Great hiking on Rwenzori mountaineering & trekking safari in Uganda

Rwenzori Mountains national park; Mountains of the Moon

Rwenzori mountaineering & trekking safari 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.

These 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.

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.” The Highest point is at 5,109m above sea level on Mt Stanley’s Margherita Peak with the border with D.R. Congo bisecting Mt. Stanley. Ms. Beryl Park aged 78 in 2010 is the recorded oldest person to have reached the Margherita peak

Top Rwenzori mountains trekking packages on Uganda safari

Mountain Rwenzori climbing & trekking safaris

11 DAYS RWENZORI HIKING, CHIMPS & WILDLIFE EXPEDITION

Mountains of the moon trekking in Uganda on this 11 days Rwenzori hiking wildlife and chimpanzee tracking experience is an amazing adventure with great sightings. This safari has a 6 days mount Rwenzori trekking trip to the foot of Margherita peak and have the best glacier scenes of Africa's 3rd highest peak. After trekking, you'll spend the next 2 days on wildlife game drives in Queen Elizabeth N.P which is the foot hill plains of Rwenzori and the great rift valley floor. Chimpanzee tracking in Kalinzu forest reserve is also part of this safari after which you transfer back to Kampala or Kigali in Rwanda for departure.

Rwenzori Mountains National Park, Uganda

12 days Rwenzori hiking & Queen Elizabeth park

12 days Rwenzori trekking expedition & Queen Elizabeth national park safari is well connect and yet satisfying Uganda safari. This 12 days Rwenzori hiking highlight trip is done in the same jurisdiction as Queen Elizabeth N.P is located at the foothills of the mountain. The safari has a complete 8 days Rwenzori trekking experience after which you embark on the Queen Elizabeth game park safari. You'll enjoy unique bird watching, Kazinga channel boat cruise, great rift valley and escarpments, large elephant herds, world's largest hippo pods, tree climbing lions, hyenas, buffalo herds, flamingos, crater lakes etc.

13 DAYS RWENZORI HIKING, GORILLAS & WILDLIFE SAFARI

The 13 days Rwenzori hiking, gorilla trek & wildlife safari in Uganda is an itinerary that combines the best of primate trekking, Africa's big 5 and mount Rwenzori trekking safari. Day 1warms up your feet with a walking safari in lake Mburo national park that is popular for large zebra herds. The 3rd day is for gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable forest followed by 2 day game drive and boat cruise safari in Queen Elizabeth N.P. This 13 days Uganda safari has a short 3 days Rwenzori hiking experience. Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale forest park will follow the Rwenzori trek. Murchison water falls (world's strongest water falls) and a rhino tracking walking experience in Ziwa sanctuary wind up this safari before departure.

10 Days Rwenzori hiking & wildlife safari

10 days Rwenzori mountaineering adventure & wildlife Uganda safari blend the 5 days Rwenzori hiking tour with Queen Elizabeth game drives and chimpanzee tracking excursions. On a 5 days Rwenzori trek, you have clear scenes of all the snow capped/ glacier peaks of the highland along with water falls, rivers, vegetation zones, primates, reptiles, Rwenzori region endemic bird species, colobus monkeys and montane crater lakes. Continuing in Queen Elizabeth N.P, you see more rift valley crater lakes, flamingos along 600+ bird species, tree climbing lions, elephants, leopards, nile crocodiles, buffaloes, hyenas, Kazinga channel boat cruises and Africa's largest hippo pods. Tracking chimps in Kalinzu forest reserve before heading back to Kampala for departure.

7 DAYS RWENZORI MOUNTAIN HIKING EXPERIENCE

A 7 days focused Rwenzori mountain hiking experience either through the Kilembe trail or central circuit trail. The 7 days Rwenzori hiking tour takes through all the mountain's complete montane vegetation zones. Also be expectant birds, reptiles, primates and mammals for example Rwenzori turacos, montane elephants and buffaloes, blue colobus monkeys, black & white colobus monkeys, Jackson's chameleon, chimpanzees, leopards, giant forest hogs etc. Notable geographical features include rivers & water falls, crater lakes, snow caps, glaciers, valleys, mud bogs, montane forests and baboo forests. Unique montane plants in mtn. Rwenzori vegetation zones include giant lobelias, giant groundsels, lichens, bogs, mosses, tussocks, everlasting flowers (helichrysum fields), old man's beard (Usnea lichen) and giant tree heathers.

Mountain Rwenzori & gorilla trekking experience

8 days Rwenzori hiking, gorillas & wildlife experience

8 days Rwenzori hike, gorilla trekking, and wildlife Uganda safari is a super primates, fauna and geographical feature adventure. This week in the wilderness gets you through savanna plains and montane tropical forests on treks, game drives, birding and boat cruises. During hiking in mount Rwenzori national park forests, you'll enjoy sightings of the Rwenzori turaco, Albertine rift endemics, Jackson's chameleon, chimpanzees, blue colobus monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, montane elephants and buffaloes. From Rwenzori mtn national park, you also experience chimpanzee tracking in Kalinzu, Kazinga channel & boat cruise and wildlife tours in Queen Elizabeth N.P and gorilla trek in Bwindi.

Nature walks at Rwenzori mountaineering & trekking safari with wildlife tours

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 & trekking safari

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 at 5,109m) 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. Rwenzori mountain ranges is a UNESCO world heritage site to protect the montane vegetation zones, Albertine & Rwenzori bird endemic species, reptiles, primates and the unique biodiversity ecosystem.

Rwenzori mountaineering & trekking safari and trails

Consider trekking mountain Rwenzori after comparing the three routes that ascend onto the high Rwenzori snow capped peaks.

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.
Central Circuit which reaches and returns from Mount Stanley in seven days.
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 hiked. Most popular peak 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.

Scenic views during Rwenzori trekking experiences

Other specific landmarks on the trekking trails are the hut and camping sites for example Nyakalengija, Elena hut, John Matte camp, Bujuku hut, Kitandara hut, Mutinda camp, Bugata camp etc. Also over 20 alpine beautiful lakes in the high altitudinal zones spice up the scenic views during the trek and some of the most notable lakes include;

Lake Bujuku in the Bujuku valley (3,962m)
The twin lakes of Kitandara (4,023m)
Lake Kopello (4,100)
Lake Bugata (4,100m)
Lake Nyamwamba
Lake Mahoma (3,000m)

Adventure on Rwenzori mountaineering & trekking trails

Rwenzori mountaineering & trekking safari’s real appeal 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. 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/ Hiking gear

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. Technical hiking gear like crampons, ropes and ice axes that are used to cross the glaciers at the peaks are always part of the package.

Forest walks and Birding in the Rwenzori mountain national park

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, Rwenzori double collared sunbird , Rwenzori batis, red-throated alethe, black-headed sunbird, bearded vulture (Lammergeier), scarlet- tufted malachite sunbird, golden winged sunbird, Archer’s Robin-chat, handsome Francolin, strange weaver, Rameron pigeon, lemon pigeon, white-napped pigeon, regal sunbird etc.

Other creatures that can be spotted in the park include Jackson’s chameleon (3-horned chameleon), forest elephants and buffaloes, leopards, giant forest hogs, blue monkeys, back & white colobus monkeys, chimpanzees, L’Hoest’s monkey, Rwenzori otter etc.

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

Hiking the Rwenzori mountains/ Margherita peak climbing 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?

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 3^rd highest peak in Africa and 8^th highest peak in the world and 5 of the mountain’s high peaks among the 10 highest in Africa. 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 meters (9,200 ft)); the bamboo zone (2,800 to 3,300 meters (9,200 to 10,800 ft)); the heather zone (3,000 to 3,800 meters (9,800 to 12,500 ft)); the alpine zone (3,500 to 4,500 meters (11,500 to 14,800 ft)); and, the nival zone (4,400 to 5,000 meters (14,400 to 16,400 ft)). At higher elevations, some plants reach an unusually large size, such as lobelia and groundsels).

Best time to climb Rwenzori mountains

The best time to trek Rwenzori mountains is during the dry seasons of Uganda from June to August and December to February when the trail are less slippery with the snow caps and clearly blue skies are easily visible. Also the time from November to April should be highly considered by birders/ birdwatchers/ bird lovers as the concentration of birds is high being a breeding season for resident species and the coming of immigrant palearctic European and north African bird species into Rwenzori mountains national park.

During the visiting time for Rwenzori trekking expeditions, this itinerary can be combined with gorilla trekking, chimpanzee tracking, Queen Elizabeth national park game drives, golden monkey tracking, birding/ birdwatching, boat cruises, source of the river Nile visit (bungee jumping, kayaking the Nile, quad biking etc.), Africa’s big 5 (lions, buffaloes, elephants, leopards, rhinos) tours, wildebeest migration, hot air balloon tours, photography, camping, city tours, nightlife tours, cultural tours and much more. Get a quote for the best Africa experiences on safari.

Safari lodges at while mountaineering & trekking in Rwenzori national park

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

Reaching Equator snow geo lodge is 377km from Kampala on 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 and 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