UGANDA MOUNTAINS

Visit Uganda to view the amazing topography which will leave you amused. Uganda is a landlocked country situated in East Africa. It’s bordered by Kenya in the East, Tanzania in the south and Democratic Republic of Congo in the west and Sudan in the north. Below are some of the mountains Uganda has:

Mountain Rwenzori in western Uganda

It’s also called ‘mountains of the moon’ because its peaks go too high in the sky. Rwenzori is situated about eighty kilometers off the border between Uganda and Zaire. The mountain is snowcapped 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 characterised by gracial features like u-shapped valleys, Hanging Valleys among others.

Mountain Elgon in Eastern Uganda

It’s the largest dormant volcano in Uganda. Mountain Elgon divides Uganda and Kenya. The formation of Mountain Elgon is clearly known as volcanicity. It was formed after the eruption of Magma from underneath to the earth surfaces. Continuous eruption gradually built the hip and finally the Volcano. Mountain Elgon extends to districts like Mbare, sironko, Kapchorwa among others. It is also important to tote that, Mountain 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 a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna.

Virunga Volcanoes in South western Uganda

Virunga ranges are situated 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 Democratic Republic of Congo. Their mounts are climbable, for instance Mt Sabinyo (3669m), Mt Muhavura (4127m) and Mgahinga (3474m). The trekking opportunity also offers chance to see some of the 100 species of birds found in Mgahinga Gorilla Park, including the rare RwenzoriTuraco and the Scarlet-tufted Malachite Sunbird.

However, two mountains over shadow 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.

Mountain Moroto in northern Uganda

Mountain 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 Mountain Elgon in 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 mountain Erusi, mountain Kadam among others.