An extinct shield volcano straddling the Kenyan border east of Mbale, Mount Elgon is Africa's eighth-highest massif, rising to 4,321m at Wagagai Peak, and it has the broadest base of any free-standing mountain anywhere in the world. Two contiguous national parks share a 10km border on the massif’s upper slopes. Kenya's 169km?

Mount Elgon, National Park was created in 1968, while its larger Uganda namesake, gazetted in 1993, extends over 1,145km above the 2,00Om contour. The highland moors and forests protected within these national parks harbor an impressively varied flora and fauna, while the lower slopes outside the national park are the site of Sipi Falls, the most popular tourist attraction in the Elgon region. Elgon has enormous potential as a hiking destination, but it lacks the iconic status of Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya or the Rwenzori, and sees far fewer visitors. Nevertheless, for budget travelers seeking a relatively affordable off-the-beaten-track opportunity to explore East Africa’s weird and wonderful Afro-alpine vegetation, Elgon is a far less financially draining prospect than any other comparably lofty massif. The mountain can be climbed from either side of the border, but the Uganda trailheads are more accessible on public transport, and Wagagai, the tallest peak, falls on that side of the border. It is possible to do a cross-border traverse, ascending on the Ugandan side and descending in Kenya (ask at the national park office in Mbale for further details). For less serious walkers, the Mount Elgon foothills outside the national park offer plenty of alluring prospects, with Sipi Falls and to a lesser extent Kapchorwa being particularly popular bases in a coffee-growing area endowed with many scenic vistas.