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Rwenzori Mountains National Park is a great landscape protected by the Rwenzori mountains popularly known as the mountains of the moon, the national park has a remarkable number of animal species some of which are restricted to the area, it is ranked more for its flora than the animals it passes through a series of vegetative angelic zones ranging from the farms lands of the local communities, montane forest, bamboo under shed by mimulopsis, a heather zone, characterized by the giant tree heathers, together with beautiful forms of the giant lobelia, the forest lies at an altitude of 5109m high above sea level its highest peak being Margarita.

Rwenzori Mountains National Park

The Rwenzori Mountains National Park is adventurous compared to other mountains, it’s the only snowcapped mountain a few miles away from the equator implying that it reigns on warm temperatures, animals are present in the national park some of which are endemic to the Rwenzori, elephants, giant forest hogs, bushbucks, leopards, primates like the black and white colobus monkey, blue monkeys are also seen, the hyrax is a rare species to see, it should be noted that animals in this park are very shy and hence rare to find. It boasts with over 200 species of birds most of which are restricted to living around then Albertine rift valley for example the malachite sunbird, Ruwenzori turaco are common.

Popular park activity is the climbing mountain Rwenzori this can be explored on a 7day trail, the central circuit trail is normally organized through the Rwenzori mountaineering services starting the adventure at the Nyakalengija, they provide guides and porters to carry heavy equipment in case one needed help, the Rwenzori region is cold it is advisable to carry raingears, spare clothes, water prof covers for phones and cameras, sleeping bag or mat, water, hand gloves and any other material you may need for the trip. Bird watching, guided nature walks presented on an opportunity of the presence of the mountains of the moon first discovered by a geographer Alexandrine in 150 AD who managed to name it on the world map, despite the area not being well developed with facilities, the central circuit is provided with the basic huts, camping rooms and the Rwenzori mountaineering guestrooms, the Rwenzori backpackers hostel serves the Kilembe trail. More accommodation can be accessed in the nearby Fort portal and Kasese towns close top Queen Elizabeth National Park.

The park can be visited all year round but best in the dry seasons of December-February and June to mid-September, as the trails are less slippery which makes it easier to climb, the park receives 2500mm of rainfall annually, is approximately 375 square kilometers via fort portal by road, charter flights can be organized from Entebbe or Kajansi to the nearest airstrip in Kasese. Over the years mountaineering tourists have increased. The national park is less visited but for those that reach out to the destination will surely appreciate nature. Along the trails of the mountain are angelic vegetative zone.

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