Kampala, Uganda 4

September, 2024

I also ventured 291 km to the west of Kampala, to Fort Portal in Kabarole District in the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains. The photos are not mine, but these are the dramatic landscapes I might have observed and the experiences I might have had, had I the courage to venture further uphill.

Uganda has turned out to be my favourite country in Africa, and not only for its natural beauty. Although the natural beauty itself is truly remarkable. The variety of landscapes in this single country is astonishing. From papyrus wetlands, to hilly landscapes; from lush tropical rainforest, to savannah grassland with abundant wildlife; from pretty lake islands on Lake Victoria to beautiful littoral environments in Entebbe, Kampala and all along the lake shore; from busy cities and highways, to multiple scenic lakes, breath-taking waterfalls, and an entire mountain range with year-round snow-capped mountains and serene foothills. It's simply amazing, there is no other country like it in Africa.

South Africa might come in second place, with mountain ranges like the Drakensberg and others, as well as the veld, and the scenic coastal landscapes of the Eastern Cape and Western Cape. But all these, even if larger in scale, do not even come close to the sheer variety of Uganda.

The Rwenzori Mountains, previously called the "Ruwenzori Range", is a mountain range of eastern equatorial Africa, located on the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

"The Rwenzori Mountains are the highest and most permanent sources of the River Nile, and constitute a vital water catchment. Their multitude of fast flowing rivers, magnificent waterfalls and stratified vegetation make the property exceptionally scenic and beautiful." (UNESCO)

These mountains reach heights up to 5,109 metres (16,762 ft). The highest Rwenzori peaks are permanently snow-capped. The Rwenzori Mountains National Park and Virunga National Park are located in this range.

Environmentalists have expressed a lot of concern over the high melting rate of the glaciers atop this mountain range due to climate change.

See more here: https://www.brilliant-uganda.com/rwenzori-mountains...

The Kitandara lakes of the Rwenzori Mountains, which were formed by retreating glacier ice Credit: Hugh Kinsella Cunningham

The Rwenzori mountains are of cultural importance for two of the ethnic groups inhabiting the region Credit: Hugh Kinsella Cunningham

Trekking guides Gilbert Kule and Remigio Thembo observe the terminus of the Margherita glacier on Mount Stanley Credit: Hugh Kinsella Cunningham

Destroyed buildings caused by a series of floods between 2013 and 2020 along the Nyamwamba river, Uganda Credit: Hugh Kinsella Cunningham

Trekking guide Gilbert Kule walks across the 4000 metre Afromontane zone of the mountains Credit: Hugh Kinsella Cunningham