Standing as Uganda’s top trekking destination, Rwenzori Mountains National Park has the highest mountain range in the whole of Africa, with 6 glacial peaks including Mount Speke, Mount Stanley, Mount Gessi, Mount Emin Pasha, Mount Luigi da Savoia and Mount Baker.
The main peaks can be perhaps compared to those of Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya. These two peaks, Margherita (5.109m) and Alexandra (5.083m) on Mount Stanley are adventurous for any adventurous mountain hiker in Africa.
Rwenzori is located in the western part of Uganda on the border of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo cover 998 sq km and was named after the famous Rwenzori Mountains which is also referred to as the legendary ‘Mountains of the Moon’. The mountain has distinctive glacial peaks visible miles away as one travels in the Western part of Uganda despite its existence almost at the Equator. The Rwenzori Mountains offer spectacular scenery to the national park.
The mountain slopes are above 1,600m and are a preserve of hikers, who rate the Rwenzoris to be the most challenging of all African mountains. Rwenzori five various vegetation Zones and these include grassland (1000-2000m), montane forest (2000-3000m), bamboo/ mimulopsis zone (2500-3500m), Heather/ Rapanea zone (3000-4000m) and the afro-alpine moorland zone (4000-4500m), which has forests of giants heather plants, giant lobelias and groundsels. The Rwenzori mountain vegetation is according to the altitude.
Tour activities at Rwenzori Mountains National Park include:
– Mountain hiking/Climbing tours
– Trekking safaris
– Wildlife tours
– Birding safaris
Visiting tourists are eager to take on the central circuit trial which lasts 6 nights 7 days to complete and enables one to see the main peaks. Other shorter hikes can take up to 4 days. Generally, hiking is the prominent vacation activity to undertake in the park and it takes you via all the vegetation zones and leads you to the glacial peaks. However, with hiking, the high peaks should be attempted by experienced mountaineers only, for safety reasons. Nature walks that shows one to various animal and bird species are also commonly enjoyed by visitors.
Accommodation/Where to stay.
- Ruboni community camp
- Equator Snow lodges