Mountain Elgon National Park; Encounter Uganda’s Largest Caldera.

Activities to do in Mountain Elgon National Park

Hiking and Mountaineering

Mount Elgon National Park offers exciting activities such as mountaineering, rock climbing, and hiking where you partake in hiking trails through the rocky landscapes towards the peaks of the dormant volcano Mount Elgon. This activity offers a stunning scenic high view of the park’s vast landscape.

The Park can be explored on foot from a number of different routes/trailheads including the Sasa trail which is the 4-day shortest and steepest route to the peaks, the Sipi trail which is a -day hike, and also the Piswa trail which is a 7-day hike to the peaks all offering lifetime hiking experiences.

Birding Safaris

A birding safari encounter in the Mount Elgon National Park is an extraordinary activity to do since the park is home to over 300 bird species including the black-collared Apalis, Jacksons Francolin, Lammergeyer, Black-shouldered Kite, and Tacazze sunbird giving birders and nature enthusiasts a stunning birding experience like no other.

Cultural encounters

You can also enjoy community visits and participate in the Bagisu cultural ceremonies such as the Imbalu dances. By participating in such cultural activities, you get to learn the ways of living of the locals an everlasting experience you can carry for years.

Nature Walks

Mount Elgon National Park offers numerous nature walks both inside and outside the park, where you get the encounter wildlife up close on foot while taking trails through the vast landscapes and the most exciting one among all is the trail that heads to the Sipi Falls which is an unforgettable experience.

Sipi Falls Visit

An awe-inspiring activity at the Mount Elgon National Park is a visit to the Sipi Falls which are renowned for their best scenic views and backdrop for photography. During the activity you get to encounter the thrilling experience of witnessing water dropping from a 100m high cliff, embedding lifetime memories in your heart and mind.

Mountain Biking

Partake in thrilling mountain biking activities in Mount Elgon National Park. Kapchorwa and around the entire Mt Elgon region offer great mountain biking routes that take your safari experience to an extraordinary level as you cycle through the area. The mountain biking routes start from Sipi trading center to Chema Hill in Kapchorwa where you encounter beautiful views of the Karamoja plains.

Sipi Falls and the Mountain Elgon National Park Safari

The awe-inspiring Sipi Falls is a series of three waterfalls that are found at the foothills of Mountain Elgon at the edge of Mount Elgon National Park near the Kenyan border and these falls are a tourist attraction in the northern region of Uganda.

The Sipi Falls provide a stunning safari experience and combining the scenic landscape and wildlife encounter in Mount Elgon with the Sipi Falls up close is an unforgettable safari experience of a lifetime. The Sipi Falls are formed by the Sipi River which flows from the upper slopes of Mount Elgon and pours in the Kyoga Basin.

Sipi Falls

Best time to visit

It is important to note that Mount Elgon National Park can be accessible at any time all year long. However, there are high peak seasons to visit the park which are highly recommended that is from June to August and November to March. During this time the hiking trails are drier which encourages exciting hiking activities.

And in contrast, Mount Elgon’s trails are more slippery in the wetter seasons and this can make hiking activities more challenging. But it is crucial to also note that in every season the park offers outstanding safari experiences.

How to get there

The Elgon National Park can be accessed both by road and air transport means and by road.

Mount Elgon National Park is about 225km which is a 4 -5 hours’ drive to reach the destination. You can decide to take a route to Mbale town from Kampala through Jinja and Iganga towns which offer stop-over opportunities to view the source of the river Nile and Mabira forest.

And by air transport means, you book a flight from Entebbe airport to Soroti airfield near Mount Elgon. From the airfield, you are to travel by road for a 1-hour drive before reaching Mbale town or Kapchorwa.

Where to stay

The park offers a wide range of accommodations both inside and outside the park including luxury, midrange, and budget.

Luxury accommodation

Luxury accommodation in the park offers a wide variety of first-class facilities and services including a large garden, a swimming pool, a restaurant, a pool table, a spa, conference rooms, and a small golf field.

Luxury accommodations in the park include Sipi River Lodge, Lacam Lodge, Kapkwai Forest Cottages, Mount Elgon Hotel, and Spa among others.

Midrange Accommodation

Midrange Accommodation in the park also provides fancy facilities and services including comfortable lodge rooms, a restaurant spa among others, and such lodges include Masha Hotel, Sipi Resort, and Kayegi hotel among others.

Budget accommodation

Budget accommodation also includes Kapkwai Forest Cottage, Rose’s Last Chance, and Moses’s Campsite which come with relatively cheaper prices that are basically affordable.

In conclusion, a visit to the Mount Elgon National Park is not only extraordinary but also offers a lifetime opportunity to participate in a number of activities including Birding Safaris, mountain biking, hiking, and a thrilling visit to the Sipi Falls which lies an unforgettable memory on the heart and the mind.

Reach out to us today via email at friendlygorillas@gmail.com and we plan a scenic safari to the Mount Elgon National Park and the sipi falls together.