HIKING THE NDOROBO TRAIL

The Ndorobo Trail, also known as the Mosopishek Trail, is a long rustic trail on the upper belt of Kween District. It takes two to three days to hike along the Ndorobo trail. The trail is of moderate difficulty but gets more challenging during the wet season. Hikers walk about 12-15 kilometers every day, so it requires adequate preparation and a certain level of physical and mental fitness.

The Ndorobo/Mosopishek are hunters/gatherers who live close to Mount Elgon forest.  They are subsections of the Sabiny/Sebei tribe. The Ndorobo tribe has kept their traditional ways and are not much influenced by modern lifestyle.

Hiking the Ndorobo trail is an unforgettable adventure experience. The trail is in a remote area that has most of its natural beauty intact. The long trail will take you through steep slopes, hills, and deep valleys accompanied by long stretches of lush vegetation cover. At the hilltops, you’ll be rewarded with picturesque views of the charming countryside and its amazing features.

Explore the breathtaking landscape and rugged terrain of the Kween district. When you visit, you may see Mosopishek people plowing, grazing, or digging. The Mosopishek mainly involve themselves in animal and crop husbandry, which is their major source of livelihood.

The long hike starts off easy but starts to get a bit challenging as your body gets tired. You’ll be sloping up and down at different points of the trail, which creates a fantastic adventure experience.

There are many points to stop over and relax, eat something, or take amazing photographs along the Ndorobo trail. Bird and animal sounds will accompany you while peaceful silence will grace some parts of the trail.

Highlights of the Ndorobo Trail

Scenic views

Enjoy scenic views of the picturesque landscape as you navigate the long, winding paths of the Ndorobo trail. Get ready to be accompanied by the harmonious sounds of birds and animals in the area.

Explore various physical features as you hike on the Ndorobo trail. You’ll come across ancient caves, hills, waterfalls, various plants and animal species. Some kind of vegetation covers most of the land. You’ll also be able to see Jackson Peak, Mount Elgon Mount Kadam, and Mount Elgon forest.

Cultural exploration

Explore the culture of the Ndorobo/Mosopishek people as you hike up the trail. Unless you want it to be very fast, this is a fairly slow hike, which includes a lot of stopovers since there are many things to discover.

You’ll learn about the fairly unknown culture of the Mosopishek people who are still very traditional. Discover their values, norms, and customs as you explore the land they live in. The Ndorobo still used traditional tools and methods such as donkeys for transportation, bows and arrows for hunting, and oxen for plowing. They also use traditional grinding machines.

Hiking the Ndorobo trail will expose you to all the traditional activities of the Nodorobo and you can even try out some of them, for instance, weaving baskets with the Ndorobo women.

Storytelling

Enjoy the stories of the ancient Ndorobo people straight from their mouths. Discover their origin, legends, and way of life, and find out how they’re adapting to the modern world. You’ll hear stories of their heroes and their interactions with neighboring tribes.

Where to stay during the Ndorobo trail hike

Because the area is remote, there’s barely any luxurious modern accommodation. You’ll sleep at homes of guides where you’ll get food and drinks as well. If you wish to camp, you can do it outside the house, assured of protection from our team. Places of convenience will include external shacks for bathing and pit latrines.

Other activities

Depending on how much time you’ll spend on the Ndorobo trail, you will observe/indulge in many more activities with the people of the area. These include traditional dance and drama, underground honey harvesting, and milking cows, among others.

The Ndorobo trail hike needs to be booked in advance. We recommend that you carry heavy and warm clothing because the area can get quite cold, especially in the evenings.