9 Day Culture & Mount Elgon Hike
9 Day Culture , If you are craving adventure with culture then this trip is for you. On this 9 day culture and hiking tour in Uganda, you will get the best of both experiences. Your first experience will be with local communities in the countryside by the slopes of Mt Elgon. Thereafter you will spend 4 days hiking and experiencing the beautiful Mt Elgon with its views of waterfalls, vegetation, and caves.
Day 1: On Arrival in Uganda at Entebbe Airport\9 Day Culture
On arrival our guide will welcome you at Entebbe International Airport and provide information about the safari you are about to take. You will then be transferred to your hotel for overnight. Stay at Casa Miltu (Budget), Cassia Lodge (Mid-range) and Kampala Serena (Up market).
Day 2: Transfer to Jinja – the Adventure Capital of East Africa\9 Day Culture
We start the journey with first a stopover at Sezibwa Falls for a cultural experience on our way to Jinja. The journey to Jinja is through beautiful landscapes of tea and sugarcane plantations, a tropical rain forest, and several homesteads.
Once in Jinja you will take a boat trip to source of River Nile on Lake Victoria. After the boat experience, we transfer to Sippi for overnight.
Day 3 &4: 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.
This activity gives you a chance to learn about the Sabiny – participate in traditional weaving, African cuisines – its preparation, cooking and tasting of local dishes and visit the women’s handcraft shop.9 Day Culture
Proceed from the tour and shop maintain the coffee trees, raising awareness about the dangers of female circumcision (traditionally practiced in this region), and paying school fees. We will also trek to the sipi falls for beautiful views of these waterfalls.
Day 5: Hike to Piswa Camp
After breakfast, we will transfer you to Kapkwata from where you start the hike of Mt Elgon. It is a scenic route running through the bamboo, heath, and moorland, arriving at the Piswa Camp at 2850 meters. Today’s hike will not be too steep, enjoy the different vegetation covers as you ascend to Piswa camp.
Day 6: Hunters Cave Camp in Mt Elgon
Hike up to the rim of the caldera through beautiful columns of the most rare and endemic plant species like the giant Lobelia Elgonensis. This is a beautiful trip through this vegetation only found at this height in Uganda, look out for the ever beautiful wild Everlasting flowers. 9 Day Culture :On this route, you will pass by the hot springs which make for a good stopover. On the same trail you find Suam Gorge with beautiful views of the mountain. After the gorge, you hike the last leg to Hunters Cave Camp at 3850 meters.
Day 7: Overnight at Mude Cave Camp
The goal today is to ascend to ascend to the top of the caldera at the Wagagai Peak which is at 4321 meters. The views from the caldera are worth the hike up the mountain. Thereafter we will descend through the Jackson summit and the Jackson pool to arrive at Mude Cave Camp at 3500 meters for overnight. Mt Elgon has the largest caldera worldwide and is the 4th highest peak in Africa.
Day 8: Descend through the Sasa Trail
Today after an early breakfast you will begin to descend through the Sasa trail to Budadiri. We choose to take a different trail so that you are able to experience more of the mountain using a different route. Our driver guide will pick you and transfer you back to Kampala with a stopover in Mbale for lunch.
Day 9: End of Mt Elgon Hike – Departure,9 Day Culture
After your hike to the second highest peak in Uganda – you will transfer to the Airport to start your journey back home.
Uganda is the best place to go for a safari with mum and dad Uganda tours a local travel agency
End of Culture & Mount Elgon Hike
The tour includes
- Ground transportation
- Source of the Nile
- Community experiences
- Hiking Elgon
- Park entrance
- Bottled water in the safari vehicle
- Full board accommodation for two nights
- Service of an English-speaking driver guide
- All mentioned activities except for the optional ones
Tour excludes
- Extras at the accommodation i.e. drinks, telephone, laundry etc.
- Tips to porters and driver/ guide
- Travel Insurance
- Flight ticket & Visa fees.