Rwenzori national park
Rwenzori national park : Mt Rwenzori is also known as the mountain of the moon. the Rwenzori has distinct mountains for example Stanley, Speke, Baker, Emin, Gessi and Savioa. it is located in western Uganda along the Uganda-DRC boarder. It has a wide mountain range to some breathtaking and diverse landscapes in Africa, from equatorial snow-capped peaks to forests and moorlands. this park was gazetted in 1991, declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1994 and later designated to a wetland of international importance in 2008.its highest peak is called Margherita Park. It is located in Bundibugyo district. It is 996 square kilometres with the altitude 5109m.
Attraction at Mt Rwenzori national park.
Mountain Rwenzori: the mountain has the highest peak in Africa. There is a lot if mountain climbing done here, it has different trails like the central trail, which is the most interesting yet challenging trail, Kilembe trails.
Birds: The park offers a beautiful scenery to spot various birds and it has over 200 bird species which makes it easy for bird lovers, the birds spotted at mount Rwenzori National Park include barred long tailed cuckoo, the long-eared owl, archers robin chats, francolin, the chested bee eater, the Rwenzori batis, the white starred robin etc
Wildlife: the park has over 70 mammals such elephants, leopards, white colobus monkeys, the rare reptiles like three horned chameleon which is too adventurous to travellers for viewing.
The Rwenzori snow peaks: Mt Rwenzori national park has 6 ranges which is a few miles away in the North of the Equator, with the highest peak being Mount Stanley, margherita at 5109 metres then Speke at 4890m, Baker at 4890 each containing glaciers, snow and some having glacier lakes
Activities at mt Rwenzori national park
Rwenzori mountain climbing :this is the commonest activity doe at mt Rwenzori National Park because it has the highest peak in Africa called margarita and it a seven day climb till the top .Each trail takes you to see great lakes ,beautiful view points ,mountain passes and lush valley , there are Kilembe and central where tourist see lake Kitandara ,Nyamwamba valley ,Mubuku valley .Climbers require body fitness but there are exceptional scenery beauty that rewards their adventure to the pearl of Africa. This activity can be booked through Rwenzori trekking services.
Bird watching: Mt Rwenzori is one of the best of destinations for bird spotting, it has over 217 bird species. Travellers who love birding have opportunity of seeing unique birds, they can be spotted in montane forests. Birds to be spotted include bee eaters, Rwenzori turaco, robins, sunbirds, bearded vultures, black eagles, evergreen forest, montane forest, red- faced crimson, stripe-breast tit and many more others.
Mountain hiking and nature walks: This opportunity is given to the travellers who love nature. Rwenzori is stunning as you discover hidden treasures as you hike or walk through with the help of the professional guide who leads to different trails which provide views of Lake Muhooma, Buraro chimp forest, hike through communities to the Karangura ridge, Bundibugyo area through Bwamba pass. The nature walks done at Rwenzori can also lead to communities of Ruboni and turaco which lead forest walks, River Mubuku and great views of Mount Baker. chameleons, squirrels, vervet monkeys, beautiful birds when you keep your eyes open
Community visits: There are Bakonzo villagers to encounter with, travellers enjoy Bakonzo’s vibrant dance performance accompanied by exciting drumming skills, learn how to prepare local meals, listen to their amazing story tellers among others. The guide can lead travellers to river Mubuku where the locals do farm and wood planting and see how it is done.
Wildlife viewing: there are 3 notable horned chameleons. At the edge of the Rwenzori mountains there is savannah grassland which is a home of to a variety of mammals like Rwenzori otter, Rwenzori climbing mouse, Mangoose, leopards, golden cats, Uganda clawed frogs, viewing these is adventurous during the Uganda safari
Best time to visit mt Rwenzori national park
The best time to visit the park is from June to August then again from December to February which is always the dry season is always good for mountain climbing and hiking which is basically done at this park, its best time to attempt an ascent to Margherita peak of Mountain Rwenzori.
How to access Mt. Rwenzori National Park.
By road transport, Mt Rwenzori National Park has two routes from Kampala to Kasese. the easiest one is from Kampala to Fort portal via Mubende which is a distance of 300km. another route is from Kampala via Masaka -Mbarara to Bushenyi then Kasese which is 350km distance drive.
By air, a scheduled chartered flight can be arranged from Entebbe International Airport to Kasese airstrip which from Kasese airstrip, it is a 40-minute drive to Mount Rwenzori National Park. The flights are usually at 7am and at noon.
Conclusion
The Rwenzori mountains are among Africa’ prime tourist destinations, It is remarkable for natural wonder, astonishing diverse ecosystem stunning alpine scenery , snow capped mountains away from the Equator, unique floral and fauna. the fact that it is referred to as “mountains of the moon” is evident of its alluring nature. While on a Uganda Safari, Mt Rwenzori should for sure be on the bucket list because it top notch to tourists.
