About Mountain Elgon National Park in Uganda
Mountain Elgon National Park is an ancient large solitude volcanic Mountain situated along the Uganda-Kenya border in East Africa. It has the largest volcanic foundation in the world at approximately 4,000km². Its large outline extends to about 80 km in diameter elevating to 3,000m over.
At Mountain Elgon the higher you go the cooler it becomes from the hot plains and flora and fauna in the slopes to the high skies in the clouds.
The National park inhabits more than 300 bird species including the rare Lammergeyer as well as wildlife animals like the small antelopes, forest monkeys, Savannah Elephants and buffalos.
A hike to the top of this magnificent Mountain enables one to encounter experience and have beautiful views of the surrounding neighborhood as well as beautiful deserted moorlands.
The final objective for hikers along Mountain Elgon is not the ascension to the prominent Wagagai peak at 4321m but instead the descent into the wide caldera of 40km². Transfer to this tremendous destination to experience the best encounters while on safari holiday in the pearl of Africa-Uganda.
Geography and Climate
The Climate around the park is humid to moderate dry receiving annual rainfall of more than 1,270 mm. The dry season takes place from the month of June-August then December-March despite the fact that sometimes it rains anytime of the year due to the location of the Mountain along the Equator.
The wettest season takes place from April-October with mean annual rainfall that ranges from 1500 mm on the Eastern and Northern slopes to 2000 mm along the Southern and the Western slopes. The mean maximum and minimum temperatures range from 23° and 15 °C throughout the year.
Bio-diversity
The biodiversity and vegetation of Mountain Elgon includes the altitudinal illicit regional straps usually connected with vast mountain massifs and these are subdivided into four different expansive communities and these include the combined montane forest that goes till an elevation of 2500m studded with the giant lobelia and groundsel plants, bamboo and low canopy montane forest from 2400-3000m and moorland which is above 3500m.
The botanical diversity of the park comprises of gigantic podocarpus, pillarwood Cassipourea malosana, juniper and Elgon olive trees cedar Juniperus procera, elder Sambucus adnata, pure stands of Podocarpus gracilior etc. Various wildlife animals can be spotted in the park like the elephants and buffalo that are always residing along the lower slopes where as small antelope, duiker.
Forest monkeys like the blue monkey, black and white Colobus are endemic for they can be spotted around the park. In the late 1990’s the park is known to have been occupied by the leopards and hyenas. There are atleast 300 different species of birds that can be found around the park and these include the Jackson’s francolin, Hartlaub’s turaco, eastern bronze-naped pigeon, Tacazze sunbird and the rare lammergeier, due to their restricted range.
What to bring
- A Tent
- A sleeping bag
- Warm clothes
- Gloves
- A hat
- Sturdy hiking shoes
- A flashlight
- A water bottle
- Rain gear
- First aid kit
- Cooking equipment