchison Falls National Park, never miss to include Mount Elgon National Park in your bucket list.
