Mount Elgon
Mount Elgon is a mountain in Kenya and Uganda, rising to 4,321 m, the 22nd highest in Kenya.
Where it is
Mount Elgon sits on the border between Kenya and Uganda, and is counted in each.
Key facts
How it ranks
Nearest peaks
| Peak | Elevation | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Wagagai | 4,296 m | 3.4 km |
| Jacksons Summit | 4,321 m | 4.1 km |
| Sudek | 4,304 m | 4.4 km |
| Mount Homa | 1,751 m | 170 km |
| Silali | 2,355 m | 181 km |
| Ol Doinyo Eburru | 2,856 m | 273 km |
Nearest cities
The closest places in our city dataset to Mount Elgon.
| City | Country | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budadiri | Uganda | 19,200 | 25 km |
| Kapchorwa | Uganda | 51,200 | 32 km |
| Sironko | Uganda | 19,300 | 36 km |
| Manafwa | Uganda | 16,000 | 37 km |
| Mbale | Uganda | 111,300 | 42 km |
About this mountain
Standing 339 km from any higher ground, Mount Elgon rises to 4,321 m on the Kenya–Uganda border. Its nearest major neighbours are Wagagai at 3.4 km away (4,296 m) and Sudek at 4.4 km away (4,304 m), with Jacksons Summit 4.1 km distant at the same elevation. The mountain has a topographic prominence of 2,458 m. The first recorded ascent was in 1911.
Written from the figures on this page by an AI model, then checked against them automatically. No sources beyond the data shown here were used.
Tallest in the country
| # | Peak | Elevation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mount Kenya | 5,199 m |
| 2 | Batian | 4,971 m |
| 3 | Tooth | 4,630 m |
| 4 | Thompson Flake | 4,630 m |
| 5 | Point Thompson | 4,630 m |
| 6 | Point Lenana | 4,630 m |
| 7 | Point Pigott | 4,605 m |
| 8 | Point Peter | 4,605 m |
| 9 | Nelion | 4,605 m |
| 10 | Midget Peak | 4,605 m |
Common questions
- How tall is Mount Elgon?
- Mount Elgon rises to 4,321 m. Surveyed elevation, GeoNames.
- Where is Mount Elgon?
- Mount Elgon sits on the border between Kenya and Uganda.
- Where does Mount Elgon rank?
- It is the 22nd highest of the 36 peaks we list in Kenya, and #905 worldwide.
- When was Mount Elgon first climbed?
- The first recorded ascent was in 1911.
- What is the nearest city to Mount Elgon?
- Budadiri, Uganda, about 25 km away.
Explore
Elevation and coordinates from GeoNames; prominence, isolation, range and first-ascent data from Wikidata. GeoNames publishes no date for elevation figures, so none is shown.