Mt. Elgon National Park, Uganda

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The Park In every region the colourful dances, dress and handicrafts of the people are well worth seeing. The village markets bustle with life, and local craftsmen work as they have done for generations. In this area visitors can discover the infinite variety our lifestyles and heritage which make Uganda so special In the easternmost region of Uganda, along the border with Kenya, towers the dramatic mass if that is Mount Elgon. Although Mt. Elgon was well known to Arab traders passing along old slaving routes to the East (Kenya), explorer Henry Morton Stanley was the first to write about Mt. Elgon when he presumably saw it while circumnavigating Lake Victoria in 1875. Joseph Thomson, a British explorer and geographer was the first European to visit Mt. Elgon in 1883. Thomson referred to the mountain as "Masawa" or "Elgon" and generated curiosity among other explorers. In 1890, with a 400 men caravan, Fredrick Jackson of the Imperial British Exploration Association was the first European to visit the caldera and to climb any of the major peaks. Ironically, Jackson climbed Sudek Peak from the south and probably never even saw Masaba Peak, which was later named Jackson’s Summit after him. Mt. Elgon has been called a "Mountain of Illusion" partly because of the number of hiking parties lost on its slopes in the past and also because no one could determine its highest point. Sudek and Koitobos Peaks (Kenya) were both proclaimed " the top of Elgon" at different times. Wagagai, the highest peak (4321m), does not protrude markedly above the caldera rim and conceals its height well. In fact, Wagagai Peak was overlooked by explorers until the early 20th century. Formerly a forest reserve since 1938, Mt. Elgon was promoted to national park status in October 1993, making it one of Uganda’s three youngest national parks managed under the Uganda Wildlife Authority. The key decision behind upgrading Mt. Elgon’s protection status was to meet an increasing demand to conserve the mountain’s valuable resources in their most natural state. Mt. Elgon provides a vital source of good quality water to several million people in eastern Uganda and western Kenya, and acts as a major water catchment area for the Lakes Kyoga, Turkana, Victoria, and eventually the Nile River. In addition, the mountain provides essential forest products such as fresh bamboo shoots, honey, and medicinal plants. Over 110,000 hectares of this 1154 sq km national park is heavily forested, thus presenting an important timber resource for local communities and the nation as a whole. Location The mountain is positioned approximately 100km northeast of Lake Victoria and straddles the border of Uganda and Kenya. The international boundary is marked by the Suam and Lwakaka Rivers, and the beacon on Sudek Peak. Administratively, the mountain falls into two districts (in Uganda); Kapchorwa District to the north and Mbale district to the south. Measuring about 80km from north to south, and 50km east to west, more than half of Mt. Elgon (including the majority of its caldera) lies in Uganda. The fourth largest Ugandan national park, MENP encompasses 1154 sq. km and stretches between 0° 52’-1° 25’N and 34° 14’-34° 44’E. The majority of the park is situated above 2000m and extends up to the highest peak (Wagagai) at 4321m. Access Distances between important locations. Kampala to Mbale via Jinja and Tirinyi Rd. 256km/3hours. Mbale to Budadiri 30km/0.25hrs Mbale to Nagudi Rock 15km/0.5hrs Mbale to Sipi Falls 66km/1.5hrs Sipi Falls to Forest Exploration Center 12.5km/0.5hrs Sipi Falls to Kapkwata 45km/1.5hrs. Accommodation Accommodation in this park is available at Volcanoes' Sipi Falls Rest Camp. Geology Positioned on the Pre-Cambrium bedrock of the Trans Nzoia Plateau, Mt. Elgon is similar to other such volcanoes in East Africa in that it is associated with the formation of the Rift Valley. Similar to other Rift Valley Volcanoes, one thing sets Mt. Elgon apart…its age! Although there is no verifiable evidence of its earliest volcanic activity, Mt. Elgon is estimated to be at least 24 million years old, making it the oldest extinct volcano in East Africa. This presents a striking comparison to Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa at 5895m, which is just over one million years old. Judging by the diameter of its base, it is a common belief among geological experts that Mt. Elgon was once the highest mountain in Africa, however erosion has played a significant role in reducing the height to its present elevation of 4321m. Mt. Elgon is now the eighth highest massif on the African continent! During the Miocene Epoch (12-20 million years ago) Mt. Elgon’s volcanic activity was probably violent. In fact, the bulk of Mt. Elgon was formed from the build-up of debris (older rock) ejected from the enlarged main vent. In contrast, lava flows began at a relatively late stage of its development. Elgon disgorged mainly fluid basic lavas, creating a low convex profile (4° slope) known as a shield volcano. Given that the overlying lava is harder and more resistant to erosion than the underlying debris, Elgon has weathered in an uneven fashion, resulting in a number of caves and the characteristic step-like cliffs and bluffs well known to Elgon’s lower slopes. The last major eruption occurred in the early Pleistocene Epoch (12 million years ago). Only minor eruptions occurred since, the most recent being about 2 million years ago. When the main vent became blocked, horizontal fissures were created from which lava spilled out. Wanale Ridge, the 20km long escarpment of "peninsula" that extends west from the main mountain towards Mbale town , is the result of this process. The caldera (crater) is one of Mt. Elgon’s most spectacular geological features. Following intense eruptions, the magma chamber drained and the hardened, over-lying volcanic cone collapsed, forming the caldera. Approximately 8km in diameter, Mt. Elgon’s caldera is one of the largest intact calderas in the world. Weathered hills and peaks several hundred meters above the caldera floor form a wide ring around the caldera. The highest peaks in Uganda are: Wagagai (4321m), Mubiyi (4211m), and Jackson’s Summit (4161m), while Sudek (4302m), and Koitobos (4222m) Peaks are located in Kenya. During the Pleistocene Epoch (1.5 million years ago), glaciers filled the caldera and extended down (on the outer slopes) to about 3500m. The glaciers left behind evidence of their presence. Small lakes (mires) were carved out of the ground’s surface and the accumulation of glacial debris (moraines) can be observed. As global temperatures increased at the end of the Pleistocene Epoch, the glaciers began to melt. As a result, the powerful run-off water eroded and cut through the caldera rim in two places. The main break in the rim is now known as the Suam Gorge. Hot springs bubble up to 44C at the head of the Gorge. To this day, the Suam River is the largest river flowing from the mountain, and the only river that drains the caldera. There is also a smaller break in the northwestern rim (Uganda pass) which marks the headwaters to the Simu River. Climate Considering that Mt. Elgon is a massive solitary volcano in the relatively flat plains of eastern Uganda and western Kenya, it creates and experiences weather patterns considerably different from the surrounding environment. The climate follows seasonally alternating moist (southwesterly) and dry (northeasterly) air streams. The wettest season occurs from March to October, while the driest season is from November to February with a short dry period around June or July. Annual rainfall records indicate that the southern and western slopes receive more precipitation (about 2000mm) than the northern and eastern slopes (about 1500mm). It is generally accepted that maximum rainfall occurs in the forest zone. Climatic conditions are more temperate and less seasonal with the increasing altitude of the upper slopes. At higher elevations, light rain is common, rather than the heavy rains that occur down slope. Hail and freezing temperatures may be encountered at any time of the year on the upper slopes.

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