Rwenzori mountains climbing

 

Mount Rwenzori is (16,762 ft) 5,109m tall above sea level at it's highest peak Margherita found on Mount Stanley.

The Rwenzori mountains are also the second biggest mountain range in Africa consisting of 6 massifs. This makes it a better and challenging experience for climbers interested in hiking in Africa.

 

The Rwenzori mountains range is about 120 kilometres (75 mi) long and 65 kilometres (40 mi) wide. This makes the Rwenzori mountains Africa’s biggest mountain range in size. Stretching from western Uganda to Eastern DR Congo where the highest peak Margherita (5,109m asl) is located.

How many peaks are on the Rwenzori mountains?

The Rwenzori mountains consist of six massifs separated by deep gorges i.e Mount Stanley (5,109 metres (16,762 ft)), Mount Speke (4,890 metres (16,040 ft)), Mount Baker (4,844 metres (15,892 ft)), Mount Emin (4,798 metres (15,741 ft)), Mount Gessi (4,715 metres (15,469 ft)) and Mount Luigi di Savoia (4,627 metres (15,180 ft)). Mount Stanley has several subsidiary summits, with Margherita Peak (5,109m asl) being the highest point.
There is always occurrence of snowing in the Rwenzori mountains from an elevation of 3,962m asl in the mornings where you wake up to grass filled with snow and frozen water in the bog and streams mostly in the Bujuku valley. The peaks of Margherita (5,109m asl) on Mount Stanley, Vittorio emanuele (4,890m asl) on Mount Speke and Mount Baker 4,844 m (15,892 ft) are permanently snow capped with the Margherita or Stanley plateau having the biggest snow and Mount Baker having the least.
The Rwenzori mountains can be accessed by air with a domestic flight to Kasese Aerodrome in Kasese town with a two way flight costing about $300 per person sharing or by public transport on a bus from Kampala to Kasese. The best way to reach Mount Rwenzori is to organize your transfer through a local uganda tour operator or a uganda travel agent to pick you up from anywhere in Uganda to Kasese. Rwenzori Mountains climbing requires a lot of logistics in terms of food shopping, climbing equipment, porters, guides, gas, tents, etc which makes booking with a uganda tour operator important to organize the logistics in advance.
The cost of climbing  or hiking the Rwenzori mountains ranges from $1,000 for a budget trip to $2,800 for a luxury trip all inclusive depending on many factors such as the Rwenzori climbing route used, tour operator, time of the year, number of days, number of peaks to summit, etc. This cost excludes tips to porters and guides. There are no standard rates for tips for Rwenzori mountains trekking, climbers tip depending on how they appreciate the service.
The Rwenzori mountains have three (3) major climbing routes; i.e the oldest and shortest Central circuit trail which begins at Mihunga gate, the Kilembe trail in the south and the Bukurungu wilderness camping trail which begins in Omukorukumi. These routes allow you to reach and summit all the 10 peaks of the Rwenzori mountains in either 7 days or 8 days to Margherita peak (5,109m asl) accordingly. Other short trails are available to enable you enjoy nature walks such as the Kazingo trail, Sebwe/Bughalitsa trail, Kinyampanika chimp trail and the new Kyondo trail.
Mount Rwenzori is a technical high altitude mountaineering destination that requires technical climbing equipment like ropes, trekking shoes, crampons, ice axe, carabinas, ice screws, harness, trekking poles, helmets, snow glasses, etc to summit the highest peak on Mount Stanley as well as the second highest peak on Mount Speke. The Rwenzori mountains Short treks do not require technical equipment to do. Other requirements include warm clothes, water proof gloves, backpacks, rain gears, rubber boots, sleeping bags, hats, torch, etc.
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