Rwenzori mountains national park.
Rwenzori Mountains national park is a Ugandan national park and UNESCO world heritage site located in southwestern Uganda in the Rwenzori Mountains and the Africa’s 3rd highest mountain peak and, many waterfalls, lakes, and glaciers. The park lies along the Uganda’s boarder with the democratic republic of Congo. It’s situated in the Bundibugyo, kabalore and kasese districts. The park was established in 1991 and designated a UNESCO world heritage site in 1994 because of its outstanding natural beauty.
The park was occupied by the rebel militaries in 1997 to June 2001 and it was inscribed on UNESCO’S list of world heritage in danger between 1999 and 2004 because of the insecurity and lack of resources. The park is mostly known for mountaineering, trekking, hiking and climbing excursions or safaris with or without summiting the Margherita.
Attractions in Rwenzori mountains national park.
Wildlife in Rwenzori
The park is a home to large number of approximately 70 mammal species out of which 6 are endemic to the Albertine rift, 4 to the park while 3 are rare species. These animals range in different vegetation zones of the park and thy can be explored while on Uganda safari. There are also other rare mammals such as elephants, chimpanzee, the Rwenzori otter as well as leopards. Although the animals in the park are hard to find, chances are high that the hikers might encounter the blue and black colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, tiny antelopes and many others.
Vegetation.
The park has an extensive and divers vegetation zone classified into 6, from the savannah zone through the Afromontane forest zone, bamboo forest zone, heather/repenea zone, and afro-alpine moorland zones and rocky/glacier zone. The afro-alpine zones is characterized by the emblematic big forms of groundsel and lobelia which is one of the words unique botanical communities, which is only found in the mountains beyond 3800m in east Africa.
Birds.
The Rwenzori mountains national park inhabits about 217 bird species of which 17 are endemic to the park making it an import birding area. Majority of the birds in the park concentrate around 1800m altitudinal range where the forest zone exists. The forest zone comprises of birds like the Rwenzori turaco which is famous in the park, handsome francolin, barred long tailed cuckoo, blue headed sunbird, long eared owl, among others.
Snow peaks of baker, Stanley, and speak.
The Rwenzori Mountains are a remarkable geographical feature in Africa, distinguished by their snowcapped summits despite their proximity to the equator. The Rwenzori national park has 6 ranges, which are located a few miles north of the equator, with the highest peak on mount Stanley, followed by Speke and baker each containing snow glaciers. The peaks can be reached through both routes of the central circuit and the kilembe trail. Mount Rwenzori snowcapped peaks are mostly a result of its height.
The Rwenzori lakes.
Lakes in the Rwenzori Mountains are famous for having crystal clear water that is pure and ready to be drunk, very fresh. The lakes have a beautiful amazing, beautiful mountain scenery and the lakes are majestically guarded by the portal peaks and ranges of the mountain. Surprisingly all the lakes in the Rwenzori mountains can’t accommodate aquatic animals like fish, crabs, frogs, seals due to the extreme coldness of these waters.
The Rwenzori mountains national park contains about 20 lakes. Lake Muhoma (300) along the central circuit can easily be reached while the bujuku (3962m) lake lies at the apex of the deep glacier curved bujuku valley in the shadow of mount Stanley, Speke and baker.
Activities in Rwenzori mountains national park.
Trekking and hiking.
The park provides greatest chances for travelers interested in nature walks especially within the central circuit zone. This is one of the major 5 best activities in the park and it is on outdoor activity that involves walking across long distance generally on tails or path. There are several trekking routs of varying difficulty, catering to different levels of experience and fitness. The most popular track is a multiday hike to the summit of mount Stanley, the highest peak in the Rwenzori Mountains. The nature walks include taking trails up to Lake Mahooma as well as buraro chimp forest.
Mountaineering.
The adventure safari in mountain Rwenzori is one of the major 5 best activities in the park which is proximately known for the visitors. Mountaineering is the most prominent activity practiced on mountain Rwenzori because it hosts 3rd highest peak in the entire Africa called margarita where you will be challenged on top. Travelers who enjoy mountain climbing, mount Rwenzori is a favorite destination to meet where by visitors will be able to view spectacular nature like glacial lakes, gorgeous viewpoints, dramatic mountain passes lush valley. When you are climbing mount Rwenzori there are several stunning passes which lead to the peak including; kilembe trails, the central circuits trails.
Birding.
The experience is done during a nature walk through the vegetation cover of Rwenzori mountains national park and it involves hiking through different trails of the park. Travelers who enjoy birding, mount Rwenzori is also one of the birding sites destinations for birders with over 217 bird species. Visitors who enjoy birding the park can view different bird species which are spotted in the mountainous forest. These birds include; golden winged sun birds, red faced crimson, montane masked, cuckoo shrike, long eared owl among others. There are several places in the park where one can easily spot the amazing bird species at a closer distance. Different bird species can be sighted along the water sources of the park like rivers, lakes, springs and others.
Cultural tours.
The cultural tours in the park give visitors opportunities to interact with the local people and learn more about their cultures. The ethnic groups of people on the mountain include the bakonjo, bamba people who demonstrate their local life style while on safari in these communities. A visit you can pay to bakonjo people you will never regret it through enjoying their incredible dance performances and also exciting drumming activities and as well learning how to prepare their meals with them which makes an extra ordinary experience.
Nature walks
Rwenzori mountain nature walks give visitors an opportunity to trek through the central circuit zone to trails that lead to Lake Mahooma and turaco chimp forest. The communities to turaco view and robini will also offer a guided forest walk of high heights outside the park. Most of the trails within this park lead to Lake Mahooma and Buraro chimp camp, the nature walks through the local communities of Kichwamba to get to the Karanguru ridge.
Accommodation in mount Rwenzori national park.
The accommodation facilities in the park are available in 3 options, budget, mid rang and luxury. Rwenzori national park has well-constructed wooden huts with installed solar panels built along the central circuit and kilembe trails where most Rwenzori mountaineers sleep or spend their nights after the whole day trek . The huts with in Rwenzori national park are comfortably designed to offer enough warmth after a whole day trek.
The sleeping arrangements in these huts is one hiker per form mattress in either a double or triple daker bed inside the hut. The huts are strategically situated so that it offers a remarkable views of the rolling mist to the green scenery and stunning views of other related peaks including Mount Baker, mount Speke, and mount Stanly
Getting to mountain Rwenzori national park
The best way to get to the park is by road and air transport from Kampala/Entebbe.
By road
It takes a 4 to 6 hour drive from Kampala depending on the route. the park can reached by two routes from Kampala to kasese where the shortest rout starts from Kampala to fort portal via mubende (300km)and the longest route from Kampala via masaka through mbarara, bushenyi to kasese for 350km distance drive.
By air
Here, a scheduled chartered flight can be arranged from Entebbe international airport to kasese airstrip which is then followed by a 40 min drive.
