Guided hiking tours - Mount Elgon
Immersive hikes in rural uganda
You don’t need to enter Mount Elgon National Park to experience Elgon’s unspoiled beauty. We have developed a variety of guided hiking tours outside the park, for different fitness levels and interests. Explore remote villages, caves and waterfalls. Our native and experienced guides introduce you into their Community and indigenous culture.
Spectacular 22km guided hiking tour for the experienced hiker! With 1,400 elevation meters. Explore remote waterfalls and splendid viewpoints, whilst you learn about the life of Benet’s farmers.
$40 maximum per person for 7-8 hours (includes packed lunch & boda back)
Explore beautiful waterfalls, natural caves and spectacular viewpoints, just outside Kapchorwa Town. We match the distance, difficulty and highlights of this hike to your needs!
$12.5 maximum per person for 1-2 hours $17.5 maximum per person for 3-4 hours
Discover the indigenous culture of the Mosopisiek during this more-day guided hiking tour on the green slopes of Kween District. Spend your night(s) at a local homestay. Our top off-the-beaten track experience!
$45 maximum per person per day Choose between the 2 or 3-day experience
An insightful introduction into the life of the indigenous Mosopisiek mountain people. This is the light version of the Mosopisiek Trail and Kapchorwa-Benet Trail!
$35 maximum per person for 4 hours + 2 hours way and back (on a boda boda)
Experience the roaring waterfalls, lush farms and magnificent views of Sipi Falls. Our professional guide knows all the ins and outs of the Communities around the famous waterfalls.
$10 per person for 1-2 hours
$15 per person for 3-4 hours
(excluding transport to and from)
We typically respond within 24 hours
Elgon: Uganda’s NEW Hiking Paradise
Map of Kapchorwa’s and Kween’s touristic highlights, including our various hikes
Planning for a hiking vacation? Do you like to go into unknown territory? To experience the real Africa? Mount Elgon is Uganda’s new hikers’ paradise.
Together with local partners, Home of Friends organises guided hiking tours on a great variety of trails. Untouched waterfalls. Historical caves. Vast fields. We go off-the-beaten track! Always close to the people. And with respect for nature.
Explore Mount Elgon with us!
MORE ABOUT ELGON’s GUIDED HIKING TOURS
Kapchorwa – Benet Trail (22km / 7-8 hours)
The first guided hiking tour is the Kapchorwa-Benet Trail. Starting from Home of Friends, our professional guide takes you to waterfalls, through lush villages and over remote bridges and rock formations. End point is the stunning waterfall of Mengia, Benet subcounty. Benet is the other name for the Mosopisiek, the minority tribe that inhabits the higher slopes of Mount Elgon.
Nice to know: Olympic 5km champion Joshua Cheptegei is a Mosopisiek grandson!
Mosopisiek Trail (10-16km per day / 2-3 days)
The Mosopisiek Trail takes you from Bugema at 2100m. ASL to the remote village of Yatui at 2750m. ASL. Yatui neighbors Mount Elgon National Park and is close to the starting point of UWA’s Piswa trail that leads to the peaks of Mount Elgon. But from our own experience we can tell that a guided hiking tour outside the National Park is equally or even more bautiful. Admire a variety of caves and waterfalls. Learn how to make a basket from natural bamboo, a local craft tradition. And in the evening, around the campfire, an elder will tell you all the ins and outs of the proud history and culture of the Ndorobos. Undoubtedly the cherry on your Uganda hiking vacation!
Kapchorwa Nature Walk (4-10km / 2-3 hours)
Do you prefer to go on a more gentle guided hiking tour? Then consider the Kapchorwa Nature Walk. Just outside the gate of our Guesthouse, a bunch of natural caves, stunning viewpoints and great waterfalls are ready to be discovered. Perfect to refresh body and mind, within a few hours. The Kapchorwa Nature Walk is performed by one of our trained junior guides.
Sipi Falls hike (7-10km / 3-4 hours)
Sipi Falls is the mainstream hiking area in the region. More touristic, but absolutely beautiful. A guided hiking tour in Sipi will lead you through local villages & plantations. Highlights are Sipi’s three majestic waterfalls.
Do you want to do all hikes and come for a full-week off-the-beaten track experience?
Please check out our new ‘Best of Elgon’ 8-days hiking package.
OUR HIKING GUIDES
We have worked for several years with all our hiking guides. The guides have gone through various trainings, such as first aid, GPS mapping and customer service. We also hold regular meetings to discuss and resolve challenges. Please meet some of our hiking guides already here:
What to bring on your hiking TOUR
Apart from clothes you are comfortable in and hiking shoes with enough profile, we strongly recommend you to bring with you:
A water bottle with free (re)fills in our restaurant
A hat as the sunlight can be surprisingly strong
Enough sunscreen (for the same reason)
Zip-off pants as you will sometimes encounter stingy nettles on the trails
Rain gear
If wished for, we can provide you with walking sticks. We can also make packed lunches, though it is possible to buy snacks at local shops too.
Hiking shops in Uganda
Already in Uganda about missing some hiking equipment? Most items are available nowadays on webshops like Jumia. You can also find a large stock on the Sunny Outdoors webshop (based in Jinja).
Etiquette during your hike on Mount Elgon
The people on Mount Elgon are friendly and hospitable. Nevertheless, there are a few etiquettes to adhere to:
Don’t take photos of adults without permission, but feel free to do so with children
Short skirts are not appreciated, knee height recommended
Ask your guide to mediate in case of any uncomfortable situation or question you may have
If you’re a curious and social person, we are sure you will have an unforgettable time on Mount Elgon!
Also, when you don’t see a suitable guided hike(s) yet, or if you would love to hike independently, we are flexible and creative in our arrangements! So please: