Hiking in Uganda: Best Mountains to Climb

Hiking at Mt Rwenzori

The Rwenzori Mountains offer world-class hiking and mountaineering experiences. The Rwenzori hike takes around nine to twelve days, and you’ll be able to visit the Margherita summit, the highest peak in the range at 5109 metres. You’ll probably have the mountains to yourself, and you don’t need to break the bank to reach the summit, as with a Mount Kilimanjaro experience. But be warned, getting to the peak is no easy feat. The upper Rwenzori is tougher to climb than the Kilimanjaro as its more technical and muddy and you might be subject to altitude sickness.

If you’re not an experienced hiker, there are other shorter, non-technical walks that still offer beautiful views and scenery. Regardless of which route you choose, you’ll enjoy mountain views, different vegetation zones, and a diverse array of animals. This park is home to around 70 different mammals and nearly 220 bird species – some which can only be found in this mountain range.

Best time to hike the Rwenzori Mountains are during the driest months – from December to February and June to August.

Mount Elgon

Mount Elgon and Sipi Falls is fun and exciting to a lot of tourists, to the more challenging climbs available in East Africa. It has many of the same attractions, with a milder climate and lower elevation. Because this hike requires no special equipment or technical experience, you can choose between a long hike or a short day hike. To climb this peak, you’ll need to take a Uganda Wildlife Authority guide with you from the park gate.

The shortest and most direct route is the Sasa route. This route is a four days roundtrip, with the first day being the hardest. Come prepared for rain and chilly nights.

Best time to hike Mount Elgon are during the driest months that is to say from December to February and June to August.  

Virunga Mountains

Mgahinga National Park protects the Ugandan side of the Virunga Mountains. The Virunga Mountains are a chain of extinct volcanoes which form part of a larger nature reserve that extends into Rwanda and DRC. 

Mountain gorillas get a special pass from Customs & Border control. They roam freely between Rwanda and Uganda since the nature reserve extends over national borders. Mgahinga National Park is also home to the endangered golden monkey, and the vulnerable Batwa pygmies – Uganda’s indigenous hunter-gatherers.

Guided day hikes to each volcanic peak of the Virunga Volcanoes leave on demand daily from 7 am at the UWA park entrance gate. All hikes require a good level of fitness and go on for around 7 to 9 hours.

The most popular hike is the ascent from Ntebeko Gate to Sabyinyo. Don’t look down! With several challenging ladder climbs up rock faces, this hike isn’t recommended for anyone with a fear of heights. Another hike is the climb from Ntebeko to Mount Gahinga, which includes a trek through the bamboo zone, where many types of plants and animals can be observed.

Mount Moroto

Mount Moroto is an ancient extinct volcano in Karamoja, that rises to over three thousand metres. The mountain is a scenic landscape to some, but home to many. Around 40,000 Tepeth people (possibly the region’s earliest inhabitants of Karamoja) live in Mount Moroto’s hills.

You can choose between a 2-hour round trip hike that takes you through Tepeth homesteads or do a three-day trek to its highest peak. If you make the journey up, you’ll be rewarded with cave paintings, waterfalls, and a variety of bird species.

To organize a guided tour of Mount Moroto, get in touch with us or Kara Tunga, the specialist for tours in the Karamoja region.