Mount Elgon

Mount Elgon rises 4,321 meters above sea level, featuring five major peaks and an extensive caldera spanning 40 square kilometers across the border region.

The mountain formed through volcanic activity 24 million years ago, making it the oldest extinct volcano in East Africa and formerly taller than Mount Kilimanjaro.

The Bagisu people name the mountain Masaba after their founding father, while its current name derives from the Maasai term 'Ol Doinyo Ilgoon'.

The mountain experiences two dry seasons from June to August and December to March, with annual rainfall exceeding 1,270 millimeters in other months.

Kitum Cave attracts elephants who enter at night to extract salt deposits from its mineral-rich walls through sustained licking behavior.

Location: Bungoma District

Elevation above the sea: 4,321 m

Part of: Great Rift Valley

GPS coordinates: 1.13789,34.56035

Latest update: May 27, 2025 07:02