Unlike most mountains in East Africa, which are of volcanic origin, the Ruwenzori range is a huge block of the earth’s crust that was thrust upward millenniums ago by enormous geologic pressures.
Erinevalt teistest Ida - Aafrika mägedest, mis on vulkaanilise päritoluga, on Ruwenzori ahelik hiigelsuur maakoore plokk, mis aastatuhandeid tagasi tohutult tugevate geoloogiliste jõudude survel ülespoole kerkis.