Mount Elgon is a home to over 300 species of birds, of which the endangered Lammergeyer is among, small antelopes, forest monkeys, elephants and buffalos. Its higher slopes are protected by national parks in Uganda and Kenya, creating an extensive trans-boundary conservation area, which has been declared by UNESCO as a Man & Biosphere Reserve.
Like wildlife that has the mountain as its habitant, the slopes are dominated by human settlement.
In the wake of the week, a wave of landslides triggered by heavy rains struck three villages burying an entire village in Bulambuli district, leaving many people feared dead.
The Red Cross, Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) and the community are working tirelessly to rescue and assess the damage and loss of life.
Situated on the Southern slopes of Mt Elgon in Eastern Uganda, the area is prone to landslides, partly due to deforestation to coffee growing, seasonal food crops and human settlement. The practice has made the region vulnerable to occasional landslides.
However, the area affected is outside Mt. Elgon National Park and over 70km away from the main tourism circuit on Community land.
We would like to reassure our visitors that the park is open for business and there are no risks in visiting. The situation is being monitored closely to ensure visitor safety at all times.
Ascending to the top of Mt. Elgon’s deserted moorlands unveils a magnificent and uncluttered wilderness without the summit-oriented approach common to many mountains. Reaching the 4321m Wagagai peak is not the ultimate goal, but the descent into the vast 40km caldera.