Ruwenzori Mountains National Park

Ruwenzori Mountains National Park

PARK AT A GLANCE

• SIZE: 996km²
• The park was gazetted in 1991 and was recognized as a World Heritage site in 1994 and Ramsar site in 2008.
• Highest point: 5,109m above sea level on Mt Stanley’s Margherita Peak. Mt. Stanley is bisected by the border with the DR Congo.
• The Ruwenzori is not volcanic like East Africa’s other major mountains but is a block of rock up faulted through the floor of the Western Rift Valley.
• The Ruwenzori’s were christened the “Mountains of the Moon” by the Alexandrine geographer Ptolemy in AD 150.
• The explorer Henry Stanley placed the Ruwenzori on the map on 24th May 1888. He labeled it ‘Ruwenzori’, a local name which he recorded as meaning “Rain-Maker” or “Cloud-King.”
• The oldest recorded person to reach Margherita Peak was Ms Beryl Park aged 78 in 2010.

The Ruwenzori’s – the fabled Mountains of the Moon – lie in western Uganda along the Uganda-Congo border. The equatorial snow peaks include the third highest point in Africa, while the lower slopes are blanketed in moorland, bamboo and rich, moist montane forest. Huge tree-heathers and colorful mosses are draped across the mountainside with giant lobelias and “everlasting flowers”, creating an enchanting, fairytale scene.

Ruwenzori Mountains National Park protects the highest parts of the 120km-long and 65km-wide Ruwenzori mountain range. The national park hosts 70 mammals and 217 bird species including 19 Albertine Rift endemics, as well as some of the world’s rarest vegetation.

The Ruwenzori’s are a world-class hiking and mountaineering destination. A nine- to twelve-day trek will get skilled climbers to the summit of Margherita – the highest peak – though shorter, non-technical treks are possible to scale the surrounding peaks.

For those who prefer something a little less strenuous, neighboring Bakonzo villages offer nature walks, homestead visits home cultural performances and accommodation, including home-cooked local cuisine.

Areas of Interest

Equatorial snow peaks

The high Rwenzori comprises six distinct mountains. Although located just miles north of the equator, the highest of these – Mounts Stanley (5,109m), Speke (4,890m) and Baker (4,843m) – all bear permanent snow and glaciers. The snow peaks can be reached by hiking the Central Circuit and Kilembe Trails. 

Land of the Triffids
The misty, boggy, glacier-carved valleys of the high Rwenzori form a strange botanical world inhabited by triffid-sized forms of lobelia, heather and groundsel, crisp “everlasting flowers,” garishly coloured mosses and gnarled trees draped with curtains of lichen. The result is an otherworldly setting which, over the years, has been compared to the forests of the Jabberwock, the Seven Dwarves and, inevitably, Tolkein’s Middle Earth. These strange plants rank among the world’s botanical treasures, being found only on the highest mountains of East Africa.

Lakes

There are over 20 lakes in Rwenzori Mountains National Park. The lowest and most accessible is Lake Mahoma (2,651m) in the bird-rich forest of the Central Circuit. The beautiful Lake Bujuku lies at the head of the deep, glacier carved Bujuku valley in the shadow of Mounts Stanley, Baker and Speke. In the Nyamwamba Valley, ascended by the Kilembe Trail, dams created by glacial moraine have created a string of eight delightful lakes. Several rivers and streams orginate from the mountain, forming lifelines for the flore and flora in the flood plains and supporting local communities.

Ruboni

Ruboni, found at the southeastern foot of the Rwenzori Mountains, is the trailhead for the seven-day Central Circuit to the high peaks. It is also the starting point for hill walks, bird and nature treks and walks through the traditional homesteads of the local Bakonzo community. Accommodation catering for a range of budgets offers gorgeous mountain views up the Mubuku valley.

Visitor Information Centre

Until the new Visitor Information Center is complete, all information regarding park activities will be available at Rwankingi Park Headquarters (close to Ruboni Community Camp), at the trailheads and the offices of the Rwenzori tour operators. Guides and porters, along with trekking equipment, can be booked by visitors at these locations. 

Bulemba

Bulemba houses the remains of Rwenzururu’s first King, Isaiah Mukirania Kibanzanga, who is believed to have saved the Bakonzo tribe from the Batooro oppression. Each year on 2nd September, every Mukonzo attends the pilgrimage to this sacred site to make sacrifices.

Birding in Rwenzori Mountains

Birding opportunities are greatest in the montane forest. Bee-eaters, robins, sunbirds and barbets are some of the 217 species found in Rwenzori Mountains National Park.

Cultural Encounters in Ruwenzori Mountains

Walk with Bakonzo villagers through their homesteads in the foothills of the Rwenzoris as they demonstrate their daily activities, from tending to their animals and crops, to preparing meals with the freshest ingredients. See cultural dances, traditional costumes and hear their fascinating folklore.

Hiking and Nature Walks in Rwenzori Mountains

Follow the trails up to Lake Mahooma and Buraro chimp forest;  through the communities of Kichamba to the Karangura ridge; and to Bundibugo area through Bwamba pass. The communities of Ruboni and Turaco View also offer guided forest walks of various lengths just outside the park

Mountain/Volcano Climbing in Rwenzori Mountains

Keen climbers can choose between two scenic routes to the top of the Rwenzoris – Africa’s third highest peak! The trails pass glacial lakes, gorgeous viewpoints, dramatic mountain passes and lush valleys.

Suggested Itineraries

4 – DAYS CULTURAL AND NATURE TOUR

Day 1: ARRIVAL IN PARK FROM KAMPALA
Choose to stay at one of the lodging options in Ruwenzori National Park. Enjoy the cold breeze of Ruwenzori spiced by the roar of the boulder filled River Mubuku

Day 2: RUBONI HILL WALK
Depart early in the morning to hike up Ruboni Hill. Enjoy scenic views of the River Mubuku as well as Baker and Portal Peaks as you ascend. Reaching the top of the 2300 meter hill, you will be rewarded with a panoramic view of the Mountains of the Moon and the glorious snow-capped Margherita Peak. Return to your accommodation for dinner and relaxation.

Day 3: CULTURAL HIKE OR VILLAGE WALK 
After an early breakfast set off on the Bulemba-Ihandiro Cultural Trail for impressive views and an exploration of the local Bakonzo culture. This 6-7 hours hike to a hilltop cultural museum passes through the “Bat Valley” – a holy place for the Bakonzo, and crosses the River Kamusonge. There is also a visit to the traditional healer who explains how he uses his “Muhima” or powers, to cure the sick. 

Or you may decide to visit the neighboring villages of Ruboni (with Ruboni Community Camp) or Mihunga (with Rwenzori Turaco View) for a cultural tour including dance performances and the chance to buy local handcrafts.

Day 4: DEPATURE
Return to Kampala.

7- DAYS MOUT RUWENZORI CLIMBING

Kilembe Trail

• Day One:Kilembe (1,450m) to Kalalama (3156m) (Alt gain: +1706m). The first day involves a long steady climb through montane forest and bamboo to a campsite at Kalalama in the heather zone. 
• Day Two:Kalalama (3156m) to Mutinda (3810m) (Alt gain: + 654m). The route follows the Kamusoni river to a campsite at the base of the 4200m Mutinda Towers outcrop.
• Day Three:Mutinda (3810m) to Lake Kopello Overlook (4185m) (Alt gain: +375m). Above Mutinda, the trail traverses open moorland to reach a camp at the Lake Kopello viewpoint. 
• Day Four:Lake Kopello (4185m) to Mount Baker Base Camp (4160m) (Alt loss -15m). A day of ups and downs skirts the flank of Mt Luigi da Savoia to reach a campsite beside a tributary of the Butawu valley.
• Day Five:Mount Baker Base Camp (4160m) to Mount Baker (4842m) (Alt gain: +682m). An early start is required to climb to Freshfield Pass and Mount Baker before cloud obscures the views. Descend to Lake Kopello or Mutinda Camp.
• Day Six/Seven:Descent from Kopello (a 2350m descent) or Mutinda to Kilembe.

Variations
In addition to the Mount Baker route, the Kilembe Trail offers shorter and longer treks. This route is superbly scenic, reaching the dramatic heather zone by the end of the first day, and most casual hikers will consider the 3-day ascent to Lake Kopello Overlook a more-than-adequate Rwenzori experience.  Keen mountaineers, on the other hand, can continue up the Butagu Valley from Mount Baker Base Camp to a Mount Stanley Base Camp on Scott Elliot Pass prior to ascending Mount Stanley.

Central Circuit

• Day One:Follow the Mubuku River before ascending a steep ridge of glacial moraine to Nyabitaba Hut (2651m).
• Day Two:Start with a steep descent to cross the Mubuku River, followed by a long hike along the boulder-strewn sides of the Bujuku valley through forest, bamboo and heather zones to John Matte Hut (3505m)
• Day Three:Cross the famous Bigo Bog and the Upper Bujuku Valley beneath the massive cliffs of Mount Baker. The route skirts Lake Bujuku to reach Bujuku Hut (3962m) at the head of the valley between Mounts Stanley and Speke
• Day Four:The route climbs the rocky Groundsel Gully and steep scree slopes to Scott Elliot Pass (4372m) for an unforgettable view back down towards Mount Speke and Lake Bujuku down the U-shaped Bujuku Valley.  The climb finishes at Elena Hut (4541m) below the snowline of Mount Stanley.
• Day Five:The Big Day! Start before dawn for the chilly trek through snow and ice to climb to the 5109m Margerita Peak, the roof of the Rwenzori, before the views and the route are obscured by mist. The descent returns to Scott Elliot Pass and descends the deep Kitandara Gorge to a mountain hut by the twin Kitandara lakes (4023m).
• Day Six:Begin with a steep climb to Freshfield Pass (4282m), a spectacular spot carpeted by bright yellow mosses and offering tremendous view of Mounts Stanley and Baker. The trail descends the Upper Mubuku valley to Guy Yeoman Hut (3505m). 
• Days Six and Seven:Below Guy Yeoman, the trail follows the Mubuku down the cliffs of Karirupea to complete the Central Circuit at Nyabitaba Hut. Hikers may overnight here to continue to the trailhead at Ruboni for greater comforts.