Ruwenzori Mountains
The Third Highest Mountains In Africa (Behind Mts. Kilimanjaro And Kenya), The “Mountains Of The Moon” Are The Highest Mountain Chain On The Continent. Permanently Snow-Covered, Over 14,800 Feet (4500 Meters), These Jagged Mountains Are Almost Perpetually Covered In Mist.
The Mountain Chain Is Approximately 60 Miles (100 Km) Long And 30 Miles (50 Km) Wide, And The Highest Peak, Margh-Erita, Is 16,762 Feet (5109 Meters) In Altitude. A Number Of Permanent Glaciers And Peaks Challenge Mountaineers. How¬ever, Mountaineering Skills Not Are Needed For The Hike Itself— Only For Climbing The Glaciers Or Peaks.
Unlike Mt. Kilimanjaro And Many Other Mountains In East And Central Africa, The Ruwenzoris Are Not Volcanic In Origin. The Range Forms Part Of The Border With Uganda And Can Be Climbed From Either The Zaire Or Ugandan Side. The Trail On The Zaire Side Of The Ruwenzoris Is Much Steeper Than The Ugandan Side. Allow Five Days For The Climb And Longer If Any Peaks Are To Be Attempted.
The Vegetation Zones One Passes Through On The Ruwenzo¬ris Are The Most Amazing I Have Seen In The World. Colorful Mosses Look Solid, But When Probed With A Walking Stick (Or Your Foot) Often Prove To Cover A Tangle Of Roots More Than Six Feet (2 M) Deep. Several Plants That Are Commonly Small In Other Parts Of The World Grow To Gigantic Proportions.
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