Mount Elgon National Park

Elgon is a 4,321m high extinct volcano which in prehistoric times stood taller than Kilimanjaro does today. Although the mountain straddles the Kenya border, its loftiest peak, Wagagai, lies within Uganda and is best ascended from the Uganda side.

Elgon is an important watershed, and its slopes support a rich variety of altitudinal vegetation zones ranging from montane forest to high open moorland studded with the other worldly giant lobelia and plants. Elgon receives far fewer visitors than other higher and more famous mountains however as routes to Mt. Kilimanjaro become more crowded and degraded, hikers are starting to appreciate Mt. Elgon’s deserted moorland.

How to get there                                     

Mbale lies 3-4 hours from Kampala along a good tar road.
The trailhead at Budadiri, 20km from Mbale, is accessible by public transport. It lies 235km east of Kampala and the tarmac road runs through JINJA to Mbale on the western slopes of the mountain.

What to do there

 The main activity in this park is Mountain climbing, but there are others like

  • Nature walks
  • Scenery viewing (Water falls) i.e. Sipi falls to view.
  • Trout fishing.
  • Coffee tours.

Accommodation.

Inside the park, there are simple camping sites. There are a number of accommodation facilities with in the range and they include of the following .inside the park, there are simple camping sites

  • Masha hotel in Kapchorwa centre.
  • Mount Elgon Hotel.
  • Noah’s ark hotel.
  • Roses’last chance.
  • Crown nest
  • Twalight sipi campsite;
  • Sipi river Lodge;

Best time to visit.

 The best time to visit is between the months of June-August and December to March when its dry season though seasons are unpredictable so it can rain any time.

 

 

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