9 Days Rwenzori Mountain Hiking Safari

Arrival at Entebbe airport by morning flight. Transfer to Kasese via Mbarara for lunch at the Agip Motel Mbarara. The journey takes you along the L. Victoria on a good road to Mbarara. From here, the landscape charges to a hilly and fertile area with tea and banana plantations. Dinner and overnight at the Margarita Hotel/Rwenzori Base Camp Guest House.

From the Rwenzori Mountains National Park Head Quarter at Nyakalengija, 1.646 m, you will receive the briefing from the guides, with the possibility of hiring equipment. The hike starts through the plantations and homes of the Bakonjo, the people of the mountain, gradually reaching garden plots and elephants grass. You follow the Mobuku River, until crossing the Mahoma River. The trail passes through an open bracken fern slopes and Podorcarpus Forest, up to Nyabitaba Hut, 2.652 m, which is the arrival point for the day. This will take from 5 to 6 hours. From the location, you are facing on the North the Portal Peaks, 4.627 m. and in front Mount Kyniangoma. During the day, you might see monkeys, the Rwenzori turacoos

The hiking of the Rwenzoris begins from this point

Descend the ridge to the Mubuku River then climb through bamboo forest toward John Matte Hut (3414m). The afternoon is tiring boulder hopping ascending along the north side of the Bujuku river through giant heather forest (4.1/2-5.1/2 hours).

Trek from John Matte Hut (3380m) to Bujuku Hut (3977m). We encounter the first of notorious bogs for which the Uganda approach to the peaks is famous. Traverse around Bigo Bog and Lake Bujuku. Look for the ‘everlasting flower’ known to remain on the plants for 40-years!

From Bujuku Hut you climb through moss draped groundsel vegetation, to Scott Elliot Pass, 4.372 m., between Mt. Baker and Stanley. Here you divert to Elena Hut, 4.540 m. for spending the night before climbing Mt. Stanley.

The Elena glacier to the Stanley Plateau where crampons may be required. Cross this in Elena Hut 4541m – Punta Margherita 5109 m. – Elena Hut 4541m- Kitandara Hut, 4.023 m. Elena Hut to Margherita peak (5109m) then down Elena Hut 4541m . Early morning traverse of a NW direction and follow the Margherita glacier to the col and to the summit (3 hours). Descend to Elena Hut and after you descend to Upper Kitandara lake and through thick mud to Lower Kitandara lake where is located Kitandara Hut, 4.023 m. Time to complete the hike about 3 hours more. From Kitandara Hut you can proceed for climbing Mount Baker or Mount Luigi di Savoia and the peak Vittorio Sella. Enjoy the view of Mt. Luigi di Savoia.

From Lake Kitandara you climb to Fresh field Pass, 4.282 m., a long flat of high alpine mossy glades, before descending the circuit among rocky and boggy areas. The panorama is dominated by the glaciers of Mounts Stanley and Baker and Mount of Savoy. A muddy trail leads to Akendahi, Bujongolo and Kabamba rock shelters, where starts the Kabamba valley down to Guy Yeoman Hut, 3.261 m. This can take up to 6 hours. The hut is surrounded by a beautiful landscape of mountains, vegetations and rivers.

Drop very steeply alongside the Mobuku River, past Kichuchu, another rock shelter and join our original route near the confluence of the Bujuku River (3.1/2 hours).

Nyabitaba Hut to the Nyakalengija road head (2-hours). Descend steeply off the ridge and notice enter the warm rainforest. Look for the tropical forest birds and monkeys. *Car leaves Kampala to pick Guests Drive back to Entebbe or Kampala, having lunch on the way.
Important:
Climbers must be prepared to walk for up to 8 hours every day via steep cliff and muddy paths. Climbers must bring along their own climbing gear or hire it at the base camp. Our porters carry 8 kg of personal climbing gear

We invite you to join us on what will be a very challenging but ultimately extremely rewarding climb in one of the world’s greatest ranges – the Rwenzori commonly known to outside world as ‘The Mountains of the moon’

The approximate distance is 470 Kms.
The estimated travel time is 6-7 Hrs