The Rwenzori Mountains are a world-class hiking and mountaineering destination. A eight- to ten-day trek will inspire the skilled climbers to the summit of Margherita – the highest peak – though shorter, non-technical treks are possible to scale the surrounding peaks.

The hike will take you through varied vegetation covers which include montane forest, bamboo forest, tree heath, hagenia-rapanea scrub and afro-alpine moorland.

This park is well known for the highest mountain ranges in Africa. Its highest point lies at 5109m above sea level on Mt Stanley’s Margherita Peak which is the third highest in Africa. It lies on the back of the equator with six peaks and three of these are Mt Stanley, Mt Baker and Mt Speke are permanently covered with snow. The park covers an area of 996 km2. . It lies in western Uganda about 6 hours’ drive from Kampala.

Rwenzori has been baptized ‘mountains of the moon’ a name given to it by Alexandrine geographer Ptolemy in AD 150. Locally known as Ruwenzori, is translated as “rain maker” or “cloud-king.” The Rwenzori is not volcanic like East Africa’s other major mountains but is a block of rock faulted through the floor of the western Rift valley.

ANIMALS

The park hosts 70 mammal species including Elephants, Giant forest hog, Rwenzori Otter, duikers, bushbucks and Leopard -but are hardly seen. Primates such as forest elephant, chimpanzee, hyrax, black-and-white colobus, L’Hoest’s monkeys, duiker, and Rwenzori turaco.

 BIRDS

The Rwenzori Mountains is habitat of approximately 217 birds which include several Albertine Rift endemics. The forest zone at 1800m contains a diversity of birds including the , Archers’ Robin-chat ,Rwenzori Turaco, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Lagden’s Bush Shrike ,Long-eared Owl, Handsome Francolin, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, White-starred Robin, Rwenzori Batis, Montane Sooty Boubou, , Slender-billed Starling, Blue-headed Sunbird, Golden-winged Sunbird, Strange Weaver and several varieties of Barbets, Greenbuls, Apalises, IIladopsis, Flycatchers and Crimsonwings.