Mountain Rwenzori
The best place to walk in Uganda is Mountain Rwenzori; maybe East Africa at large. Based on tripadvisor’s reviews, it is actually Africa’s top hiking destination. It is another travel destination apart from Queen Elizabeth National Park. It also boasts the five tallest mountains in Africa; the trails are not congested and the breathtaking high altitude woods all provide a sight full package for the mountain climbers.
Mountain Rwenzori is an ecological community; among the others, it boasts several ecosystems with the amazing varied mountain flora cover attributable to the altitude factors and other elements like nature of the soil among the rest. The flora cover varies with height; it’s like traversing several worlds on one planet.
One example of plant cover starting from 1800 meters is the Montane vegetation; from this onward, it is rather feasible to identify the several flora zones as they succeed each other with the elevation of the magical mountain of the moon. Some vegetation cover is even common with more conspicuous species of plant cover; for example, Heather – Rapanea Zone 3000-4000meters, Bamboo Mimulopsis Zone at 2500- 3000meters, Afro Montane Forest on the lower altitude of the mountain at 1800-2500meters, and the Alpine Zone 4000- 4500meters.
The tour operators in Uganda create the trip packages or itineraries; the admittance to the Rwenzori national park is 35USD and the activities are payable depending on the number of persons and the number of the days. The Rwenzori hiking must be arranged by a tour operator of your preferred option; the ten-day trip ranges from the simple three days hiking to the challenging ten days. Though some of the slopes are very steep to climb and they are tiring, the Rwenzori Mountain trekking activity requires strong bodily fitness. Therefore, one should exercise great care.
There is a range of mountain wildlife to admire on the Mountain Rwenzori climb; some are particularly rare and unique only found in Uganda.
Mount Rwenzori hiking
Along the newly built Kilembe hiking path, birding is special. Many species, including the Rwenzori Turaco, Rwenzori Nighjar, the double coloured sunbird, are seen from Kilembe trail. Found in the heather plant zone roughly 3000 to 4000 meters above ground, Arch’s Robinchat is the Mountain Black Boubou.
The Mutinda mountain features other birds including the malachite sunbird. You have to schedule a five or six day Rwenzori hiking trip to reach Mutinda summit. You climb the mountain across Kiharo camp during this hike and will find the Fracolin birds as well as the Rwenzori Batis and cetera.
The guide will explain a solid reason as to why Mountain Rwenzori is dubbed an everlasting flower: the vegetation of this mountain is unique and the succession in the altitude brings about new type of vegetation cover with distinctive plants and mountain flowers. The noises of the frogs and other creatures make your trip musical as you climb higher, and you won’t forget the sound other night at the Kiharo camping spot. Since they are the only memento you will have from the mountains, there is a new universe waiting for you to wallow in the snow and also mark notable peaks.
The trekking programs and Rwenzori National Park are open all year round. The dry season in December, January, February, and March in the first dry season and subsequently from July, August, and September is the best time to visit Rwenzori National Park for hiking activity up the Mountain Rwenzori ranges. Rain always interferes with hiking in the rainy season; it makes the rails dangerous and also makes wildlife uncommon to discover compared in the dry season.
