Mountain Rwenzori National Park

Mountain Rwenzori National Park – You can’t go wrong with hiking this mountain if you are crazy about geology or seeking to reconnect with nature. All you need is a good set of lungs and strong legs but most importantly, a positive attitude. Fast forward, Rwenzori is a snow-capped mountain that straddles the Equator at the heart of our beloved motherland, Africa. Standing at an altitude of 5,109meters above sea level, Rwenzori is a World Heritage Site.

It is 110km long and 50km wide. It was formed after a block of ancient rock was tilted and thrust up during developments of the Albertine Rift Valley, and then deeply carved by river and repeated growth of glaciers.

The trail provides a good balance of easy and challenging walks.

The guides provide an excellent service, attentive to particular requests, and trekking abilities. Their thorough understanding of the park’s ecosystem gives you lots of unforgettable encounters.

From the bottom, Rwenzori looks like it is made of one massive mountain. It is until you have set foot on it that you realize it is a complex of hundreds of mountain ranges that are separated by deep valleys.

The six main mountains include Mounts Stanley(5,109m, 16,763ft.), Mount Speke (4,889m, 16,042ft.), Baker (4,842m, 15,889ft.), Gessi (4,715m, 15,470ft.), Emin (4,791m, 15,720ft.) and Luigi di Savoia (4, 626m, 15, 179ft.).

Each of these mountains is easily accessible thanks to the well-developed network of trails that connect them. Hiking through them is an uphill and downhill experience. In some instances, you will jump down or slide down some larger rocks.

If you are crazy about botany or photography, the greenery from the forest zone to the glacier zone is astounding and remote. In the forest zone (1,800-2,500meters above sea level), you will find the Red stinkwood, wild bananas. In contrast, the Bamboo zone (2,500-3,000m) features giant lobelia, bamboo forests, giant heathers, and lots of herbaceous like Rubus dogetti, Arisoema ruwenzoricus, and Amaryllid among others.

It takes the average person 6 days to hike to and fro the highest peak of the mountain, through the Central circuit trail. On the other hand, the Kilembe Route takes an average of 9 days as it is relatively steeper. No matter which one you opt for, you are guaranteed of encountering crater lakes with jaw-dropping beauty.

Each day, you will hike for an average of 8 hours, at the end of which you will retire to well-insulated huts. Throughout the night, you will have a constant supply of Ugandan Coffee and tea to keep you warm.

The different vantage points will give you a preview of what you will discover as you ascend or descend the mountain. From each summit, you will behold marvelous flora and fauna that have mastered the art of camouflaging with the montane environment.

The guides are knowledgeable about the routes and will wow you with explanations about how the different scenery changes with the seasons.

Travel Tip

Don’t underestimate the need for adequate footwear, preferably hiking boots that are designed for winter.

Carry enough warm clothing with you. Rwenzori experiences a sudden drop in temperatures, sometimes extremes like -10 Degrees Celsius.

The best time to go mountaineering is the dry season from Mid-November-March.