rwenzori mountains

Explore Rwenzori Mountains National Park

The UNESCO World Heritage Site is located in the Rwenzori Mountains and covers an area of almost 1,000 sq km. The park is home to Africa’s third highest mountain peak and boasts many waterfalls, lakes and glaciers.

 

If there is any park in Africa with a fascinating natural environment, Rwenzori has to be it. Rwenzori mountains or ‘Mountains of the Moon’, have been singled out as one of the most unique spots since they have alpine climates.

 

Rwenzori mountains are located in an equatorial location. This implies that the area receives a good combination of high levels of rainfall and great exposure to sunlight than any other place anywhere in the world. This has resulted into the creation of the most basic landscape, wrapped in the giant tree heathers, the lobelias, the groundsel, the colourful lichen as well as the deep moss. Could you then not describe the Rwenzoris as the home of Africa’s botanical big game?

 

This park is also home to some of the few tropical glaciers remaining in the world on Mount Stanley, Speke and Baker.

Things to do

Mountains of the Moon Experience

With six peaks, Mt. Margherita is the highest peak and the third highest mountain in Africa. Its beautiful peaks offer fascinating sceneries and a range of hikes from easy walking to challenging mountain treks. Holidaymakers can enjoy an array of wildlife sceneries which include spotting chimpanzees, golden cats, forest hogs, rock hyrax, mongoose, sitatunga, Rwenzori Colobus, elephant, genet, duiker among others.

Rwenzori Culture

Indulge in countless interactive activities ranging from drumming and dancing lessons, learning the ways of old from the keepers of the ‘Mountains of the Moon’ while on a village walk to visiting their village homesteads, learn all that from a calm, peaceful and hospitable community, the Ruboni people. The encounter becomes juicier upon meeting the blacksmith and traditional healers who demonstrate with love how they go about their art.

Birding Experience

Rwenzori Mountains National Park boasts about 217 bird species including several Albertine Rift endemics.  17 bird species out of the total population are endemic making the park an important birding area (IBA). The birds include Rwenzori Turaco, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Long-eared Owl, Handsome Francolin, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Archers’ Robin-chat, White-starred Robin, Rwenzori Batis, Golden-winged Sunbird, Strange Weaver and several varieties of Barbets, Greenbuls, Apalises, IIladopsis, Flycatchers, Montane Sooty Boubou, Lagden’s Bush Shrike, Slender-billed Starling, Blue-headed Sunbird and Crimsonwing.

Day Hikes / Nature Walks

These include trails up to Lake Mahooma and Buraro chimp forest; visiting the communities of Kichamba, trekking to reach the Karangura ridge, and hiking up to Bundibugo area through Bwamba Pass. Visitors can follow the River Mubuku and embrace the stunning views of Baker and Portal Peaks as they hike up to 2,300m above sea level. On a clear day, it is even possible to spot the snow-capped Margherita Peak – an epic sight to behold.  Along the way, spot chameleons, squirrels, blue-balled (vervet) monkeys and many other birds.