To answer this question, we need to first dig deep into the overview and brief history of the mountain so that you will have an insight into what we are dealing with.
Mountain Rwenzori is Uganda’s tallest mountain located in the east in the heart of the Kasese district on the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. It stands at an average altitude of about 5,109 meters above sea level. The mountain’s highest peak Margherita is covered by snow making the mountain a snow-capped mountain. This snow is the major source of many of the rivers, lakes, and waterfalls not only on the mountain but also around the country after melting. The mountain harbors several rivers, lakes, and waterfalls that give beautiful scenes and life to the many flora and fauna species that inhabit the mountain. Other than the water bodies on the mountain, Rwenzori is also home to numerous primate and bird species and mammals.
The mountain is under the Mountain Rwenzori National Park which spans about 1,000 square kilometers. This national park was established in 1991 to protect the beautiful sights and sounds of the diverse landscape and numerous flora and fauna species. In 1994, Mountain Rwenzori National Park was recognized as a world heritage site by UNESCO.
Alexandrine a renowned geographer around 150 AD visited the mountain and was amazed and marveled in awe naming it the mountains of the moon. Years later, Henry Stanley a British explorer visited the mountain and included it on the world map and named it Ruwenzori a name given to him the mountain by the local people meaning rainmaker. Mountain Rwenzori has a mixed vegetation type that varies with altitude. This mixture of vegetation types begins from the lower altitude and keeps changing as you ascend. The savannah grasslands start on the base of the mountain, afro-montane forest, bamboo forest, afro-alpine moorland, and finally rocky with glacier zones at the top of the mountain.
Climbing Mountain Rwenzori to the highest peaks is quite challenging requiring one to be incredibly physically fit and mentally prepared. The days to climb this natural phenomenon depend on a lot of factors including the climber’s physique and condition of the trails. The weather conditions are also crucial because if the surface is wet, muddy, and slippery it makes it hard and time-consuming to navigate through the trails. Hiking to the top of Mountain Rwenzori can take visitors about 8-10 days and this includes ascending and later descending back to the base of the mountain.
Climbing Mountain Rwenzori begins with a briefing at the Mountain Rwenzori National Park briefing center at the offices of the park in Nyakalengija. After the briefing, the hiking gear is checked and the luggage is weighed since it should not exceed 15 kilograms. Porters can then be hired to help in carrying the luggage of the hiker. Hikers are encouraged to carry plastic bags to cover their luggage and keep it from getting wet and damp.
After going through all the checking and briefing, then the hike to the top summit begins. Hikers will hike from the park offices at the base of the mountain to Nyabitaba camp on the slopes of the mountain by evening. There are different designated resting camps at different altitudes to help hikers relax and reset for the next hike. The John Matte camp is the next target after the Nyabitaba camp. There are other camps ahead as the hike proceeds to the top summits and these camps range in different elevations offering variations in vegetation types and scenery. These camps include the Bujuku camp, Elena camp, Kitandara camp, and Guy Yeoman camp.
The Elena hut or camp is the camp on the highest elevation of 4,563 meters and it is the closest to the highest peak Margherita. It is located on Mount Stanley which is among the top summits of Mountain Rwenzori. This camp gives you very clear views of Mount Speke and Mount Baker showcasing their snow-capped peaks. This is the biggest encouragement of their hikers as they can see their ultimate goal from a distance. The hiking trails across the entire mountain are both challenging and navigable. This is because they are often very muddy and slippery and that is why hiking boots are a must for those visitors who are interested in taking on a hiking adventure of Mountain Rwenzori.
There are a lot of other tourist attractions such as rivers, waterfalls, primates, and mammals to mention but a few. All these can be spotted on the hiking experience through different elevations of various vegetation types.
In conclusion, the number of days needed to hike Mountain Rwenzori depends on the hiker’s physical fitness, mental preparedness, and the period during which the hike will take place such as the dry and wet seasons. It is very advisable to take on the hike during the dry season when there is relatively no rainfall to dampen the trails making them muddy and slippery. The dry season is the ideal hiking season for Mountain Rwenzori and it can take skilled hikers 8-9 days to climb to the top peaks and back.
