MOUNT ELGON NATIONAL PARK

Mt. Elgon national park is one of the spectacularly scenic national park in Uganda. It is located in the Eastern part of Uganda, bordering Kenya and Uganda, 140kms North East of lake Victoria.

It has size of 1145 sq km and 4321m above sea level, with Wagagai being the high extinct volcano, which is the 8th highest in Africa, and has 8km diameter, largest is the world.

The park was named after Mt. Elgon, which is locally called “Masaba”, and was gazzetted as a national park in 1993.

Mount Elgon is a water catchment area for River Nzoia which flow to Lake Victoria, and Turkwei River which flows into Lake Turkana.

The area has a climate which range from moist to moderate dry, with the dry season being June-Aug, and December-March, and an average annual rainfall of 1270mm.

The watershed and its slopes support rich variety of altitudinal vegetation zones ranging from Montane forest to high open moorland studded with the giant loberia and groundsel plants.

The botanical diversity include plants like prodocarpus, juniper and elgon olive trees cedar, juniperus procera, pillarwood cassipourea malosana, elder sambucus adnata, pure stands of podocarpus gracilior and mary orchids, all of which make it rich in those interest in botanical discoveries.

The area is inhabited by the Bagisu, a tribe in Uganda which also extends to Kenya, and they are also called Bamasaba.

The park has over 24 mammal species, some of which include elephants, bushpigs, buffalo, leopard, sitatunga duiker, small antelopes, forest monkeys like black and white colobus, blue monkeys.

The park also has over 300 bird species, for example the endangered lammergeirer, African goshawk, baglafecht weaver.

Apart from its Flora and Fauna, the park has a beautiful scenery which include cliffs, caves, waterfalls, gorges, mesas, hot springs, and mountain peaks, which all form a big part of attraction.

There are several activities in the park, which include;

-Vehicle circuits, which lead to animal viewing areas, caves and koitoboss peak.

-Self-guided walking trail where one gets a chance to admire nature, looking at the beautiful scenery, plants, falls, etc.

-Hiking to Endebess Bluff and koitoboss peak

-Primate and Bird watching, where one gets a chance to see different types mammals like monkeys, and a wide range of bird species.

-Cave explorations, where one gets to see different caves which are found on the foots of the mountain. The most interesting one is where the animals come to lick salt in kitum, chepnyali, mackingeny caves especially at night.

-Visit to Rubanga forest also offers an opportunity for botanists to see different tree species.

-Camping photography, where one gets a chance to take photos from the fascinating environment with in the park.