Mount Elgon National park

Mount Elgon National park is located 140 kilometers northeast of Lake Victoria on the Kenya- Uganda border. Mount Elgon National park covers an area of 1,279 square kilometers. The Ugandan part accounts for 1,145 sq km and the Kenyan section 169 sq km.

The Kenyan part of the park was established in 1968, while the Ugandan section was recognized in 1993. The park is named after mountain Elgon, an extinct volcano. Mountain Elgon stands as the largest volcanic base in the world and Africa’s eighth-highest massif, reaching 4,321 meters at Wagagai peak. 

This mountain plays an important role as a water collection for two rivers; the Turkwel River or the Suam River found in Uganda which contributes its waters to Lake Turkana and the Nzoia River which flows towards Lake Victoria.

Flora and fauna

The slopes of Mt. Elgon supports a variety of vegetation ranging from highland moors to montane forests protected within this national park. The lower slopes of the national park are home to Sipi Falls, a major  tourist attraction in the Elgon region.

The vegetation zones of Mount Elgon are similar to those found on East African mountains. Below the 3000m contour, the mountain supports evergreen forest that covers  an area of 750 sq km within Uganda. This forest belt can be divided into two main strata. For instance; low canopy montane forest and bamboo between 2500m and 3000m and tall Afro montane forest below 2500m . The slopes below the 2000m contour located outside the national park support forest cover. However, much of this has been cleared for cultivation.

Above 3000m lies the bushy shrubs and the afro alpine moorland that covers the caldera. Some of the unique plants that are found in the Mount Elgon National park include; giant lobelia and groundsel, and the endemic S. elgonensis and  Senecio barbatipes.

Mount Elgon National park is a home to a variety of wildlife and these include; blue monkeys, elephants, Red- tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, De Brazza’s monkey, tree hyrax, Genet, common duiker, bushpigs, civet bushbuck, buffaloes, leopards, sitatunga. These can be encountered during  hiking or climbing mount Elgon.

The park is a home to over 300 bird species including Afro montane moorland and forest birds endemic. These include the Jackson’s francolin, hunter’s cisticola, mustached green tinker-bird, black-collared apalis, red-throated wryneck, white starred forest robin, moorland francolin, alpine chat, marsh widowbird, and Weyn’s weaver. The endangered bearded vulture also known as  lammergeyer is regularly observed at higher altitudes.

Tourist attractions in Mount Elgon National park

Climbing Mount Elgon

Mount Elgon is the 4th tallest mountain in East Africa and is always hiked during the dry season. The activity takes 4 to 6 days depending on the route one has used. There are three major trails that can be  used during climbing. For instance; the Salsa trail, Sipi trail, and Pisa trail. The salsa trail also known as Buddukiro starts from Mbale town and it is the shortest among the three. By using this trail it will take you 4 days to reach the peak. However it has steep climbs and goes through the thickest area of bamboo forests though it is more direct and usually used during descending.

The second is Sipi trail which begins from Kapkwai forest exploration center and it takes 5 to 6 days to reach the peak. Most tourists prefer using this trail when ascending. Whereas the Pisa trail starts from the Kapkwata and passes through the podocarpus forest. This trail lasts for 7 days and offers chances to spot a variety of animals and birds. Most tourists prefer using the Sipi trail when ascending and Salsa when descending.

Mountain biking 

Mountain biking was started in 2012 and many biking trails were opened by Uganda wildlife Authority. These trails cater for different skill levels  and biking preferences. For instance; downhill trails, freeride, trail riding and cross country. The activity takes an hour and a half from Sipi trading center to Chema hill in Kapchorwa. During Mountain biking, bikers get an opportunity to see various waterfalls and Karamoja plains. Bikes can be rented from Sipi river lodge.

Birding watching

Mount Elgon national park is a home to 300 bird species and some of these birds are endemic to this area. Bird watching is mostly done in Kapkwai forest and some birds that can be spotted include; mountain greenbul, golden-winged sunbirds, cinnamon-chested bee-eaters, Doherty’s bush-shrike, bar-tailed trogon, black-collared apalis, montane oriole, black-and-white casqued hornbill, African blue fly-catcher, gray-throated barbet, Hartlaub’s turaco, and African goshawk.

Game drives

Mount Elgon national park is one of the best destinations in Uganda for game viewing. Game drives around the park are organized according to the tourists best location. The park is home to buffaloes, hyenas, leopards and duikers. These can be spotted during morning and day game drives.

Abseiling 

Mount elgon national park is the only place in Uganda where abseiling is done. The activities involve going down a cliff with a rope that is fastened around the harness. For the safety of participants, the park has good imported equipment that are used in the activity. And abseiling is conducted by well trained instructors and guides.

Cultural encounters

Mount Elgon national park is surrounded by the Bagisu or Bamasaba people and the Sabinyi. The Bagisu are known for their old culture of initiation of young men into adulthood. They go through a series of ceremonies which end with circumcision (Imbalu). No man in Bagisu is allowed to marry before completing the ritual of circumcision. The same to ladies no woman considers marrying a man who hasn’t undergone circumcision. The Imbalu festival always takes place during the months of August and December of even years.

During this time, the entire town and villages of Mbale come alive with crowds. They sing and dance when escorting the candidates to receive blessings and gifts from their relatives before heading to the circumcision site. The Bugisu cultural group perform cultural dances and share stories about their cultural heritage. Further the group engage in cooking of bamboo shoots, locally known as malewa. Tourists are allowed to participate if they are interested.

Whereas the Sabiny women are famously known for  female genital mutilation(female circumcision). However the practice has been prohibited by the government due to pressure from female human rights groups. Despite the ban, some individuals still secretly circumcise their daughters.

Sabiny women also participate in handcraft as they weave baskets, one should not miss out the women’s craft shop in the trading center. This is where tourists can get souvenirs and the shop contributes to maintaining the coffee trees and raising awareness about the dangers of female circumcision. It also supports education of orphans through paying for them school fees.

Caves exploration

This activity is mostly done by tourists who want shorter day hikes. There are three most visited caves and these include; Kitum, Chepnyali, and  Mackingeny. However there are other ancient caves found in Budadiri with paintings dating back thousands of years. The Khauka and Kapkwai caves in Wanale have unique features and bats thus being visitor favorites. Also these caves served as shelters for local people and their domestic animals. These caves attract a number of animals from the park such as elephants and antelopes that come to lick salt from the walls.

Additionally, there is also Nyero Rock Painting Caves located outside the Mbale town. These caves are said to once sheltered the first humans on the earth. They  left  behind paintings portraying their way of life thousands of years ago.

Visiting Abayudaya

The Abayudaya are the smallest group of the Jewish community found around the areas of Sipi falls and Mount Elgon. The people under this community converted to the Jewish tradition. The Abayudaya work with different religious denominations like the pentecostals. The group has also led to a positive impact in the society as many schools and hospitals have been built. These schools follow both Jewish and Ugandan curriculum.