The Rwenzoris remain relatively unknown and rarely visited, and thus provide an unparalleled opportunity to explore East Africa’s mountain wilderness. There are two main trekking routes available which follow the Bujuku and Mubuku rivers, on the eastern side of the mountains. These can be combined to create a challenging circular trek through the heart of the range. The Rwenzoris, also known as the Mountains of the Moon, lie on the border of Uganda and Congo/Zaire. Unlike the other major mountainous regions of Uganda, the Rwenzoris are not volcanic in origin but originated from uplift associated with the formation of the western Rift Valley. The highest point in the Rwenzoris (and the third highest point in Africa) is Margherita Peak (5109m) on Mt Stanley. The Rwenzoris are noted for their vegetation-they support a luxuriant and dense forest with abundant flowering plants and the largest and most extensive stands of alpine “big game plants” in East Africa. Here the giant lobelias and groundsels are even bigger than on the other major East African mountains.
Day 1 Arrival: 1000 Shades of Green representative will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. Overnight at Laico Hotel Entebbe or Two Friends guest House (B&B)
Day 2: Meet and greet at 0630hours and our guide will drive you to Entebbe International airport in time for your flight to Kasese. On arrival, our guide will welcome you and put your luggage in the van. You will be driven at your lodge, check, relax and after lunch you will take an evening game drive. Dinner and Overnight at Equator Snow Lodge B.L.D
Day 3: Nyakalengija (1615m) – Nyabitaba Hut (2651m)
Begin the day by approaching the Rwenzori mountaineering services (RMS) head offices early in order to hire equipment if so and arrange for guides, chef and porters at once hiking starts from the park headquarters 1,646 meters to Nyabitaba a distance of 10 Km takes 4 – 5 hours and an ascent of 1200 meters. The trail at the beginning goes through homes and fields progressing through bamboo and high elephant grass, dense bushes. You will climb over rocks and bluff, crossing river Mahoma then ascending steeply into Nyabitaba. Certain animals may be spotted such as the white Colobus, blue monkeys, three-horned chameleon and the Rwenzori Turacco. Stay overnight at the Nyabitaba hut.
Day 3: Nyabitaba (2651m) – Mubuku River (2600m) John Matte Hut (3505m) From Nyabitaba you descend
to your right follow the trail that drops down through the forest for a half an hour to the Kurt Shafer Bridge, just below the confluence of the Mubuku and Bujuku rivers. The walk is then easy going for a couple of hours passing through the bamboo forest and then becomes more difficult, kind of like spelunking, traverse through a long and exhausting stretch of slippery moss-covered rocks. From the Nyamuleju rock shelter, Mount Stanley and Mount Speke can be seen before passing into the zone of the giant heather, lobelia and groundsel. Finally reach John Matte Hut after passing through the tiring bog. While here, high chances of catching the nice views of Mt.Stanley and Margherita glacier, finally Dinner and overnight at the Hut.
Day 4: John Matte (3505m) to Bujuku (3962m)
From John Matte Hut the trail drops down to cross the Bujuku River and enters Lower Bigo Bog, the home of giant lobelias. Jumping from tussock to tussock, the bog is finally crossed but rarely without the feet sampling some of the freezing ooze below. Continuing on to the upper bigo bog you will follow the Bujuku river that sometimes runs underground from lake Bujuku, with views of Mt Baker to the South and Mt Stanley to the West. Bujuku Hut, well located in the shadow of Mount Baker and Mount Speke, is set in a narrow valley below Stuhlmann Pass. Dinner and overnight at Bujuku hut.
Day 5: Bujuku (3962m) to Kithandara Hut (4023m).
Leaving Bujuku,the trail takes you through more bog, while climbing the steep slopes west of the lake and through the magical Groundsel Gully as it ascends to Scott-Elliot Pass at 4372m. At the head of the gully a metal ladder takes you over a steep section after which the trail is divided into two. The trail on your right leads up to Elena Hut and Mount Stanley on a steep trail over large boulders, while the trail on your left leads to Scott-Elliot pass, where there are spectacular views back to Bujuku Lake and Mount Speke, up to Mount Stanley and down to the Kitandara Lakes. After the trail that passes you through an alpine zone of sparse vegetation and rough boulders, descend past the Kitandara Lakes for dinner and overnight at the Kitandara
Day 6: Kitandara (4023m) – Fresh field Pass (4282m) – Guy Yeoman (3505m) From Kitandara, take on the trail that ascends steeply up the headwall, spreading out from the base of Mount Baker and continuing along the south side of the mountain to Fresh field Pass. At this point you can view into the Congo to the west and Mount Stanley to the north. From the pass, take on the long trail passing the rock shelter at Bujongolo, the base camp for the historic expedition by the Duke of Abruzzi in 1906. Over night at Guy yeoman.
Day 7: Guy Yeoman (3505m) – Nyabitaba (2651m)
The descent to Nyabitaba takes around 6 – 7 hours but with an early start it is possible to make it all the way down to Nyakalengija. Below Guy Yeoman, the route descends the cliffs of Kichuchu. Beyond Kichuchu the muddy path crosses the Mubuku River twice before climbing upwards to Nyabitaba to complete the circuit.
Day 8: Nyabitaba hut (2651m) – Nyakalengija Hike (1615)
Leave Nyabitaba hut early retracing out route back to the Rwenzori mountain services offices. This 10 Km trail usually takes 2 to 3 hours. Descending through Mubuku River and through fields to the Park Headquarters to hand over the rented equipment / Pick up any Luggage that you may have left here, dinner and overnight Equator Snow Lodge B.L.D
Day 9 Departure:
After breakfast, you will be picked by our guide and be dropped at Kasese airstrip in time for your local scheduled flight back to Entebbe International airport.
From $2,642
Inclusions
- Total full Permit includes professional guides
- Porters’ fees and food
- Park entrance fees
- Client’s food,
- Gas cooker
- Accommodation in the mountain huts
- Rescue fees
- Franchise fees
Exclusions
- International flight
- Visa (USD $50 per person)
- Meals and drinks not mentioned
- Items of personal nature
- Tips & laundry service
- Christmas supplement if any
