Jinja Travel Centre » Mount Rwenzori National Park

Mount Rwenzori National Park

The Rwenzori Mountains, also known as the “mountains of the moon” are found in western Uganda along the Uganda-Congo border. The Rwenzori Mountains in the Rwenzori Mountains National Park are famous for being one of the few snowcapped mountains in Tropical Africa. The highest peak of the Rwenzori Mountains, Margherita Peak found on Mount Stanley stands at 5,109 meters above sea level and is the third highest point in Africa. The Rwenzori Mountains have a very unique vegetation, with the lower slopes covered in moorland, bamboo and rich, moist montane forest. The mountains are also beautified by the blossoming of the Huge tree-heathers and colorful mosses that are covered across the mountainside with giant lobelias and beautiful everlasting flowers that offer their beauty beyond the experience of one growing season, creating an attractive scenery which you enjoy during your Rwenzori Mountains trekking tour.

Rwenzori Mountains National Park covers the highest parts of Rwenzori mountain at a range of 120km-long and 65km-wide. The Park acts as a habitat for 70 mammals such as the leopards, Elephants, Chimpanzees and many others, as well as 217 bird species for example the Rwenzori Turaco, Barred Long tailed Cuckoo and the Handsome Francolin including the 19 Albertine Rift endemics. The park is also covered with some of the world’s rarest vegetation like the emblematic giant forms of senecio and Lobelia.

The Rwenzori mountains are one of the world-class hiking and mountaineering destination, and through a nine to twelve day trek, climbers are skilled enough to reach the summit of Margherita, which is the highest peak of the mountain, and although shorter, non-technical treks are possible to scale the surrounding peaks.

However, to those who prefer something less effortful, there are other options such as nature walks, homestead visits, cultural performances and accommodation, as well as home local methods of cooking, that are provided by the neighboring Bakonzo villages.

Country	Uganda
Languages spoken	Lukonzo, Rutoro Kiswahili, English
Currency used	UGX
Area (km2)	Kampala

Culture and history info

The National Park is at an area of 996 kilometers squared and was gazzetted in 1991 .It was recognized as a World Heritage site in 1994 and Ramsar site in 2008. Its highest point is 5,109m above sea level on Mt Stanley’s Margherita Peak which is bisected by the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Mountain Rwenzori is a Block mountain formed by faulting at the floor of the Western Rift Valley.

The Rwenzori mountains were named as the ‘’Mountains of the moon ‘’ by the Alexandrine geographer Ptolemy in AD 150, and the explorer Henry Stanely placed the Rwenzori on the map on 24th May 1888, he labled it’ Rwenzori’ ,a local name which he recorded as meaning “Rain-Maker” or “Cloud King” . In 2010 Ms Beryl Park was recorded as the oldest person to reach the Margherita Peak at the age of 78.