9 Days Rwenzori Hiking

Hiking in Uganda – Ruwenzori Central Circuit with Magherita Climb.

Day one: Pick up at Entebbe International Airport on a Morning flight; you will be met by a Taste Africa Guide, short brief and transfer to Rwenzori approx 6hrs drive. Have a stopover for lunch in fort portal town Check in at Margherita hotel and prepare for the hike the next day. Balance of the day spent at leisure with dinner under own arrangements. MAGHERITA HOTEL (BB)
Day 2 –  Nyakalengija(1615m)-NyabitabaHut 
The Central Circuit starts at the Rwenzori mountaineering services offices at nyakalengija You should arrive in the morning to allow ample time to rent equipment and meet your guides and porters. The trail begins by passing through farmland to the park boundary beyond which it follows the Mubuku River, crossing its Mahoma tributary before starting along streep climb up a long, steep climb up onto a massive ridge to reach Nyabitaba hut. The hike takes around 6-7 hours. During this part of the trip you may hear chimpanzee and see black and white colobus, blue monkey and brilliantly coloured Rwenzori turaco. Overnight at nyabitaba hut (FB)
Day 3: Nyabitaba (2651 m) – Mubuku River (Matte Hut (3505m)
From Nyabitaba follow the trail that drops down through the forest to the Kurt Shafer Bridge, just below the confluence of the mubuku and Bujukh Rivers. Passing through the bamboo forest, traverse through a long and exhausting stretch of slippery moss-covered rock. From the nyamileju rock shelter, mount stanely 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 for overnight at John Matte Hut (BLD)
Day 4  – John Matte (3505m) to Bujuku (3962m)
The route fords the Bujuku River as you cross the bog, A steep climb follows to reach the Upper Bigo bog. a board walk has been constructed to assist walk where there are superb views of Mt. Stanley at this cavernous, glacier-carved valley. Above the bog steady climb over glacial moraine, criss-crossing the trail reaches the lovely Lake Bujuku. The last stage of the 3-5 hour hike to Bujuku Hut past Cooking Pot Cave is perhaps the muddiest stage of the expedition. The hut is well placed for parties climbing Mt. Speke. Overnight at Bujuku hut (FB)
Day 5   – Bujuku (3977m) to Elena Hut (4541m).
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. Overnight at Elena Hut (FB)
Day 6 – Elena Hut (4541m) to Margherita peak– Kitandara hut (4027m)
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.(FB)
Day 7 – Kitandara (4027m) – Guy Yeoman (3450m)
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.
Day 8 –  Guy Yeoman (3450m) – Nyabitaba (2651m) – Nyakalengija (1615m)
Final descent back to Nyakalengija. The trial is attractive along the valley of the Mubuku and Kichuchu rivers, rich in plants and flowers of the heather zone before reaching the bamboo forest. See Kabamba falls on the way. Time to reach Nyabitaba Hut is about 4 hours. From Nyabitaba starts the 40 minutes trial to see Lake Mahoma and back to the hut for descending to the Park Head Quarter. The trial takes more 2 to 3 hours. Transfer to Kasese for dinner and overnight at Margherita Hotel.
Day 9 – Transfer to Kampala
Morning after breakfast transfer back to Kampala and continue to the airport for your evening flight back home