The Rwenzori Mountains commonly referred to as the “mountains of the moon” are one of the wonders of the world. The Rwenzoris are found in the tropics and astride the Equator. We are very much aware that along the Equator is supposedly the hottest place on the planet however, these mountains are snowcapped. The occurrence of the snow on the top of Mountain Rwenzori beats the understanding of many people and research is still on going as to how it so happens.
There is more to this mountain than meets the bare eyes. The few individuals who have had a chance of climbing to the summit of this mountain have testified that the vegetation cover as you ascend and descend this mountain is out of the ordinary.
It is however important to note that though it is beautiful, it is not for everyone to climb this mountain. At 5109m above sea level, some people are affected with this kind of altitude. In case you have a history of altitude sickness, you need to consult your doctor before making a move to climb the mountain.
There are operators who organize tours to this mountain namely; The Rwenzori Mountaineering Services and the Rwenzori Trekking Services. On their websites, they have packages for all kinds of treks to the mountain which range from 1 day to as many as 10 days. The number of days taken to hike to the summit depend on your fitness level.
Hiking the Rwenzori Mountains is one of the activities that require a very high degree of fitness. The Rwenzoris also have an interesting fact. At 5109m above sea level at Margherita peak on Mount Stanley, this is the highest point in Uganda, while the foot of the mountain lies Lake Albert which has the lowest point in the country at 621m above sea level hence, having some people say that while at the top of this mountain, one is able to set eyes on the lowest point of Uganda. Where on earth would you find both the highest and lowest points of a particular country at the same place!
