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8 Days Mount Rwenzori Hiking Tour, Mountaineering Tour Uganda
8 Days Mount Rwenzori Hiking Safari- Mountaineering tour Uganda Safari Overview
This 8 days Rwenzori trekking safari Uganda takes you to Uganda’s highest snow peaked mountain Rwenzori in Kasese district to hike to the margherita peak in 8 days! This 8-days mountaineering safari Uganda will have you experience the Mountains of the Moon mystical challenge to Africa’s third highest peak (5109m) after mountain Kilimanjaro (5,895m) in Tanzania and Mountain Kenya (5199m) in Kenya. You will undertake your 8 days adventure giving you opportunity to closely sight the peaks and glaciers of the mountain Rwenzori including; mt Stanley, Alexander, Speke, baker and the luigi di savoia.
As part of your adventure, you will encounter with flora and fauna on the gentle slopes of the mountain for it acts as home to variety of these species. Mountain Rwenzori National Park is also well known for its unique wildlife and the beautiful granite outcrops or “kopjes” which rise out of the steep slopes by the Bakonjo tribes. In the north, it is hilly and wooded, in the southeast are short and long grass plains, in the western corridor are extensive woodlands and black clay plains and in the centre is the acacia woodland and savannah. Each vegetation area attracts different types of animals.
This 8 days Mountain Rwenzori hiking safari trip is typically a camping safari tour in Uganda. It will start an end in Kampala.
8 Days Mount Rwenzori Hiking Safari- Mountaineering tour Uganda safari highlight
Day 1: Transfer from Kampala to Kasese with a stopover at the Equator and Mbarara for lunch.
Day 2: Climb- to Nyabitaba (2650m) through Bakonjo homestead
Day 3: Transfer from Nyabitaba Hut to kurt Shafer Bridge
Day 4: Enter the Lower Bigo Marsh
Day 5: Transfer to Mount Stanley
Day 6: Climbing the summit of Margherita
Day 7: Climb Mt Stanley
Day 8: Departure for Kampala
8 Days Mount Rwenzori Hiking Safari- Mountaineering tour Uganda detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Transfer from Kampala to Kasese with a stopover at the Equator and Mbarara for lunch.
Early in the morning after breakfast at your hotel, you will be picked by your driver guide, give you a short briefing about your Uganda safari and then depart for Kasese using the Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara highway. You break off your journey at the equator in Kayabwe form photos, and a polar water experiment where you will have an opportunity to stand in two hemispheres at the same time. There also several shops around, you free to visit them and purchase for yourself a souvenir. Retreat and continue to Mbarara town at Igongo cultural centre for lunch. Continue with your journey via Queen Elizabeth National Park arrive in Kasese at your prior booked hotel for your dinner and overnight stay.
Day 2: Climb- to Nyabitaba (2650m) through Bakonjo homestead
After breakfast at your lodging facility, your will drive to Nyakalengija trail head (1600m) where you will start hiking. Make final arrangements and briefing by your guide to be, make final arrangements for porters before you begin to hike. After the briefing, you will then begin hiking up to Nyabitaba hut walking through the banana sambas on the side of the steep foothills, past the typical Bakonjo homesteads where you will see excited children waving you on. 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: Transfer from Nyabitaba Hut to kurt Shafer Bridge
In the morning, after breakfast at your camping facility, you will depart Nyabitaba droping down through the forest to the Kurt Shafer Bridge, just below the confluence of the bujuku and Mubuku Rivers. A steep ascent through bamboo forest, crossing a long and exhausting stretch of slipper moss-covered rock. From Nyamileju rock shelter, on clear days, Mount Stanley and mount Speke can be glimpsed before passing into the zone of the giant heather, lobelia and groundsel. The final stretch to the hut is across a tiring swamp, the first of many for which the mountain is infamous for.
Day 4: Enter the Lower Bigo Marsh
Wake up and trek through the forest to the lower Bigo Marsh which is immediately after John Matte Hut. The trail drops to cross the Bujuku River and enters Lower Bigo Bog, home of giant lobelias. Expect jumping from small thick grasses before reaching the swamp. 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. A spectacularly setting but it can be very cold, even for the Rwenzoris.
Day 5: Transfer to Mount Stanley
You will leave Bujuku, through more swamps, 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. For those sleeping at the basic Elena Hut prepared for a cold and icy night.
Day 6: Climbing the summit of Margherita
For those climbing Margherita peaks (5109m) continue to the base of the Stanley Glacier. Depending on the weather and the individual’s acclimatization, it can be a four to seven hour walk to the summit of Margherita. This is a tough walk over three glaciers, slippery rock, ice and very exposed areas which are open on many sides. 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; (a supplement for the extra guide has to be paid for at the time of booking.) climb on to the glacier, cross the Stanly Plateau and proceed with the ascent. Subject to altitude sickness, fog and weather, scramble up to the summit of Margherita, crown of the Rwenzoris. Due to the altitude and the tough conditions not, everybody will make it to the summit so do not be disappointed if you do not. Returning to Scott- Elliot pass, there are spectacular views back to Bujuku Lake and Mount Speke, up to Mount Stanley and sown to the Kitandara Lakes. Once over the pass the trail enters an alpine zone of sparse vegetation and rough boulders. Descend to the Kitandara Hut for overnight, past the Kitandara Lakes. For those who do not wish to climb the peak, a more restful day walking from Elena Hut to Kitandara Hut 4,023.) (FB).
Day 7: Climb Mt Stanley
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. On a clear day there are views into the Congo to the west and Mount Stanley to the north. 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: Departure
Morning return to Kampala via Kasese then transfer to the airport for the departure flight.