Mount Elgon Visit Raffle
The centrepiece of the Mount Elgon Foundation (MEF) Christmas Appeal this year is the opportunity to win a visit to Mount Elgon for two and to see the work being funded by MEF.
The visit will be tailored to the winners with the opportunity (subject to the weather) to choose from:
- walking with the scouts on the mountain
- seeing some of the more remote and interesting caves, as above
- hiking to the peak of Koitoboss (if your fitness and weather allow)
- visiting the national park
- visiting the bee fence, water, woodlot and other community based projects
- being introduced to the elephant self-medication work
- experiencing some of Mount Elgon’s fascinating cultural attractions
- meeting any of the Trustees available plus the local and Nairobi based management team
In addition, through our close collaboration with the National Museums of Kenya, MEF is honoured to offer the winner of this year’s Christmas Appeal draw a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience: an exclusive, behind-the-scenes visit to see the 1.6-million-year-old Turkana Boy — the most complete early human skeleton ever discovered. To stand before this remarkable ancestor is to encounter the deep story of humanity itself. Such privileged access is normally reserved for visiting scholars and distinguished state guests, making this an extraordinary opportunity to connect personally with the heritage that unites us all.
The prize includes the cost of travel from Nairobi to Mount Elgon and back (either local flights or driving up the stunning Rift Valley), accommodation for 5 nights in Kitale, local transport, park entrance fees for one day and food for 2 people for 5 days. What is not included are international flights, accommodation in Nairobi, alcohol and incidental personal expenses.
To enter our exclusive raffle and have the opportunity to win this chance to see the conservation work on Mount Elgon, please do the following:
- if you are already on our ‘Friends’ mailing list, please make a donation now following the instructions below, or
- if you are not on our mailing list, please click on Join Now below, ask to be added to become one of our ‘Friends of Mount Elgon’ and then donate as below.
Full terms and conditions can be found below.
Banner photo: two young male elephants very recently in Mount Elgon National Park about to have a fight.
Photo Credit: Kevin Wairiuko.
Four East African Wild Life Society – Mount Elgon Elephant Project (MEEP) Scouts during training in the Masai Mara with the Mara Elephant Project. Photo Credit: MEEP.
This amazing opportunity to visit Mount Elgon and see the conservation work can be won for the price of only A$75 / C$70 / Euro45 / KSh6,500 / US$50 / UK£40 per raffle ticket! Please buy as many tickets as you can to support our work, as well as to maximise your chance of winning. Just go to our donations pages now. We will allocate you a series of ticket numbers for the amount you send us and then we will draw the winning raffle number towards the end of January 2026.
For UK taxpayers, it is not possible to claim Gift Aid and be in the raffle given the value of the prize and the UK tax rules. Therefore, if you prefer to claim the Gift Aid tax benefit on your donation and so do not wish to be included within the raffle, please tell us. Those in other territories should check their position if seeking the tax benefits we offer.
Some of Mount Elgon’s wonderful bird life: (L to R) African Blue Flycatcher, nesting Nightjars and the Cinnamon-chested Bee Eater. Photo Credit: Kevin Wairiuko.
SAIWA Safari Resort
There are a few places visitors can stay in Kitale or the area. MEF is recommending the beautifully presented SAIWA SAFARI RESORT that opened in July this year. It is very comfortable, the staff are most welcoming, the food is excellent, the gardens are well maintained and there is a small swimming pool.
Furthermore, SAIWA have generously agreed to UPGRADE the winner of the MEF Christmas Appeal from one of their standard rooms to a cottage, subject to availability and booking in good time. We have seen the cottages and they are spacious, well designed and quiet. This is an extremely generous offer that will contribute significantly to making the winner’s visit comfortable and successful.
The mountain is around 45 minutes’ drive at its closest point, albeit many of the places to visit will take longer to reach. If visitors so choose, SAIWA can act as a base with some nights spent further afield. On the mountain itself, accommodation options are limited to self-catering bandas / a guest house in the park, or very remote traditional dwellings – lovely for those of a hardy, adventurous outlook. Kitale Club is very close by and has additional sporting facilities such as a well-kept golf course. If visitors would like recommendations for add on days elsewhere in western Kenya or over in Uganda, we can help with that.
What We are Fundraising For
The funds raised from the appeal will go to preserving Mount Elgon’s elephants and supporting sustainable livelihoods for local people through funding the work of the East African Wild Life Society – Mount Elgon Elephant Project (MEEP).
The community scouts who patrol Mount Elgon are key to protecting Mt Elgon’s elephants and the rest of the mountain’s fabulous natural heritage. The costs of employing the scouts and keeping them in the field are a key reason for us raising money in this Christmas Appeal.
- $12,500 will pay the salaries and all the costs of keeping a patrol team of 4 of our 18 scouts in the field for all of 2026.
- $7,000 will pay the salaries of a patrol team of 4 scouts for all of 2026.
- $2,300 will pay for the injury, life and medical cover for all the scouts for 2026.
- $630 will pay the food and consumables bill for one scout for 2026.
- $170 will pay for the technology a new scout needs to collect data while on patrol.
In addition, we are also fund raising for our work with local communities to support sustainable livelihoods for them and provide environmental education.
- $16,030 will pay for a Kenya Wildlife Service elephant satellite tracking ops room that is critical to reduce human – elephant conflict.
- $5,830 will cover our entire budget for conservation education and tree planting in schools and with the local community in 2026.
- $1,250 will pay for 12 monthly visits in 2026 to the 5 farms with beehive fences to ensure this project to mitigate human-elephant conflict is on track.
- $160 will pay for 1,000 indigenous tree seedlings to plant in schools as part of our education programme.
One of the many remote caves the elephants mine, with an East African Wild Life Society – Mount Elgon Elephant Project scout. Photo credit: Mount Elgon Foundation.
*TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE RAFFLE. Organiser 1. Our raffles, prize draws and competitions are organised for protecting the habitat on Mount Elgon, Kenya by The Mount Elgon Foundation of West House, Kirtlington, Oxfordshire, UK (known as MEF), registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales under number 1186668. How to enter 2. Entries received after the closing date of January 25 2026 will only be accepted at the discretion of the organiser. Purchasing tickets 3. The raffle is open to members of the ‘Friends of Mount Elgon” across the world and tickets can be purchased at the following prices: A$75 / C$70 / Euro45 / KSh6,500 / US$50 / UK£40. Lost entries 4. MEF will not accept responsibility for entries that are lost, mislaid, damaged or delayed in transit, regardless of cause, including, for example, as a result of any postal failure, equipment failure, technical malfunction, systems, satellite, network, server, computer hardware or software failure of any kind. Agreement to be bound 5. By submitting an entry, you are agreeing to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. If you have any questions, please contact admin@mountelgonfoundation.org.uk. Breach 6. MEF reserves the right to refuse entry, or refuse to award the prize to anyone in breach of these terms and conditions. Eligibility 7. The purchase of raffle tickets is only open to members of the ‘Friends of Mount Elgon’. Individuals who are not already members, can complete a free online contact form (http://mountelgonfoundation.org.uk/contact/) and be included within our database. Minors 8. Entrants under 18 must get consent from their parent(s) or legal guardian(s) before entering. The parent(s) or legal guardian(s) of entrants under 18 agree to these Terms and Conditions on behalf of the entrant. If the winner of the raffle is aged under 18, he or she must be accompanied by an adult to Mount Elgon to claim the prize. Disqualification 9. The Mount Elgon Foundation reserves all rights to disqualify you if your conduct is contrary to the spirit or intention of the prize draw, competition or raffle. The Draw 10. A winner will be chosen by random draw performed by a computer process after January 25 2026. Winner 11. The winner will receive details of the prize. Notification 12. The winner will be notified by email or telephone (using details provided at entry) within 7 days of being chosen and must provide a postal address to claim their prize. If the winner does not respond to MEF within 14 days of being notified, then MEF reserves the right to determine that the winner’s prize will be forfeited and MEF will then be entitled to select another winner in accordance with the process described above. Delivery of prize 15. The prize will be sent to the winner within 14 days of responding to MEF. Prize 16. The prize is non-exchangeable, non-transferable and no cash alternative is offered. MEF reserves the right to replace the prize with an alternative prize of equal or higher value if circumstances beyond MEF’s control makes it necessary to do so. Decisions 17. The decision of MEF regarding any aspect of the raffle is final and binding and no correspondence will be entered into about it. Winner’s details 18. The winner’s name and county can be obtained by sending a stamped addressed envelope to MEF, West House, South Green, Kirtlington, Oxfordshire or by email to admin@mountelgonfoundation.org.uk within 60 of days after the date of the closing date of the raffle. Termination 19. MEF reserves the right to void, cancel, suspend, or amend the promotion where it becomes necessary to do so. Limitation of liability 20. Insofar as is permitted by law, MEF, its agents or distributors will not in any circumstances be responsible or liable to compensate the winner or accept any liability for any loss, damage, personal injury or death occurring as a result of taking up the raffle except where it is caused by the negligence of MEF, its agents or distributors or that of their employees. Your statutory rights are not affected. Data protection and privacy 21. MEF is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy and will only use your personal information to contact you about news, events and fundraising about and for The Mount Elgon Foundation. You always retain the right to unsubscribe from our database via the email newsletter or by sending an email to admin@mountelgonfoundation.org.uk .