Rwenzori Mountains was gazetted as a national park in 1991 and declared a world heritage site in 1995. The Rwenzori Mountains have a range covering an area of 996 sq kms, commonly referred to as the legendary "Mountains of the Moon" for its mist-shrouded, snow-capped peaks that lie 4° north of the Equator.

At 5109 meters above sea level, Mount Stanley is the highest peak on the Rwenzori ranges followed by Alexandria (5083m), Speke  (4890m), Emin (4791m) and Gessi (4715m).

The fauna of this park is reasonably well known with a checklist of 70 mammal species and 182 birds. The Rwenzori Colobus Monkeys, Blue Monkey, Rock Hyrax, Elephant, Leopard, the three horned chameleon and the Chimpanzee are some of the wildlife that can be spotted.

Access: Kasese can be reached either by road or air. By road, the drive from Kampala to Kasese goes via Mbarara or from Kampala through Fort Portal. Nyakalengija the park headquarters of Rwenzori Mountains National park is 25 km from Kasese town. Chartered planes can also be booked for flights to Kasese Airstrip from Entebbe and then by road to Nyakalengija.

Where to Stay: There are number of options as regards accommodation. For the up market facilities, one can opt to drive and stay at either the luxurious Mweya or Jacana Safari Lodge or alternatively stay at the mid rate Margherita Hotel or Rwenzori Base Camp. However, while on the mountain, huts are the only option for accommodation.

Fees:

Foreign Non-Residents Per 24 hours / Per Person

Adults   US$35

Children (5-15 years)   US$20

Foreign Residents Per 24 hours / Per Person

Adults   US$25

Children (5-15 years)   US$10

East Africans Per 24 hours / Per Person

Adults   Ush 10,000

Children (5-15 years)   Ush 5,000