Mountain climbing is without doubt the main reason why many travelers visit the Rwenzori Mountains National Park. But what still remains a debatable question among most enthusiastic climbers is when is the best time to hike the Rwenzori Mountains? Interestingly, climbing to the Margherita Peak or any other peaks on Rwenzori Mountains can be done at anytime of the year.
However, the most ideal or the best time of the year to go hiking tour to the snow-capped summits of the Rwenzori Mountains/Mountains of the Moon is during the dry season/dry months of the year. This means, if you are interested in mountaineering or mountain climbing experience, the best months to visit or go hiking safari in the Rwenzori Mountains run from June to early August or December to February.
June, July, August and December, January, February coincide with the dry season in Uganda. Majority of Uganda safari travelers prefer December for gorilla trekking safaris, chimpanzee tracking, mountain climbing on Rwenzori Mountain ranges etc. Rwenzori Mountain ranges lies astride Equator crossing in the western side of Uganda, which crosses Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP).
Rwenzori Mountains National Park- RMNP and Queen Elizabeth National Park are found in an area that is known not to experience extreme winter or summer weather condition. The parks experience drier and wetter seasons each year. For enthusiastic climbers/hikers, the warmest or driest months of the year are considerably the best months for Rwenzori mountaineering or mountain climbing adventure.
When it comes to Rwenzori hiking safaris, climbers/hikers safety is key and that is why it is important to always mark the weather conditions or season of the year to ascertain the most ideal time. Each weather condition comes with its own impacts and particularly, snow, rain, mud etc strain the body when hiking Rwenzori Mountain ranges. The beauty about climbing Rwenzori Mountains during the dry season/months of the year is that climbers have higher chances of conquering the Margherita peak.
When planning Rwenzori Mountain climbing safari, it is also important to take note of wetter or rainy periods/seasons. The long and short rainy/wetter seasons are experienced at Rwenzori Mountains National Park. The long wet season in Rwenzori Mountains start in March and end around May. The short wet months of the year in Rwenzori Mountains fall around October to November. Generally, the weather in Rwenzori Mountains is unpredictable-it does vary from year to year and at times, rains occur earlier than expected or late.
Climbing Rwenzori Mountains comes with lots of challenges especially during the wetter/rainy season. The treks usher you into the dense vegetation, muddy bogs, slippery rocks and steep slopes.