What are the most popular tours in Rwenzori Mountains National Park

What are the most popular tours in Rwenzori Mountains National Park: One of the national parks in Uganda is Rwenzori Mountains in the western part of the country. This national park is located on the borders of Uganda and DR Congo in Kasese, Bundibugyo, and Kabarole districts. Rwenzori Mountains National Park was gazetted in 1991 by Uganda Wildlife Authority to protect the different attractions that were in the park at that time.

Rwenzori Mountains National Park has lots of attractions that safari goers look at exploring while on a safari in Uganda. Rwenzori Mountains National Park protects 217 bird species, 70 mammals, 5 primates, rivers, lakes, and Mount Rwenzori. Mount Rwenzori happens to be the tallest mountain in Uganda and it has attracted lots of hikers from different parts of the world.

Rwenzori Mountains National Park is a popular destination for safaris in western Uganda. Tourists visit the destination for different safaris but the most popular ones are birding safaris and hiking safaris. Ober 217 bird species are found in this park and birders in western Uganda always want to visit the park to see the birds recorded there. When it comes to hiking, the park has the tallest mountain in the country which is Mount Rwenzori

Popular tours in Rwenzori Mountains National Park

Hiking tours

The tallest mountain in Uganda and the third tallest in Africa is found in Rwenzori Mountains national park. Rwenzori Mountain is located on the borders of Uganda and DR Congo where it covers an area 120 kilometers long and 65 kilometers wide. So many tourists from different parts of the world especially hikers visit Rwenzori Mountains National Park for hiking safaris.

Hiking Mount Rwenzori is a dream come true for many hikers in the world because it’s one of the tallest mountains in Africa. Hiking is one of the popular tours in Rwenzori Mountains National Park are done for different number of stays depending on the time hikers have on a safari. Getting to the summit of the Rwenzori Mountain at Margherita Peak one would need 12 days but hikers can do hiking for 2,3,4,5 and more and stop at levels they want.

Hiking Mount Rwenzori can be very challenging because it has slippery trails and some of the areas are rocky. Hikers need to be physically fit if they want to hike mountain Rwenzori. Hiking starts with a briefing and armed ranger guides lead the hikers through any of the hiking trails. Hikers are given hiking sticks to help them balance while going through slippery areas.

Hiking goes through different vegetation covers and tourists have a high chance of seeing different wildlife species that live there. While hiking, hikers are able to meet different rivers that flow from Mount Rwenzori and also lakes. Hikers are able to see different attractions surrounding the mountains and they are also able to see the different peaks of Mount Rwenzori

Hikers who get to the summit are able to go through glaciers and they are able to reach the highest point of the mountains which is Margherita Peak at 5109 meters above sea level. At the summit of Rwenzori tourists are able to record videos and take pictures for memories after some time. Descending Mount Rwenzori is easier and hikers slope down enjoying views of the surrounding areas.

Birding tours

There are over 217 bird species living in Rwenzori Mountains National Park and about 19 of these species are endemic to the Albertine region. The high number of bird species has made Rwenzori Mountains national park to be one of the best bird-watching destinations in Uganda. Bird watching safaris are organized in Rwenzori Mountains National Park for birders visiting the western part of Uganda.

Bird watching in Rwenzori Mountains national park is done with a well-trained birding guide and armed ranger guide whose role is to protect the team as they look out for different bird species in the park. Hiring a local guide while birding in Rwenzori Mountains National Park is an added advantage because they know which areas to meet certain bird species.

On a birding safari in Rwenzori Mountains National Park, birders are able too bird species such as Road throated alethe, trilling cisticola, streaky seedeater, Rwenzori batis, long-eared owl, grey winged robin, yellow-bellied waxbill, collared apalis, montane Rwenzori nightjar, stuhlmann’s starling, red faced cisticola, brown woodland warbler, stuhlmann’s sunbird, black billed turaco, dwarf honeyguide, cinnamon chested bee eater, barred long-tailed cuckoo, banded prinia, golden-winged sunbird, mountain buzzard, Angola swallow, yellow crowned canary, thick billed seedeater, regal sunbird, Kivu ground thrush.

African sacred ibis, wattled lapwing, oriole finch, black-headed heron, masked apalis, red thighed sparrowhawk, grey-headed nigrita, red tufted sunbird, chestnut winged starling, little bee-eater, red chested cuckoo, European bee-eater, northern fiscal, toro olive greenbul, cinnamon bracken warbler, montane sooty boubou, black kite, lemon dove, African pied wagtail, black-winged kite, latham’s francolin, little greenbul, long-crested eagle.

Grey cuckoo shrike, Rwenzori hill babbler, grey throated barbet, speckled mousebird, white-browed coucal, malachite kingfisher, African wood owl, speckled pigeon, African emerald cuckoo, scarce swift, palm nut vulture, scaly throated honeyguide, white-necked raven, brown snake eagle, dusky kit, African stonechat, red knobbed coot, dusky blue flycatcher, brown-throated wattle eye, cardinal woodpecker to mention but a few.

When to have safaris in Rwenzori Mountains National Park

Tourists can have safaris in Rwenzori Mountains National Park all throughout the year but the dry season is the best time to visit the park. The dry season happens from December to February and June to September when the park is receiving little or no rainfall and plenty of sunshine. During the dry season, the game tracks are dry and easier to walk through, the vegetation is short and scattered with good views of wildlife, and the roads leading to the park are passable.

Tourists can still have safaris in Rwenzori Mountains national park during the rainy season which occurs from March to May and October to November. During this season, tourists get discounted tour packages because lodges reduce prices. Tourists visiting the park in the rainy season should know that the game tracks are muddy and slippery and this limits access to some of the park areas, the vegetation is tall with unclear views of wildlife, and the roads leading to the park are impassable.