Western · Uganda
Rwenzori Mountains National Park
The Mountains of the Moon - glaciers on the equator and the strangest vegetation in Africa.
Overview
The Rwenzori are not volcanoes but a block of ancient rock pushed up along the Albertine Rift, and they carry the third-highest peak in Africa: Margherita, at 5,109 metres on Mount Stanley. Unlike Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya, the summit is a glaciated technical climb requiring rope and crampons, but the trek to the high camps needs none of that. What makes the Rwenzori extraordinary is the vegetation. Between 3,000 and 4,500 metres the mountains hold an Afro-alpine zone of a scale found nowhere else - giant groundsels five metres tall, tree heathers hung with lichen, lobelias, everlasting flowers and permanently sodden bogs, all under near-constant mist. Ptolemy's Mountains of the Moon, the supposed source of the Nile, are these. The central circuit takes seven to nine days and is genuinely wet and muddy; the Kilembe route on the southern side is drier and quieter. Rwenzori turaco, three-horned chameleons and the Rwenzori duiker live in the forest below.
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Photos of Rwenzori Mountains National Park
Operators serving Rwenzori Mountains National Park
Fort Portal · Uganda
Chimpundu Lodge
Fort Portal · Uganda
Pearl in the pearl
Kampala · Uganda
𝐊𝐢𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 & 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐬
Fort Portal · Uganda
Kanyansi Tours Uganda
Fort Portal · Uganda
MUKAGO GET-UP-AND GO LTD
Where these are, around Rwenzori Mountains National Park
60 listings with a mapped location.
Map of 60 listings
- Listed
What Rwenzori Mountains National Park costs
All-in on the ground, per person per day, excluding international flights. Ranges rather than a single figure, because accommodation and group size move the total more than anything else.
| Style | Per person, per day |
|---|---|
| Camping or budget lodge, shared vehicle | $180 – $260 |
| Mid-range lodge | $260 – $420 |
| Luxury camp, private vehicle | $500 – $1,000 |
Of that, $35 – $55 a day is government fees set by Uganda Wildlife Authority. Every operator pays the same, so a quote below this floor is not a better deal — it is a different trip.
Typical multi-day trek, per person: $1,300
Add this to a whole-trip estimate
Indicative figures checked for 2026. Park fees are revised annually and some are quoted before VAT — confirm current rates with your operator or the park authority before you book.
When to visit Rwenzori Mountains National Park
Month by month: wildlife, weather and how busy it gets.
October
Long rains — some tracks impassable and some camps closed. Lowest prices.
- Wildlife
- —
- Weather
- Weather: 2 / 5
- Crowds
- Crowds: 1 / 5
- Rainfall
- 160 mm
- Temperature
- 6–17 °C
Show all twelve monthsHide the full table
| Best time to visit | Wildlife | Weather | Crowds | Rainfall | Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryPeak seasonDriest trekking window on the wettest mountains in Africa. | — | Weather: 4 / 5 | Crowds: 3 / 5 | 70 mm | 6–19 °C |
| FebruaryPeak seasonShort rains — brief afternoon storms, green landscapes, fewer visitors. | — | Weather: 4 / 5 | Crowds: 3 / 5 | 80 mm | 6–19 °C |
| MarchWet month — expect rain most days, and lush, difficult country. | — | Weather: 3 / 5 | Crowds: 2 / 5 | 130 mm | 6–18 °C |
| AprilLong rains — some tracks impassable and some camps closed. Lowest prices. | — | Weather: 2 / 5 | Crowds: 1 / 5 | 180 mm | 6–17 °C |
| MayLong rains — some tracks impassable and some camps closed. Lowest prices. | — | Weather: 2 / 5 | Crowds: 1 / 5 | 150 mm | 6–17 °C |
| JuneShort rains — brief afternoon storms, green landscapes, fewer visitors. | — | Weather: 4 / 5 | Crowds: 3 / 5 | 60 mm | 5–18 °C |
| JulyPeak seasonShort rains — brief afternoon storms, green landscapes, fewer visitors. | — | Weather: 5 / 5 | Crowds: 4 / 5 | 60 mm | 5–18 °C |
| AugustPeak seasonShort rains — brief afternoon storms, green landscapes, fewer visitors. | — | Weather: 4 / 5 | Crowds: 4 / 5 | 90 mm | 5–18 °C |
| SeptemberWet month — expect rain most days, and lush, difficult country. | — | Weather: 3 / 5 | Crowds: 2 / 5 | 130 mm | 6–18 °C |
| OctoberLong rains — some tracks impassable and some camps closed. Lowest prices. | — | Weather: 2 / 5 | Crowds: 1 / 5 | 160 mm | 6–17 °C |
| NovemberWet month — expect rain most days, and lush, difficult country. | — | Weather: 2 / 5 | Crowds: 1 / 5 | 140 mm | 6–17 °C |
| DecemberWet month — expect rain most days, and lush, difficult country. | — | Weather: 3 / 5 | Crowds: 3 / 5 | 100 mm | 6–18 °C |