Legendarily referred to as the 'Mountains of the Moon' due to their unique and pristine topography lined with endemic vegetation including giant lobelias, heathers and groundsels, additionally studded with glaciers, v-shaped valleys, snow-capped peaks, fast flowing rivers and magnificent waterfalls, the park (UNESCO World Heritage Site - 1994), comprises mountain ranges, with the highest peak, Margherita Peak, taking the 3rd highest place after Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya, in the highest mountains in Africa, standing at 5,109 masl.
The park, located in south-western Uganda on the Democratic Republic of Congo border and also bordering Virunga National Park, hosts the Rwenzori Mountain ranges, including most of the Centre and eastern half of the ranges. Mount Stanley, which comprises Margherita peak, and Mount Speak and Mount Baker, the fourth and fifth highest peaks in Africa respectively, are also part of the ranges located within the park.
Lastly, the park is recognized as an Important Bird Area, hosting a recorded 217 bird species and a wildlife population including but not limited to the threatened African forest elephant, L' hoest's monkey and the Eastern chimpanzee. Restricted to the park is the Rwenzori black-fronted/red duiker.
