The physical features in Uganda have the potential to take someone back to the understandings of events of a million years ago. A Uganda safari to Mount Elgon National Park is perfect for geological and geomorphological discoveries since the mountain has gone through a series of structural changes.

The oldest physical feature of Uganda-mount Elgon is still amazing and beautiful even after erupting 24million years ago!

Mount Elgon has the world’s largest volcanic base of 50-80km, with the world’s largest prehistoric intact mountain caldera covering about 40km².  

Background of Mount Elgon National Park Uganda

The park is named after mountain Elgon, an extinct massive shield volcano within which the park is located.

Mount Elgon is also known as “Masaba” by the Bagisu (native residents of this area) who consider it as the embodiment of their founding father Masaba.

Mount Elgon was once Africa’s highest mountain far exceeding Kilimanjaro’s current 5,895m (19,341ft). It constantly reduced because of erosion to 4,321m as of recent ranking it the 4^th highest peak in East Africa and 8^th in Africa.

In 1940, the area became the Mount Elgon Crown Forest, central forest reserve in 1951 and upgraded to a national park in 1992.

Location of Mount Elgon National Park Uganda

Bisected by Kenya and Uganda’s border, Mount Elgon is situated in Eastern Uganda near the district of Mbale-the largest town in the region. Mountain Elgon is bisected by Kenya, north of Kisumu and west of Kitale and Uganda, north east of Lake Victoria and north of the equator.

The park within mountain Elgon covers an area of about 1,279sq km(430sqmi) with an altitude of 4,321m(14,177ft) above sea level. The highest peak “Wagagai” is wholly in Uganda. This is the best accessible peak for tourists on a Uganda mountain hiking safari who can’t hike very steep slopes like those of Mountain Rwenzori or Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

The climate of mount Elgon is moist to moderate with an annual rainfall of over 1,270mm(50in). This climate varies with seasons each favoring different tourist activities in Mount Elgon.

So accessible and diverse, Mount Elgon is the best place for fairly unfamiliar mountain hikers and geomorphological study researchers.