About 10 million years ago an eruption occurred on Mount Elgon. It would be the last one before the mountain was deemed an extinct volcano. In the years that followed, the soils and consistent rainfall allowed for trees to grow and plants to thrive – welcoming different animal species to what would be the Mount Elgon Forest Reserve.
For anyone familiar with Mount Elgon, the immediate fact is that it is one of the physical features that sits between Kenya and Uganda with its peak – named Wagagai – located in Uganda. The mountain is 4,321 meters above sea level and the Mount Elgon Forest is found within the Mount Elgon National Park, covering 1,110 km2 of the mountain. While the forest too has dual citizenship, it is a vast area of greenery that is of great significance not only to its home countries, but to other East and North East African states.
For starters, the forest is one of Kenya’s water towers, holding its title as a catchment area for rivers Nzoia and Turkwel, two natural flowing watercourses that drain into Lake Victoria and Lake Turkana respectively.
Because of the forest’s location, the vegetation present varies with altitude. Horticulturalists and plant-lovers are likely to find approximately 400 plant species. We aren’t guaranteeing that these finds can happen in a day but if you are up for a plant adventure, this is a forest worth visiting. Though if it helps, the lower side hosts an array of the East African Olive – a plant species that can only found in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. And as one progresses higher up the mountain, there is the ‘herbal zone’ with plenty of Lobelia and Lady’s Mantle.
It goes without saying that where there is forest, there is an assortment of birdlife. For the birders, there are at least 144 bird species in this Kenyan forest, and of this number 70% are resident birds that depend on the woodland for survival. But it isn’t just birds that chirp, squawk or pollinate in this green area; mammals too roam freely around and have established domains. With some patience, one may find a herd of elephants or buffaloes or run into duikers and antelopes or the famous Colobus monkey. The other monkeys that live within the trees are the red-tailed monkey and the blue-tailed monkey. We would however caution visitors to be weary of the leopards and hyenas that can occasionally be spotted in this area.
Like some of the world’s forests, the Mount Elgon Forest is a majestic site with hidden gems like caves, waterfalls, hot springs, gorges, and calderas. One of the forests’ caves – Kitum cave, is known to be the point where elephants stop by at night to lick salt off its walls.
Are you up for an adventure? Or have you visited the Mount Elgon Forest before? Tell us all about it!
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