Eastern Rift Mountains

Mount Elgon rises above the plains northeast of Lake Victoria, a vast ancient volcano whose summit encloses a great caldera. Its slopes carry forests and give rise to rivers flowing in several directions. The Nzoia and Lwakhakha reach Lake Victoria, while the Suam becomes the Turkwel and flows towards Lake Turkana. Erosion has cut deeply into the old volcanic massif, leaving high peaks around the broad summit basin.