Mount Elgon national park is located in eastern Uganda at the border between with Kenya. Wagagai, the highest peak of Mount Elgon is at an altitude of 4,321 meters above sea level.
Mount Elgon, which dominates the surrounding landscape, earned the name of this national park. Wagagai Peak is located on the Ugandan side.
It is the eighth-highest mountain in Africa and a popular tourist destination. Because Mount Elgon is lower in elevation and has a milder climate than other mountains, most climbers find it to be a less rigorous climb that doesn’t require specialized gear or climbing experience.
The tropical montane forest and Afro alpine moorland that cover Mount Elgon National Park’s vegetation provide a breathtaking and beautiful wilderness. The lower slopes of the mountain are covered in dense montane forest, which provides habitat for various tree species such as Elgon teak.
Park fees for Mount Elgon national park
Park entrance fees for visitors in Mount Elgon national park is 35 USD for foreign nonresidents, 25 USD for foreign residents and 15,000 UGX for East Africans.
Mount Elgon hiking costs 50 USD for foreign nonresidents, 40 USD for foreign residents and 50,000 UGX for East Africans.
Rock climbing in Mount Elgon national park is charged 65 USD for foreign nonresidents, 60 USD for foreign residents and 55,000 UGX for East Africans.
Mountain biking in Mount Elgon national park costs 100 USD for foreign nonresidents, 80 USD for foreign residents and 50,000 UGX for East Africans.
Activities to do around Mount Elgon national park
Mount Elgon National Park offers a range of activities for visitors to enjoy which include the following;
Hiking
Hiking is a popular activity carried out in Mount Elgon national park, with several trails available for different skill levels.
The Sasa trail is the most direct route to the summit and takes approximately four days to complete. The Piswa trail offers a longer but more scenic route, taking around seven days. These hikes are guided by the rangers and can also be done from the Kenyan side of the mountain.
Cultural tours
Mount Elgon holds cultural significance for the local communities living around the mountain. The two tribes that live on the slopes of Mount Elgon are the Bagisu and the Sabiny.
The Bagisu people, who inhabit the slopes of Mount Elgon in Uganda, consider the mountain as a sacred site. The Bagisu, commonly referred to as the “Bamasaba,” have unique cultural practices such as circumcision performed at ceremonies called Imbalu.
The Bagisu initiate boys into adulthood through an initiation ceremony called the Imbalu. The Bagisu believe that circumcision is the only way for a person to reach adulthood. It is a symbol of maturity and a mark of respect for an individual in their community.
The Imbalu ceremony is vibrant and full of activities, like traditional dances, which draw sizable audiences when the initiates are paraded in front of them. They also perform various rituals and ceremonies on the mountain.
Visiting caves
When visiting Mount Elgon National Park, visitors who prefer less physically demanding activities instead of hiking and mountain climbing might opt for cave viewing as an alternate activity.
The caves known as Kitum, Kapkwai, and Khauka are among those that are explored. Elephants and other creatures are drawn to certain of these caves because of their salted walls. There are bats in the caves as well.
Cycling
Riding a bike gives you the opportunity to see a variety of tourist attractions, like plantations and waterfalls.
The ideal backdrop for mountain biking is provided by the national park. Bicycles can be rented for this adventure. The bicycling trails connect Kapchorwa town and Sipi Trading Center.
Coffee tours
Visitors in Mount Elgon national park also engage in coffee tours which are led by the locals who live on the slopes of Mount Elgon.
The type of coffee which is grown on the slopes of Mount Elgon is Arabica coffee and during the visits to the coffee farms, visitors get to learn more about how the coffee is planted, stored, processed, packaged and other processes from plantation to cup.
Bird watching
Apart from being a hiking destination, visitors can also engage in bird watching during their tours to Mount Elgon national park. Some of the bird species found in the national park include African Goshawk, Jacksons Francolin, Black collared Apalis, Black shouldered kite, Chubbs Cisticola among others.
Attractions around Mount Elgon national park
Some of the attractions to see around Mount Elgon national park include the following;
Mount Elgon
Mount Elgon, the oldest volcano in East Africa, with distinctive flora that reaches the caldera. The primary attraction of the national park, where hiking and mountain climbing are popular tourist activities, is this peak.
Because the Bagisu believe that their ancestor appeared from one of the caves on the mountain’s slopes, the locals who live along the slopes of Mount Elgon refer to it as Masaba. In addition, Mount Elgon serves as a watershed for other rivers, including the Sipi River.
The mountain caldera is another attraction that tourists visiting Mount Elgon national park see during their tours. It was formed as a result of Magma which was drained from the mountain’s chambers, creating a volcanic cone that eventually collapsed to create the depression known as a mountain caldera.
Waterfalls
Mount Elgon is surrounded by several waterfalls, including the magnificent Sipi Falls, which consists of three separate waterfalls cascading down a cliff face. The Sipi falls offer a picturesque setting for hiking, swimming, and photography.
The first waterfall, known as Sipi Falls, is the largest and most impressive of the three. It plunges down a sheer cliff face from a height of approximately 100 meters.
The second waterfall, called Kapsurur Falls, is smaller but equally beautiful, with water flowing over a series of rock formations.
The third waterfall, known as Chebonet Falls or Simba Falls, is the smallest but still offers a beautiful setting.
Best time to visit Mount Elgon national park
Mount Elgon national park can be visited at any time of the year. However for visitors interested in hiking Mount Elgon during their tours to the destination, the dry season aroundJuneto August is considered the best time to visit the park.
How to get to Mount Elgon national park
Mount Elgon national park being located on the boarder of Uganda and Kenya can be accessed from both countries.
From Uganda, visitors can access the national park by driving using the Kampala-Jinja-Mbale route and continue to the park headquarters at the base of the mountain. This drive takes about 5 hours.
Accommodations around Mount Elgon national park
There are different places to stay during tours around Mount Elgon national park including luxury, midrange and budget lodges as well as campsites. The loges and hotels are found in the neighboring towns around the mountain including Kapchorwa and also in Mbale.
Some of the hotels include Mbale resort, Moutn Elgon guesthouse, Sipi river lodge, Masha hotel Savannah guesthouse among others.
