4-Day Mount Elgon Trek from Mbale: Wagagai Peak

Four days climbing an extinct volcano that once towered over Kilimanjaro

A 4-day guided trek from Mbale up Mount Elgon, Uganda's 4,321-meter extinct volcano, with camping at three sites and a local ranger guide leading the route. You hike from Bushiyi Gate through montane forest and moorland to Wagagai peak, then descend through Hunter's Cave Camp. Pickup from Kampala or Entebbe airport is included. Meals and all camping accommodation are provided. A high level of physical fitness is required.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Mount Elgon Hike

• Breakfast at Riverline Hotel
• Board boda bodas to Bushiyi Village
• Walk 8-9 km to Bududa patrol office
• Register and meet guides at Bushiyi Gate
• Hike 6 km steep climb to Shiloko camp
• Lunch and overnight at Shiloko camp

Day 2: Hiking Mount Elgon

• Breakfast at camp
• Hike to Dubi camp at 3300m
• Overnight at Dubi camp

Day 3: Hiking Mount Elgon

• Breakfast at Dubi camp
• Hike 9 km to Wagagai peak summit
• Return to Dubi or Shiloko camp
• Overnight at camp

Day 4: Hiking Mount Elgon

• Walk across the crater
• Camp at Hunter's Cave Camp (3600m)
• Breakfast, lunch, and dinner at camp

The experience

The trek starts with a 06:30 pickup from Kampala or Entebbe airport, then a 3–4 hour drive east on tarmac to Mbale. From there, you board local transport to Bushiyi Village and the park gate, where you meet your ranger guide, porters and cook. The first day is a steep 6km climb through community land to Shiloko camp at around 2,800m, where you overnight and acclimatize. The mountain straddles the Uganda-Kenya border, but its highest point, Wagagai, sits on the Ugandan side and is best approached from here.

Day two is a shorter hike to Dubi camp at 3,300m, giving you another night to adjust before the summit push. On day three, you leave before dawn for the 9km ascent to Wagagai peak: a mix of gentle slopes and steeper pitches that take you to 4,321 meters. The views from the top stretch across the crater and down the slopes you climbed. Depending on how you feel, you either return to Dubi or descend to Shiloko for your third night. The final day crosses the crater floor to Hunter's Cave Camp at 3,600m, where you rest and prepare for the drive back to Mbale.

Mount Elgon is an important watershed with distinct vegetation zones: montane forest at lower elevations gives way to high moorland dotted with giant lobelia and groundsel plants. You may see forest monkeys, small antelope, elephant and buffalo along the route. The trek is undemanding in technical difficulty but demands sustained physical effort over four days at altitude. A local ranger guide leads throughout, and the cook prepares breakfast, lunch and dinner at each camp.

What’s included

• Airport pickup from Kampala or Entebbe.
• local transportation to the trailhead.
• a ranger guide throughout the trek.
• three nights of camping accommodation.
• all meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner at each camp).
• porters and a cook.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (19 to 23 years) · Senior (24 to 29 years) · Youth (18 years) · Child (5 years): free · Infant (under 1): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Demanding physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Discover Sipi

Is this one for you?Book this trek if you're staying in Kampala or arriving at Entebbe airport without a car: the pickup and transport to Mbale are arranged, so you don't need to arrange your own way to the mountain. The 4-day length gives you time to acclimatize at altitude while still summiting Wagagai and returning within a single trip.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (18 years); Child (5 years): free; Infant (under 1): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How do I get from Kampala to the Mount Elgon trailhead?

Pickup is included at 06:30 from Kampala or Entebbe airport, followed by a 3–4 hour drive east on tarmac road to Mbale, then local transport to Bushiyi Village and the park gate where the trek begins.

What is Wagagai peak and why is it climbed from Uganda?

Wagagai is Mount Elgon's highest point at 4,321 meters and the only summit peak that lies within Uganda, even though the mountain straddles the Kenya border. It is best ascended from the Ugandan side, where this trek approaches it.

What kind of accommodation and meals are provided on the trek?

You camp at three sites over four nights: Shiloko camp, Dubi camp, and Hunter's Cave Camp at 3,600m. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are cooked at each camp and included in the trek.

What wildlife and plants will I see on Mount Elgon?

The mountain's slopes support forest monkeys, small antelope, elephant and buffalo. As you climb through different altitude zones, vegetation changes from montane forest to high moorland with giant lobelia and groundsel plants that are distinctive to high African mountains.

Is this trek physically demanding?

The trek is undemanding in technical skill but requires sustained physical effort over four days at altitude. A high level of physical fitness is essential. It is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, poor cardiovascular health or pregnant travelers.