Accessing Mountain Elgon throughout the year is easier since it is less congested and has many of the same attractions with good climate and a lower elevation. Really this has made many tourists find Mountain Elgon as an exciting and alternative place compared to other places for climbs in East Africa. Climbing the peaks requires no special equipment or technical experience. The Sasa trail is the shortest but hardest route to the peaks, traversing the community land and allowing you to explore BaMasaba farming settlements and culture. The round trip takes four days and starts at Budadiri town at an elevation of 1,250m. The hardest climb of over 1,600m is completed on the first day, before crossing the park’s largest area of bamboo forest and passing Jackson’s Pool on the way to Wagagai Peak.
The higher slopes of Mount Elgon are shared with an adjacent national park in Kenya and a transboundary hike can be arranged. After ascending to the caldera with a UWA guide, climbers cross the border to descend with a Kenya Wildlife Service escort.
Mountain Elgon National Park can be reached quickly by car or bus. Drive to the Ugandan Wildlife Authority (UWA) base outside Mbale town the day before you intend to climb. Payment has to be made before you climb so you’ll want to have thought through your route before your arrival.
Where to Hike
Getting to the slopes of Mount Elgon is quite straight forward by public transport as there are numerous communities that live on and around the mountain.
However, Elgon is a large mountain, and its base covers a vast area (one of the largest, if not the largest, in the world!). So, pick your spot on the mountain, or a few, and plan your hikes around them.
Accommodation is only available in a handful of these communities, so it is best to head to one of these places.
Day hikes are possible both outside and inside the National Park. Hiking inside the National Park offers you the chance to experience wilderness, largely free of human settlement and activities. However, you must organise a permit and a guide at one of the park offices (how?), which will also lighten your wallet a bit (how much?).
We suggest these two ideas for a day hike:
- Sipi Falls
- Budadiri to Sasa River Camp (and back)
Guide to Hiking Mount Elgon
Hiking this volcano really offers very excellent opportunity to experience nature in an adventurous way and it is not so strenuous to hike it. The major tourist attraction for the hikers on this relatively undemanding and often neglected mountain is its amazing scenery, characterized by numerous waterfalls scattered on its slopes. This mountain also offers many visitors a chance to sight a variety of very many unique forest monkeys, small antelopes as well as the huge elephants and Buffaloes.
Hikers really need to be fit enough to conquer the peaks of this mountain, though not much specialized equipment are required before reaching the mountain peaks. There is a possibility of altitude related sicknesses since the mountain is not so high and can be hiked any time of the year, but mainly during the dry season presents the best time, which is from June to August and from December up to March.
Mount Elgon has got very many hiking routes but the famous route is a four day round trip that sets off from Budadiri to Wagagai and also follows the Sasa route in the both directions.
There is also another five day hike that goes between Budadiri taking in the Wagagai and the hot springs. There is also a six day hike that is between Budadiri and the Kaptwata via Wagagai and the hot springs.
There are also many other hikes that depart from the forest exploration Centre and Sipi falls. This is the most popular being a trio of short treks taking place in the ridges, caves and the valleys.
It is very possible to access Wanale ridge and this is where the day long hikes can be organized so that trekkers are able to pass through a variety of these heath and moorland landscapes with caves along the way.
Other hiking opportunities include several treks through the local homesteads to explore natives and their extensive coffee plantations, admire the romantic 3 stunning waterfalls of Sipi area with the main fall dropping freely from a cliff of up to 100 meters, historical caves and numerous viewpoints.
Popular Routes
The Sipi trail starts at 2,050m at the Kapkwai Forest Exploration Centre. It is the longest trail to the peaks, passing through the northwestern mountainside through Tutum Cave to enter the caldera and reach Wagagai Peak. The trail begins gently, but becomes tougher on the third day from Kajeri Camp.
The Piswa trail (seven days, 49km round trip) is long and is the most gentle trail. Starting at the village of Kapkwata on the north side of the mountain, it traverses the soft wood plantation to the Podocarpus forest. It’s notable for its rich wildlife and spectacular views of the Karamoja plains in Uganda and the Nandi and Kapeguria hills in Kenya. The Piswa trail also passes the hot springs on the way to the caldera and the peaks.
The various routes can be combines, ascending the Sipi/Piswa/Sasa Trail and descending along the Sasa/Sipi Trail for example. This allows a traverse of the caldera and a visit to the hot springs.
Important Information to Know
Mount Elgon National Park is a roadless wilderness park can only be explored on foot, on routes tha from day walks to ex:tended hikes over several ( reach the upper mountain. You can also make your trans-boundary adventure, ascending the Ugandan slop descending on the Kenyan side (or vice versa). This needs prior arrangement to meet with Kenya Wildlife Services rangers at a crossover point at the hot springs.
A trained ranger guide is required on all treks. Locals make your hike easier, each carrying up to 18kg addition to collecting water, cooking and preparing where to stay.
Rain gear and both cool and warm clothing are required area is subject to sudden weather changes. You should take a camera, binoculars, hat, torch, wildlife guideboo insect repellant.
Best Times to Visit
The best times to climb Mount Elgon are during the dry s’ of June-August and December-March. No technical c equipment or skills are required to reach the main peal caldera and the peaks are the main destinations, while the way, a choice of trails passes interesting and uniqL and fauna, waterfalls, lakes, caves, gorges and hot spril
Getting There
Most of the trail heads can be reached on public transport and there are also accommodations like Wagagai hostel and rose’s last chance just next to the visitors Centre; guests can also stay at Sipi river lodge, Sipi falls resort and the Lacam lodge.