Mount Elgon
| Mountain Elgon | |
|---|---|
| Wagagai (summit) | |
Mount Elgon (left) and Great Rift Valley (right) | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 4,321 m (14,177 ft) |
| Prominence | 2,457 m (8,061 ft) |
| Isolation | 339 km (211 mi) |
| Listing | Mountains of Africa 16th Ultra |
| Coordinates | 1°08′16″N 34°33′37″E / 1.13778°N 34.56028°E |
| Geography | |
| Topo map(s) | Mount Elgon Map and Guide |
| Geology | |
| Formed by | Volcanism along the Gregory Rift |
| Rock age | Miocene origin |
| Mountain type | Shield volcano |
| Last eruption | Unknown |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1911 by Kmunke and Stigler |
| Easiest route | Scramble |
Mount Elgon is an extinct shield volcano on the border of Uganda and Kenya, north of Kisumu, east of Mbale and west of Kitale. The mountain's highest point, named "Wagagai", is located entirely within Uganda. Although there is no verifiable evidence of its earliest volcanic activity, geologists estimate that Mount Elgon is at least 24 million years old, making it the oldest known extinct volcano in East Africa. The mountain's name originates from its Maasai name, “Ol Doinyo Ilgoon” (Breast Mountain).