Attractions in Mount Elgon National Park
Attractions in Mountain Elgon National Park: Mountain Elgon National Park is a spectacular tourist destination and protected park located in eastern Uganda on the border of Uganda and Kenya. Mountain Elgon National Park lies on Mount Elgon on the side situated in Uganda.
Mount Elgon is an extinct volcano standing at an elevation of 4321 meters above sea level. Mount Elgon is ranked as the 4th highest mountain in east Africa and it is shared by both Uganda and Kenya, stretching in a diameter of 80 kilometers.
Mountain Elgon National Park covers an area of 1,279 square kilometers; the park is bisected by the border of Uganda and Kenya. The Uganda part of the park covers 1,110 square kilometers, while the Kenyan park covers an area of 169 square kilometers.
Mountain Elgon National Park is a very breathtaking tourist destination endowed with many attractions that attract a huge population of tourists to this park. attractions in the park include
MOUNTAIN ELGON AND ITS MAGNIFICENT PEAKS
Mount Elgon is a very fascinating mountain, ranked the 7th highest mountain, standing at an elevation of 4,321 meters and covering a diameter of 80 kilometers. Mountain Elgon is covered with numerous kinds of green vegetation cover at different altitude levels, such as Ardisiandra wettsteinii, Carduus afromontanus, Echinops hoehnelii, Ranunculus keniensis, and Romulea keniensis, which fascinates tourists. Mount Elgon consists of 5 major peaks, which facilitate the hiking experience. these peaks stand at different elevation levels and they include
- Wagagai peak, standing at the height of 4,321 metres and found in Uganda
- Sudek Peak, standing at the height of 4,302 metres and situated on the Kenya/Uganda border
- Koitobos peak, standing at the height of 4,222 metres, lies on a flat-topped basalt column in Kenya
- Mubiyi peak, standing at an elevation of 4,211 metres, is found in Uganda
- Masaba Peak, standing at an elevation of 4,161 meters and found in Uganda
Mount Elgon and its peaks create magnificent scenery in Mount Elgon National Park.
CAVES
Mountain Elgon National Park hosts many caves that park visitors can visit while on their safari. Caves in the park include Ngwarisha, Makingeny, Chepnyalil and Kitum caves. The most prominent of the caves is Kitum Cave, which is 200 meters deep with a width of 60 meters. These caves provide a great chance for wildlife viewing, most especially elephants, which flock to the cave. The caves contain salt deposits and animals come to the cave to lick salt.
There is cave painting near a trailhead at Budadiri.
SIPI FALLS
Sipi Falls are one of the most spectacular attractions in Mount Elgon National Park. Situated on the upper slopes of Mount Elgon, Sipi Falls is a series of three falls, though two upper falls of the three are most exciting and beautiful to look at. These two falls flow at different heights; the first one drops at a height of 100 meters, the second drops at the height of 85 meters and the last one drops at the height of 75 meters.
While at Sipi Falls, you get to enjoy a beautiful sightseeing experience, climbing to the top of the falls, and it offers a spectacular chance for photography.
FLORA AND FAUNA
Flora
Mountain Elgon National Park is dotted with many types of beautiful vegetation, covering approximately 400 species, which range from montane forest to high open moorland, which is intersected by giant lobelia and groundsel plants.
Vegetation in the park greatly varies with altitude. Vegetation types in the park include olive (Olea hochstetteri) and Aningueria adolfi-friedericii wet montane forest, which are found on the slopes of the mountain; olive and Podocarpus gracilior forest; Podocarpus; bamboo (Arundinaria); Hagenia abyssinica zone; moorland with heaths (Erica arborea and Philippia trimera); tussock grasses such as Agrostis gracilifolia and Festuca pilgeri; herbs such as Alchemilla, Helichrysum, and Lobelia; and the giant groundsels Senecio barbatipes and Senecio elgonensis found in the higher altitudes.
Fauna
Mammals. Mountain Elgon National Park is a habitat to a variety of mammals, which use the vegetation cover as their home; these mammals include forest elephants, buffalo, antelopes, dicker and primates.
Primates in Mountain Elgon National Park are found in deep forests of the park and they include black-and-white colobus and blue monkeys. Red-tailed monkey and others
Birds. Mountain Elgon National Park is an important birding site; the park is a home to approximately 144 bird species, majorly forest bird species, which include golden-winged and Hartlaub’s black turacos, Tacazze sunbirds, Ross’s and white-casqued and crowned hornbills, endangered lammergeiers, Jackson’s francolins, eastern bronze-naped pigeon and many more.
CULTURE
Mountain Elgon National Park is surrounded by Gishu tribal communities living on the outskirts of the park, while in the Gishu community you get to encounter their extraordinary ways of daily life and the amazing Embalu ceremonies (circumcision ceremonies). The Embalu ceremony is a cultural way of initiating teenage males into manhood by circumcision.
OTHER PHYSICAL FEATURES IN MOUNTAIN ELGON NATIONAL PARK
Mount Elgon National Park hosts numerous many attractions and physical features, which include
Rivers – rivers in the park include Suam River which flows to Lake Turkana, river Nzoia and river Lwakhakha which flow to Lake Victoria.
Crater Lake, hot springs, gorges, mesas and escarpments, which make up the spectacular Mount Elgon landscape.
HOW TO ACCESS MOUNTAIN ELGON NATIONAL PARK
Mountain Elgon National Park is situated on the eastern border of Uganda and Kenya stretching between Kapchorwa and Mbale districts, which is approximately 235 kilometers east of Kampala, the capital city of Uganda and the beginning spot of most Ugandan safaris to Mountain Elgon National Park. From Kampala you can use both road and air transport means; by road you can use the Kampala–Jinja–Mbale route. From Mbale you drive to Kapchorwa on a murram road, which leads you to numerous climbing trails.
ACCOMMODATION IN MOUNTAIN ELGON NATIONAL PARK
While on a safari in Mount Elgon National Park, it got from the following facilities: Kapkwata Guest House, Suam Guest, Sipi River Lodge, Crow’s Nest Camp, Sipi Falls Resort, Moses’ Campsite, Twilight Campsite, Lacam Lodge, Mbale Resort, New Mountain Elgon View Hotel, Savannah Guest House, Masha Hotel, Mountain Elgon Hotel, Kayegi Hotel, Rose’s Last Chance community, and many more.
