An Afro-Alpine realm

Rwenzori Mountains National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to Africa's third highest mountain peak, Margherita. Home to numerous waterfalls, lakes, and glaciers it is renowned for its stunning flora. 

Fact file

Area: 996 sq km

Location: Western Rift Valley at Uganda’s border with Zaire.

Gazetted: 1991, made a UNESCO site in 1994

Altitude: To 5,109 metres.

Physical features: Six peaks carrying permanent snow, three with glaciers Trails provide excellent hiking possibilities through the afro-alpine areas, traversing mountain streams and circling a number of lakes. 

Vegetation: Giant tree heathers, blackberry, everlasting flowers, giant lobelia, giant groundsel and a number of other plants unique to afro alpine areas.

Fauna: Primates predominate including chimpanzee, Ruwenzori colobus, black and white colobus and blue monkey. Other mammals include elephant, bushbuck, giant forest hog, hyrax and leopard. 

Birds: 195 species have been recorded including the endemic Rwenzori turaco and 20 species of sunbird. 

Location

The park is located in southwestern Uganda on the east side of the western (Albertine) African rift valley. It lies along Uganda's border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and borders the DRC's Virunga National Park, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Afro-Alpine Realm

An afro-alpine realm of luxuriant forests which feature the most extensive stands of alpine ‘big game’ plants in East Africa (such as giant groundsels and 7 metre-high powder-blue lobelia), this park features jagged peaks, alpine lakes and huge stands of aromatic evergreen Podocarpus trees, below which grow giant ferns, wild ginger, hibiscus, begonias, balsams and arum lilies. 

The peaks

The park covers the central and eastern Rwenzori Mountains, which rise above the equator and are ice-capped and higher than the Alps. Margherita Peak, one of Mount Stanley's twin summits, is Africa's third highest peak with a height of 5,109 m (16,762 ft). Africa's fourth and fifth highest peaks (Mount Speke and Mount Baker) are also located in the park.

What to do and see

Walking the quiet trails you may see black-fronted duiker, bush pig and giant forest hog – you may even see giant earthworms in shades of pink and green, some of which stretch to 45cm in length. The forest bird watching, meanwhile, is excellent. The park also offers the ideal environment for both experienced climbers and casual trekkers.