Extending over an area of 2788 square kilometers to the north of mountain elgon, is the Pian Upe now under the management of mount elgon conservation area, is the second largest protected area in...
READ MORE
Extending over an area of 2788 square kilometers to the north of mountain elgon, is the Pian Upe now under the management of mount elgon conservation area, is the second largest protected area in Uganda after Murchison falls reserve, it lies in semi-arid country which usually receives rainfall in April and more substantial showers from June to early September but some years the rain fails completely.
The predominant cover of mixed acacia commipphara savanna is essentially the Uganda’s extension of an eastern savanna encompassing much of northern Kenya and the amboseli-tsavo-mkomazi complex of reserves on the border between Kenya and Tanzania. Providing dramatic contrast to the dry scrubby plains of Pian Upe is mount kadam, an isolated range of spectacularly tortured turrets and bleak volcanic plugs that rises to an altitude of 3068m on the reserve’s eastern boundary.
Pian Upe is a home to two pastoralist tribes for which it is named: thespian being part of a sub group of the Karamaja, and the Upe being a Kalenjiin speaking people more widely known as the Pakot within Kenya. These two tribes have a history of armed conflict mostly related to cattle rustling. At times the Pian and the Upe team up to fight neighboring tribes in Kenya or Uganda or at times they have directed their violence to each other.
Animlals include Leopard, cheetah and spotted hyena are quite popular by ranger patrols and a small population of lions is present. Among the ungulate species are bur hell’s zebra, buffalo, eland, Harte beast, greater kudu, topi, orib, dik-dik, and Uganda’s last population of roam antelope. In addition the vervet monkeys, olive baboons, the far localized pata monkey are white popular in the savanna.
Size
Extending over an area of 2788 square kilometers to the north of mountain elgon
Getting There
Mbale-Moroto road roughly 90km from Mbale
What to do
Forest walks, bird watching, Mountain Climbing, Study Tours, camping, sightseeing.
Formerly known as Toro Game ReserveĀ is located in the Western Rift Valley in Uganda between the Rwenzori Mountains and Lake Albert lies the
Extending over an area of 2788 square kilometers to the north of mountain elgon, is the Pian Upe now under the management of mount elgon
The reserve protects a network of forest-fringed wetlands along the Katonga River and can best be explored by foot and canoe. It is home to over