Two mammals are endemic to the range, the Rwenzori climbing mouse and the Rwenzori red duiker, as are 19 of the 241 known bird species. Despite this, this is one of Uganda’s less-visited national parks, and so nature lovers wanting to escape the safari crowds should definitely put it on their bucket list.
How to get to Mountain Rwenzori national park
There are two main road routes from Kampala to Rwenzori Mountains national park.
- The 375km shorter route leads you to the park trailhead at Ruboni from the north via Fort Portal. This route has attractions to see along the drive including the tea plantations in Fort Portal.
- The second route is 450km long from the south passing through Mbarara and Queen Elizabeth national park. This will reward you spotting certain wildlife since your passing through Lake Mburo national park.
There is also the option airline transfers. There are charter flights to Kasese that can be arranged from Kajjansi Airfield and Entebbe International Airport.
Best time for Rwenzori trekking tours?
When to go on Rwenzori Trekking along Africa’s tallest mountain range known as the Mountains of the Moon with the ever-changing vegetation zones; snow-capped peaks. Trekking Rwenzori can be done all year-round, but expect rain daily; late December to mid-March and mid-June to mid-August are less muddy.
In case you’re interested in extending the trip to watching mountain gorillas in the wilderness of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park or Mgahinga gorilla park in the venture of the pearl of Africa. Rwenzori Mountaineering Service team you help you to plan the gorilla trekking & Rwenzori hiking expedition (12 Days Uganda Gorilla & Rwenzori Trekking ) with the encompass of the mountain gorillas, Chimpanzee tracking, wildlife in Queen & Rwenzori hike in the Rwenzori mountains.
According to Rwenzori Mountaineering Service, the destination manager that offers Rwenzori trekking tours the best recommended times to trek are; from late December to mid-March and from mid-June to mid-August, when there’s less rain. Even at these times, the higher reaches are often enveloped in mist, though this generally clears within a short time each day. April and October are the wettest months.
Selecting Rwenzori trekking trail during booking
All Rwenzori trekking trails will reward you with the chance to explore the snowcapped peaks of Rwenzori Mountains in southwestern Uganda. Rwenzori Mountaineering Service which is a booking agency is a speciality in Rwenzori trekking tours recommends travellers to select their routes depending on their skill in hiking.
There are two routes – one is handled by Rwenzori Trekking Services (the Kilembe trail) and the central circuit handled by Rwenzori Mountaineering Services.
What to pack for the trek?
Trekking to Rwenzori is one of the activities that one must prepare for in advance so that you have a memorable and hassle-free experience. So there are some notable things that should not miss on you.
Hiking and climbing trips require a great deal of preparation from physical conditioning to gathering the equipment and supplies needed to survive the trip. Here are the lists of the important must-have climbing equipment and hiking supply:
Climbing equipment – ropes, cords, and webbing
The ropes used in climbing are different from ropes used for other purposes. There are two classes of climbing ropes: static ropes and dynamic ropes. Static ropes are non-elastic ropes which are usually used for rappelling since they reduce the bounce which makes it easier for an individual to descent.
Static ropes are also used in anchoring systems. Dynamic ropes, on the other hand, are used as belay ropes since they are elastic. The purpose of elasticity is to reduce the force and tension created to the ropes and the person should he or she falls.
Belay devices
Belay devices allow the control of the belay ropes, important to keep the climber safe during ascent or descent. The mechanical friction brake devices lock the rope with a minimal effort making the climb safer for both the person and the device.
Draws or quickdraws
Quickdraws consist of non-locking carabiners linked by a short, pre-sewn ring of webbing. They are used to attach ropes bolt anchors for protection which permit the rope to run through them with nominal friction.
Crab or carabiner
The crab which is a piece of climbing equipment usually made of aluminium is a metal loop with a spring-loaded gate used as connectors.
Climbing harness
A harness is worn either around the pelvis or chest, which is connected to a rope. There are other ways to wear the harness other than the 2 mentioned and there are types of harness for a particular outdoor activity such as canyoning and caving. However, the principle remains the same: to keep the climber from falling to the ground.
Other climbing equipment is figure eight, rescue eight, rack, ascenders, nuts, tricams, etc. So having armoured yourself with the necessary equipment as listed above, you also need to have enough hiking supply of which include the following;
Pocket knife or utility knife
A pocket knife is a small folding knife usually between 3 to 5 inches in length. The skip joint knife that contains more than just one blade is often used as a soft duty utility tool. The Swiss army knife and the United States army knife are two of the more popular skip joint knife varieties in the market. It contains an array of tools such as scissors, corkscrews, bottle openers, saws, plain edges, and serrated.
Food and water
It may be obvious to bring food and water on the trip but it is still worth mentioning. If you are planning to cook during the trip, bring your own portable stove. An ample supply of clean drinking water keeps you from drinking water coming from lakes and rivers you come across which can be unsafe.
Compass
GPS is good until it runs out of power. A small compass will not be a big weight to carry. Do not forget to bring and learn to use one along with the map.
Map
Okay. It’s just hiking and you’ll find your way in and out of it through the trails. Still, you need to bring your map because you’ll never know when you will use it.
Clothes and raingear
Bring appropriate clothes on your hiking trip. No short and Capri pants. Just heel closed shoes, long-sleeved shirt, and a cap. Do not forget to bring rain gear too. Please also carry along gumboots as they are very useful especially in the boggy part of this trek.
It is also imperative to carry on you a headlamp, helmet, and sunglasses and an ice-breaking axe. All these are used on the last day of this trek that takes you through the ice-capped part on your way to Margherita (the highest peak on Mt. Rwenzori).
Since on the day of hiking to the top of this mountain you the trek starts at 4 am in the morning, you need light to keep you going and since you will be hiking using ropes and walking sticks, you need a kind of light that doesn’t need to be in your hand, thus the importance of a headlamp.
Just as the headlamp, the helmet helps to protect your head against May moisture. The headlamp is fixed on this helmet and can’t be fixed on a bare head. So as the day brightens up the sun rises and then it becomes difficult to look at the glittering ice when the sun is reflected from it. So this is why sunglasses are very important at this moment to shield your eyes from being damaged by such reflection.
The ice-breaking axe is important for breaking the ice in order to make a way in that ice so that you can pass and also give you support during the movement.
PreparationÂ
Hiking needs a lot of self-actualization and examination of how you are at the moment both physically and mentally. So there are various ways through which one can prepare himself for this great hike of which include the following;
Know your skill
Hiking is a physically demanding outdoor activity and when we say physical, we mean moving more muscles than you usually do for a prolonged period of time, which, when the body is not prepared may result to injury.
Thus, it is very important that you recognize first what you can and cannot do. Choose a hike that your body can handle. Know how long can you walk and how long can you stay outdoor. Hiking and camping should be a fun experience.
Do not spoil it by trying to conquer a terrain you cannot handle. Rwenzori has various treks that one can take depending on your level of fitness. So it is better to know yourself well other than going for a hike that you cannot manage.
Tell a friend
Think of this: If you will go to a hiking or camping trip alone, who will take your pictures behind a great view? Who will tell you that your hiking shoes are untied? Seriously, hiking or camping alone is unsafe.
Ask a friend to come with you – a friend who does not mind to get their hands dirty, who has experience with difficult terrain, who has some accidents and missteps, and who has been in a bad situation before. Do not attempt to hike and camp alone. Discuss your plan with a friend and make sure that you both understand it before you go.
Check the weather
We all know the weather forecast can sometimes be inaccurate. Nonetheless, you have to listen to what the weather predicting department says before you even try to pack your bag and head outdoor.
Remember that a sunny day could turn into a life-threatening storm within an hour. And a clear terrain can be turned into a muddy one within a 10-minute pour. So please it is better to study the weather first such that you hike in a more conducive weather.
However, Rwenzori being a mountain, it receives relief rainfall throughout the year due to its nature. So please be in the know that you cannot escape rainfall hitting you on any kind of hike to Rwenzori.
It may not or may not happen, but you have to anticipate the worst possible situation. Better come out well-prepared and well-protected. Do not forget to bring rain gear and appropriate clothing when you go hiking or camping. Always keep in touch with nature and don’t just go marvel them with your mouth open. Be aware of the changes in the cloud pattern. Be conscious of the air temperature.
Check the terrain
Any hiking and camping park has a detailed topographic map so that a beginner understands well the terrain before actually going there. For instance, if you are hiking to the summit, don’t forget to check on the elevation.
Both the distance of the hike and elevation of the ground will tell you how difficult the trip is. Learn to read the map with a compass and start planning your hike and where are the good places to take your rest. Using your map, prepare for an emergency plan. Make sure that the map is current. Terrain changes every time so better get an updated one on your hand.
Check on permits
You may be already aware of the permit requirements issued by wilderness areas and national parks. Some of these are free of charge while others are expensive. Make sure that you check on permits of your hiking and camping location.
Looking at Booking Rwenzori Trekking experience in the Rwenzori Mountains national park managed by Uganda Wildlife Authority, Find all relevant information about climbing Mt. Rwenzori, from climbing routes to special pricing for group tours, what to carry, when to go and so much more.
For more information about Rwenzori mountains treks
Website: www.rwenzoriMountaineeringservice.com
Email: info@rwenzorimountaineeringservice.com
Telephone: +256774819223
Editors note: This is a sponsored article