RWEZORI MOUNTAIN NATIONAL GAME PARK

Mountain Rwenzori National Park is located within the “Mountains of the Moon”, as Mount Rwenzori is called. Mountain Rwenzori is situated in Western Uganda in the East African Rift Valley and straddles also to the Democratic Republic of Congo and its conservation area known as Virunga National Park. The mountain is the third highest in Africa rising up more than 16,700 feet above sea level and its highest peaks rise above the clouds and are permanently snow capped. The Rwenzori Mountain ranges are higher compared to the Alps and they have glaciers which are one of the sources of the longest river on earth, the River Nile. Margherita Peak is the highest peak on the ranges making it the 3rd highest peak in Africa together with its twin peak, Mount Stanley, which is within the park. The 4th and 5th highest peaks, Mount Speke and Mount Baker, are also within the park. The mountain ranges were first brought to the worlds notice in CE 150 by Alexandrian geographical researcher and photographer, Pletomy, when he described a stunning mountain which he christened “mountain of the moon.” Later in 1899, English explorer, Henry Morton Stanley, was as spell bound as Pletomy when he beheld the ranges and christened them the “Cloud

If you are interested in mountaineering while on Uganda safari then Rwenzori Mountains National Park offers the best opportunity for you. The park takes its name from Rwenzori Mountain ranges also best known as Mountains of the Moon which stands at altitude 5110m.

Founded in 1991, the Rwenzori Mountains National Park is also a designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It sits on an area of 1000sq.kms offering refuge to 18 mammal species, 9 reptile species, 6 amphibian species, 217 bird species including the red faced woodland warblers, strange weaver, purple breasted sunbirds, Kivu ground thrush, dwarf Honeyguide and many others.

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The Rwenzori Mountains National Park covers nearly 100,000 ha in western Uganda and comprises the main part of the Rwenzori mountain chain, which includes Africa's third highest peak (Mount Margherita: 5,109 m). The region's glaciers, waterfalls and lakes make it one of Africa's most beautiful alpine areas. The park has many natural habitats of endangered species and a rich and unusual flora comprising, among other species, the giant heather.

The Rwenzori Mountains National Park provides stunning views of glacier and snow-capped mountains just kilometres from the equator, where it is contiguous with the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Having the third highest mountain in Africa at 5,109 m (after Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya), the Park includes a much larger alpine area than either, covering an area of 99,600 ha of which 70% lies at over 2,500 m in height. The Rwenzori Mountains are the highest and most permanent sources of the River Nile, and constitute a vital water catchment. Their multitude of fast flowing rivers, magnificent waterfalls and stratified vegetation make the property exceptionally scenic and beautiful. The mountains are well-known for their unique alpine flora which includes many species endemic to the Albertine Rift in the higher altitude zones including giant heathers, groundsels and lobelias. The Park also supplies local communities with various wild resources and is an important cultural heritage.

How To Get To The Mountain Rwenzori National Park?

To get to Rwenzori Mountain National Park, visitors can either use road transport or air transport. From Kampala via Mubende to Fort Portal which is 300km can take visitor about 4hrs. From Kampala via Masaka- Mbarara- Bushenyi to Kasese, which is about 350km can take tourists roughly 6 hours

How much does mountain Rwenzori cost?

If 2 people are travelling together, the price of a trek ranges from ~$315 USD per person for a 3-day trek, to ~$2,000 per person for a 10-day trek. Per person prices decrease slightly when you have a group of 3 or more. Traversing the ice and snow where central and eastern Africa meet.

Why is Mountain Rwenzori called Mountain of the Moon?

He reported the natives called this range the Mountains of the Moon because of their snowcapped whiteness. These reports were accepted as true by most Greek and Roman geographers, most notably by Ptolemy, who produced maps that indicated the reported location of the mountains.