Mountain Rwenzori national park
Mountain Rwenzori national park is located in the south-western part and is bordered by democratic republic of Congo next to Virunga national park. It’s sited on 386 square kilo meters and it passes through districts of Kabarole, kasese and Bundibugyo. Due to the beautiful and amazing snow on the top many people tend to call it mountain of the moon. The national park has a variety of amazing sceneries such as green vegetation, waterfalls, lakes and rivers, hot springs, glaciers and mountains which makes it a very rewarding Uganda safari.
Mountain ranges are the major features of the park and is known to be the third highest mountain range in Africa. These include Mount Stanley known as margherita that raises to 16,762 feet, mount Speke and mount bakers. The small ranges include mount gessi, Emim, Pasha and Luigi da savoi.
ATTRACTIONS IN MOUNT RWENZORI NATIONAL PARK
WILDLIFE
Mount Rwenzori national park is a home to over 70mammals with 6 species endemics to Albertine rift and 4 species which are endemic to the park and the other 3 species are rare species. The other mammals include elephants, chimpanzee, Rwenzori otter and leopards. Though wildlife is had to see within a dense forest tourists can also look out for primates such as black and white colobus monkeys and blue monkeys, antelopes and reptiles such as three horned chameleons.
BIRDS
The national park is a home to 217 species of birds which involve Albertine rift species. This makes the park a bird haven. The bird species such as slender-billed starling, blue-headed sunbird, long-eared robin, barred long-tailed cuckoo, Rwenzori turaco, Rwenzori batis, long-eared owl, montane sooty boubou.
EQUATORIAL SNOW PEAKS
The Rwenzori comprises of six divergent mountains and because they are located few meters from the north of the equator all the mountain peaks have permanent snow and glaciers. These include Mount Stanley, speak, baker, margherita, gessi and Luigi di savora on the side of democratic republic of Congo. Therefore, the equatorial peaks can be reached by hiking while on a Uganda safari.
LAKES
Hiking Mount Rwenzori
Rwenzori national park has over 20 lakes and the accessible one is lake mahoma. Lake bujuku lies at the peak of the deep curved bujuku valley in the shadows of Mount Stanley, baker and Speke. within nyamwamba they ascend through the trail in kilembe, glacier moraine deposited in the valley created dam which contains eight amazing lakes. Many streams of rivers begin from the mountain forming the flora and fauna in the plains and local communities.
RUBONI RUBONI
The ruboni is located in the south east foot of the Rwenzori mountains and it’s the most used trail by hikers to the high peaks. It’s also taken to be the beginning point of nature walks, birding and hikes.
BULEMBA BULEMBA HOUSES
This is considered as a sacred place for bakonzo tribe due to the remains of the first king of rwenzururu by names of mukirania Isaiah Kibanzanga. He’s considered to be a hero due to the role he played by saving the bakonzo from being oppressed by the batooro. Therefore, the bakonzo convene and offer sacrifices in remembrance of the great king.
ACTIVITIES IN MOUNT RWENZORI NATIONAL PARK
HIKING AND NATURE WALKS
Tourists that enjoy nature walks while discovering the other hidden treasures in the national park. With doing so the tourists are led by a guide who trail through the forest and view other sceneries like buraro chimp forest, lake muhooma among others as well as hike in communities such as kichamhe to karangura ridge and also to Bundibugyo passing through bwamba.
While hiking or doing the nature walks these can also lead the tourists to communities like Ruboni and Turaco. The walks are rewarding in a way that tourists can view the snow-capped peak of margherita. One can even view small creatures such as chameleons, squirrels, vervet monkeys and also birds.
MOUNTAIN CLIMBING
This is the most done activity in Rwenzori national park. Therefore, the mountain having the highest peak margherita which can take tourists to climb it for almost 7 days to reach the top. To those that love climbing this is the best mountain to enjoy the activity. While doing this it has very many trail heads that can lead you to the top.
The central circuit trail; this is the most challenging and amazing trail. It gives the tourists a circular tour of the high Rwenzori. The central circuit starts from mihunga and takes them to bujuku valley passing via Nyabitaba before reaching the peaks, tourists can proceed up to mubuku valley. Tourists are able to view the snow peak but this needs one who is physically fit. This is the most rewarding trail though difficult.
Kilembe trails; the tourists have to move in the southern slope of Rwenzori. This trail starts from kilembe which is just next to kasese town. With this trail it leads you to Nyamwamba valley passing through glacial lakes before reaching the central circuit of lake Kitandara. This trail takes you up to mount Baker, Mountain Rwenzori national park
BIRDING IN THE MOUNTAINS
The Rwenzori national park is also known for birding as an activity. The park has over 217 bird species that tourists can enjoy. Birds such as bamboo warblers, illadopsis, handsome francolin, golden winged sun birds, montane Rwenzori nightjar, long eared owl, Rwenzori turaco, scarlet tufted malachite sunbirds, black eagles, robins, bee eaters, dwarf honey guide among others.
WILDLIFE VIEWING IN RWENZORI MOUNTAIN
The national park is famous because of the 3 horned chameleon which is amazing to watch. The forest has other wildlife to be viewed such as elephants, Uganda clawed frog, L’hoest’s monkeys, Rwenzori otter, red duiker, golden cats, leopards, bush buck, blue monkeys among others.
CULTURAL ENCOUNTER IN THE NATIONAL PARK
This is really amazing activity where tourists interact with the Bakonzo villagers in their home steads through the foothills of Rwenzori that makes the safari amazing. Through their amazing dances, prepare their local meal, meeting the black smith, traditional healers, weaving baskets and listening to their stories really makes the safari interesting and educative.
With such activities one can decide to organize and have an amazing Uganda safari in the mountain Rwenzori national park.
