What are the activities to do in Mountain Elgon National Park?

Mountain Elgon National Park covers an area of 1145km protecting the higher slopes of Mountain Elgon an extinct volcano with the world’s largest Mountain Caldera on the Uganda-Kenya border. Mountain Elgon rises to a height of 4321m above sea level with its highest point Wagagai located in Uganda. Mountain Elgon gives an opportunity for adventure enthusiasts to for hiking among other activities. Mountain Elgon National Park is a home to a variety of wildlife including large mammals such as Elephants and Buffaloes though rarely seen and most times you will see their footsteps and 300 recorded bird species. The activities to do in Mountain Elgon National Park range from adventure, cultural and wildlife viewing making it one of the great destinations to visit on your safari to Uganda.

Activities to do in Mountain Elgon National Park

Mountain Climbing

Hiking Mount Elgon provides an exciting alternative for strenuous climbs on East Africa’s mountains. Sasa Trail is the most used route to hike up to the summit of Mount Elgon, this will take you up to 4321m to Wagagai Peak from a small town of Budadiri in the Sironko Valley. The Sipi Trail follows a longer but gentler route starting 800m higher than Budadiri at Uganda Wildlife Authority forest Exploration Centre at Kapkwai.

Forest Walks.

Forest walks is another great activity to do at Mountain Elgon  Park, trails through the forest take you through caves, waterfalls and various bird areas giving you an opportunity to observe various bird species and wildlife.

Sipi Falls Adventure

Sipi falls hike is another great activity to do on your visit to Murchison Falls National Park, at Sipi falls you will have an opportunity to see the river as it plunges over three sets of basalt cliffs during its decent to the plains beneath.

Mountain Biking

Mountain Biking excursions range from casual exploration of many lovely trails in the vicinity to the challenging Elgon Enduro which is hosted by Sipi River lodge.

Rock Climbing

This is as well done at Sipi Falls. Many basalt cliffs around Sipi falls have been bolted and can safely be climbed

Coffee Tour

Mountain Elgon is one of the areas in Uganda where finest coffee is grown and produced the major type of coffee grown here is Arabica coffee. On this coffee tour you will take a guided tour of a coffee garden to see how coffee is grown up to when it is harvest at the end of the tour you will also taste the locally grown coffee with a cup of coffee and have options to buy as well.

Cultural Encounters

Mountain Elgon has various cultures for cultural encounters including the local Bagisu, Masaba among others. The great event here is the Embalu which includes circumcising men using local means this attracts any tourists to see this historical cultural event every year.

Birding

Mountain Elgon National Park has over 300 recorded bird species making it one of a great bird destination in Uganda, bird species include Black-collared apalis, Green tinkerbird, Jackson’s fracolin, Verreaux’s Eagle, Black collared apalis and Endangered Lammergeier.

How to access Mountain Elgon National Park?

Mountain Elgon National Park is found above Mbale town, 235km East of Kampala. You will drive through Jinja and proceed along Jinja-Mbale high way the drive time is approximately 3-4 hours. Mountain Elgon can also be accessed from Kidepo National Park in the north Eastern Uganda, having stops via Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve is also recommended for those driving from Kidepo National Park to Mountain Elgon National Park.

Where to stay in Mountain Elgon National Park

Lodge options in Mountain Elgon  Park you can stay in range from budget, mid-range to luxury. Budget options include Sipi River Lodge Camp Site among others fares range from 90-100 dollars a night per person, mid-range options include Sipi River Lodge among others fares range from 100-200 dollars a night per person and then Luxury options Mbale Resort Hotel among others fares range from 200-400 dollars a night per person.

Best time to visit Mountain Elgon National Park

The best time to visit Mountain Elgon  is during the dry months of December to February and then June to October during this time the roads accessing the park are dry and driving through is easy compared to wet season of March to May and Later October to November. However the park can as well be visited throughout the year and you will be able to do the above activities in Mountain Elgon National Park.

Why book with Safari Vacation and Travel Services on your Road Trip to Mount Elgon National Park

At Safari Vacation and Travel Services we are well set to host tourists with various SOPs put in place in-line with WHO for the safety and health of our clients, we ready to organize your safari following precautions set to prevent the spread of COVID 19 and ensure you do your safari safely and successfully. Safari Travel Services and its team  bring you closer than ever to the wonders Uganda and Rwanda have to offer. From Gorilla trekking to the chimpanzee habitation in Kibale, cultural tour across Rwanda and city tours, we have everything you need to make your first or occurring experience in the region a memorable one. Click here for a complete list of our entire packages, and in case you have any questions, please click here to get in touch with us.