Mountain Climbing Adventures in Uganda
Uganda is famously known as the “True Pearl of Africa”, and attracts many tourists from different parts of the world. It is the only country in the world where one can see the African Big 5 animals and the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. A wide variety of Uganda safari packages mainly offer activities such as mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga National Park target popular parks like Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga for mountain gorilla tracking, Kibale Forest for Chimpanzee habituation experience, savanna parks like Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth National parks for Big game viewing and fantastic boat cruise, forgetting Uganda has beautiful mountains to those interested in mountaineering safaris and among the mountains in Uganda include;
Mountain Rwenzori
This is also known as the mountains of the moon. Rwenzori is situated about eighty kilometers off the border between Uganda and Zaire. The mountain is snow-capped and the only one in Uganda with ice on top. Further south, the northernmost of the Mufumbiro volcanoes reach 4,132 meters on Mount Mahavura; 3,648 meters on Mount Mgahinga; and 3,477 meters on Mount Sabinio, which marks the border with Rwanda and Zaire. Mount Rwenzori is characterized by glacial features like u-shaped valleys, Hanging Valleys among others.
Mountain Elgon
Mount Elgon is demarcated Uganda and Kenya in the East. It is a volcanic mountain as it was formed after the eruption of magma. Elgon extends to districts like Mbare, Sironko, Kapchorwa among others. It is also important to note that Mount Elgon provides fertile volcanic soils to the people around hence boosting agriculture.
Mountain climbing is carried out in these areas although other tourist activities like game viewing, nature walks, and cultural visits are also carried out. These Uganda Mountains have also rich biodiversity of flora and fauna.
Virunga Volcanoes
It is located in south-western Uganda formed by tectonic events millions of years ago are mountains of extremes. They are cold, wet, and rugged with a wilderness of exotic-looking afromontane vegetation with fantastic plants such as giant Lobelia and Groundsel that delight the botany lover. In total there are eight volcanoes shared and distributed between Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Their mounts are climbable, for instance, Mt Sabinyo (3669m), Mt Muhavura (4127m), and Mgahinga (3474m). The trekking opportunity also offers a chance to see some of the 100 species of birds found in Mgahinga Gorilla Park, including the rare Rwenzori Turaco and the Scarlet-tufted Malachite Sunbird.
However, two mountains overshadow them and offer the main opportunities for mountain climbing in Uganda- the Rwenzori Mountain and Mt Elgon, and alongside this, there is the added attraction of sightseeing.
Mount Moroto
Mount Moroto Lies in the extreme east of Uganda and is the most accessible place to see some of the dry northeastern “special”, many at the western edge of their ranges here in Karamoja province. One of a chain of volcanoes along the Kenyan border that begins with Mount Elgon in the south and includes Mountains Kadam and Morungole, Moroto is a forest reserve protecting a range of habitats from arid thorn savanna to dry montane forest. Although a long hike is required to reach the higher areas, excellent arid thorn savanna, and rocky slopes are accessible from the town at the foot of the mountain.
Other mountains in Uganda include mount Erusi, mount Kadam among others.
As far as tourism is concerned, the importance of the Uganda Mountains should not be underestimated as they attract tourists. Some are active and others are dormant.
Mountain Rwenzori and Mountain Elgon form National parks – both mountains offers mountaineering activities in Uganda.
Mountain form relief rainfall received at the windward side of the mountains – Rainfall facilitates the proper growth of crops.
Some Mountain provides stones for construction purposes – house and Road construction are facilitated.
Mountain Rwenzori demarcates Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In other words, some mountains form the boundaries of countries.
Mountains shelters Uganda against strong winds.
