14/09/2015
The Rwenzoris – 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,
fairytale scene.
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.
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.
For those who prefer
something a little less
strenuous, neighboring
Bakonzo villages offer
nature walks,
homestead visits home
cultural performances
and accommodation,
including home-cooked
local cuisine.
Geography and
Climate
Rwenzori Mountains
National Park is
located in
southwestern
Uganda on the east
side of the western
(Albertine) African
rift valley. It lies
along Uganda's
border with the
Democratic Republic
of the Congo (DRC)
and borders the
DRC's Virunga
National Park, also
a UNESCO World
Heritage Site, for
50 km. It is
situated in the
Bundibugyo,
Kabarole, and
Kasese districts, 25
km from the small
town of Kasese. The
park is 996 sq km in
size, 70% of which
exceeds an altitude
of 2,500m above
seas level. The park
is 120 km long and
48 km wide.
The Rwenzori
Mountains straddle
the equator along
the border between
Uganda and the
Democratic Republic
of Congo, extending
north–south for
about 110 km and
east–west for about
50 km. Rising
gradually from the
highland plains of
Uganda, the
mountains fall
steeply on the west
to the Semliki
River, the outflow
of Lake Edward and
a major tributary
of Lake Albert, one
of the sources of
the White Nile.
Geologically the
mountains are
young, created in
the late Pliocene by
an upthrust of
crystalline rocks
(mainly gneiss,
amphibolite, granite
and quartzite) that
rose from within
the western rift to
divide palaeolake
Obweruka and
create present-day
Lakes Albert and
Edward. Hence, the
range itself is not
of volcanic origin
although numerous
craters (crater-
lakes) of more
recent age are
found in the
surrounding area.
The Rwenzori are
wetter than other
East African
mountains, with
annual rainfall
varying with
altitude from 2,000
to 3,000 mm, and
being heaviest on
the eastern slope,
which faces the
prevailing winds. On
the Uganda side
heavy rain can
occur any time of
year, but the
rainiest periods are
from mid-March to
May and from
September to mid-
December. This
therefore means
those on Rwenzori
Mountain Hiking
Safari should
target the dry
period of June to
September. The
equatorial position
of the mountain
range creates daily
air temperature
oscillations between
−5°C and 20°C in
the Alpine and Nival
zones, an order of
magnitude greater
than the seasonal
variation in
maximum daytime
temperature.
Occasional night-
time freezing
occurs from 3,000
m altitude (the
present-day
boundary between
Bamboo and
Ericaceous zones);
to 4,000 m (the
Ericaceous–Alpine
zone boundary)
freezing occurs on
80–90% of the
nights