Mount Elgon National Park straddles the Kenya-Uganda border, protecting 169 square kilometres of ancient shield volcano that was once higher than Kilimanjaro. With a peak of 4,321 metres, Mount Elgon features the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera and some of Kenya’s most pristine mountain wilderness.
The park is famous for Kitum Cave — a large cavern where elephants venture deep underground at night to mine salt from the rock walls using their tusks. This remarkable behaviour, unique to Mount Elgon, has been filmed for numerous wildlife documentaries.
Trekking through the park reveals changing vegetation zones from montane forest through bamboo to moorland, with dramatic waterfalls, hot springs, and the spectacular Endebess Bluff viewpoint. The summit caldera stretches 8 kilometres across and features a series of peaks and warm springs.
Mount Elgon sees very few tourists, offering a genuine wilderness experience for adventurous travellers. The park is rich in wildlife including elephants, buffalo, giant forest hog, colobus monkeys, and over 240 bird species.