7 Days Mount Elgon Hike to the Peak
This 7 Days Mount Elgon Hike to the Peak is an exclusive Hiking Safari experience that will take you to Eastern Uganda, where you will participate in mountain climbing, as well as a visit to Sipi Falls and the Nile’s source.
Located in Eastern Uganda, Mountain Elgon is an extinct volcano with the world’s largest surface area, 50km x 80km and rises to a stunning height of 4,321m above sea level. Its highest peak Wagagai, is Africa’s seventh highest peak. Luckily enough, the summit is easily accessible to climbers with limited experience.
Mt Elgon is surrounded by the Mt. Elgon national park that neighbours the inhabitants of the area, the Bagisu and the Sabinyo, who practice circumcision every even year. Because it is dry from June to August and December to March, these are the best months to visit the park.
Montane forests, bamboo, giant Lobelia, brilliant species of flowers, birds, bushbuck, antelope, wild cat, rock hyrax, hyena, caves, craters, gorges, and the magnificent Sipi falls are among the park’s unique attractions.
7 Days Mount Elgon Hike to the Peak Itinerary
Day 1: Welcome to Uganda
Arrive at the airport and our safari guide will meet and greet you before transporting you to the hotel for a briefing, communication, and itinerary introduction, as well as evening dinner and overnight
Day 2: Drive to Mbale town via Jinja source of the Nile – Budadiri
Start this epic 7 Days Mount Elgon Hike to the Peak with an early breakfast as we plan to embark on our long journey to Mount Elgon in eastern Uganda, past the Jinja Nile source to Mbale town, for lunch, and then on to Budadiri, our starting point for the Sasa trail hike the following day. This day of this 7 Days Mount Elgon Hike to the Peak allows for arrangements with the guides and porters at the park headquarters, as well as food and camping gear stocking.
Day 3: Begin the hike with the Sasa trail 2900m to Sasa Camp
We will begin early in the morning for a long day hiking experience through the communities of Bumasifa and Bumasola at the base of the mountain onto the Sasa trail, which is a simpler and faster way up the mountain to the base camp at Sasa, where we will arrive in time for lunch and relax to gain strength for the next day’s hike.
Today’s hike takes you to the “wall of death,” so named because of the frayed local ropes that were used to climb up in previous years. Fortunately, the UWA built sturdy staircases up the cliff face several years ago, so porters can almost run up the mountain and the name is no longer deserved.
Above this, it’s a straight, steep path through the rainforest and bamboo zone to the lunar landscape above, then on to Sasa River Camp 2900m for dinner and an overnight stay. The walk is approximately 8 kilometers long and takes 7 to 8 hours
Day 4: Hike from Sasa camp to Mude Camp – 3500m above sea level
After breakfast, hike through the forest to the summit base camp – Mude Cave Campsite – for dinner and overnight. It takes about 4 to 5 hours and ascends 600 meters. If you have limited time, a limited budget, and are physically fit, you can trek straight up to Mude, rest the night, and set out for the summit, Wagagai, the next morning. Regardless, due to cloud cover after midday, it is best to reach the summit in the morning.
Day 5: Mude Camp to Wagagai Peak 4321m, then return to Mude or Sasa
We will begin our very early morning hike with tea or coffee as early as 3:30 a.m. to meet up with a very exciting sunrise experience at the peak. This walk will take you through the moorland zone up to Jackson’s water pool, where a relatively gentle walk will lead you through the caldera onto the main peak at Wagagai by 6:30 a.m., where you can relax while eating your packed breakfast before returning to Sasa Camp via Mude or dinner and overnight. It could take 9 to 10 hours of elevation – 820m – to return to Sasa.
Day 6: Descend from Mude - Sasa camp to Bumasifa then drive to Sipi for overnight
After breakfast, we will continue our descent from Sasa camp through the Wall of Death onto the open plantation fields of Bumasifa and Bumasola down to the parking point to meet our driver, and then transfer to Sipi for our overnight stay at Sipi Falls.
Day 7: Explore Sipi and then transfer to Entebbe for departure
This is the last day of your 7 Days Mount Elgon Hike to the Peak. Breakfast and later explore the Sipi falls thereafter drive back to Kampala or even Entebbe Airport to arrive in time for your departure. This will mark the end of your 7 Days Mount Elgon Hike to the Peak.
