TOUR AND TRAVEL CENTRE UGANDA

Mount Elgon National Park

Mount Elgon National Park lies on the Uganda - Kenya boarder east of Mbale town. The park size covers1, 145 square kilometers. The park is named after Mount Elgon which is the 8th highest mountains in Africa, (4,321m), with the largest base of any extinct volcano in the world.

This volcano is estimated to have erupted more than 20 million years ago and it is thought to have remained active for another 14,000,000 years. The tallest peak is on the Ugandan side of the boarder called Wagagai peak (34,321m). while the other three  peaks in Kenya Sudek (4,302m), Kuitobos (4,222m), Mubiyi (4,211m), Masaba (4,161m) in Uganda.



The first European to reach the mountain lower slopes was Joseph Thompson who observed it from the direction of Masai land in 1883 and named it the Mount Elgon. 
Elgon is an important watershed and its slopes support a rich variety of altitudinal vegetation zone raging from montane forest to high open moorland studded with the other worldly giant lobelia and groundsel plants.

Vegetation and wild life
The park’s vegetation is characterized by tall afromontane forest, below 2500m and low canopy montane forest and bamboo between 2500m and 3000m.

Other attractions are the ancient paintings close to the trailhead at Budadiri, and spectacular caves and hot springs within the crater. A variety of forest Monkeys, Small Antelopes, Elephants, Buffalos and sitatungas. The mountain also supports a rich variety of forest birds like Jackson francolin, Green tinker bird, Alpine chat, and Red throated wryneck among others.

When to hike
June - August and from December - March when its dry season is the best time to hike on this mountain.

Where to stay
Up- market hotels within Mbale town, such as wash and wills Hotel and Budget market lodges at Sipi falls and Budadiri within the park.