Rwenzori Mountain Treks and Climbing

Virunga National Park also offers spectacular trekking and climbing trips to the Rwenzori Mountains in the north of the park. Known also as the “Mountains of the Moon,” the Rwenzoris reach a height of 5,109 m (16,761 ft) and contain the largest glaciers left on the African continent. Those who trek and climb in the Rwenzoris will experience a stunning variety of landscapes, including bamboo forests, alpine meadows, lakes, and snowcapped peaks. The flora and fauna of the Rwenzoris is equally diverse. Forest elephant, Okapi, chimpanzees, and numerous bird species make the Rwenzoris their home. The best weather in the Rwenzoris usually happens from January through mid-March and June to late August.

Getting there

Most people fly into the town of Beni and then take a local taxi to Virunga’sMutsora ranger station. Flights from Goma can be arranged through local tour operators. Visitors also travel overland to the Rwenzoris by coming through Uganda and crossing into the DR Congo at the Mpondwe/Kasindi border.