Rwenzori Mountains National Park has a wide altitudinal range rising from about 1600 to 5109 metres above sea level. There are numerous ranges in the park, at the centre of which are six main mountains. These are Mt. Stanley (5109m), Mt. Speke (4890m), Mt. Baker (4843m), Mt. Emin (4798m), Mt. Gessi (4715m), Mt. Luigi di Savoia (4627m). On each of these mountains are several peaks;
- The peaks on Mt. Stanley include Margherita (5109m), Alexandra (5091m) Albert (5087m), Elena (4968m), Great Tooth (4953m), Savoia (4977m), Elizabeth (4929m), Philip (4919m), Kitasamba (4862m) and
Nyabubuya (4862m). - The peaks on Mt. Speke include Vittorio Emanuele (4890m), Ensonga (4865m) and Johnston (4834m).
- The peaks on Mt. Baker include Edward (4843m), Semper (4795m), Grauer rock (4484m) Moore (4624m) and Wollaston (4627m).
- The peaks on Mt. Emin are Umberto (4798m) and Kraepelin (4791m)
- The peaks on Mt. Gessi are Iolanda (4715m) and Bottego (4699m)
- Mt. Luigi di Savoia is the lowest of the six main mountains and has three main peaks; Sella (4626m), Weismann (4620m) and Stairs (4545m).
Margherita peak (5,109 m) on Mt Stanley makes the Rwenzori the third highest mountain in Africa after Mt Kilimanjaro (5,895 m) and Mt Kenya (5,200 m).
Other groups of peaks outside the main six mountains include the Portal Peaks (4391m), Cagni and Kinyangoma, Rukenga and Rugendwara, Humphreys and Rwatamafuga.
Recommended Hiking Tours
Looking at Selecting Rwenzori Mountains to Climb while on your visit in Uganda ? Rwenzori Expeditions offers free travel guide information about the various peaks that make up the Rwenzori Mountains. Rwenzori mountains is composed of 6 Mountains to make the ranges which are located in Uganda & DR Congo.
Other Peaks: Although I have just described the six largest massifs of the Rwenzori Range, it is somewhere around 50 km in length and has a number of other significant summits. The first peaks that you see on the standard circuit are actually the Portal Peaks, a small cluster of some 10 peaks with dramatic cliffs on the eastern sides. Kihuma at 4391 meters is the highest and can be ascended from the vicinity of the John Matte Hut, heading north to the swampy Bukurungu Pass then east to the summit. The range tapers off to the north of this, but even with Fort Portal 20 km to the north is the summit of Karangora (3014 meters) I know nothing about this peak.
As noted above, Rwenzori Trekking Service has opened a southern hiking route in the park. There is a large cluster of high summits to the south-west of Mt. Luigi Di Savoia, with the highest being Humphries (4578 meters). It is drier here, leading to pleasant walking and climbing of these peaks from the upper Nyamugasani Valley.
To the south-east of this valley and its many lakes is yet another cluster of peaks, topped by Rwatamagufa at 4253 meters. These can be reached by various routes from the Rwatamagufa valley.
West of the main peaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, there are also several peaks of note. Mt. Mugule and Wasumeso (4462 meters) that would both provide spectacular views of Mt. Stanley given good weather, and Catafalque to the west of Mt. Speke.
It is the shortest of the six central massifs and was the first to lose its glacial ice.
Unique Mountaineering Tours & Hikes
We offer small group and tailor made mountain expeditions in East Africa. There is a wide range of options for climbing in East Africa that include Virunga Mountains, you can ascend to Rwenzori summit or cross a high mountain pass. We provide an expedition support and guiding service for mountaineering in Rwenzoris. You can join one of our fixed date departures or we can organize a private group on a bespoke basis.
