This 6 Days Mt Elgon Hiking starts and ends in Kampala city. You will hike to the highest peak Wagagai rising at 4,321 meters above sea level. Mount Elgon is a flat topped extinct volcano featuring the largest caldera in the world. Located in eastern Ugandan on the border with Kenya, it’s said to have erupted 24 million years ago with a 40km crater lake, several waterfalls, giant rocks, ancient caves, deep gorges, and hot springs which make it ideal for hikers.
Hikers will ascend to the summit passing through a secondary forest and shrub where most of the wildlife (animals and birds) will be encountered. Forest elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, hyenas, monkeys such as black and white Colobus monkeys, blue monkeys and bird species like the Lammergeier which is endemic to Mount Elgon. You will enjoy beautiful scenery of 4 vegetation zones starting from the montane forests, bamboo forests to the health and moorlands where rare plants like giant lobelias and groundsels can be seen. No technical equipment is required; Uganda Wildlife Authority guides are well versed with the fauna and flora. Even during the wet season, Mount Elgon can be hiked. The dry season is between December to February and June to August.
Tour Itinerary
Day 1: transfer from Kampala to Mount Elgon National Park
After breakfast in Kampala city, you will depart the city with your guide and drive to eastern Uganda. This journey will take 8 hours covering about 229 km. En route you will stop at Mabira forest reserve, take a short nature walk to see butterflies, monkeys or zip line in the sky. Proceed via Jinja for en route lunch; continue through Mbale town arriving at Budadiri tourism centre. Have dinner and overnight at Rose’s Last chance community camp (budget).
Day 2: Budadiri to Sasa River Camp
Early morning after breakfast, you will be given time to arrange hiking gears or hire porters and then start walking towards Sasa river camp at (2,900 meters above sea level). You will traverse montane and enter bamboo forests at Sasa river camp for dinner and overnight. It will take about 8 hours of hiking to cover an 8 km trail.
Day 3: Walk from Sasa River Camp to Mude Camp
After breakfast at Sasa River Camp, you shall hike for 4-5 hours through the bamboo to the starting zone of heath and moorlands reaching Mude camp at 3,500 meters above sea level. Have dinner and overnight. Along the trail views of the vegetation provide photo opportunities.
Day 4: Mude Camp to Wagagai Peak at 4,321 meters above sea level
After your breakfast, start hiking towards the summit of Wagagai peak, this trail may take 7-8 hours of hiking through heath and moorlands to the highest peak (4,321 meters above sea level). After reaching the summit, walk to the caldera with beautiful views of eastern Uganda and western Kenya. You will eat your lunch from the summit and after return back to Mude camp for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Mude camp back to Budadiri
Today you will descend back to Budadiri tourism centre where you will return hired camping gears and then after lunch transfer to the nearby Sipi waterfalls in Kapchorwa district. Sipi waterfalls consist of three levels of natural waterfalls falling over a 95 meter rock cliff to create cool breeze around the area. The place is very beautiful being on the foothills of Mt. Elgon, there are birds, 6 Days Mt Elgon Hiking, monkeys and coffee plantations. Walking trails will enable you to access the waterfalls with your guide. Later check in at Sipi River lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Transfer back to Kampala
After breakfast, drive back to Kampala via Mbale and Jinja towns with en route lunch. Depending on your interests, you will be dropped either in Kampala city or Entebbe airport for departure.
End of Tour
