4 Days Elgon Trekking to Wagagai Peak Via the Sasa Trail

4 Days Elgon Trekking to Wagagai Peak and Return Via the Sasa Trail. Experience the wonders of nature on our four-day Sasa Trail trip to Masaba and Wagagai Peaks. Learn about the many vegetation zones, including the recently-discovered Heather Zone high on the Mukoola Ridge, marvel in breathtaking landscape, and be guided by knowledgeable, experienced experts.

Start your day off well with a satisfying continental breakfast. Then, stuff your lunch bread rolls with ham, chicken, tomato, onion, and cheese. Accompany it with your choice of tea, coffee, or fruit juice, and a fresh apple or orange. A daily soup, a main dish, and a dessert make up an evening meal. Drinks such as tea, coffee, and filter coffee made with freshly ground Arabica beans from Mount Elgon are available for those who prefer a more authentic coffee experience.

When making your reservation, you have the option to choose a more acceptable breakfast of Katogo (matoke and meat with tomato and onion), which is perfect for East Africans or anyone else who may prefer it. The lunch menu consists of bread rolls topped with ham, chicken, cheese, tomato, and onion, served with your choice of tea, coffee, or fruit juice. Soup in the evening, matoke (boiled rice or posho), stewed beef or goat, and dessert.

Make sure to let us know at least two days before your trip starts so we can buy the essential supplies. It’s not easy to prepare mixed European and East African meals for various people on a trek, so it’s either one or the other for everyone.

Mount Elgon trekking to Wagagai Peak

Please Note:

We do not advise three-day hikes to 4,321 m Wagagai Peak, in accordance with the guidelines set out by the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) regarding the dangers of high altitude sickness, including severe headaches, nausea, and vomiting. There are tour firms that offer three-day treks, but be warned: high altitude sickness is real and can leave you feeling weak and unwell. At an elevation of about 1,156 meters, you’ll find Mbale, Budadiri, and Sironko. In order to complete a three-day hike, you would need to forego the first camp, which would require you to climb about 2,400 meters (2.4 miles) in one day—three times the maximum allowed by international standards. Your body requires time to adapt to the lower air pressure and oxygen levels at high altitude; altitude does not care about your fitness level. You risk altitude sickness, which can cause serious headaches, trouble breathing, nausea, and even death, if you don’t acclimate properly and don’t take your time. Additionally, porters put their lives and well-being at danger by attempting to ascend directly to higher camps with food and luggage in a single day. Because it would be reckless of us to suggest a three-day hike to Wagagai Peak, we advise at least a four-day excursion. Take it easy and enjoy the ride, or go for broke.

Itinerary for 4 Days Elgon Trekking to Wagagai Peak and Return via the Sasa Trail

Along the Sasa Trail, we will be trekking to Masaba and Wagagai Peaks for four days. Along the way, we will pass through many vegetation zones, including the recently found Heather Zone at the upper reaches of the Mukoola Ridge. Our expert guides will make the adventure even more memorable.

Day 1:

is a 7.1-kilometer hike that ascends 1,162 meters between Elgon Trekkers Base Camp, which is located above Bugiboni at 1,720 meters, and Hunwick’s Camp, which is at 2,882 meters.

Beginning at Elgon Trekkers Base Camp, the ascent to Kigoma Primary School is gradual and passes past coffee plantations, maize fields, potato fields, and onion fields.

A gradual ascent awaits you at the park boundary, which is situated just below the 61-meter Nabunyifu Falls, which translates to “cold wind,” and is framed by towering cliffs on each side. To make the trail more manageable and to provide better views of the town below and the faraway mountains, we have built switchbacks. An excellent new addition to Elgon National Park, this stretch is a brand-new path that has never been open to the public before. From where you cross the river and have lunch at a shelter, the trail gradually ascends the Dirigana Valley through a montane forest dotted with thick foliage and massive Podacarpus trees. A gradual ascent awaits you at 2,882 meters, at the foot of the Mukoola Ridge, where you can take in breathtaking panoramas of the surrounding hills and valleys on your way to Masaba Summit.

Day 2

strolls steadily into the mountain forest, passing through open fields of bamboo that are currently re-growing after being heavily harvested by the locals for their shoots, construction materials, and agricultural stakes. Spectacular vistas extend from Masaba Camp’s vantage point at 3,745 meters.

Day 3

Masaba Table, a massive rock formation 700 by 200 meters in size and 80 meters above the surrounding terrain, is reached after a steady ascent from Masaba Camp. From here, you descend to a point near the base of Masaba Summit, at 4,152 meters, from which you can either climb to the peak or continue along the caldera rim to Wagagai Peak, at 4,321 meters. After a brief break at Wagagai, you will descend to Sasa River Camp via Mude Camp, which is 3,472 meters. You have the option to spend the night at Mude Camp or continue your descent the following day. During your descent, you will have the opportunity to see Dirigana Falls.

Day 4

In order to complete your walk, you must descend through the jungle, following the waterfalls, to reach Base Camp. If they stay in Mude Camp, most people reach Base Camp by 3 or 12 o’clock in the afternoon.

Detailed 4 Days Elgon Trekking:

Day 1: Trek starts at Elgon Trekkers Base Camp and crosses through coffee plantations

On the first day, you’ll hike 7.1 kilometers while climbing 1,162 meters in altitude, from Elgon Trekkers Base Camp, which is above Bugiboni at 1,720 meters, to Hunwick’s Camp, which is at 2,882 meters. If you were to sleep in Mbale City at 1,150 meters, the altitude gain for the day would be 1,732 meters. Four or five hours.

Starting at Elgon Trekkers Base Camp, the journey winds its way through coffee plantations to the Gasawa steel ladders, which are located just above Bugiboni Village. The ascent to the ladders is not without its steep stretches. Coffee, onions, potatoes, and maize are the principal crops grown in the area where the river flattens out and flows through the town.

Or, if the weather is nice, you can take a boda boda up to 2,070 meters before beginning your climb, saving you energy and time to explore more of the national park. Directly below Dirigana Falls, which stands at 61 meters and is surrounded by sheer cliffs on all sides, begins a steady ascent to the park boundary. The trail has been modified with switchbacks to provide easier ascent to the cliff top. Thanks to this brand-new segment of the Sasa Trail, which has never been open to the public before, the route is even more impressive. Continuing along the Dirigana Valley and the base of the cliffs, the trail ascends to the base of the falls. At this point, you can stand below the falls to capture great photos. Afterwards, you can continue to the top of the escarpment, where you will be rewarded with breathtaking views of the valley. A large rock shelter is there in case you need shelter during rainy weather.

Entering the montane forest, characterized by dense foliage and towering Podacarpus trees, the trail passes over the falls. Once you cross the river, there’s a great place to stop for a snack and a little break before continuing your ascent to 2,882 meters at Hunwick’s Camp on the Mukoola Ridge. The Dirigana valley is your next stop. From Hunwick’s camp, it’s just a short trek to the hilltop, where you can see Mbale City, Sironko, and other cities spread out across the hills and valleys. As the sun sets, you can make out the lights of distant cities. At this location, you’ll also find our dining hut, from which you can look out over Masaba Peak and Masaba Table, the locations of our next two camps.

Day 2: Masaba Camp

On day two, you’ll start at 2,882 meters and gradually ascend or descend for 7.4 kilometers to reach Masaba Camp at 3,745 meters. You’ll gain a total of 863 meters in elevation during your easy four to five hour trek.

Once you reach 3,200 meters, you’ll be in open terrain; continue ascending up into the montane forest. In the past, this area was known as the bamboo zone. However, the communities here have heavily exploited the bamboo for building materials and shoots, so the bamboo is now practically nonexistent. Fortunately, since we opened the route to travelers, the bamboo is starting to recover. Optimism and fresh bamboo shoots will greet you as you continue your ascent. To ensure that the native bamboo species may continue to thrive and be enjoyed by generations to come, we will be collaborating with the Uganda Wildlife Authority to launch a program to replant the impacted regions and propagate it. At an elevation of 3,100 to 3,300 meters, you’ll pass through an area of recently found Giant Heather (Erica arborea). Shortly after, you’ll enter the Heath or Moorland Zone, a region of open high-altitude meadows and wildflowers dotted with a few patches of Giant Heather and some rolling hills. Before continuing the final two kilometers to Masaba Camp at 3,745 meters, we stop for a brief break at a rest area in the Heather Zone’s upper altitudes. From Masaba Camp, you can see the beautiful foothills, high-altitude grasslands, and beautiful trees. As the sun goes down, you can make out the distant lights of Mbale City.

We are now using tents for lodging, but we will soon be building huts and other forms of permanent housing.

The Masaba Table, a flat rock outcrop surrounded by steep cliffs that rise 70 to 90 meters above the surrounding moorland grasses adorned with enormous lobelia and groundsel plants, is 1.2 kilometers high and worth climbing after lunch if you’re feeling energetic. The massive rock formation known as Masaba Table boasts breathtaking vistas from its 700-meter length, 200-meter width, and average height of 4,000 meters above sea level.

Day 3: Wagagai Peak

The third day of the trek is a 6.4-kilometer ascent to 4,321-meter Wagagai Peak, after which you can either return to Mudi Camp or, alternatively, descend down the Sasa River and arrive at base camp at approximately 11 a.m. You can easily cover the 7.2 km distance from Mude Camp to Sasa River Camp in about two hours on a well-maintained trail. If you prefer to sleep in Mude Camp, you can enjoy the high altitude environment and maybe even see some mountain hares or cats at night. The walk from Sasa River Camp to Base Camp takes about three to four hours.

You have the option to climb Masaba Peak (Jackson’s Summit) for 30 minutes since our trail goes close to the cliffs encircling Masaba Table. From the summit, you can enjoy fantastic views across the caldera to the peaks in Kenya. It is recommended to depart from Masaba Camp no later than 6:30 or 7 in the morning in order to cover the 2.6 km trek and reach the peak of Masaba before the mountain fog sets in.

Day 4: Descend down through the forest along the original Sasa Trail

From Bugiboni, you will descend to Elgon Trekkers Base Camp after following the old Sasa Trail through the forest. From there, you will turn and climb Dirigana Falls, passing through a region of giant tree ferns.

End of the 4 Days Elgon Trekking Itinerary