Rwenzori Mountains National Park

Regarded as one of the most beautiful treks in the world, trekking through the mystic Rwenzori Mountains National Park in Uganda is an utterly unforgettable experience. As you ascend through multiple biospheres and vegetation zones, the flora and fauna is constantly changing which adds a whole new dimension to the trek. The mountains receive about 3,000mm of rain a year and as such, has an incredible biodiversity of plants and birdlife to be discovered along the way.

Unlike the more popular Kilimanjaro or Mt Kenya which are stand-alone mountains with a relatively straight forward up and down summit trek, the Rwenzori’s are Africa’s highest mountain range and as such have many accents and descents involved in reaching the peaks. This in combination with much more affordable prices, large biodiversity, beautiful scenery and far less tourism makes trekking the Rwenzori’s arguably Africa’s best trekking experience!

Margherita Peak at 5,109 metres on Mt Stanley in the Rwenzori Mountains, is Africa’s third highest mountain, however the real beauty is in the climb up the Kilembe route, the forests and valleys, the flora is diverse from giant heather trees and valleys of ferns. Climbing Margherita Peak is technical due to the ever-increasing number of crevasses. However, scaling the actual peak is more of a hard scramble than a climb and when it snows it is difficult but the rewards and exhilaration of reaching the top is enormous as you look across Albert Peak to the DRC (Congo) then east across the spectra of the Rwenzori Mountains

The main trek to reach Margherita peak is typically eight days in length and is recommended for people of average fitness and climbing ability. There is an option for a seven-day trek, however you must be well acclimatized for this option. The most popular option for trekking in the Rwenzori’s is the 5-day trek to Weismann’s Peak (4,620 metres). It is strenuous walking but relatively easy with no real difficult sections or need of technical climbing, making it a great trek for all who are reasonably fit.

Rwenzori Mountains National Park is chilly and wet – expect daytime temperatures of 10-15°C, with much colder nights. January-February and July-August are the driest months, but heavy rain is possible at any time, so come prepared. The best time to climb the mountain is from June through to August and from December to February.