Mt. Elgon is located 26 km from Kitale and towers above every other feature for miles around. It’s a free standing 169 sq km mountain with a distinctive flat top called Koitoboss Peak which is 4,155m high, and the cliffs of the Endebess Bluff have a height of 2,563m high. The highest peak of Mt. Elgon is in Uganda, called Wagagai, which has a total height of 4,321m, whilst Kenyans highest peak is Sudek of 4,310m high. The mountain gets its name from Maa language ‘ol doinyo ilgoon which means ‘breast– shaped mountain’. The flora is best between November to January. Mt. Elgon is home to the black and white Colobus and the de Brazza monkey which live in the forests full of Elgon teak and cedar . There are a number of caves, the two which you’ll go to are the Mackingeny and Kitum Cave, which were featured in the David Attenbourgh BBC documentary, which are famous for its salt mining pachyderms.
These caves open to a massive 50m wide chamber and extends back some 160m. Theses caves are home to fruit bats that dangle from the ceiling. If you look at the cave walls, you’ll notice the marks that the elephants have made from maneuvering their great tusks at night. There used to be around 500 elephants in the park, but because of the poachers there are only around 70 left. You’ll be taken to several viewing circuits and trails. You will be taken early in the morning so that you’ll have bigger chance of seeing the buffalo and elephants.
Once you have been around, over and in Mt. Elgon you’ll be taken to the Delta Crescent Farm which is a Wildlife Reserve and holds rhinos, zebras, giraffes, common duiker, and waterbuck. Here you’ll have lunch which you probably need after having walked around the caves and explored the mountain. It’s located 6 km from the Chorlum gate to Mt. Elgon National Park. You’ll also have the chance to go horse riding through the Kenyan countryside or camel ride, which is a great experience. 