Rwenzori
National Park
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INTRODUCTION.
The park is located in the western part of Uganda on the
border of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The
park has an area of 998 sq km and was named after the famous
Rwenzori Mountains, which is also referred to as the legendary
“Mountains of the Moon." Rwenzori Mountain is
one of Africa's tallest mountain range with an elevation
of 5,109m. The Rwenzori range has 6 major peaks, which include,
Mt Stanley (5,109m), Mt Speke (4,890m) Mt Baker (4,843m),
Mt Emin (4,798m), Mt Gessi (4,715m) and Mt Luigi di Savoia
(4,627m). The highest peak is the Mt Stanley complex and
is called Margherita peak (5,109) and it is this peak, which
makes the Rwenzori Mountains the 3rd highest range in Africa. |
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| Rwenzori Mountains
are not volcanic but predominantly old quartzite unlike the
two highest mountains in Africa (Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount
Kenya). Despite its existence almost at the Equator, the mountain
has distinctive glacial peaks visible miles away as one travels
in the Western part of Uganda. Its slopes, which are above
1,600m and are preserve of hikers, who rate the Rwenzoris
to be the most challenging of all African mountains. |
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| There are five different
Vegetation Zones found in the Rwenzori Mountains. These are
grassland (1000-2000m), montane forest (2000-3000m), bamboo/
mimulopsis zone (2500-3500m), Heather/ Rapanea zone (3000-4000m)
and the afro-alpine moorland zone (4000-4500m). |
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| The park has also
got a wide variety of large mammals, which inhabits the lower
slopes. These include elephants, buffaloes, chimpanzees, blue
monkeys, Rwenzori colobus monkeys, duikers, forest hogs, hyrax
and leopards. Rwenzori National park is also one of the most
important bird areas in Uganda. The park has recorded 195
species, which include the Rwenzori Turaco, Francolins, Olive
Pigeon, White Necked Raven and Mountain Buzzards, as well
as other rare, threatened, and endemic species. ACCESSIBILITY
The Park can be accessed by both road transport and air
transport. For those who want to travel by air a private
charter flight can be arranged for you to Kasese airstrip
where a transfer to the park can be made. Nyakalengija trailhead
lies off the Fort Portal road, 22km from Kasese. Transport
can be arranged in Kasese. |
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TOUR ATTRACTIONS
Rwenzori Mountain Hiking is the major holiday activity to
undertake in the park. The hike takes you though all the vegetation
zones and finally ends on the glacial peaks. Rwenzori climb
takes 7-10 days.
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