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Ruwenzori Mountains travel info The Ruwenzoris lie along Uganda's western border with the DRC - they are sometimes referred to as the 'Mountains Of The Moon'. Ruwenzori Mountains National Park was proclaimed a World Heritage Site to protect the natural beauty, flora and fauna of the area. The Ruwenzoris are a true mountain range created by tectonic movement of the earth's plates, and are not as a result of volcanic activity. The range with its haunting mist-shrouded peaks is 120 km in length and 48 km in width. At the center of the range, six peaks carry permanent snow, three with glaciers. The highest of these peaks, and the third highest peak in Africa, is Mt. Margherita rising 5102 meter above sea level.
The Ruwenzori Mountains were gazetted as a National Park in 1991. The Park covers 996 km2 of rugged mountain terrain offering visitors a rare experience of an Afro-Montane rainforest. These forest start above 3000 m and includes the giant forms of Lobelia, Heather and Groundsel.
Seasons
Avoid the rain seasons at all costs. The Ruwenzori is one of the main watersheds of the Nile receiving rain throughout the year but exceptional amounts from March through till June and September through December.
Wildlife
You may see: Elephant, Genet, Chimpanzee, Golden Cat, Forest Hog, Rock Hyrax, Sitatunga, Mongoose, Duiker, Vervet, Monkey, Rwenzori Colobus.
Precautions
Malaria area - minimize mosquito bites by wearing light, long sleeved clothing and using effective insect repellents (containing Diethyltoluamide DEET) on exposed skin. Sleep under treated mosquito netting or ensure that the doors and windows of your accommodation are screened against mosquitoes. Having a fan or air-conditioner on at night will further suppress mosquito activity. Currently, the three effective anti-malaria tablets are Mefloquine (Lariam or Mefliam), Doxycycline and Malarone (Malanil). It is still possible to contract malaria while on malaria prophylaxis. Note that Lariam may present serious side-effects - please test before you depart.
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