Kisumu Day Tours Mount Elgon National Park 1 Day Trip

Kisumu Day Tours Mount Elgon National Park 1 Day Trip: An action-packed day safari in Mt Elgon National Park which boasts the magnificent Mt Elgon – the fourth highest mountain in Africa, boarding Kenya and Uganda. The Kenyan part of Mt Elgon National Park covers only 169 km² and is renowned for its lovely sceneries, vegetation, waterfalls, and caves frequented by elephants for salt licking at night.

Take exciting game drives in a safari vehicle with a professional guide to see a variety of African animals, especially elephants and others such as buffalo, waterbuck, Oribi, bushbuck, baboons, Colobus, hyena, and blue-tailed monkeys. The park is also home to over 300 bird species including the endangered Lammergeier, African Goshawk, Sharpe’s longclaw, Hunter’s cisticola, Jackson’s spurfowl, Elgon francolin, and Baglafecht Weaver. Mount Elgon National Park is about 190 km from Kisumu, 30 km from Kitale, and about 100 km from Bungoma.

Mt Elgon National Park 1 Day safari is a full-day tour of Mt Elgon National Park located on the border of Kenya and Uganda. Mount Elgon National Park is about 190 Kilometers by road from Kisumu and takes about 4 hours. The drive takes you through Kakamega, Webuye, and Kitale.

The park is about 26 km northwest of Kitale. The usual entry to the park is through the main Chorlim Gate. The mountainous park has many cliffs, caves, waterfalls, gorges, hot springs, and, of course, some amazing mountain peaks for visitors to enjoy, in addition to wildlife.

The wild and remote location of this national park offers excellent viewing of African animals found in Kenya.  There are over 400 elephants plus buffalo, leopards, the colobus, blue monkeys (a protected species), hogs, waterbucks, and various species of antelope.

They can be viewed from a 4×4 wheel drive truck and the many hiking trails that wind around the park.  Three nature trails lead to both the caves and Elephant Bluff. You will also find breathtaking views of the park from Endebass Bluff. Mountain climbing or trekking is another attraction in Mount Elgon National Park.

For those who want to combine their safari with a visit to the peak of Mount Elgon, which sits at 4,155 meters above sea level, climbing can be accomplished in two to three hours depending on one’s pace.

The park is also home to at least 240 different species of birds, including the cinnamon-chested bee-eater, Hartlaub’s turaco, and redheaded parrot.

Elephant Salt Licks; The Mountain has several large caves that can be explored by visitors but one of the more fascinating aspects of the caves is the Elephant, and Buffalo, which walk to the caves at night to lick the salt from the walls.

They do this as a nutritional supplement. One of the caves, Kitum, stretches almost 200 meters into Mount Elgon and it is believed that the salt-licking Elephants and other animals have contributed over time to the expansion of the caves.

Rock paintings can be found in one of the caves.

0600 Hours: After an early breakfast at your hotel/ residence in Kisumu you will depart by road to Kakamega. You will go past Webuye townhome to the Pan African Paper Mills, the largest paper factory in the region, home to the Bukusu and Tachoni tribes.

1000 Hours: Arrive at the park at Chorlim (main gate) and proceed for Game viewing around the Mountain. Mount Elgon on the Kenya/ Uganda border is a volcanic mountain, formed when the earth’s crust erupted creating the Great Rift Valley. The National Park is one of Kenya’s most beautiful, still wild and intact, with vast areas of untouched forest.

As one of Kenya’s more secluded and less disturbed areas, Mt. Elgon offers its wildlife and visitors alike a truly natural haven. In addition to the elephants, other commonly sighted animals include leopard, buffalo, waterbuck, bushbuck, olive baboon, giant forest hog, duiker, black and white colobus monkey, blue monkey, giraffe, impala, and zebra.

Bird Watching; Mt. Elgon is an Important Bird Area (IBA). More than 240 species of birds have been sighted on the mountain. Bird watching at the glade itself and along the quiet forest roads, you may find Thick-billed Honeyguide and Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrike.

The designated trails are great for early morning birding with the possibility of sighting Ross’sand Hartlaub’s Turaco’s, Black-and-white-casqued hornbills, and if you are lucky an African Crowned Eagle. Mt. Elgon is dotted with caves formed from ancient lava tubes namely Kitum, Makingeny, Chepnyalil, and Ngwarisha.

The caves were used until recently by the local communities for traditional ceremonies. A range of creatures including bats and spiders use the Mt. Elgon caves as their shelter. Kitum and Makingeny caves are easily accessible from a park road on well-maintained trails.

1300 Hours: We enjoy our picnic lunch boxes at a picnic site at the beginning of the Kitum Cave trail. After lunch proceeds on a game drive.

1400 Hours: Visit the Salt-Mining Elephants of Kitum Cave. Kitum Cave is regularly visited by herds of elephants, dubbed the troglodyte tuskers, as well as bushbuck, duiker, and buffalo, all in search of the salts that abound in the mineral-rich earth of the caves.

These elephants are elusive. Typical of most forest animals, they are shy and generally wary. Spectacular Waterfall; Makingeny Cave located not far from Kitum has a spectacular waterfall over its mouth. Huge Elgon teak and cedar trees, some over 80 feet tall, dominate the forest scenery.

The major attraction in the parks is the cave’s favorite gathering place for elephants. Every night, long convoys venture deep into the caves to feed off the salt-rich deposits. This nightly phenomenon has earned them the title “underground elephants”.

Mount Elgon National Park offers several activities such as visiting caves, salt mining Elephants of Kitum cave, and spectacular waterfall, game viewing around the mountain, bird watching, and viewing the mountain.

1500 Hours: We exit the park and drive back to Kisumu.

1900 Hours: Arrive in Kisumu City back at your residence/ Hotel

Kisumu Day Tours Mount Elgon National Park 1 Day Trip Rates Includes:

Lunch Boxes + Professional English speaking guides + Kisumu Day Tours Mount Elgon National Park 1 Day Trip + All entry fees, guide fee, service charge, and taxes & Pickup from your hotel in Kisumu City and drop-off to your hotel

Notes

* You will need a pair of binoculars, a hat, sunscreen, and field guides
* Please bring along plenty of water, picnic items, waterproof gear, warm clothing, walking boots, and a camera

Kisumu Day Tours Mount Elgon National Park 1 Day Trip Rates Do Not Include:

* Drinks
* Laundry
* Tips or gratuity
* Travelers Insurance
* Communication charges
* Meals, and sightseeing are not included in the package
* Visas, international airfares, and airport taxes; meals
* Lunch or dinner in town (option and extra charges direct)
* Sightseeing not included in the package; optional activities
* Tips or gratuity, travelers insurance; laundry, communication charges & visas
* Personal expenses such as transfers to/ from the airport (supplement airport transfer cost applies for tours starting from the airport)
* Personal expenses such as transfers to/ from the airport (supplement airport transfer cost applies for tours starting from Moi International airport in Mombasa)

Mobile: +254-721-242-711
WhatsApp: +254-721-242-711
Reservations: +254 718-179-967
Email: info@africanspicesafaris.com
Website: https://africanspicesafaris.com