Sasa Trail 6 days 5 Nights 4321 Metres
Trekking the Sasa Trail in Mt Elgon National Park is a truly rewarding experience with professional guides, great food and good accommodation.
Overview
The 6 days trek to Wagagai peak at 4,321 metres and Masaba summit at 4,152metres via the new Sasa Trail also has you explore Masaba table which is a long flat topped rock jutting above the alpine moorland measures 700metres long by 300 meters wide with 80 to 100 metre high cliffs all around at 4,020 metres.
Day to Day Program
Brief itinerary:
Day 1: pick up from from Entebbe or kamapala.drive east wards to mbale.we drive through mabira forest that habours lots of primates and birds. Night in mbale
Day 2: Early breakfast and transfer to the base of the mountain where the trek starts. Once at the start base, we shall have guides,porters,cooks assembeled and get a briefing of the trek.
Todays trek is a 7.4km walk with an altitude gain from Elgon Trekkers Base Camp above
Bugiboni at 1,720m to Hunwick’s Camp at 2,882m giving an altitude gain of 1,162 metres
The trek starts at Elgon Trekkers Base Camp with a steady climb through coffee plantations, maize, potatoes and onions to Kigoma Primary School.
From here it is a steady walk up to the park boundary directly below the 61m Nabunyifu Falls (meaning cold wind) flanked by sheer cliffs. We have constructed switchbacks in the trail to make it easier and offer excellent views of the community below and distant mountains. This section is a completely new trail which has never been accessible to tourists before and a great addition to the Elgon National Park. The trail climbs steadily up the Dirigana Valley through the montane forest with huge Podacarpus trees and thick vegetation to where you cross the river and stop for lunch at a shelter. From here it is a steady climb up to the Mukoola Ridge and the Hunwick’s Camp at 2,882 metres where you get fantastic views across the hills and valleys to Masaba Summit.
Overnight: Hunwick’s Camp at 2,882 metres.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 3 is a 7.4km steady climb/walk from 2,882 metres to Masaba Camp at 3,745 metres, total height gain of 863 metres taking around 4 to 5 hours easy going all the way.
Continue climbing up through the montane forest to 3,200m when you enter open ground. This used to be the bamboo zone which due to heavy exploitation by the communities for bamboo shoots and building materials it is almost nonexistent. However, as you continue climbing you will see new bamboo shoots and hope of recovery.
Together with Uganda Wildlife Authority we will be implementing a programme to propagate the indigenous bamboo and replant the affected areas so future generations will be able to enjoy the beauty of the bamboo. At around 3,000 metres to 3,300 metres you walk through a newly discovered Giant Heather zone (Erica arborea) after which is breaks into the Heath or Moorland Zone which is open high- altitude grasslands and wildflowers with scattered areas of Giant Heather and rolling hills. We take a short break at a rest point in the upper levels of the Heather Zone before walking the last two kilometres to Masaba Camp @ 3,745 metres. You get excellent views from Masaba Camp across the high
altitudes grasslands, the stunning forests and foothills. At night, you see the lights of Mbale City in the distance.
After a short rest you may decide to climb 1.2km climb to the top of the Masaba Table which is flat rock with vertical cliffs all around averaging 70 to 90 metres above the surrounding moorland grasses studded with the giant lobelia and groundsel plants. Masaba Table is one huge rock 700 metres long and 200 metres wide and an average height above sea level of 4,000 metres and offers exceptional views.
Overnight stay at: Masaba Camp 3,745m.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 4. Summit Wagagai peak 4321m, sleep at Mude Cave Camp.
A 6.4km walk with an altitude gain of 576 metres up to Wagagai Peak at 4,321 metres then descend back to Mude Camp or you may decide to descend to Sasa River so as to reach the base camp around 11am the following day. However, the trail to Sasa River Camp from Mude Camp 6.7km is in good condition and easily accomplished in around over two hours and from Sasa River Camp to Base camp is about 3 to 4 hours walk so you may opt to sleep in Mude Camp to enjoy the high-altitude environment and maybe catch the sight of a serval cat or mountain hares at night.
As our trail passes close to the cliffs surrounding Masaba Table and just below Masaba Peak (Jackson’s Summit) you have the option of a 30- minute climb to summit Masaba Peak and enjoy excellent views across the caldera to the peaks in Kenya. start your journey from Masaba Camp by 6.30am or latest 7am to trek the 2.6km and be on top of Masaba Peak before the mountain fog closes in.
Overnight stay at: Mude Cave Camp 3,472m or Sasa River Camp at 2,880m
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5. Descend down to the basecamp 1720m.
Descend down through the forest along the original Sasa Trail before turning and cutting across to the top of Dirigana Falls through and area of Giant Tree Ferns and down to Elgon Trekkers Base Camp at Bugiboni.we then bid farewell to the mountain crew and transfer to Jinja town for an over night stay. This town is famous as the historic source of the river Nile and at the same time the adrenaline capital of East Africa. Besides enjoying peaceful sunsets, birdlife and tranquility, this is also where visitors get their adventurous fix. Enjoy white-water rafting. Jinja has a gorgeous natural setting with crumbling colonial architecture.
Day 6. Today you can have optional activities , choose to relax or do white water rafting or visit the source of river Nile.Afternoon transfer to kampala or Entebbe
End of the tour
Inclusive of : Transport, Guides, park entry,porters, meals & accommodation, water and activities mentioned.
Exclusive of : Tips, insurance, personal expenses.
