The Rwenzori Mountains are often called heavenly because of their snow-capped peak that has never melted. This mystery led travelers to refer to it as the “Mountains of the Moon.” The highest peak is called Margherita, standing at 5,109 meters.
Its top is always covered with snow and ice. When the ice melts, it forms streams that feed into one of the sources of the River Nile. Because of this, early European explorers believed Rwenzori was the same as the “Mountains of the Moon” mentioned by the Greek scholar Ptolemy as the source of the Nile.
It is also known that Rwenzori is the highest non-volcanic mountain range in the world. The uplift of the land here divided the ancient Lake Obweruka and created three major African lakes: Lake Albert, Lake Edward, and Lake George.
Rwenzururu or Rwenjura refers to the mountain ranges found in Eastern Equatorial Africa, located on the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Because of this, you can spot many beautiful places near the range, such as Virunga National Park in eastern Congo and Rwenzori Mountains National Park in southwestern Uganda.
These mountains are believed to have formed about three million years ago during the late Pliocene period. They were formed from a block of hard rocks being pushed up, including gneiss, amphibolite, granite, and quartzite. The mountains stretch 65 kilometers wide and 120 kilometers long.
In the 1800s, early explorers noticed this mountain range. In 1864, Samuel Baker called it the Blue Mountains when he saw them from a distance. Later, in 1875 and 1888, Henry Stanley visited and named it Rwenzori.
In 1906, the Duke of Abruzzi led an expedition to climb the Rwenzori Mountains. His team reached the highest peaks, and the journey was recorded by Filippo De Filippi. The Duke named several of the peaks, including Mount Luigi di Savoia, named after himself.
Sadly, after Uganda gained independence, the Rwenzori Mountains sometimes became hiding places for rebel groups. That’s why tourists are always advised to go only where the tour guides take them. However, visitors should not fear. The government has worked hard to remove all security threats, and you will be given full protection during your visit.
