Mount Elgon National Park

Mount Elgon National Park is located on the Uganda-Kenya border and is shared by these two countries. It covers an area of 1,279 square kilometers. For the Ugandan part, it covers an area of 1,110 square kilometres, while in Kenya it covers 169 square kilometers. On the side of Uganda, it was gazetted in 1992 under the management of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), while in Kenya it was gazetted in 1968, managed by the Kenya Wildlife Service.

Mount Elgon National Park experiences two seasons a year: the rainy season from March till May, then September to November, and the dry season that runs from June to September, then December to March. The Bagisu and Sabiny are the two tribes that inhabit the Mount Elgon area.

Things to do in Mount Elgon National Park

Hiking

Mount Elgon National Park has a milder climate, making it easy to access by tourists all year round. It is also less congested, hence giving tourists the opportunity to enjoy their time while climbing. Climbing can be done using different trails, for example, the Sipi Trail, Piswa Trail, and Sasa Trail. The hike is a bit challenging but worth it at the end of the day as tourists get to the caldera and visit the hot springs. Be aware of altitude sickness regardless of the capacity for physical fitness.

Nature Walks

This leads you to Mudange cliffs, also known as ‘walls of death, ‘at the boundary of the national park. You will be rewarded by opportunities by viewing different primates such as baboons, blue monkeys, and black and white colobus monkeys, among others.

Mountain Biking

This usually starts from the Sipi trading centre and takes 2 hours, and during this activity you enjoy the beautiful views of the falls and the hills of Karamoja.

Birding in Mount Elgon National Park

Mount Elgon National Park boasts over 350 bird species, and forest exploration at Kapkwai Centre is an excellent site for watching different birds, which include Jackson’s francolin, Lammergeyer, black-shouldered kite, African goshawk, black-collar apalis, cinnamon bee-eaters, olive and bronze-naped pigeons, Tacazze sunbirds, and black kites, among others.

Cultural Encounter

Mount Elgon National Park is inhabited by the Bamasaba and Sabiny. This is also known to be the leading area in producing Arabic coffee in Uganda. Bamasaba are agriculturalists dealing in coffee, millet, sorghum, and bananas. Tourists can visit this community and learn more, especially on dealing with the day-to-day activities and listening to educational stories from elders and how they have managed to live in this particular area over the years.

It should be noted that this particular community holds a traditional ceremony whereby all the uncircumcised males in the community undergo circumcision, termed the ‘Imbalu’ ceremony. It is worth it to take part in this celebration that passes through towns and villages with different traditional songs being sung during the match. Embark on this thrilling adventure with Corners of Earth Safari.