When is the best time to hike Mountain Rwenzori?

When is the best time to hike Mountain Rwenzori?: Mountain Rwenzori sits in Rwenzori Mountains national park. It is 120 kilometers long and 65 kilometers wide on the western side of the park on the borders of Uganda and DR Congo. Rwenzori Mountains happens to be the tallest mountain in Uganda with the highest point at 5109 meters above sea level on Margherita peak. Thousands of hikers from different parts of the world visit Uganda to hike the third tallest mountain in Africa.

So, you have decided to take on a challenge to hike Rwenzori the tallest mountain in Uganda. Next, you need to think about when is the best to hike Mountain Rwenzori, in terms of weather and trekking conditions. Even though hiking Mountain Rwenzori can be done all throughout the year, there are months that are better than others.

When is the best time to hike Mountain Rwenzori?

Rwenzori mountains is located a few kilometers north of the equator and most areas around it are warm. This is because the equator receives energy directly from the sun at a more direct angle than the rest of the areas on the planet. Because of the nearest to the equator lining, Rwenzori mountains can be hiked all throughout the year.

Even though Rwenzori mountains can be hiked all throughout the year, there are months which are better than others. Each month has got its advantages and disadvantages like we are going to see in this article. The months have been categorized into 2 seasons which are the dry season and the rainy season.

Hiking Rwenzori mountains in the dry season

The best time to hike Mount Rwenzori is the dry season which happens in June, July, August, September, December, January, and February. These months are the best to climb mountain Rwenzori because they have good weather. There is little or no rainfall, clear skies, and plenty of sunshine during this season and this favors the hiking activity.

Because of little rainfall, the hiking trails on mountain Rwenzori are less slippery and hikers can go through them without much difficulty. Hiking during the dry season takes a few days because the hiking trails are in good condition. Hiking trails are dry on days when there is no rainfall and so hikers easily go through the trails.

Hike Rwenzori in the dry season, the vegetation on the slopes of Mountain Rwenzori is short and this means that hikers who love nature will be able to see the different attractions that are found there. Hikers will be able to see different animals and birds that find home in the vegetation around the mountain. The short vegetation cover also gives hikers an opportunity to see the attractions surrounding the mountain.

Hike Mountains of the moon in the rainy season

Hiking Mountain Rwenzori in the rainy season

Rwenzori Mountains and areas around it experience two rainy seasons: a short one in October to November and a longer one in March to May. Hiking is still possible on Mount Rwenzori because it’s done all throughout the year however tourists who want to come in such a time should know the following.

During the rainy season, all the hiking trails on Mount Rwenzori are muddy and slippery because of the too much rainfall received almost every day. When the trails are muddy, it makes it very hard for hikers to walk through some of them, and in the end, it makes the number of days taken to reach a certain level longer.

Too much rainfall in Rwenzori Mountains national park also supports the growth of vegetation on the slopes on Mount Rwenzori. The vegetation grows very tall and in the end, hikers get unclear views of some of the attractions on the mountain and the surrounding areas. Photographers also get pictures and videos that are not very clear enough though the vegetation is always green.

Tourists who care less about the weather can hike Rwenzori mountains during the rainy season. They should come well-prepared with rainy jackets, and waterproof hiking shoes. Hikers who come in the rainy season get discounted packages because service providers reduce the prices to attract the few tourists that are in the park.

How long does it take to hike Mount Rwenzori?

Are you wondering about

How long does it take to hike Mount Rwenzori? Rwenzori has got different hiking routes and the time taken to reach the summit or any level of the mountain depends on the trail used. Three hiking trails are on Mount Rwenzori and they include the central circuit trail which is the shortest, Kilembe trail, and Bukurungu trail. Depending on the trail used, hikers will be able to reach the Rwenzori summit in 9 to 12 days. The number of days taken depends on the speed of the hikers as well as the nature of the trails.

Hikers who climb Mountain Rwenzori during the dry season will take a few days compared to those who hike in the rainy season. This is because the dry season has little or no rainfall which keeps the hiking trails dry and easier to walk through while the rainy season has muddy and slippery trails which at some point become difficult to walk through.