9 Days Culture Safari & Mountain Climbing Tour to Mount Elgon National Park

9 Days Culture Safari & Mountain Climbing Tour to Mount Elgon National Park is located in Eastern Uganda and it is close to the border with Kenya. This national park got its name from mountain Elgon and is the second-highest mountain in Uganda; it stands as an extinct volcano at 4321m above sea level.

Even though this park is found in Uganda and also in Kenya, its highest peak Wagagai is found in Uganda and gives a less challenging and enjoyable mountaineering adventure. The area around Mount Elgon is so significant and its foothills support the diversity of the altitudinal vegetation areas that range from the montane forest to the open moorland that is dotted with the giant groundsel and lobelia plants.

This mount also gives beautiful natural scenery which is the main attraction for the climbers, attractions found here include; the Sipi falls, the calderas, crater rims and the gorges, rear antelopes, bush pigs, tree hyrax, the forest monkeys, leopards, buffalos, waterbucks, and many more. You can also enjoy the Imablu annual ceremony of the Bagishu people.

Thus, if you are looking for an adventure with culture then, this trip is right for you, you will get the best of both experiences, the local communities in the countryside of the slopes of Mt Elgon with the Sabin/Kapichorwa culture and a thereafter you will spend 4 more days hiking and experiencing the beautiful Mountain Elgon with its views of waterfalls, vegetation, and caves.

Detailed 9 Days Culture Safari & Mountain Climbing Tour

Day 1: Arrive/Entebbe –meet greet – transfer to the hotel – briefing – overnight

On arrival our team will welcome you at Entebbe airport, greet and transfer you to the hotel for briefing information about the safari, you have a free evening for preparations as you wait for your dinner and overnight. (Meal Plan on B/D)

Accommodation options: Laico hotel (Standard upmarket), Karibu Guest House/Cassia Lodge (Mid-range)

Day 2: Entebbe – transfer to Jinja – adventure capital – and culture – overnight Sipi Falls

Early breakfast, start the adventure with a stopover at Ssezibwa Falls for a cultural experience on our way to Jinja, the journey to Jinja is through beautiful landscapes of tea and sugarcane plantations, Mabira tropical rain forest, and several homesteads, Jinja a visit to the source of River Nile on Lake Victoria we will take a boat to the point believed to the flow out of the Nile from the Lake Basin, after the boat experience, we will have lunch and transfer to Sipi for overnight. (Meal Plan on F/B)

Accommodation options: Rafik Sipi Lodge/Sipi River Lodge (Mid-range), Casa Sipi (Budget)

Day 3 of 9 Days Culture Safari & Mountain Climbing Tour: Cultural experiences on the slopes of Mt Elgon

We will spend time learning and engaging with the Sabiny culture and community. First, we visit the Sipi Widows group on the slopes of Mt Elgon. This is the origin of the finest washed Arabica Coffee. The Sipi Widows’ Group takes you through the coffee plantation demonstrating how to plant, pick, grind, store, and wash the coffee.

Accommodation options: Rafik Sipi Lodge/Sipi River Lodge (Mid-range), Casa Sipi (Budget)

Day 4: Cultural Experience and participation – a continuation in the Elgon Community

This day once again, we will learn about the Sabiny – participate in traditional weaving, African cuisines food preparation, cooking and tasting of local dishes, and visit the women’s handcraft shop.

Proceeds from the tour and shop maintain the coffee trees and plantations, raising awareness about the dangers of female circumcision a traditionally practiced in this region, and pay school fees. We will wind up our day by trekking to the Sipi falls for beautiful views of these waterfalls. (Meal Plan on F/B)

Accommodation options: Rafik Sipi Lodge/Sipi River Lodge (Mid-range), Casa Sipi (Budget)

Day 5: Mountain Elgon – hike Piswa trail – Piswa camp

After breakfast, we will transfer you to Kapkwata at 2190m, from where you start your hike of Mt Elgon. It is a scenic route running through the bamboo, heath, and moorland, arriving at Piswa Camp at 2850m, today’s hike is relatively not too steep while you enjoy the different vegetation covers as you ascend to Piswa camp. (Meal Plan on F/B)

Day 6: Hunters Cave Camp – Hunters camp

Breakfast hike up to the rim of the caldera through beautiful columns of the rarest and endemic plant species like the giant Lobelia Elgonensis. This is a beautiful trip through vegetation only found at this height in Uganda, look out for the ever-beautiful wild Everlasting flowers, you will pass by the hot springs to make for a good stopover. We will continue our hike through the Suma Gorge with beautiful views of the mountain. After the gorge, you hike the last leg to Hunters Cave Camp at 3850 meters. (Meal Plan on F/B)

Day 7 of 9 Days Culture Safari & Mountain Climbing Tour: Hunters Cave – Wagagai Peak – overnight Mude Cave Camp

An early morning call, we look at today to ascend to the top of the caldera at the Wagagai Peak which is at 4321m we arrive at Sunrise, with a beautiful morning raise overhead in the eastern direction. After a beautiful and successful hike to the top, we will descend through the Jackson summit (4200 meters) and the Jackson pool to arrive at Mude Cave Camp at 3500 meters overnight. Mt Elgon has the largest caldera worldwide and is the 4th highest peak in Africa. (Meal Plan on F/B)

Day 8: Mude – descend through the Sasa Trail – Mbale Town

Today after an early breakfast you begin the descent through the Sasa trail to Budadiri, we arrive in Bumasifa and Bumasola villages on the slopes of mountain Elgon from here our driver guide will pick us up to transfer back to Mbale town for our relaxed evening as we wait for dinner and overnight. (Meal Plan on F/B)

Accommodation options: Mbale resort hotel (Mid-range)

Day 9: Mbale Town – Breakfast – transfer to Kampala/Entebbe – a departure or chose a primate tour extension

After a restful night, you will have breakfast at leisure you will transfer to the Airport for departure, our driver will be through scenic landscapes of Iganga, Jinja, and Kampala, for crafts and a city tour overview before you are finally at the airport for your departure flight

End of 9 Days Culture Safari & Mountain Climbing Tour

Quotation of 9 Days Culture Safari & Mountain Climbing Tour

• Based on 2 persons sharing services – per person standard rate
• Standard Net rate – based on Mid-range Accommodation per person: USD $1200
• For an extra 3^rd person or more please contact the office for rates

Overnight stay options:

If staying in Entebbe, please request assistance at the time of booking this safari to allow us ample time to make arrangements. If departing Entebbe, the same night, please note’ by use of road’ returns to Entebbe are always late afternoon (approximately 15h00), please DO NOT book flights departing prior to 20h00 respectively in order to allow time for security, check-in, and if any delays due to weather.