Rwenzori Mountains National Game Park
Rwenzori Mountains National Park has the highest mountain ranges in Africa. Its highest point lies at 5109m above sea level on Mt Stanley’s Margherita Peak which is the third highest in Africa.
The mountain lies astride the equator with six peaks and three of these i.e. Mt Stanley, Mt Baker and Mt Speke are permanently covered with snow. The park covers an area of 996 km2. . It was recognized as a UNESCO world Heritage site in 1994 and was listed by world geographic among the best hikes in the world. It lies in western Uganda about 6 hours’ drive from Kampala.
Rwenzori is known as ‘mountains of the moon’ a name given to it by Alexandrine geographer Ptolemy in AD 150. Locally known as Ruwenzori, is translated as “rain maker” or “cloud-king.” The Rwenzori is not volcanic like East Africa’s other major mountains but is a block of rock faulted through the floor of the western Rift valley. The hike will take you through varied vegetation covers which include montane forest, bamboo forest, tree heath, hagenia-rapanea scrub and afro-alpine moorland.
Good To Know
Location
Kasese District
South-Western Uganda
Altitude
900 m - 4,500 m
Area (km2)
996 km2
Tours
