Rwenzori Mountains National Park is located in south-western in Bundibugyo, Kasese Uganda on the east side of the western (Albertine rift valley) covers an area of 1000km2 (386 sq. mi) in size, the park has Africa’s third highest mountain peak and many waterfalls, lakes and glaciers, the park is known for its beautiful plant life. Rwenzori Mountains national park was established in 1991 to thrill while on Uganda Safaris Tours.
Attractions in Rwenzori mountains national park.
Wildlife.
The park has around 70 mammal species of which 6 are endemic to Albertine Rift and even the four species are endemic to the park and also three are rare species. Animal species in the park includes elephants, Rwenzori otter, leopard and many others the park has got primates like Angola, blue monkeys, black and white colobus, Rwenzori turaco, Rwenzori duiker, small antelopes such as bush bucks, and reptiles such as the three-horned chameleon.
Bird species.
Rwenzori mountains national park is a home of over 217 bird species, then 24 are Albertine Rift endemics, 88 are Afro-tropical Highland biome and are mostly found in the forest zone like Rwenzori Turaco, Long eared owl, Archers’ Robin-chat, Lagden’s Bush Shrike, Blue-headed and Golden sunbird, white-starred Robin, Slender-billed Starling, Cinnamon-chested Bee eater and many others.
Vegetation.
Rwenzori mountains national park is well known for the beautiful flora and fauna, the park has got tropical rain forest to the three heathers, montane forest, Afro-alpine and bamboo, the afro-alpine characterized with emblematic big forms of Senecio (groundsel) and lobelia, which is one of the world’s unique botanical communities, only found in the mountains above 3800 meters in East Africa.
Equatorial Snow Peaks.
The high Rwenzori comprises of six different mountains as they are located must miles north of the equator, the highest being Mount Stanely (5,109 meters), Speke (4,890 meters), Baker (4,83 meters) all bear permanent snow and glaciers, the equatorial snow peaks can be reached by hiker through the central circuit and Kilembe trails.
Land of the Triffids.
Land of the Triffids, the misty well as the boggy and the glacier-carved and the glacier-carved valleys of the high Rwenzori form a strange botanical world inhabited by triffid-sized forms of rare lobelia varieties as well as the heather and groundsel, crisp ‘everlasting flowers’ with garishly coloured mosses and gnarled trees draped with curtains of lichen.
Lakes.
The park has over 20 lakes probably the most accessible of all is Lake Mahoma (2,651 meters) in the third-rich forest of the central circuit, the stunning Lake Bujuku lies at the apex of the deep, glacier carved Bujuku valley in the shadow of Mounts Stanely as well as Mount Baker plus Speke, in the valley of Nyamwamba they are ascended through Kilembe, glacial moraine deposited in the valley created dam which has formed a string of eight lakes.
Ruboni Ruboni.
Ruboni Ruboni in the Park is the beginning point for the hill walks nature and bird treks and walks through the traditional homesteads of the local Bakonzo Community.
Activities done in Rwenzori mountains national park.
Mountain climbing is the best activity and the main one done in Rwenzori Mountains National park during your tour due to the fact that the park has the third highest peak in the entire Africa called Margarita, for the tourists who enjoy climbing, it’s their best destination.
Wildlife viewing.
The Rwenzori Mountains national park offers spectacular view of scenic land scape with a high density of trees and unique vegetation, at edge of the mountain, there is savannah grassland which harbors variety of mammal species like Genet mongoose, leopards, Uganda claws frog, roch hydrax, golden cat, blue monkeys, bush buck, giant forest hogs and many others.
Nature walks and Hiking.
Nature walks in Rwenzori mountains national park empowers the tourists in Rwenzori Mountains National park with the natural wonders of the park even by hiking. During the nature walks the guide is the one that leads you to the panoramic view of the park’s creatures like the Lake Muhooma, Buraro chimp forest as you identifying various features in the park.
Bird watching.
Bird watching is one of the main activities in Rwenzori Mountains National park with great chances to spot volumes of bird species. Out of the 217 bird species located in the park, the bird watcher can be able to spot the commonly bird species that site in the high Rwenzori like the Sunbirds, Robins, barbets, bee-eaters and many others.
Cultural Encounter.
Cultural encounter in the Rwenzori Mountains National Park done by the tourists in the park, is such exciting and amazing activity to be part of and here in Rwenzori Mountain the walk you make to Bakozo people to encounter in their homesteads through the foothills of the Rwenzori will be the most admirable one to be experienced once in lifetime.
Best time to visit Rwenzori Mountains National Park.
The best time to visit Rwenzori Mountains National Park is from June through to August from December to February, the period is suitable to climb the Mountains.
Where to stay in Rwenzori Mountains National Park.
Rwenzori Mountains national park offers the excellent comfortable accommodations to the guests during their visit in the park, as they range from Budget, Mid-range, Luxury accommodations such as Equator Snow Lodge, Rweteera Safari park, Engiri Game Lodge and Campsite, Ruboni Community Camp and many others.
Entrance fees of Rwenzori Mountains National Park.
| Category | Foreign Non Residents(USD) | Foreign Resident (USD) | East Africa Citizen(UGX) |
| Adults | 35 | 25 | 15000 |
| Children | 5 | 5 | 2500 |
| Ugandan Pupils and or Students(Groups) | NA | NA | 1500 |
How to get to Rwenzori Mountains National park.
Rwenzori Mountains National Park can be accessed by both the air and road transport from Kampala to the park.
By Road transport.
Rwenzori Mountains national park cab be reached from Kampala through Mubende to Fort Portal which is 300 km and takes about 4 hours to reach the park, or from Kampala through Masaka to Mbarara to Bushenyi, which is 350 kilometers and takes about 6 hours to reach the park.
By Air transport.
The quickest means to reach Rwenzori Mountains National park is a flight from Entebbe Airport to Kasese Airport is the direct flight which takes 1 hour to the park.
Rwenzori Mountains National Park Mountains are well-known for their unique alpine flora which includes many species endemic to the Albertine Rift in the higher altitude zones including giant heathers, groundsels and lobelias, the park as well supplies local communities with various wild resources and is an important cultural heritage.
