MT ELGON NATIONAL PARK
Mount Elgon National Park is a thrilling scenery for extended hikes which can only be explored on foot; you can expect to experience magnificent waterfalls, enormous caves, scenic peaks and gorges, and hot springs which bubble up at 48’C. The Park lies 235km east of Uganda’s capital city. The best times to visit are during the drier seasons from June to August and December to March. No technical climbing equipment or skills are required and all major peaks are accessible to hikers.
The park is named after Mount Elgon, an extinct shield volcano on the border of Uganda and Kenya. Mount Elgon National Park is uniquely split down the middle by the Kenyan-Ugandan border. It is an important water catchment for the Nzoia River which flows to Lake Victoria, and for the Turkwel River (known as the Suam River in Uganda), which flows into Lake Turkana. It is home of at least 300 bird species like Jackson’s francolin, the eastern bronze-naped pigeon, Hartlaub’s turaco and the endangered lammergeier. Elephants and buffaloes can also be found on the lower slopes. The park is also home to a variety of small antelope and duiker, as well forest monkeys including the black-and-white colobus, blue monkey and red-tailed monkey which have been reported after being thought to be locally extinct.
The mountain’s cool heights offer relief from the hot plains below, with the higher altitudes providing a refuge for flora and fauna. A climb on Mt. Elgon’s deserted moorlands unveils a magnificent and uncluttered wilderness without the summit-oriented approach common to many mountains.
Activities and attractions include:
- Mountain and volcano climbing
- Archery
- Nature walks
- Birding
- Cultural encounters
- Hiking
- Mountain biking
- Caves
- The peaks and the Caldera
- Sipi falls
- Nyero rock paintings
Accommodation
Luxury accommodation
- Mbale resort Hotel
- Sipi River Lodge
Mid-range accommodation
- Lacam lodge
- Mount Elgon Hotel & Spa
- Masha Hotel
- Sipi Falls Resort
Budget Accommodation
- Crow’s Nest Rest camp
- Kapkwai Forest cottages
- Kapkwata Guesthouse
- Suam Guesthouse