Mountain Climbing

Mountain climbing in Rwenzori Mountains National Park

The mist-surrounded peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains provide stunning backdrops to these magnificent mountains. Rwenzori is home to the most visible, enduring and fragile vegetation along the trails. Mountain Rwenzori is one of Uganda’s oldest and most enduring attractions because the Rwenzori presenting most of the challenging mountaineering experiences in Africa.

The Rwenzori’s high altitude vegetation that drapes the mountain which includes the Everlasting Flower (Helichhrysum) giant Erica (heather) Lobelia and Seneco (groundsel) alongside the numerous streams that flow into the rivers and lakes of the rift valley.

The mountain contains a variety of wildlife including elephant, buffalo, and the rare Rwenzori Leopard and Rwenzori colobus, odd hyrax, blue monkey and Rwenzori Turaco.

At 5109m high, it’s peak is snow-capped and represents the third highest point in Africa stretching for about 100km, The snow and glacier-covered peaks are Margherita ( 5109m), Alexandria ( 5083m); Albert (5087m); Mt Speke (4890m); Mt Baker (4843m); Mt Gessi (4715m); Mt Emin (4791m); and Mt Luigi di Savoia (4627m).

Mountain climbing in the Virunga Volcanoes

Virunga Volcanoes are found in south-western Uganda. The mountains are cold, wet and rugged with a wilderness of Afromontane vegetation with rare plants such as giant Lobelia and Groundsel that delight the botany lover.

The Virunga ranges are made up of eight volcanoes distributed between Uganda, Rwanda and Congo. Their mounts are climbable, for instance, Mt Sabinyo (3669m), Mt Muhavura (4127m) and Mgahinga (3474m). The trekking opportunity also offers chances of viewing some of the 100 species of birds found in Mgahinga Gorilla Park, including the rare Rwenzori Turaco and the Scarlet-tufted Malachite Sunbird.

Mountain Climbing in Mountain Elgon National Park

Mt Elgon is a fast emerging popular destination for mountaineering. The mountain sits astride the Uganda- Kenya border and has one of the largest calderas as an extinct volcano. With Wagagai as its highest peak, it is the 8th highest mountain in the world at 4321m.

Mt Elgon is beautifully littered with cliffs, caves, gorges and waterfalls. The upper slopes of the mountain are draped in tropical montane forest, while above these a vast tract of alpine moorland extends over the caldera and at the top is a collapsed crater covering 40 sq km. The views from the higher plains are among the most spectacular in Uganda.

It has many of the same attractions, with a milder climate and lower elevation. Climbing the peaks no special equipment or technical climbing experience. It is possible to reach the summit of the mountain in as little as three days, but a slightly longer visit will permit a more thorough exploration of all that Mt. Elgon has to offer.

Mountaineering in Uganda has not been well embraced yet it has a lot to offer and discover.Mt. Rwenzori offers one of the best experiences with the rare special vegetation, the snow and glacier found on top of the mountain peaks.