13 Days Rwenzori Trek

Arrival at Entebbe airport and transfer to Anderita beach hotel in Entebbe.BB.
Kasese Elevation: 3,000 feet / 1000 meters

Today we travel to Kasese through Fort Portal, where we will stop for lunch. Dinner and overnight at the Margherita Hotel.

After breakfast, we will be transferred to Nyakalengija-Ibanda to start our trek. The trail begins by passing through farmland to the park boundary. The trail follows the Mubuku River, crossing its Mahoma tributary before starting a long, steep climb up onto the massive ridge to reach the Nyabitaba Hut. During this part of the trip you may hear chimpanzee and see black and white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys and the brilliantly colored Rwenzori turaco. Dinner and overnight at the Nyabitaba Hut set on the forested ridge with a view of portal peaks and the Bujuku Valley.

Early breakfast, then we start the hike to the John Matte Hut. The trail descends through forest to cross the Bujuku River at the Kurt Shaffer Bridge, and through a lobelia, giant heather and groundsel forest. You will stop at Nyamileju Hut, “Place of Beards,” a name that refers to the moss and lichen hanging from the trees. Mount Stanley and Mount Speke can be seen before passing into the forest. You will carry on to the John matte Hut, which is close to the river in a grove ofgiant heather. Dinner and overnight at John Matte Hut.

From John Matt hut, the trail drops down to cross the Bujuku River and enters Lower Bigo Bog, the home of giant lobelia. Jumping from tussock to tussock, the bog is finally crossed, but rarely without the your feet sampling some of the freezing ooze below. The Bupper Bigo Bog gives way to Bujuku Lake, with views of Mount Baker to the south and Mount 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.

A busy day which starts with an early climb through the Stulman pass, turn on your right and climb to Vittorio Emmanuelle (4890m) thereafter descend to bujuku camp

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 and down to Kitandara Lakes. Dinner and Overnight at the Coolly and Icy Elena Hut (3 – 5hrs).

For those aiming at reaching Margherita peak (5109m), continue to the base of the Stanley Glacier. To reach the summit of Margherita, the climb takes about 5-7 hours depending on the weather conditions and the pace of climbing this mountain. This tough walk takes you over three glaciers, slippery rock, ice and very exposed areas which are open on many sides.
Note that this climb is for only physically fit and technical climbers. Climbing on to the glaciers, cross the Stanley Plateau and proceed with the ascent. Acclimatized to fog, altitude sickness and coolly weather, scramble up to the summit of Margherita the highest peak of the Rwenzoris.
Given the high altitude and the tough conditions even if you do not reach the peak, don’t get disappointed. Prepare for you return through the 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 Hut.(5 – 9hrs depending on the experience).

Start from Kitandara camp as early enough pass the beautfulmossy landscape of freshfield pass and on to mount baker with a view of mt. Stanley and speke thereafter descend to guy yoa mann.

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. Dinner and overnight at Guy Yeoman Hut. (3-5hrs).

Take on the path down to Nyabitaba hut. The path can be slippery and muddy and therefore requires careful balancing over the vertical mud or steep rock. Remember this is part of the adventure with in this mountain. After lunch in Nyabitaba, start to descend to the base to complete your trek. Dinner and Overnight at Margherita Hotel. BB.

Drive to airport through Mubende