Mountains of the Moon
Rwenzori Mountains National Park
The Rwenzori Mountains, the legendary ‘Mountains of the Moon’ described by Greek geographer Ptolemy in 150 AD, form one of Africa’s highest mountain ranges. Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley reaches 5,109m, making it Africa’s third-highest summit and one of the few snow-capped points on the equator. The park’s surreal landscape of glacier-clad peaks, otherworldly giant lobelias and groundsels, alpine bogs, and crystal lakes earned it UNESCO World Heritage status in 1994. The Rwenzoris offer Uganda’s most challenging multi-day trekking and serious mountaineering, alongside shorter day hikes through montane forest.
- Western Uganda (DRC border)
- 996 sq km
- 1991
Destination Highlights
Margherita Peak (5,109m), 3rd-highest in Africa
Equatorial glaciers and snowfields
Central Circuit Trail (7-9 days)
Kilembe Trail (alternative route)
Giant lobelias and groundsels
Endemic Rwenzori turaco
In pictures
A young gorilla in the undergrowth. 
A kingfisher on a perch.
Rwenzori TuracoThree-horned ChameleonL’Hoest’s MonkeysBlack-and-White ColobusForest Elephants (lower slopes)Rwenzori DuikerHyraxBlue MonkeysRwenzori BatisLong-eared Owl
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