Mount Elgon Hiking trail
Full Itinerary of this 7 Day Trek on Sasa Trail, Mt Elgon National Park
Day 1: Base Camp – Sasa River Camp
At our Base Camp, our guides will give you a briefing as to what to expect during your hike. Trekking the 7-day trail in Mt Elgon National Park is a truly amazing experience. You start from the Base Camp at 1,720m you climb up to the park entrance at 2,240m through the community with coffee, vegetable and maize plantations past many homesteads where the children will greet and welcome you to Mt Elgon. As you climb up through the community you ascend several ladders which make the climb easier and the views are truly amazing. From the park entrance, you climb up a steep section where we have constructed simple steps to make it easier. After about 500 metres you get to the rock face of the escarpment where Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) constructed three sets of long steel staircases. As you climb the view over the community is spectacular with many homesteads and small farms. Once you reach the top of the steel stairs the trail flattens out to be a gradual climb with a few steep sections but a steady climb through the beautiful montane forests with many birds and the occasional primate. It is a definite must for birders as the forest is evergreen and open making it easy to spot many species. After 3 to 5 hours depending on your fitness, you reach Sasa River Camp 2,860m where we are constructing new huts and facilities amongst the trees. Here your guides prepare an excellent three-course meal as you settle down for the night.Day 2: Sasa River Camp – Mude Camp.
From Sasa River Camp you may continue to climb to Mude Camp at 3,472m passing through the higher levels of the montane forest with some different bird species to reach the bamboo zone where the lower sections have been over-harvested by the local communities for bamboo shoots and building materials, however, the upper section is now recovering and with a few years will be back to its former glory. We are committed to conservation and will be undertaking extensive replanting programmes to aid the re-establishment of the bamboo forests. At around 3,250m the forest starts opening up to gradually become the Heath Zone where you walk across rolling grassy hills with the occasional Giant Groudsell and Giant Heather and many species of wildflowers which are more prolific at the end of each rainy season but found all year round. Mude Camp 3,500 metres is set in a small forest of Giant Heather trees with views across the valley. Here, you may see the mountain hares which live in the Heath Zone hopping around the camp and the occasional serval (Leptailurus serval) which lives mainly on the mountain hares and small rodents. From Mude, you can take an afternoon walk to Dirigana Falls as it tumbles down the mountainside. A walk of three kilometres each wayDay 3: Mude Camp – Masaba Summit- Mude Camp (4 to 6 hours)
After a hearty breakfast a 10.5km walk across the caldera to Mubiyi Peak at 4,210 metres. From Mude Camp, you walk up the trail towards Masaba Summit before branching to the left down into the top part of the caldera and across to climb Mubiyi Peak where on a clear day you get fantastic views down to Kapchorwa town and across Pian Upe Game Reserve to Mt Kadam. After enjoying the views with lunch on the peak we returned to Mude camp.Day 4: Mude Camp – Wagagai Peak- Mude Camp (4 to 6 hours)
Ascend across the high altitude heath zone past Jackson’s Pool and Masaba Summit to Wagagai Peak at 4,320 metres. From here you get awesome views across the caldera to the smaller peaks in Kenya. After lunch, you then descend back to Jackson’s Pool where you may take the option to climb Masaba Summit and again get fantastic views of the caldera and the beautiful landscape back toward Mbale city. You then return to Mude Camp for another night which is the base for many of the high altitude activities.Day 5: Mude Camp – Hot Springs – Mude Camp
6 to 8 hours to the Hot Springs near the Kenya border. Today is a 11km walk each way across the largest mountain caldera in the world and covers 40 km. You climb up a few kilometres to the junction before descending into and across the caldera to the Saum River. On the far side you descend down a steepish slope to the hot springs which bubble away at 48 degrees Celsius. After lunch and enjoying the environment you start the return journey to Mude Camp.Day 6: Mude Camp – Sasa River Camp
Return to Sasa River Camp down through the high-altitude montane forest and bamboo zone to Sasa River Camp and a well-earned rest and a hearty meal for your last night in this beautiful mountainDay 7: Sasa River Camp – Basecamp
Descend to Base Camp down through the forest, the steel ladders and the community to Base Camp and the finish of a truly wonderful experience. Book NowInclusions of 7 Day Trek on Sasa Trail, Mt Elgon National Park
- Accommodation all night on the mountain
- Park fees/Hiking fees.
- 3 Course meal
- Continental breakfast
- Hire Camping materials and tents (sleeping bags and mats).
- Porters
- Sleeping bags
- Professional cook.
- Bottled drinking water.
- Ranger/Guide fees.
Exclusion of 7 Day Trek on Sasa Trail, Mt Elgon National Park:-
- Pre-night in Mbale,
- transfer back to Mbale from the base camp,
- Expenses of personal nature like visa, drinks, laundry, tips to local guides, telephone, personal insurance, and tobacco.