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
Other activities in the area prominently enjoyed by our tourists include:
- Vehicle circuits leading to animal viewing areas, the caves and Koitoboss peak.
- Self-guided walking trails
- Hiking to Endebess Bluff and Koitoboss Peak
- Primate and bird watching
- Cave explorations
- Camping photography