What Is Famous About Rwenzori Mountain – Uganda Safari Destination-Hikers
What is famous about Mountain Rwenzori; Famously Mountain Rwenzori are known for their green vegetation that ranges from tropical rainforest through alpine meadows to snow and most of the range is now a World Heritage Site covered jointly by Rwenzori Mountains National park in Southwestern Uganda and the Virunga National Park in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. More so, the range supports its own species and varieties of grant groundsel and grant lobelia as well as a 6 meters’ tall heather found in mass that live on one of its peaks.
The Rwenzori Mountain national park also well-known of spectacular views of glacier and snow caped mountain, positioned few kilometers away from the equator where it adjusts with the Virunga National park and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
More then, Rwenzori Mountain has the third highest mountain in Africa that measures 5,109 meter after Mountain Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya, the area is combined with the park that includes a much larger alpine area than either totally an area of 99,600 h of which 70% sits over 2,500meter in height.
The Rwenzori Mountain are the highest and most permanent sources of the sources of River Nile and a vital water catchment. Its severely area has fast flowing rivers, waterfalls and scenic and beautiful vegetation which is worth of sight-seeing. Despite the fact, the mountain is well known of its unique alpine flora with very many endemic species to the Albertine Rift in the higher altitude zones that includes groundsels and giant heathers.
Moreover, Rwenzori mountains before it was called Mountain of the moon, a reflection of the mist- shrouded mountains of this rugged masses raised over 4,000 meter above the Albertine Rift valley thus leading to destruction from a great distance.
Definitely, Rwenzori Mountain are unique and pristine landscapes of alpine vegetation that it offers and covered with stunning giant lobelias, groundsels and heather which have been called Africa’s botanical big game because of the beautiful vegetation.
The mountain is also more famous of the spectacular snowcapped peak, glaciers and V-shaped valley with its magnificent waterfalls and unique flora that supports to the area’s exceptional natural beauty.
Rwenzori mountain offers altitudinal range and constant temperature, humidity that supports the richest montane flora in Africa as well as an impressive range of species and many of them are endemic to the Albertine Rift and bizarre in appearance.
The highest Margherita peak has made mountain Rwenzori famous due to its highest summit range in East Africa and the third highest in Africa after Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya. The margherita peak is the highest on Mount Stanley that raises over 16,795 feet between Lake Albert to the north and Lake Edward to the south on the Congo –Uganda border. In 1906, it was the first time to be climbed by an expedition led by Luigi Amedeo Abruzzi and lead it to be named Queen Margherita of Italy.
Ruwenzori range, were named Mountain of the Moon because of the Greek explorers who were trying to locate the source of the Nile and was described by the 2nd century ‘’AD’’ geographer Ptolemy.
It is also known as one of the Africa’s most beautiful alpine areas. Best for hiker lovers as they can be able to trek till the summit and good numbery of days with perfect hike, you can decide to do 7 days’ trek to reach the summit of Margherita peak – just know the experience of climbing is ever skyward toward the Rwenzori icy peaks and worth a life time adventurous trekkers. Note, Rwenzori can be explored on foot, meaning trekkers must be above average fitness to endure the activities done around, where you can be accompanied by an expert climber who have experienced to access the summit several time to guide you. At the top of the summit trekkers can be able to enjoy the beauty of the mountains. You can also choose to do the hike which your well pleased with could be 3 days are also incredible experience. While on climbing safari adventure here, you’re to spend your night amongst thrilling landscape with a glimpse of the Rwenzori mountain. There several stunning routes used to climb till summit.
Morethen, the Mountain areas have been selected as a stopping bird area with more than 217 bird species recorded such as Flycatcher –Batis ,Mountain Buzzard ,Lanner Falcon ,Ruwenzori Nightjar ,Johnston’s Ruwenzori Turaco ,Ruwenzori Puff back ,Rufous sparrow hawk ,African Lammergeyer ,Mountain Buzzard ,Black round wing swallow, Ruwenzori Streaky Seed-eater ,Kivu Grosbeak seed-eater ,Archer’s Robin, Olive-breasted Mountain Greenbul ,Black billed Turaco ,Regal sun bird ,Collared Apalis among others .It has a montane forest a home to threatened species like African forest elephant ,eastern chimpanzees ,L’hoest’s monkeys among others .
Rwenzori Mountain national park is managed by Uganda Wildlife Authority a body responsible of all Uganda’s National Park and is on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site. Become gazette area in 1991 and a Ramsar site in 2008. It is also considered for cultural values due to the protected Area management framework as an innovative approach to resource management in Africa. The place is worth adventurous.
