Major Reason for Hiking Mount Rwenzori : Rwenzori Mountain National Park is one of Uganda’s least visited national parks. However, Rwenzori National Park is famously known for its beautiful plant life which was established in 1991 and become a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 because of its scenic natural beauty. The park sits on an area covering about 1,000 square kilometers in size and the park ranks with Africa’s third highest mountain peak and has many waterfalls, lakes, and glaciers.
Geographically, Rwenzori Mountains National Park lies in southwestern Uganda on the east side of the western African rift valley. More so, the park is located along Uganda’s border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and borders the Congo’s Virunga National Park which is 50 kilometers away from Mountain Rwenzori. It is located in the Bundibugyo, Kabarole, and Kasese districts. The park measures about 1000 square kilometers in total while 70 percent of which exceeds an altitude of 2,500 meters. It is 120 kilometers long and 48 kilometers wide. Despite this fact, Mountain Rwenzori stuns with Marguerite Peak, one of Mount Stanley’s twin summits which mark Africa’s third-highest peak with a height that raises 5,109 meters. The Africa’s fourth and fifth highest peaks ‘’Mount Speke and Mount Baker’’ both located in the park. The park boasts glaciers, snowfields, waterfalls, and lakes and sounds as one of Africa’s most beautiful mountain areas.
The park has got a lot of species that are endemic to the Albertine Rift system and there are many endangered species in the park. More to that, the park has got five distinct vegetation zones in the park which change according to changes in altitudes. Fact, Rwenzori Mountain National Park is home to over 89 species of birds including; the handsome francolin, Rwenzori Turaco, Long-eared Owl, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, strange weaver, Archer’s Robin-chat, Rwenzori Batis, Lagden’s Bush-shrike, Blue-headed sunbird, Barbe, Golden-winged sunbird, Greenbuls, illadopsis, Crimson wings and Flycatchers, four primates species like chimpanzees, variety of beautiful butterfly species and various wildlife species including the forest elephant, chimpanzee, hyrax, black and white colobus L’Hoests monkeys, Ruwenzori duiker and Rwenzori turaco.
Those who may be wondering what Rwenzori Mountain national park has to offer and looking for reasons why you should visit the park for a hiking-climbing experience. Below are the major reasons you should know before you climb the Rwenzori Mountains.
It’s Closer to Several National Park
Before knowing what, you can do in the Rwenzori Mountains National Park, should be noted that the park lies in proximity to Kibale Forest National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Semiliki national park, Major Reason for Hiking Mount Rwenzori . Whereby, you can combine a visit to Semuliki National Park, Kibale forest, Queen Elizabeth, and Kilembe mines on your bucket list, which could be your 10- or 15-day Uganda Safari. You can fully explore all the ‘’4’’ parks inclusive of Rwenzori Mountain national park.
Here are some of those places you can visit while on a self-drive safari in Uganda which are;
Semuliki National Park a home to endemic bird species, and primates, and one of the best places to do birding.
Kibale Forest National Park is known as a capital for primates in the entire of Africa, hosting more than 1,500 individuals of chimpanzees and the best place to do chimpanzee trekking and nature walks around Bigondi wetland and crater lakes, Major Reason for Hiking Mount Rwenzori
Rwenzori Backpackers, kilembe mines
Queen Elizabeth National Park is the top-visited tourist game safari because it’s home to a diversity of wildlife species with over 95 mammal species,600 species of birds as well as primates like chimpanzees and monkey species.
It Has the Highest Point in Uganda
Just like other recommended safari destinations with much to explore. The same we recommend you to visit the Rwenzori mountains which boosts with the third highest point in Uganda and measure 5109 meters above sea level.
One visiting the Rwenzori mountains national park is able to enjoy a great opportunity for climbing the Rwenzori up the highest point in Uganda. A successful hike to its summit ‘’Margherita Peak’’ usually takes 7 days.
Snow At the Equator
Well, Rwenzori Mountains National Park is the only gorgeous place in Uganda with snow. You can engage in hiking adventures and enjoy a special feel of a totally different environment that many are not even aware exists in Uganda.
Short Hikes
Rwenzori mountains national park I popular safari destination worldwide because of the outstanding Margherita Peak. However, tourists can opt to do short day hikes more so with a family of minors below the age of twelve. You can do; 1-day hikes, 2 days hikes, and 3 days hikes.
Note, the advantage of doing short hikes is quite cheaper and requires no body fitness compared to 7 or 8 days to reach the summit.
UNESCO Heritage Site
Well, Uganda national park and some historical sites are UNESCO heritage sites. A few of them include; Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Kasubi Tombs, and Rwenzori Mountain national park
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one of the most visited tourist destinations on Uganda Safari and the world at large, because of being home to the largest population of mountain gorillas in the wild. It can listen on your 12 or 14 days of Gorilla trekking and Rwenzori Hiking in Uganda.
