Rwenzori Mountain National Park

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Rwenzori mountain national park covers 996 kms, protects the slopes of the famous Rwenzori Mountains, which run for 120 km along the Congo border. It is a bloke mountain they are a result of the formation of the Rift Valley. The Rwenzori is the highest mountain range in Africa, with six glacial peaks: Mount Stanley, Mount Speke, Mount Emin Pasha, Mount Gessi, Mount Luigi da Savoia and Mount Baker. The main peaks, Margherita (5.109m) and Alexandra (5.083m) on Mount Stanley, are exceeded in altitude elsewhere in Africa only by Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya. The first European who climbed the peaks was in 1906 the Italian Prince Luigi Amedeo da Savoia, Duke of Abruzzi.

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Unique Attraction on the Rwenzori mountain

The interest for Rwenzori is also on the vegetation, which is divided into several altitude zones: the forest zone (between 1.800 and 2.500 m), the bamboo forest (up to 3000 m), the heath and Alpine zones (3000-4.500 m), with forests of giants heath plants, giant lobelias and groundsels. There are 70 mammal species recorded (elephants, golden cat, chimpanzee, yellow – backed duiker) and 177 birds, especially Albertine Rift endemics (Rwenzori Turaco, cuckoo, owl, francolin, robin).

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Things to Do

Most of visitors undertake the excellent “central circuit” trial, which takes 9days-8nights to complete and takes you to the main peaks. However, other shorter hikes are possible in the central area and in the North of Rwenzori. High mountain equipments are required, as the trials reach an altitude of 4.000m above.

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Where to Stay on the Mountain

Several Mountain’s huts on the ‘Circuit’ route are provided, huts of Nyabitaba, John Matte, Guy Yeoman and Elena, Kitandara and Bujuku hut. Camping on the mountain would be preferable however the terrain resembles a floating bog.

Rwenzori Mountaineering Services Bunkhouse: Located at RMS’s offices next to the National Parks Headquarters at the entrance to Rwenzori Mountains National Park. Meals are available through a local women’s group.

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Rwenzori Trekkers Hostel

Rwenzori Trekkers Hostel is 12 kilometres from Kasese town in a deep valley at the end of the road leading to the Rwenzori Mountains National Park. Behind the hostel meanders the Nyamwamba River which is the valley the Kilembe trail follows deep into the Rwenzori Mountains National Park. The surroundings are delightfully green and you can enjoy the cool weather as the hostel is situated at 1,450 metres which is nearly 500 metres in height above Kasese town.

Rwenzori Base camp Guesthouse

Located in Ibanda village 4 kms from the National Park. Rwenzori Basecamp offers single, double and twin accommodation in comfortable surroundings. Some rooms are self-contained, DSTV, fully stocked bar, meals to order. Safe secure parking for vehicles left whilst on the mountain.

Ruboni Camp: Community project of the Ruboni Community Tourism Association supported by UCOTA (Uganda Community Tourism Association). There is a booking office in Kasese town where a special hire taxi can be arranged for you or alternatively take a matatu to Ibanda from Kasese and walk the short distance to Ruboni Camp. Follow the signposting for the RMS offices and continue up the trail to the camp situated just outside the park gate

Other accommodation facilities are somehow distant in the nearby towns like Kasese and Fort portal.

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How to get to Rwenzori Mountains

By road; from Kampala through Fort Portal Rwenzori lies 375Km or south via Mbarara and Queen Elizabeth is 450Km. The park is 25km from Kasese town.

By air: Aeolink operates scheduled flights to Kasese Airstrip thus easy connection to The great mountains of the Moon

The Rwenzori lies a few kilometers north of the equator, rising over 4000m above the floor of the Albertine Rift Valley. The park trailhead at Nyakalengija can be reached from Kampala from the north via Fort Portal (375km) or the south passing through Mbarara and Queen Elizabeth National Park (450km). Nyakalengija is 17km off the Kasese-Fort Portal road and 25km north of Kasese town. Scheduled flights can be arranged to from Entebbe International Airport to Kasese Airstrip. X2 daily flight in to Kasese is readily available to ensure fast and safe accessibility to the Rwenzori great mountains.

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