Trek to Wagagai Peak
at 4,321 metres

The trek starts at ETS Basecamp with a steady climb through coffee plantations, maize, potatoes and onions to Kigoma Primary School. From here the trail climbs to the park boundary directly below the 61-metre Nabunyifu Falls, flanked by sheer cliffs. Newly built switchbacks offer excellent views of the community below.

This is a completely new trail never before accessible to tourists — a great addition to Mt Elgon National Park. The trail climbs through the Dirigana Valley's montane forest with huge Podocarpus trees to a riverside lunch shelter, then continues up to the Mukoola Ridge and Hunwick's Camp at 2,882 m, with fantastic views across the hills to Masaba Summit.

A steady 4–5 hour climb through the upper montane forest to 3,200 m where you emerge onto open ground. You pass through the bamboo zone (sadly reduced by community harvesting, but showing signs of recovery), and enter a newly discovered Giant Heather zone (Erica arborea) before breaking into the open Heath and Moorland Zone — high-altitude grasslands alive with wildflowers and scattered Giant Heather.

A short break at a rest point in the upper Heather Zone is followed by the final 2 km to Masaba Camp at 3,745 m. From camp you get exceptional views across the high-altitude grasslands, stunning forest, and foothills. At night, the lights of Mbale City twinkle in the distance below.

After settling in, you may choose to make the optional 1.2 km climb to Masaba Table — a massive flat rock 700 m long and 300 m wide at 4,020 m, with vertical cliffs averaging 70–90 metres on all sides and extraordinary panoramic views.

An early start at 6:30–7:00 am is recommended to beat the mountain fog. The trail passes close to the cliffs surrounding Masaba Table and just below Masaba Peak (Jackson's Summit), giving you the option of a 30-minute side climb to summit Masaba Peak for spectacular views across the caldera to the peaks in Kenya — best done before the fog rolls in.

The trail then climbs the 6.4 km to Wagagai Peak at 4,321 metres — the highest point of Mt Elgon — a 576-metre altitude gain from Masaba Camp. At the summit you are rewarded with sweeping views over the entire caldera and, on clear mornings, across to the Kenyan peaks.

After descending, you have a choice of overnight camp. Mude Cave Camp at 3,472 m lets you stay in the high-altitude environment — where serval cats and mountain hares are sometimes seen at night. Alternatively, you may opt to descend further to Sasa River Camp at 2,880 m, which shortens Day 4's walk and gets you back to Basecamp around 11 am.

Descend through the forest along the original Sasa Trail before turning and cutting across to the top of Dirigana Falls — passing through a remarkable area of Giant Tree Ferns that line the upper valley.

From here the trail descends to Elgon Trekkers Basecamp at Bugiboni, completing the full Sasa Trail circuit. A fitting end to an extraordinary four-day summit experience on Mt Elgon.