Overview
Mount Elgon is an extinct shield volcano on the border of Uganda and Kenya, north of Kisumu and west of Kitale. The mountain's highest point, named "Wagagai", is located entirely within Uganda.
Description
Mount Elgon is a massive solitary volcanic mountain on the border of eastern Uganda and western Kenya. Its vast form, 80 kilometers (50 mi) in diameter, rises 3,070 meters (10,070 ft) above the surrounding plains. Its cooler heights offer respite for humans from the hot plains below, and its higher altitudes provide a refuge for flora and fauna.
Mt. Elgon consists of five major peaks:
- Wagagai (4,321 metres (14,177 ft)), in Uganda
- Sudek (4,302 meters (14,114 ft)) on the Kenya/Uganda border
- Koitobos (4,222 meters (13,852 ft)), a flat-topped basalt column in Kenya
- Mubiyi (4,211 meteres (13,816 ft)) in Uganda
- Masaba (4,161 meters (13,652 ft)) in Uganda