Mount Elgon National Park
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (January 2007) |
Mount Elgon National Park is a national park that straddles the Western border of Kenya and Uganda. Located in the Trans-Nzoia District of Rift Valley Province, It covers an area of 169km2.The park was gazetted in 1968.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Mount Elgon
Mt. Elgon National Park is located on the North Eastern side of the mountain, which is also Kenya's second highest mountain. It was created in 1968, and lies right on the Ugandan border. Uganda has participated in protecting the side of the mountain which lies in Uganda.
[edit] Location
Mt. Elgon is located on the border of Kenya and Uganda, 140km North East of Lake Victoria. It also lies 470 km from Nairobi, and covers an area of 169km2. It is uniquely split down the middle by the Kenyan-Ugandan border. Although the park lies solely in Kenya, the Ugandan side of the mountain has made it into a wildlife reserve like the Kenyan side of the mountain. Mount Elgon is an important water catchment for the Nzoia River which flows to Lake Victoria and for the Turkwel River which flows into Lake Turkana.
[edit] Attractions
Together with the fauna and flora, the park is endowed with variety and breathtaking scenery of cliffs, caves, waterfalls, gorges, mesas, calderas, hot springs, and the mountain peaks.The most popular areas are the four explorable, vast caves where frequent night visitors such as elephants and buffaloes come to lick the natural salt found on the cave walls. Kitum cave, with overhanging crystalline walls, enters 200 m into the side of Mt. Elgon.
The breathtaking natural beauty of the park can be best appreciated from the Endebess Bluff where one gets a panoramic view of the areas' escarpments, gorges, mesas, and rivers. The highest peak of Mt. Elgon on the Kenya side, Koitoboss, measures 13,852 ft (4,155 m), and is easily reached by hikers in about two hours from the road's end. Activities include
- Vehicle circuits leading to animal viewing areas, the caves and Koitoboss peak.
- Self-guided walking trails (Ask for the Kitum Cave guide book at the gate)
- Hiking to Endebess Bluff and Koitoboss Peak
- Primate and bird watching
- Cave explorations
- Camping Photography
[edit] Vegetation
The vegetation varies with altitude. The mountain slopes are covered with olive Olea hochstetteri and Aningueria adolfi-friedericii wet montane forest. At higher altitudes, this changes to olive and Podocarpus gracilior forest, and then a Podocarpus and bamboo Arundinaria alpina zone. Higher still is a Hagenia abyssinica zone and then moorland with heaths Erica arborea and Philippia trimera, tussock grasses such as Agrostis gracilifolia and Festuca pilgeri, herbs such as Alchemilla, Helichrysum, Lobelia, and the giant groundsels Senecio barbatipes and Senecio elgonensis.
The botanical diversity of the park includes giant podocarpus, juniper and Elgon olive trees cedar Juniperus procera, pillarwood Cassipourea malosana, elder Sambucus adnata, pure stands of Podocarpus gracilior and many orchids.
Of the 400 species recorded for the area the following are of particular note as they only occur in high altitude broad-leaf montane forest: Ardisiandra wettsteinii, Carduus afromontanus, Echinops hoehnelii, Ranunculus keniensis (previously thought endemic to Mount Kenya), and Romulea keniensis.
[edit] Climate
The climate is moist to moderate dry. Annual rainfall is over 1,270mm.[1] The dry season runs from June to August, and December to March, although it can rain at any time.[2]
[edit] Wildlife and Vegetation
Elgon's slopes support a rich variety of vegetation ranging from montane forest to high open moorland studded with the giant lobelia and groundsel plants.[3]
Elephants and buffalo can be found on the lower slopes. The park is also home to a variety of small antelope and forest monkeys, including the Black-and-white Colobus and Blue Monkey. Over 300 birds can also be found in the area, including the endangered Lammergeier, African Goshawk, and Baglafecht Weaver.[3][4]
[edit] Attractions
[edit] Mount Elgon Caves
Recent studies have shown that elephants and other mammals are major contributors to the development of these unique . The animals frequently visit at night to 'mine' the natural salt by licking it from the cave walls.[1][5] The caves are mapped[5] and Kitum, Chepnyali, and Mackingeny can be explored by visitors to the park[1][6]
[edit] Other Attractions
Other attractions include ancient cave paintings near the trailhead at Budadiri, and hot springs in the former volcano's crater which bubble at temeratures of up to 48°C.[3][4]
[edit] Popular Culture
The park is the setting for parts of Richard Preston's book The Hot Zone. Kitum Cave is also a setting in the book.[7] Henry Rider Haggard's well-known novel 'King Solomons Mines' is may have been inspired by the Mt Elgon Caves.[5]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Mount Elgon National Park. Kenya Wildlife Service. Retrieved on 2008-01-11.
- ^ Mount Elgon National Park. Travel Uganda. Retrieved on 2008-01-11.
- ^ a b c Mount Elgon National Park. Uganda Wildlife Authority. Retrieved on 2008-01-11.
- ^ a b Mount Elgon. Retrieved on 2008-01-11.
- ^ a b c The Caves of Mount Elgon, Kenya. Retrieved on 2008-01-11.
- ^ Mt Elgon National Park Travel Guide. World 66. Retrieved on 2008-01-11.
- ^ The Hot Zone - Editorial reviews. Barnes & Noble. Retrieved on 2008-01-11.
[edit] External links
