Mountain Elgon Volcano Uganda, Mountain Hiking Safari

Mount Elgon is an extinct shield volcano with long grass and baked black rocks seen on a Mountain Elgon Hiking Safari taking you through the dusty trails and the desperate looking junipers on the border of Uganda and Kenya north of Kisumu and west of Kitale. Mountain Elgon has the largest volcanic base in the world and can also be seen northeast of Lake Victoria.

Mount Elgon’s highest point, named “Wagagai”, is fully located within Uganda. Although there is no verifiable evidence of its earliest volcanic activity. To some geologists, they estimate that Mount Elgon is at least 24 million years old, making it the oldest extinct volcano in East Africa.

Nature of Mount Elgon | Physical Features

Mount Elgon is a vast form, 80 kilometres in diameter, rises 3,070 metres above the surrounding plains. It can be well seen that the cooler heights offer respite to people from the hot plains below, Where mount Elgon’s parts of with a high altitude, provide a refuge for flora and fauna.

Mt. Elgon consists of five major peaks:

Wagagai (4,321 metres (14,177 ft)), in Uganda
Mubiyi (4,211 metres (13,816 ft)) in Uganda
Masaba (4,161 metres (13,652 ft)) in Uganda
Sudek (4,302 metres (14,114 ft)) on the Kenya-Uganda border
Koitobos (4,222 metres (13,852 ft)), a flatctopped basalt column in Kenya

There are aslo other interesting key features around this great Mount Elgon like: Endebess Bluff recorded to be 2,563 metres, the largest intact magnificent caldera in the whole world, and the warm springs by the Suam River. Finally, the prominent caves: Ngwarisha, Makingeny, Chepnyalil, and Kitum. Kitum Cave is stands 60 metres wide and penetrates 200 meters.

Kitum Cave can be seen with salt deposits and many animals like wild elephants can be seen moving here to lick the salt exposed by gouging the walls with their tusks. Mount Elgon is the catchment area for many rivers like the Nzoia River and the Lwakhakha River, which flow to Lake Victoria and the Suam River, which becomes the Turkwel downstream and drains into Lake Turkana.

The foot hills of Mount Elgon greatly support the growth and expansion of the the town. The mountain is protected by two Mount Elgon National Parks, one on each side of the international border.

Important feautures | What to do and See in Mountain Elgon

Mount Elgon National Park:The Savannah Park straddles 1,279 square kilometres bisected by two countries kenya and Uganda, Uganda having the biggest part covering 1,110 square kilometres normally prefered for a Mountain Elgon Hiking Safari. The dry grass, stalky brush and deadwood Savannah Vegetation is enriched with cliffs, caves, waterfalls, gorges, mesas, calderas, hot springs, exciting panoramic view of the areas’ escarpments, mesas, gorges and riversand the mountain peaks

Mammals:The Savannah Park is a leading wildlfrontier to hundreds of Mammals normally sighted at on Mount Elgon National Park Gmae drive, Most seen Mammals include; Elephants and buffalo found on the lower slopes, small antelope and duiker, as well forest monkeys, the black-and-white colobus and blue monkey, red-tailed monkey, leopards, hyenas

Mount Elgon National Park Birding destination: The ancient Savannah trees, some thought to be over 100 years, are a whole host to at least 144 bird species, some of which include; Jackson’s francolin, the eastern bronze-naped pigeon, Hartlaub’s turaco, the Tacazze sunbird and the endangered lammergeyer and many others

Hiking Mount Elgon: The highest peak of Mt. Elgon on the Kenya side, Koitoboss, measures 13,852 ft and can easily bereached by hikers in about two hours from the road’s end, the hike includes Hiking to Endebess Bluff and Koitoboss Peak an alluring adventure with full of nature recipes to wonder about on the coutnryside

Hot Springs and ancient cave paintings near the trailhead at Budadiri, the former volcano’s crater which bubble at temperatures of up to 48 °C: Have magnificent looks at the hot water, have a chance to boil water eggs from here.