Travel Guide To The Rwenzori Mountains Trek and Hike Tours in Uganda

Travel Guide To The Rwenzori Mountains Trek and Hike Tours in Uganda

 The Rwenzori Mountains, also known as Mountains of the Moon, are home to six of Africa’s 10 tallest peaks. Expert mountain climbers credit the Rwenzori Mountains for being the toughest mountain to climb in the whole of Africa; more technical to climb than her taller and more famous cousin Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. The Rwenzori Mountains are popular with climbers/hikers who trek through rainforests and alpine meadows to the snow-capped Margherita summit which stands at 5,109 metres.

 

Hiking the Rwenzori Mountains in Uganda is one of the most exciting and challenging mountain ranges to trek in the world. The Rwenzori Mountains lie along the Uganda-DR Congo border in western Uganda. The highest peak of the Ruwenzori reaches 5,109 meters (16,762 ft.), and the range's upper regions are permanently snow-capped and glaciated. Rivers fed by mountain streams form one of the sources of the Nile. Because of this, European explorers linked the Rwenzori with the legendary Mountains of the moon.

 

Rwenzori rises high from the Albertine Rift Valley floor providing a stunning backdrop to the Queen Elizabeth National Park and other surrounding features. The highest peaks here are permanently snow-capped and although they are often surrounded by clouds, you do get the rare opportunity to see their massive existence in full.

Beyond mountaineering, Rwenzori is home to the widest variety of mountain flora in Africa and for this reason, it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Mount Rwenzori's Massifs: - The Rwenzori Mountains are the highest non-volcanic, non-orogenic mountains in the world. The range is about 120 kilometres (75 mi) long and 65 kilometres (40 mi) wide. It consists of six massifs separated by deep gorges: Mount Stanley (5,109 metres (16,762 ft)), Mount Speke (4,890 metres (16,040 ft)), Mount Baker (4,843 metres (15,889 ft)), Mount Emin (4,798 metres (15,741 ft)), Mount Gessi (4,715 metres (15,469 ft)) and Mount Luigi di Savoia (4,627 metres (15,180 ft)). Mount Stanley has several subsidiary summits, with Margherita Peak being the highest point.

Rwenzori Trekking offers a variety of trekking and climbing options from one day to twelve days to suit your style of adventure and schedule. The Rwenzori range is a true mountain range with many climbs and descents making it a tough climb however the scenery and beautiful vegetation are incredible.

 

Mount Rwenzori Hiking Trails:

There are two main trek routes in Rwenzori Mountains National Park: the Central Circuit Trail and the Kilembe Route. The Central Circuit Trail enters the mountain range from the east and does a large, anticlockwise loop.

 

The low-altitude treks won't take you beyond 4,000 metres and typically last 2-4 days. High-altitude treks take you to peaks above 4,000 metres and last between 4-12 days.

 

The Kilembe trailhead lies at the head of Nyamwamba Valley, 15 km west of Kasese town. The central circuit trailhead is located in the Mobuku Valley at Mihunga, 22 km from the Fort Portal-Kasese road, and 25 km north of Kasese town. There is also the Bukurungu trailhead located at Katebwa, off the main road at Nyakigumba, 6 km from the mid-way between Kasese and Fort Portal towns.

 

Rwenzori Trekking Services (RTS) operates the Kilembe trail which enables 9-day trekking to summit Mount Stanley and there is a shorter 6-day option to the more accessible, but equally scenic, Mount Luigi di Savola. The central circuit trek takes approximately 7 days. The Bukurungu trail ascends from Kitumba to Mount Gessi. The Mount is best climbed during the drier months of January, and June to July.

 

The highest peaks on the Rwenzori’s six summits can all be climbed and the most popular is the 5,109 meters Margherita peak, the highest point on Mount Stanley and the rooftop of Rwenzori. An ascent of Mount requires a minimum of 7 days of trekking. The real appeal of the Rwenzori is the opportunity to hike through superb mountain scenery featuring patches of equatorial snow and outlandish vegetation, grandstand views of the summits, scenic views of Lake Mahoma in the bamboo forest, plateaus, Semuliki valley and other attractive features.

 

The lower slopes of Rwenzori feature forests that are perfect for nature walks and birding and are also host to the famous Rwenzori National Park. The park can be visited via the Kilembe and Nyakalenja trailheads. Conveniently for bird lovers, the park is a habitat for many bird species including the Rwenzori turaco, Rwenzori batis, Rwenzori nightjar, handsome francolin and others.

 

The Rwenzori is also a habitat for the unique 3-horned chameleon and Rwenzori colobus monkey.

Where to Stay in The Rwenzori Mountains

The Kilembe Southern Circuit is accessed from the Kasese area. The best place to begin and end a trek is the Rwenzori Trekkers Hostel in Kyanjuki Village, 12km from Kasese. A well-renovated former copper mine building, the hostel overlooks the deep Nyamwamba river valley and has amazing views of the Rwenzori Mountains. Situated at 1,450 metres, it also has a lovely climate even in January and February.

Another popular option before the trek is to stay at Sandton Hotel in Kasese, and then transfer to Kilembe the following morning (departing Kasese ~7:30 am, arriving around 8:00 am). Upon arrival, you will have a briefing with your guides before beginning the trek to Sine Camp. 

Accommodation on the treks is in specially constructed wooden huts, perfect for keeping out the worst of the weather and for storing equipment required on different sections of the trail. The treks are fully catered, using as much fresh produce as possible, whilst also meeting the energy and hydration needs of high altitude trekking.

Best Time to Visit The Rwenzori Mountains

It is possible to trek in the Rwenzoris all year round. At all times of year, you should be prepared for a combination of sun, rain, mud, fog, ice and snow. However, the period from late June to early September and again from late December to the end of February does tend to have lower rainfall, which means visitor numbers do peak during this time.

It is also worth remembering that the wetter months mean more rain lower down the slopes, but more snow at higher altitudes, enhancing the already mystical experience of trekking in the Rwenzoris.

Access to The Rwenzori Mountains

The nearest built-up area to the Rwenzori Mountains is the city of Kasese.

Kasese is easily accessible by air with daily flights taking just over an hour. Alternatively, the road journey from Entebbe/Kampala, via Fort Portal takes 6-8 hours.

You can also reach Kasese by flight from Entebbe. The flights depart Entebbe at 7:00 am and 12:30 pm daily and line up well with hike departures. The return flight leaves Kasese at 10:45 am and 2:45 pm daily. The flight time is about 1 hour.

It's also possible to reach the mountains by public bus from Kampala. The bus departs from Kampala city centre every hour. The total transfer time is around 10 hours. 

Treks in the Rwenzoris begin at Trekkers Hostel Kilembe (also known as Rwenzori Backpackers Hostel Kyanjuki). The treks begin with an 8:00 am briefing from the guides. The hostel is 12km from Kasese (30-40 minutes by road). 

If coming up from Queen Elizabeth National Park, the journey takes about an hour. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in the southwest corner of Uganda (home to the mountain gorillas) is about a six-hour drive.

Arrange and Book with Ultimate Wild Safaris for hiking the Mountains of the Moon in Uganda;

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