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MOUNT RWENZORI NATIONAL
PARK
The fabled " Mountains of
The Moon " lie in Western Uganda on the Congolese border, with
snow-covered, equatorial peaks rising to height of 5110 m and
lower slopes blanketed in moorland and rich montane forest. Most of the park is
accessible to hikers with magnificent scenery and 19 Albertine
Rift endemics, amongst them; Rwenzori Turaco and
Shelley's Crimsonwing, would be ample reward for the intrepid,
backpacking birder.
ABOUT THE MOUNTAIN
Districts : South Western
Uganda, on the edge of the western rift valley, shared by Rukungiri,
Kabale and Kisoro Districts.
Size : 996 Km-Sq.
Elevation :
1700 meters to
5109 meters atop Margherita peak on Mount
Stanley.
Habitat : Montane forest
with bamboo ( Arundinaria ) on lower slopes, heath and Afro-alpine
moorland on higher slopes.
Status :
National Park
since 1991.
Timing :
January -
February and July - August are the driest months but rain is possible year
round.
Time required :
3 days for
the shorter foothill hike and 6-7 days for the usual mountain loop.
Birds Recorded :
195
species.
BIRD WATCHING
There are many bird species
to lookout for among which include:- Albertine Rift endemics
like; Handsome Francolin, Rwenzori Turaco, Montane
(Rwenzori) Nightjar, Dwarf
Honeyguide, Archer's Robin-Chat, Red-throated Alethe, Kivu
Ground Thrush, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Montane Masked and
Collared Apalises, Stripe-breast Tit, Rwenzori Batis, (Grauer's
Cuckoo-shrike ), Blue-headed, Regal and Purple-breasted
Sunbirds, Strange Weaver, Dusky and Shelley's Crimsonwings.
Others to lookout for are;
Lammergeiger, Red-thighed Sparrowhawk, Barred Long-tailed
Cuckoo, African Long-eared Owl, Western Green Tinkerbird, Olive
Woodpecker, Grey-chested Illadopsis, Grey-winged Robin,
Evergreen Forest and Bamboo Warblers, Lagden's Bush-Shrike,
Montane Sooty Boubou, Golden-winged and Scarlet-tufted Malachite
Sunbirds, White-collared Olive-back, Red-faced Crimsonwing,
Oriole-Finch.
ACCESS
Rwenzori Mountains National
Park is accessible from Kasese. All hikes need to be arranged
through the Rwenzori Mountain Service ( RMS ), an organisation
that works in conjunction with the Ugandan Wildlife Authority to
control hiking in the area and to maintain trails and huts.
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