9 Day Rwenzori Mountain Trek

Rwenzori has been the dreamland for many hikers and mountain climbing travelers’ because of its natural heritage of the margarita peak. The rare features of the mountain give Uganda a unique status of mountain climbing holidays. However, the majority of mountain climbers visit this park for hiking and mountaineering rewarding experience.

TRIP ITINERARY

Day 1: Kampala to Rwenzori Mountains

Have breakfast at your esidential lodge in kampala before driving to Kasese Town. Shop all food needed up in the mountain. Register with RMS offices. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Magherita or Rwenzori Base Mountain Camp.

Day 2: Nyakalengija to Nyabitaba

Early Morning have breakfast at Magherita hotel before  following the trail Nyabitaba hut leading to Kurt Shaffer Bridge crossing Bujuku and Mubuku rivers. From this point it is steep and slippery. Continue the hike up to John Matte hut and overnight in the mountain shelter.Don’t expect to live a luxurious life up in the mountains. You need to be fit for this adventure because the day’s hike may take 7 hours .

Day 3: Nyabitaba Hut to John Matte Hut

Go down the ridge to the Mubuku River then climb through bamboo forest toward John Matte Hut (3380m).  The afternoon is tiring boulder hopping ascending along the north side of the Bujuku river through giant heather forest .This will take you a while  so the journey continues from same point on the next day.

Day 4: John Matte Hut to Bujuku Hut

Start the day from John Matte you will cross River Bujuku and enter the Bigo bog, cross the drier ground up to Lake Bujuku overlooking Mt. Baker and speke to the north. Follow the trail up to Bujuku Hut.the Hike may take 3-5 hours but rewarding for mountain climbers and hikers
Day 5: Bujuku Hut to Elena Hut

Morning time proceed 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.

Day 6: Kitandara Hut to Guy Yeoman Hut

Move down from Lake Kitandara hut leaving Magharita peak northwards and Democrat Republic of Congo westwards and on clear days you will see big area of Congo and the famous tropical forests of Congo. Descend up to Guy Yeoman Hut (10700ft/3261m).

Day 7: Guy Yeoman Hut back to Nyabitaba Hut

From Lake Kitandara you climb to Freshfield 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.

Day 8: Nyabitaba to Nyakalengija.

Wait for a fresh morning and start the day From Nyabitaba Hut, descend to Nyakalengija the park headquarters. You will meet your driver to drive you back to Kasese town to your hotel for warm showers and relax. Dinner and overnight.

Day 9: Transfer back to Kampala

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. Later meet up with your drive guide for the return back drive to Kampala.