Without ever setting foot in Africa, Claudius Ptolemy a well re known geographer of his time sketched an icy range rising from the heart of Africa that he called Lunae Montes — the Mountains of the Moon — a name that is widely used to refer to Mountain Rwenzori to date but it was not until 1889 that an explorer called Henry Morton Stanely spotted the mountain ranges while camping in Congo which lured him to trek downwards to Uganda to get a good view of his discovery making him the forst explorer to set sight of this mountain and the first non-African to climb mountain Rwenzori was William Grant. The mountain ranges are home to the Bakonjo and Amba people who were added to the Toro kingdom in early 1900 but these two tribes staged a rebellion against the Toro kingdom demanding for independence and this movement came to be famously known as “Rwenzururu” but the chaos ended with a negotiation and Rwenzururu kingdom was acknowledged by the Ugandan government in 2008.
Climbing one of the tallest ranges in Africa is an amazing experience and an adventure any expert climber would really enjoy. At Cycads Safaris we organize trekking trips to Mount Elgon, Rwenzori and Mgahinga offring you expert advise on what equipment to bring, best time to trek, health and fitness requirements. Contact us today through tours@ugandatouristguide.com
TOUR ITINERARY-
Day 1: Depart for Kasese
Meet with our tour guide and drive from your Hotel in Kampala to Kasese Town. Stop over in Kasese Town and shop all the food that you need up in the mountain. In the evening go and register with RMS offices for Mountain climbing. Have dinner and overnight at Hotel Magherita / Rwenzori Base Mountain Camp.
Day 2: start hiking from the Park Headquarters
After breakfast, drive to the park headquarters in Ibanda and to the Rwenzori Mountaineering Services (RMS) at Nyakalengija and get the necessary equipment for hiking. You may be given a choice to select your guides and porters. Start hiking from Nyakalengija to Nyabitaba Hut. This may take 5-7 hours. Have dinner and overnight stay at Nyabitaba hut.
Day 3: From Nyabitaba to John Matte hut
Continue with the trail from 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 for dinner and overnight. This day’s hiking may take 7 hours.
Day 4: John Matte- Bujuku Hut
From John Matte cross River Bujuku and enter the Bigo bog, then cross the drier ground up to Lake Bujuku which overlooks Mt. Baker and Speke to the north. Follow the trail up to Bujuku Hut this hike may take 3-5 hours. Dinner and overnight at Bujuku Hut
Day 5: Bujuku Hut – Elena Hut
From Bujuku Hut, hike to Scott Elliot and Elena Hut. This is the end point forthe central circuit and the starting point to climb Margherita Peak or Mt Stanley. Follow the central circuit through the alpine zone of sparse low vegetation to crater lakes and drop to Lake Kitandara hut for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Kitandara hut- Magherita
Descend from Lake Kitandara hut leaving Margarita 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 for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 7: Nyabitaba Hut- Nyakalengija
Descend to Nyabitaba Hut and this may take you 5 hours. Relax at the hut while preparing for dinner and overnight stay
Day 8: Descend to Kasese
From Nyabitaba Hut, descend to Nyakalengija the park headquarters and this may take 2-3 hours. Meet with your driver and drive back to Kasese town at your hotel for warm showers and relaxation. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Margarita.
Day 9: Return Trip to Kampala
After breakfast drive to Kampala via Fort Portal town with lunch enroute at the hotel of your choice. Make a stopover at the Equator for water experiments and then proceed to Kampala City reaching late in the evening. Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel in Kampala.
