Mt Elgon

At 4321m mountain Elgon is east Africa 4th highest mountain and the 8th in was one time the highest Africa’s mountain ,far exceeding Kilimanjaro’s 5895m but a thousand of years of erosion its height.

Mt Elgon is an extinct volcano and one of Uganda’s oldest physical features, first eruption about 24 million years ago. Measuring 50km by 80km;the mountains has the largest volcanic base in the world. its caldera, covering over 40km,is known to be the largest intact caldera in the world.

Mountain Elgon is shared between Uganda and Kenya with its highest peak at wagagai (4321m) is situated in Uganda.

Flora and Fauna

The cool and wet mountain heights support a diversity of flora and fauna. the vegetation varies as one ascend the mountain ,ranging from lush Montana forest and mixed bamboo that are rich in birds spices, the fascinating heath and moorland, studied with endemic plant spices such as the giant lobelia and groundsels.

Mountain Elgon national is home to various animals spices including primates such as baboons black and white colobus, blue ,red tailed, vervet and De Brazzas monkeys. others animals in the park include rock and tree hyraxes, elephant ,buffalos, Defassa waterbuck, Oribi, bushbuck, duiker, forest hog, bush pig, leopard, civet and servals cats ,spotted hyena, and aardvark.

The mountain host over 300 spicies of birds including among others moorland francolin, mustached green tinkerbirds, alpine cat, jacksons francolin, black-collard apails, black-souldered kite, tacazze sunbird, and the endangered lammerger.

Mt Elgon serves as an important Catchment area for a number of rivers including suam that drains into lake turkana ,nzoia and which into lake victoria.

The local people

The two major tribes of ,the Bagisu and the sabinyo inhabits the mountains slops. the Bagisu in particular possess deep cultural connections with the mountains .they believe the mountains is the origin of bamasaba (bagisu)people .a lot coffee is grown on the slopes of the mountain.

What to do in Mt Elgon National Park

Treking Mount Elgon is not a common approach that entirely to looks to getting to the surmit or the peaks .the trek is an adventures filled with lots of beautiful discoveries. the different vegetation zones of the mountains support a variety birds, primates ,animals and features such as caves, rivers, pools and the scenic mountain peaks that makes your trek the more interesting. most exiting tradition.

Getting There

Kampala – Jinja – Mbale – Kapchorwa – Mt Elgon National Park.

Interested in visiting Elgon National Park? Check out our example packages or contact us directly.