The ‘Mountains of the Moon’ Rwenzori is situated in Western Uganda at the border of Uganda and Congo. It derives its nickname from its equatorial snow peaks which include the Margherita-the third highest peak in Africa at 5,109m after Mount Kenya and Kilimanjaro respectively. The colorful vegetation of everlasting flowers, glaciers and waterfalls on its mountainside make it quite a marvel to look at. Although the Mountain Rwenzori national park within which the mountain is found is home to 70 mammals and over 217 bird species, hiking Rwenzori mountains is the highlight of most trips to the mountain park attracting hundreds of adventure seekers and researchers every year.
The Rwenzori range offers a variety of climbing options to hikers that suit their skill and physical ability. For the adventurous and skilled climbers, a 9-12 day trek through moorland, bamboo, montane and colorful mosses while enjoying sights of birds, monkeys and other mammals will lead you to the Margherita peak. It’s possible to ascend to the peak within 8 days if you skip the camps but you need to be in great shape. If you are lucky, you will enjoy views of the surrounding areas in Congo and in Uganda on a clear day while at the peak. At the peak, the whole hassle of climbing up will be worth it as you see into the Congo and across the mystic of the Rwenzori mountains for quite scenic pictures.
For a less strenuous experience though still for people in some good form, visitors can take an 8 day trek to Mount Baker, a 6 day hike upto the Weismann peak or a 2 day one on the Kalalama loop. All these can give you a closer amazing view of the Margherita peak and panoramic views of the Rwenzori range. It’s quite an amazing experience for hikers.
More so, for easy hiking experience, nature walks through the Bakonzo village like the Ruboni village can introduce you to the locals’ way of living and you can even enjoy a local cuisine while there. Forest hikes can be taken in the foothills of the mountain and visitors are most likely to see colobus monkeys, three-horned Chameleon and chimpanzees on the trails.