Rwenzori Mountains NP
Rwenzori Mountains National Park:
For its exciting 6 snow-capped peaks, un-engineered, steep and slippery trails and frequent rain, Rwenzori Mountains National Park protects the eastern slopes and glacial peaks of the 120km-long Rwenzori Mountains or “Mountains of the Moon“, a world-class hiking and mountaineering destination whose significance as a source of the Nile was first alluded to by the geographer Ptolemy circa 150 AD.He claimed that it was the source of the Nile since it had snow-capped range on its peak.
The Ptolemy’s mountains were explored by the mountaineers and found that they are in the high Rwenzori glaciers and snow peaks, despite being just miles North of the equator, and the highest springs of the Nile are represented by the melt waters from the snow peak.
A lay out of the Rwenzori peak was established by the Italian Duke of Abruzzi in 1906 during hisAÿattempt of June and July. He photographed, mapped and scaled all the main peaks of Rwenzori Mountain after succeeding Stanely.
The name (Mountain of the moon) was assured when John Speke found the existence of the Nile from Lake Victoria.
In1889, it was proved by Henry Stanely that the mountain existed. He then named it Rwenjura (rain maker) on its map.
Rising from the Rift Valley floor to a wintry elevation of 5,109m, the Rwenzori supports large tracts of evergreen and bamboo forest, while the higher moorland zone is known for its other-worldly cover of giant heathers, lobelias and groundsels. Beneath the highest peak along the Bujuku and Mobuku valley on which the trail meanders for 7 days on its explore, a tough trek is created although there are short distances terrain weather and altitude when combined.
Location:
Mountain Rwenzori lies between Uganda and Congo border then passes through the highest peak of Mt. Stanely. The landscape is surrounded by Virunga National Park in Congo and Rwenzori Mountains National Park in Uganda.
Getting there:
Rwenzori is 4000m above the Albertine Rift valley floor, few kilometers north of the equator.
Road transport:
From Kampala to Nyakalengija park via Fort Portal.
Another route is passing through Mbarara and Queen Elizabeth using the Southern Route, its 450km.
Nyakalengija is 25km North of Kasese town and 17km off Fort Portal road.
Air transport:
Charter flights can as well be arranged from Kampala or Entebbe to Nyakalengija.
Famous For:
The Rwenzori supports large tracts of evergreen and bamboo forest, while the higher moorland zone is known for its other-worldly cover of giant heathers, lobelias and groundsels.
Its also famous for the 6 snow-capped peaks, 3 with glaciers, chimpanzees, black and colobus and blue monkeys, birds like the brilliantly colured Rwenzori Turaco (a bird of the tree tops).
Activities:
- Mountaineering.
- Hiking
- Bird watching.
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