10 days Mount Rwenzori Hiking – Margherita Peak : Mountain Rwenzori Hiking – Central circuit safari takes 7-8 days hiking to the summit Margarita peak and the other days trekking the Uganda Chimpanzees and Queen Elizabeth national park wildlife. Hiking Mountain Rwenzori is one of the challenging experiences of hiking in Uganda and visitors are advised to be prepared to be able to reach the summit. Visitors must be physically fit and in good health. On this trip, you will have large extent of adjustments on the mountain by the trekkers through joining longer routes and stretches. Within the 8 days, you will enjoy the various attractions that the park has to offer
Safari highlights
Day 1: Transfer to Kasese – Mount Rwenzori national Park (Appx. 9 hours)
Day 2: Climb – to Nyabitaba (2650m) through Bakonjo homestead:
Day 3: John Matte hut (3350m):
Day 4: Bujuku Hut
Day 5: Mount Stanley
Day 6: summit Margherita;
Day 7: Climb Mt Stanley to Guy Yeoman Hut (3260m):
Day 8: Climb Nyabitaba (2650m):
Day 9: Nyabitaba to Nyakalengija:
Day 10: Return to Kampala/Entebbe and departure
Detailed trip
Day 1: Transfer to Kasese – Mount Rwenzori national Park (Appx. 9 hours)
Depending on your location in Kamapla, you will be met by our company representative and your driver guide and start on your long journey to Kasese with a stopover at the Equator for photography and the experiment and lunch in Mbarara town.
Proceed to Kasese, arriving late afternoon. Dinner and overnight stay at Equator Snow Lodge
Day 2: Climb – to Nyabitaba (2650m) through Bakonjo homestead:
Have breakfast and then drive to Nyakalengija trailhead (1600m) where you will start hiking up to Nyabitaba hut; walking through the banana sambas on the side of the steep foothills, past the typical Bakonjo homesteads! Follow the trail along the Mubuku River, through landslides and up and down rocks and bluffs, Cross the Mahoma River and climb steeply through break fern slopes and podocarpus forest to Nyabitaba Hut for overnight.
Day 3: John Matte hut (3350m):
On the 3rd day of your 10 days Mount Rwenzori Hiking, From Nyabitaba follow the trail that drops down through the forest to the Kurt Shafer Bridge, just below the confluence of the Mubuku and Bujuku rivers. Passing through the bamboo forest, traverse through a long and exhausting stretch of slippery moss-covered rock. From the Nyamileju rock shelter, Mount Stanley and Mount Speke can be seen before passing into the zone of the giant heather, lobelia and groundsel. You will reach John Matte Hut after passing through the tiring bog, for Dinner and Overnight at the Hut.
Day 4: Bujuku Hut: after John Matte Hut, the trail drops to cross the Bujuku River. The upper Bigo Bog gives way to Bujuku Lake, 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 Steinmann pass.
Day 5: Mount Stanley: Leaving Bujuku, the trail climbs the steep slopes west of the lake, passing through the magical Groundsels 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 splits into two. The right leads up to Elena Hut and Mount Stanley on a steep trail over large boulders. The left path leads to Scott. Elliot passes and down to Kitandara Lakes.
Day 6: summit Margherita;
When climbing Margherita peak (5109m), continue to the base of the Stanley Glacier. It can be a four to seven hour walk to the summit of Margherita. It is only for the physically fit and is a technical climb which requires roping up, crampons and appropriate equipment for cold, windy and icy conditions. It is best to attempt the final climb in a minimum group of 4- two climbers and two guides; climb on to the glacier, cross the Stanly Plateau and proceed with the ascent. Returning to Scott- Elliot pass, descend to the Kitandara Hut for overnight, past the Kitandara Lakes.
Day 7: Climb Mt Stanley to Guy Yeoman Hut (3260m):
From Kitandara, the trail 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. From the pass, the long muddy descent continues, passing the rock shelter at Bujangolo, the base camp for the historic expedition by the Duke of Abruzzi in 1906.
Day 8: Climb Nyabitaba (2650m): The path down can be slippery and muddy with little to hold on to and requires careful balancing over the vertical mud or steep rock. An overnight stop at the Nyabiaba Hut
Day 9: Nyabitaba to Nyakalengija:
On the 9th day of your 10 days Mount Rwenzori Hiking, Descend Nyabitaba to Nyakalengija, about 3 hours. At Nyabitaba start the 40 minutes trial to see Lake Mamoha and back to the hut for descending to the Park Head Quarter. Transfer to Queen Elizabeth for dinner and overnight at Ihamba Safari lodge
Day 10: Return to Kampala/Entebbe and departure
Enjoy breakfast and transfer to Kampala with lunch en-route in Mbarara town and a stopover at the equator for photography and the experiment. Proceed to Kampala arriving in the late afternoon. Proceed to your hotel or transfer to Entebbe airport for your onward flight