Mount Elgon National Park is located on the Uganda-Kenya border in the Eastern part of Uganda just a few kilometers away from Mbale Town, it is also the oldest and largest solitary, volcanic mountain in East Africa. Mount Elgon National Park is known as the birding destination famous for a variety of the bird species that are over 300 bird species including the endangered Lammergeyer which is only found in the park. Mount Elgon National Park got its name from the largest attraction found in the park that is Mount Elgon, which is the second highest mountain in Uganda after Mount Rwenzori, though unlike Mount Rwenzori which is a block mountain, and eighth highest mountain in Africa for the case of Mount Elgon was formed by the process of volcanicity, Mount Elgon National Park is a great safari tourism destination in Uganda.
Attractions in Mount Elgon National Park.
Wildlife.
Mount Elgon National Park is a wildlife safari haven with a variety of the wildlife within its boundaries, due to the presence of the varied vegetation along the mountain slopes inhabits a variety of the wildlife, here the tourists are able to spot more animal species including the elephants, buffaloes, oribi, duiker, squirrels, spotted hyena, Defassa’s waterbuck among others while the park has other primates like the white colobus monkey and the blue monkey and among more, other animal species to be spotted includes the small antelope, leopard, spotted hyena and many others.
Bird species.
Mount Elgon National Park is gifted with the most beautiful and attractive bird species that are over 300, the park has a variety of the habitants where the bird species inhabit including the waterfalls, hot springs, Jackson’s pool, caves, bamboo forests, mountain caldera, flowers which makes the park the most attractive. Other notable bird species includes 40 restricted range species, 56 of the 87 Afrotropical highland biome species live here like Moorland Francolin, Moustached Green Tinker bird, Alpine chat and among others. Mount Elgon National Park is the only few places in Uganda where the tourists can watch the endangered Lammergeyer especially in the soaring above the caldera and Suam Gorge.
Bird species in Mount Elgon National Park includes the African Goshawk, White-chinned Prinia, African Blue Fly-catcher, Tacazze sunbird, Hartlaub’s turaco, Chinspot Batis, Dohertys, Cinnamon Bee Eater, Moustached Tinkerbird, Tacazza and many others and these can be best spotted in areas like Kapkwai Forest Exploration Center.
Mount Elgon.
Mount Elgon is the main attraction in Mount Elgon National Park, the park was named like that because of the volcanic mountain that is located in the center of the park which covers the highest percentage of the park land, and the mountain has four key peak points which is shared by Kenya and Uganda. The Mount Elgon is so attractive to the tourist’s in fact the mountain can be hiked for 3 to 5 days depending on the physical fitness of the tourist.
Sipi falls.
On the western and northern sides of Mount Elgon there are massive cliffs, over the mountains river plunge as the awesome waterfalls, these are the best attractions in Mount Elgon National Park majorly they are three waterfalls at Sipi on the Kapchorwa road just outside the park, the first waterfalls are most spectacular as cascades over a 100m cliff, the second one known as Simba that plunges over 69m over the entrance to cave, this is amazing where the tourists can stand on the cave and view the third waterfall known as Ngasire that plugs over 87 m high ridge. The sipi falls are such gorgeous and too beautiful to spot on a safari.
Vegetation.
Mount Elgon national park has got the attractive vegetation being banded into the broad zones whose characteristics are dictated by altitude and rainfall, then the lower mountain slopes are covered with the dense forest and regenerating forests, hung with vine-like lianas, epiphytes and lichens while the floor is covered with a carpet of ferns, orchids and various flowering plants these are greater attractions to the tourists in the park, the summit of the mountain is vegetated by the rare Afro-montane species that includes the giant forms of lobelia and groundsel.
Activities done at Mount Elgon National Park.
Bird watching.
Mount Elgon National Park boasts over 300 bird species with over 50 Afrotropical highland biome species in the park like Moorland Francolin, Moustached Green Tinkerbird, Alphine chat, other species to find in the park includes Jackson’s Francolin, Black-collared Apalis and many others, Mount Elgon National Park remains the most special birding paradise that has the most bird species also its recognized as the home to the endangered Lammergeyer that can be easily seen while moving above the caldera and Suam Gorge in the park.
Nature walks.
Nature walks in Mount Elgon National Park can be done on the foot as the way of adventuring the park with the experienced guides, this activity is mostly done through the trails of Khauka Cave Trail, Bambo Trail, during the walks this is where the tourists fully encounter with the wildlife in the park that is by spotting the various primates, birds and various tree species like Elgon teak, Elgon Olive, the nature walk in the park is so massive as this explores you to the chebonet falls and the walk to the Kapkwai caves which is so rewarding.
Cave Visits.
Being penetrated by the highly-unusual caves, Mount Elgon National Park is the best park that explains you what nature is all about that is it has the larger caves of Kitum, Ngwarisha, Chepnyalil, Makingeny these are amazing attractions that can be explored by the tourists as at the same time they give you direction to get to Kenya but however they are too dark which makes it a bit complicated.
Hiking safari.
Mount Elgon National Park is the right answer when someone thinks of the hiking safari that is the park has got main 3 trail to hike to the mountain summit of Mount Elgon namely, the Sasa trailhead at Budadiri, Sipi trailhead at Forest Exploration centre-Kapkwai, Piswa trailhead at Kapkwata, the park gives you the greatest milestone in your life after hiking Mount Elgon which is the prime trekking mountain in the entire East Africa, with the most largest volcano with a crater of the major peaks in Africa with the caldera being more attractive.
Entrance fee at Mount Elgon National Park.
Adults.
Foreigners USD 25
Foreign residents USD 20
East Africans 3000 UGX (about USD 1.50)
Children.
Foreigners USD 20
Foreign Africans USD 10
East Africans 1500 UGX (less than USD 1)
Best time to visit Mount Elgon National Park.
The best time to visit Mount Elgon National Park is during the dry season in the month of June to August and December to March, that is the most important to note that hiking safari to the top of the mountain Elgon and all other park activities continue even during the wet/dry season.
