Rwenzori Mountains National Park


World Heritage Identification Number: 684

World Heritage since: 1994

Category: Natural Heritage

Transboundary Heritage: No

Endangered Heritage: No

Country: 🇺🇬 Uganda

Continent: Africa

UNESCO World Region: Africa

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Exploring the Majestic Rwenzori Mountains National Park

The Rwenzori Mountains National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994, is nestled within the western region of Uganda. Covering approximately 996 square kilometers, this protected area encompasses the primary portion of the Rwenzori mountain range, home to Africa's third tallest peak, Mount Margherita, standing at an impressive height of 5,109 meters above sea level.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

The Rwenzori Mountains National Park covers nearly 100,000 ha in western Uganda and comprises the main part of the Rwenzori mountain chain, which includes Africa's third highest peak (Mount Margherita: 5,109 m). The region's glaciers, waterfalls and lakes make it one of Africa's most beautiful alpine areas. The park has many natural habitats of endangered species and a rich and unusual flora comprising, among other species, the giant heather.

Encyclopedia Record: Rwenzori Mountains National Park

Rwenzori Mountains National Park is a Ugandan national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Rwenzori Mountains. Almost 1,000 km2 (386 sq mi) in size, the park has Africa's third highest mountain peak and many waterfalls, lakes, and glaciers. The park is known for its beautiful plant life.

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Additional Site Details

Area: 99,600 hectares

UNESCO Criteria: (vii) — Contains superlative natural phenomena or beauty
(x) — Contains most important habitats for biodiversity

Coordinates: 0.223611111 , 29.92416667

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Image of Rwenzori Mountains National Park

© Manuel Werner, Germany(Wikipedia-Kontakt: de:Benutzer:Werner, Deutschland), CC BY-SA 2.5 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)

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Nearby World Heritage Sites

Virunga National Park
114 km — Democratic Republic of the Congo
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
144 km — Uganda
Okapi Wildlife Reserve
253 km — Democratic Republic of the Congo
Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi
292 km — Uganda
Memorial sites of the Genocide: Nyamata, Murambi, Gisozi and Bisesero
301 km — Rwanda

Country Information: Uganda

Flag of Uganda

Official Name: Republic of Uganda

Capital: Kampala

Continent: Africa

Population (2024): 50,015,092

Population (2023): 48,656,601

Population (2022): 47,312,719

Land Area: 200,520 sq km

Currency: Ugandan shilling (UGX)

Country Data Sources

Last updated: January 18, 2026

Portions of the page Rwenzori Mountains National Park are based on data from UNESCO — World Heritage List Dataset and on text from the Wikipedia article Rwenzori Mountains National Park, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes made. Additional original content by World Heritage Explorer (WHE), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. WHE is not affiliated with UNESCO or the World Heritage Committee. Legal Notice. Privacy Policy.

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