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"Untamed
Wilderness, Secluded Splendour..."
Background Information
Mt. Elgon is Kenya's second highest mountain. It lies 140km North East of
Lake Victoria and is bisected by the Kenya-Uganda border. It is an ancient
eroded volcano with a huge caldera and, on its summit, the spectacular flat
topped basalt column known as Koitobos. Another unique feature of the
mountain is the lava tube caves, some over 60m wide and frequented by
elephants (and other animals) digging for salts. The mountain soils are red
laterite. Mt Elgon is an important water catchments for the Nzoia river which
flows into Lake Victoria and for the Turkwel river which flows into Lake
Turkana.
Mt Elgon National Park was
gazetted in 1968 and covers a narrow transect up the North Eastern slopes of
the mountain, from lower montane forest to the caldera edge. The remaining
forest and moorland is part of the Mt Elgon Forest Reserve. The Ugandan side
of the mountain is protected within Uganda's Mt Elgon National Park.
Location:
On the western border of Kenya with Uganda, in Trans-nzoia District of Rift
Valley Province. It covers an area of 169km2.
Climate:
The climate is moist to moderate dry. Annual rainfall is over 1,270mm.
HOW TO GET THERE
Roads:
Mt. Elgon is located 470 kms from Nairobi. Access is via tarmac road to
Kitale and then to the Chorlim Gate. Two routes to the gate can be used,
either via Endebess or take the tarmac road 11km past Kitale and turn left
onto a murrum road leading to the gate.
Airstrips:
At Park Headquarters.
Park Roads:
Adequate road network.
Park Gates:
There are four park gates i.e. Chorlim main gate, Kassawai, Kiptogot and
Kimothon.
MAJOR
ATTRACTIONS
Together with the fauna and
flora, the park is endowed with variety and breathtaking scenery of cliffs,
caves, waterfalls, gorges, mesas, calderas, hot springs, and the mountain
peaks.
The most popular areas are
the four explorable, vast caves where frequent night visitors such as
elephants and buffaloes come to lick the natural salt found on the cave
walls. Kitum cave, with overhanging crystalline walls, enters 200 m into the
side of Mt. Elgon.
The breathtaking natural
beauty of the park can be best appreciated from the Endebess Bluff where one
gets a panoramic view of the areas' escarpments, gorges, mesas, and rivers.
The highest peak of Mt.
Elgon on the Kenya side, Koitoboss, measures 13,852 ft (4,155 m), and is
easily reached by hikers in about two hours from the road's end.
FACILITIES
Bandas:
Kapkuro Banda
Campsites:
Public: Rongai Campsite; Nyati Campsite; Chorlim Campsite.
Special: Salt lick Campsite.
Lodges:
Mt. Elgon Lodge, 28 beds. Situated 0.5 km. outside the park gate.
Picnic Sites:
There is one picnic site at the Elephant platform with no facilities.
Nature Trails:
The park has three short nature trails to Kiptum cave, Makingeny cave and
the Elephant Bluff.
ACTIVITIES
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Vehicle
circuits leading to animal viewing areas, the caves and Koitoboss peak.
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Self-guided walking trails (Ask for the Kitum Cave guide book at the
gate)
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Hiking
to Endebess Bluff and Koitoboss Peak
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Primate
and bird watching
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Cave
explorations
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Camping
Photography
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TANZANIA
