For decades, the Rwenzori range — the fabled Mountains of the Moon — sat in the shadow of Kilimanjaro. The hikers who came were the obsessives. That is changing fast.
Park authorities report climbing permit numbers at record levels, driven by improved trails, better marketing and a new generation of certified local guides.
The draw is genuine wilderness: glaciers on the equator, giant lobelias like something from science fiction, and multi-day routes that test even experienced trekkers.
The boom is reshaping mountain communities. Porters, cooks and homestay owners in Kasese and Bundibugyo report their best seasons on record.
“Permit numbers are climbing, local guides are training in record numbers, and Uganda's snow-capped secret is finally getting…”
Guides are careful with the optimism — the glaciers are retreating visibly year by year. See them, they tell visitors, while the mountains still wear their snow.
