Mount Elgon Trekking & Sipi Falls
Duration: 6 days
Trails: T3 trails
Distance: 15 - 20 km / 9 - 12 mi per day
Ascent per day: More than 1000 m / 3281 ft ascent per day
> Conquer Mount Elgon's summit, Wagagai
> Visit the majestic Sipi Falls
> Ascend through smugglers caves into the volcano's Caldera
Mount Elgon is an extinct shield volcano on the border of Uganda and Kenya, north of Kisumu and west of Kitale. The highest point, named "Wagagai", is located entirely within Uganda which provides a great opportunity for trekkers to add on from Rwenzori Climbing and Virunga Massif.
Although there is no verifiable evidence of its earliest volcanic activity, geologists estimate that Mount Elgon is at least 24 million years old, making it the oldest extinct volcano in East Africa.
The 6 Days mountain Elgon trek starts from Kampala, Uganda, and ends in Kampala. This trek takes you through Mount Elgon up to Wagagai (highest peak) and a hike to Sipi Falls. The top of the mountain offers beautiful scenery of the Elgon highlands and the surrounding vegetation. Sipi Falls are beautiful to look at and are a good spot for taking photos.
Itinerary
Day
1
Transfer to Mbale
Our company guide will pick you up from your hotel/airport and transfer to Mbale. This drive will take between 3-4 hours. Dinner and overnight in Mbale town (Wash and Wills Hotel).
Wash and Wills Hotel
Day
2
Start the Elgon hike. Bumosola to Mude Camp
Duration: 07:00 h
Distance: 14.3 km / 8.9 mi
Ascent: 1780 m / 5840 ft
Descent: 30 m / 98 ft
After meeting at Uganda Wildlife Authority headquarters in Budadiri (1220 Meters), you will drive to the trailhead at Bumosola (1770 Meters). From here it’s a strenuous few hours up to the ‘ladders’, a set of metal staircases that bring us up and into the national park and the rainforest. These first few hours are some of the toughest of the whole trip with a steep incline, rough terrain, and often hot mid-morning temperatures. After a rest and snack at the top of the ladders and a refill of our water bottles, we hike on wide dirt trails through the forest and to Sasa River Camp.
Here, you will take a rest for tea and coffee and either lunch or snacks depending on how you feel or timing. As you continue up from here we move from rainforest to bamboo forest and eventually break through the forest entirely into alpine heather, shrub and giant lobelia. We take a short rest to sign the visitor’s book as we pass the ranger’s outpost before a couple more kilometers to Mude Camp, where we will have dinner and spend the night.
Mude Camp
Day
3
Mude Camp – Summit Wagagai peak (4321 Meters) and back to Mude Camp
Duration: 06:30 h
Distance: 16.5 km / 10.3 mi
Ascent: 830 m / 2723 ft
Descent: 830 m / 2723 ft
This is the summiting day, Depending on prevailing weather conditions this is often an early start to get the best opportunity for a clear summit. We leave our gear and porters behind and head for the top. A strenuous day as we cross the 4000 Meters mark and start to feel the effects of altitude slowing us down.
Highlights on the way up are sunrise over the mountain, views of the Simu valley and Jackson’s pool, everlasting flowers, alpine lichen, and all the various Lobelia. The summit will give you a beautiful view of the Elgon highlands and caldera. It’s so beautiful! From the peak, we descend back to the Mude camp. We get back to camp mid to late afternoon ready for an early dinner and an early night.
Mude Camp
Day
4
Mude Camp to Kajere Camp
Duration: 06:00 h
Distance: 15 km / 9.3 mi
Ascent: 490 m / 1608 ft
Descent: 950 m / 3117 ft
After breakfast at the camp, you will hike to Kajere camp. This is the most picturesque day of the trip. The first hour starts the same as day 2 before we take the left-hand trail into the Simu Valley and follow the rocky trail and pass old smugglers caves as we ascend into the Caldera. If the weather is being kind we get an incredible sunrise here, a truly stunning part of the natural world! As you climb up the far side of the caldera we pass stunning rock formations and huge vistas that warm the soul.
Kajere camp
Day
5
Kajere Camp to Kapkwai Gate and onwards to Sipi Falls
Duration: 06:15 h
Distance: 18 km / 11.2 mi
Ascent: 230 m / 755 ft
Descent: 1110 m / 3642 ft
After breakfast at the camp, we traverse the mountain dropping down into, crossing and climbing back out of numerous streams and small rivers, passing waterfalls and seeing an abundance of wildflowers, fungi and a variety of monkeys. As we pass back into the rainforest we descend back towards civilization, and eventually, we reach the Forest Exploration Centre at Kapkwai. From here we proceed with the hike to Sipi falls. You will see the beautiful falls and then descend to the base.
Kapchorwa
Day
6
Transfer to Kampala / Entebbe
After breakfast at the lodge, you will drive back to Kampala. The driver will drop you at the hotel in Kampala or Entebbe Airport for your flight back home.
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Contact our Trekking Expert
Jan Bakker
This trek is operated by
Just for You
