![Looking out at the spectacular views of the Rwenzori mountains, Uganda.](https://adventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Rwenzori-mountains-Uganda-Photo-credit-Tanya-Gentle-6-1180x786.jpg)
Ari dropped all other Uganda plans to hike Rwenzori. What sold him, he tells me, was the promise of a wild Africa—without the crowds.
And it’s true. Compared to the 50,000-odd climbers who push for the summit at Kilimanjaro every year, the Rwenzori Mountains are a ghost town. Official statistics suggest that between January and October 2017, the park had only 693 people hike its higher reaches. That’s 1.39 percent of the hikers you’ll find on Kili.
The last push to the peak is a 400-meter vertical, and we’ve no choice but to use a collection of ropes, pulleys and ladders to haul ass to the top.
![Climbing up a steep makeshift ladder in the Rwenzori Mountains in Uganda.](https://adventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Rwenzori-mountains-Uganda-Photo-credit-Tanya-Gentle-8-1180x786.jpg)
![Taking a break over the spectacular views of the Rwenzori mountains, Uganda.](https://adventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Rwenzori-mountains-Uganda-Photo-credit-Tanya-Gentle-7-1180x786.jpg)
Read more
Tayla Gentle is a freelance writer and producer specializing in adventure travel. Her work has featured in outlets such as Lonely Planet, AFAR, AWOL, and Red Bull Australia. Her spirit country is Myanmar.