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Mountain Rwenzori climbing & trekking safaris 2025- 2026

Mountains of the Moon

Mountain Rwenzori climbing & trekking safaris get you to the 16 most beautiful mountain ranges in Africa with Margareta as one of the top 8 highest peaks in the world, 5 of the peaks are some of the highest in Africa – the fabled Mountains of the Moon – lie in western Uganda along the Uganda-Congo border. The equatorial snow peaks include the third highest point in Africa, while the lower slopes are blanketed in moorland, bamboo, and rich, moist montane forest. Huge tree heathers and colorful mosses are draped across the mountainside with giant lobelias and “everlasting flowers”, creating an enchanting, fairy-tale scene. The park was gazetted in 1991 and was recognized as a World Heritage site in 1994 and a Ramsar site in 2008.

The explorer Henry Stanley placed the Rwenzori on the map on 24th May 1888. He labeled it ‘Ruwenzori’, a local name which he recorded as meaning “Rain-Maker” or “Cloud-King.” Highest point: 5,109m above sea level on Mt Stanley’s Margherita Peak. The border with DR Congo bisects Mt. Stanley. The oldest recorded person to reach Margherita Peak was Ms. Beryl Park aged 78 in 2010.

Mountain Rwenzori climbing & trekking safaris packages

Mountain Rwenzori climbing & trekking safaris

11 DAYS RWENZORI HIKING, CHIMPS & WILDLIFE EXPEDITION

Hiking the Rwenzoris, birding, camping, chimpanzee tracking, wildlife tours at Queen Elizabeth park, Bird watching, lion prides, elephants, boat cruise...

Rwenzori Mountains National Park, Uganda

12 days Rwenzori hiking & Queen Elizabeth park

Mountain Rwenzori trekking, Rwenzori blue & colobus monkeys, Rwenzori endemic bird species, camping, crater lakes, elephants, lions...

Mountain Rwenzori climbing & trekking safaris

13 DAYS RWENZORI HIKING-GORILLAS & WILDLIFE SAFARI

Snow capped peaks, gorilla trekking, Rwenzori montane endemics & vegetation, Kazinga channel, tree climbing lions & game drives, boat cruise, crater lakes...

Mountain Rwenzori climbing & trekking safaris

10 Days Rwenzori hiking & wildlife safari

Rwenzori birds-primate & vegetation endemics, Gorilla trekking, chimpanzees, Africa's big 5 & game drives, camps, sceneries, city tour...

Mountain Rwenzori trails

7 DAYS RWENZORI MOUNTAIN HIKING EXPERIENCE

Rwenzori mountain hiking, birding, mountain elephants, colobus monkeys, reptiles, rivers & water falls, crater lakes, sceneries, bird watching, snow caps...

Mountain Rwenzori & gorilla trekking experience

8 days Rwenzori hiking, gorillas & wildlife experience

Mountain Rwenzori & gorilla trekking, hiking, chimpanzee tracking, Kazinga channel & boat cruise, wildlife tours, bird watching...

Rwenzori mountain wildlife safaris

Rwenzori Mountains National Park protects the highest parts of the 120km-long and 65km-wide Rwenzori mountain range. The national park hosts 70 mammals and 217 bird species including 19 Albertine Rift endemics, as well as some of the world’s rarest vegetation. This is a prime habitat for the botanical big game, montane forests, bamboo, groves of Rapanea, giant heathers garlanded with lianas, epiphytes and lichens and encased in garishly coloured mosses, giant lobelia and groundsel. Large mammals including elephant, buffaloes, giant forest hog, bushbuck, chimpanzee, leopard, blue monkeys and the endemic Rwenzori colobus.

Rwenzori mountaineering safaris

The Rwenzoris are a world-class hiking and mountaineering destination. A nine- to twelve-day trek will get skilled climbers to the summit of Margherita – the highest peak – though shorter, non-technical treks are possible to scale the surrounding peaks. Join the top world-class mountaineers to the snow caps through Rwenzori climbing services

Mountain Rwenzori climbing & trekking safaris and trails

There are three routes that ascend onto the high Rwenzori. The Kilembe Trail enables nine-day expeditions to summit Mount Stanley and a shorter, six day option to the more accessible, but equally scenic, Mt. Luigi da Savoia.

The Central Circuit which reaches and returns from Mount Stanley in seven days. The Bukurungu Trail ascends from Kitumba to Mount Gessi.

Peak climbing;
The highest peaks on the six mountains that form the high Rwenzori can all be climbed. The most popular is the 5109m Margherita, the highest point on Mount Stanley and the roof of the Rwenzori. Summiting on Stanley95,109m), Speke(4,890m), and Baker(4,843m) is a physically demanding activity, frequently in bad weather, and for which specialist equipment and technical experience is required. An ascent of Mount Stanley requires a minimum of seven days on the mountain. It consists of six massifs separated by deep gorges: Mount Stanley, Mount Speke, Mount Baker, Mount Emin (4,798m), Mount Gessi (4,715m) and Mount Luigi di Savoia (4,627m). Mount Stanley has several subsidiary summits, with Margherita Peak being the highest point.

Rwenzori hiking & trekking trails

Mountain Rwenzori climbing & trekking safaris real appeal of the lies, arguably, not in the joy of reaching the top, but in the opportunity to hike through superb mountain scenery enlivened by equatorial snow and outlandish vegetation. With this in mind, shorter hikes to lesser peaks are becoming increasingly popular.

A popular destination on the Kilembe Trail is the 4627m Mt. Luigi da Savoia which offers afro alpine vegetation, patches of equatorial snow and, weather permitting, grandstand views towards Mount Stanley, the summit of which lies three days distant. Nyakalengija Trailhead offers a two-day hike to the scenic Lake Mahoma in the bamboo forest.

The Kazingo Trail enables a day-long traverse of the north Rwenzori ridge between the Fort Portal plateau
and Bundibugyo town in the Semliki Valley on the west side of the mountain.

Essential mountain climbing equipment

Sleeping bag, camping mat, warm clothing, gloves, rain gear, including good waterproof trousers, head-mounted torch, lots of plastic bags (to keep fresh clothes dry and to quarantine wet and muddy garments), energy snacks and any necessary medication. Hiking boots are required on the peaks, but on other days, gumboots are more useful. Specialist gear for climbing the peaks can be hired from your trail operator.

Forest walks and Birding

Rwenzori Mountain’s forest zone occupies the lower contours of the national park, can be visited as a day walk from the Kilembe and Nyakalengija trailheads. For birders, this is an accessible area where the park’s birdlife is concentrated. Look out for the Rwenzori turaco and Rwenzori double collared sunbird and other localized rarities such as the three horned chameleon and Rwenzori colobus.

How long does it take to climb/hike mountain Rwenzori?

Hiking the Rwenzori mountains will take a minimum of 7 days to and from the highest peak. This minimum number of days will require a strong physique and prepared mind set but rather the hike could last 8 days and usually advised to use 10 days to avoid much fatigue.

What's the uniqueness of mountain Rwenzori?

The mountain Rwenzori is located near and north of the equator in Uganda in the equatorial part of East Africa. The Rwenzoris have 16 beautiful snowcapped peaks, with the Margareta the being the 3rd highest peak in Africa and 8th highest peak in the world and 5 of the mountain’s high peaks among the 10 highest in Africa. The permanently glaciated mountain peaks melt providing water from rivers that flow downslope the mountain ranges with some of the rivers believed to be the furthest source of the mighty river Nile. Mountain Rwenzori still has the typical mountain vegetation zones at different altitudes and hasn’t been so far affected by changing climatic conditions and is still intact (There are five overlapping vegetation zones in the Ruwenzori: the evergreen forest zone (up to 2,800 metres (9,200 ft)); the bamboo zone (2,800 to 3,300 metres (9,200 to 10,800 ft)); the heather zone (3,000 to 3,800 metres (9,800 to 12,500 ft)); the alpine zone (3,500 to 4,500 metres (11,500 to 14,800 ft)); and, the nival zone (4,400 to 5,000 metres (14,400 to 16,400 ft)). At higher elevations, some plants reach an unusually large size, such as lobelia and groundsels). The mountain ranges also harbor numerous mineral resources which are also visible and exposed out of the earth’s crust such as copper and cobalt.

Safari lodges on Rwenzori mountain national park & hiking experience

While on safari to the Mountain Rwenzori national park, you will stay in lodges at the foothills of the mountain Rwenzori before trekking to the snow capped peaks. These  lodges are at the same time the most positioned scenic places for mountain Rwenzori’s stature. Some of these lodges include;

Equator snow geo lodge

The montane rainforest lodge at the feet of mountain Rwenzori is built for the most conducive coming along with other services like massage, swimming to get you relaxed after hiking activities. Equator snow geo lodge at 0.35286° N & 30.03121° E, offers attractive rates as follows as per night;

  • Single occupancy at $210
  • Double occupancy at $330 per person
  • Triple occupancy at $430
  • Children 5-12yrs at 50% of adult charge
  • Children below 5yrs (sharing)- free of charge

Equator snow geo lodge is 377km from Kampala a 8 hours drive and 345km from Kigali, Rwanda on a 7 hours 30 minutes drive. A domestic flight take 1 hour 10 minutes from Entebbe to Kasese airstrip.

During your stay at this rainforest lodge, you will enjoy various activities for example;

  • Mountain hiking
  • Nature walks
  • Bird watching
  • Primates tracking

Hotel Margherita

Located near the Equator at 0.18635° N & 30.06081° E, hotel Margherita has one of the most spectacular views of the Rwenzori mountains. Margherita hotel is yet another perfect place to chill & relax after adrenaline trekking activities.

Hotel Margherita is 376km from Kampala on a 8 hours drive and 1 hours 10 minutes flight from Entebbe to Kasese airstrip that is in the vicinity of the Rwenzori mountains.

Margherita hotel offer standard, deluxe and executive rooms for guests starting from $194 per person per night.

From hotel Margherita you could go;

  • Mountain trekking
  • Primate tracking Bird watching
  • Nature walks
  • Wildlife tours

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