Mountain Rwenzori located in the district of Kasese is the highest mountain in Uganda. It is located in the southwestern region of the country on the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mountain Rwenzori stretches for over 120 square kilometers with an elevation of about 5,109 meters. This makes it the highest point above sea level in Uganda. Rwenzori mountain is also known as the mountain of the moon because its top peaks extend into the clouds. Rwenzori Mountain’s top peaks are snowcapped with the highest peak called Margherita Peak standing at 5,109 m. These glaciers are the source of many rivers and lakes in the country. Trekking Mountain Rwenzori to the top is quite a challenging calling from the utmost physique and mental preparedness. This trek takes approximately 6-8 days to ascend to the highest peaks and descend back to the base of the mountain depending on your ability.

Uganda is among the very few places in the world to spot endangered mountain gorillas. The country boasts of harboring more than half of the world’s mountain gorilla population. These gorillas are considered endangered because they are only found in the Virunga Conservation Area and not anywhere else in the world. This conservation area stretches from the Democratic Republic of Congo in Virunga National Park through to Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks of Uganda and to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Mountain gorilla trekking is the leading tourist activity in Uganda. In Uganda, mountain gorillas can be trekked in either Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Mountain Rwenzori trekking

Just like any other trekking, Rwenzori Mountain beginnings with a pre-trekking briefing at the briefing center offices at the base of the mountain. Depending on the capacity of one, trekking mountain Rwenzori can take 6-8 days. There are designated trekking trails on the mountain with climbing rails. Mountain Rwenzori trekking requires an elevated level of fitness for one to participate since it takes effort to overcome this course. There are built huts on the different levels of the mountain for rest and eating as you trek. These huts include the Nyabitaba hut, John Matte hut, Bujuku hut, Elena hut, Kitandara hut, and Guy Yeoman hut among others. These huts are located at different elevations on Rwenzori Mountain.

After the pre-trekking briefing, visitors then choose their climbing gear to combat the harsh weather of the mountain if they pack the gear. When the climbing gear is chosen, visitors then can optionally select porters to help them carry their luggage if they need them. All these are hired by the visitor.  Trekking Mountain Rwenzori takes place through two trekking routes Nyakalengija which is the central circuit and Kilembe the southern circuit. Rwenzori Mountain has large mountain ranges which are snowcapped. These include Mount Stanley which bears the highest peak Margherita, Mount Speke, Mount Baker, Mount Emin, Mount Gessi, and Mount Luigi di Savoia all at different summits and elevations.

While on your trekking adventure to the top of Mount Rwenzori, you will come across several attractions including waterfalls, primates like the colobus monkeys, olive baboons, and different chameleon species to mention but a few.

What to pack for a Rwenzori mountain trekking?

For a successful Rwenzori trekking adventure, visitors need to be prepared with a choice of packing items for the trek. Some of the things to pack for a trekking experience of Mountain Rwenzori include the following.

  • Heavy warm clothes such as jackets, raincoats, sweaters, long-sleeved shirts, and more
  • Accessories like gloves, warm hats, sunglasses, etc.
  • Hiking boots, warm socks
  • Sleeping bags
  • First aid box, among others

Gorilla trekking

Mountain gorilla trekking is only done in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Gorilla trekking refers to the process of walking on foot traversing the dense forests in search of mountain gorillas and spending an hour in their presence. This process is quite rewarding after a few minutes of tiresome walking in the dense forest vegetation to get to meet the gentle giants. Visitors take an hour with the mountain gorillas as they feed, play, rest, and generally roam around with their daily chores.

Mountain gorillas are social beings that live together in a group known as a family. There can be as many as 20-40 individual gorillas in a single gorilla family. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has the most mountain gorillas not only in Uganda but also in the whole of the Virunga Conservation Area. Bwindi has about 50 gorilla families with 24 habituated and available for trekking. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park on the other hand with only one gorilla family yet has more than 100 mountain gorillas. These gorilla families include the Nyakagezi, Mubare, Nkuringo, Katwe, Habinyanja, Rushegura, Shongi, Binyido, Bweza, and Busingye gorilla families to mention but a few.

The gorilla families in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are scattered across the four different sectors of the park including the Buhoma, Nkuringo, Ruhija, and Rushaga sectors. These sectors are located in different directions of the park. This makes trekking easy since the mountain gorillas live in these sectors. There are various accommodation facilities in these sectors ranging from luxury and mid-range to budget.

Mountain gorilla trekking not only offers you an opportunity to spend time with the endangered mountain gorillas but also spot several other small primates like olive baboons, white and black colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, and bird species.

However, other than gorilla trekking there are other activities to accompany trekking such as guided nature walks, birding, mountain biking, and gorilla habituation among others. Habituation is a bit similar to trekking however for this visitors spend more time a maximum of four hours gently familiarizing themselves with wild mountain gorillas which are not used to human presence. This is done to enable the wild mountain gorillas to get used to people to prepare them for trekking.

While preparing for gorilla trekking, visitors know what items to pack and these include long-sleeved shirts, hiking boots, a first aid box, jackets, or a raincoat to mention but a few.