Day1: ARRIVAL AT ENTEBBE AIRPORT

Your will be picked from the airport by our drive/guide, you will be welcomed and transferred to the hotel for an overnight in Kampala/ Entebbe town.

Day2: TRANSFER TO KASESE TOWN

After an early morning breakfast in Kampala, you will drive to Kasese via Fort Portal. The Kyonjojo plains will provide you views of rolling tea plantations before you arrive in Fort Portal town, where you will stop for lunch. From Fort Portal proceed to Kasese town under the shadow of the Rwenzori Mountains.  Overnight in Kasese town (Sandton Hotel) or directly to the base camp town of Ibanda near the base of Nyakalengija.

Day 3: NYAKALENGIJA (1615m asl.) – NYABITABA CAMP (2651m asl.)

The central circuit starts at the Rwenzori Mountaineering Services offices at Nyakalengija. You need to 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 a thick forest along the Mubuku River, crossing its Mahoma River tributary before starting a long, steep climb up onto a massive ridge to reach Nyabitaba hut. During this part of the trip you may hear chimpanzee and see black and white colobus, blue monkey and the brilliantly coloured Rwenzori turraco.

The hike takes an average of 6 -7 hours.

Day 4: NYABITABA – JOHN MATTE CAMP (3505m asl.)

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 Nyamuleju rock shelter, Mount Stanley 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 dinner and overnight at the hut.

The hike takes an average of 7 – 8 hours.

Day 5: JOHN MATTE – BUJUKU CAMP (3962m asl.)

From John Matte Hut the trail drops down to cross the Bujuku River and enters Lower Bigo Bog, the home of giant lobelias. Jumping from tussock to tussock, the bog is finally crossed but rarely without the feet sampling some of the freezing ooze below. 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 Stuhlmann Pass. This camp is good for acclimatization for clients attempting the summits of peaks Mount Stanley and Mount Speke. Dinner and overnight at Bujuku hut.

The hike takes an average of 4 – 5 hours.

Day 6: BUJUKU – ELENA CAMP (4541m asl.)

Leaving Bujuku, the trail takes you through more bog, while climbing the steep slopes west of the lake and through the magical and forest of Groundsel Gully. Turn to  your right 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 the trail on he left leads those who are not climbing Margherita Peak to Kitandara Hut. Those climbing the peak will have their Dinner and overnight at the coolly and Icy Elena Hut.

The hike takes an average of 5 – 6 hours.  

Day 7: ELENA HUT –  MARGHERITA PEAK (5109m asl.) – KITANDARA CAMP (4430m asl.) 

Very early in the morning, you attempt climbing the highest peak, Margherita of Mount Stanley. To reach the summit of Margherita, the climb takes about 4 -5 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. 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 Rwenzori. The descend from Margherita peak back to Elena Hut will take you about 2 – 3hours.

After your lunch at Elena hut, descend to the Scott-Elliot pass (4372m asl.), where there are spectacular views of Bujuku Lake and Mount Speke. After,  the trail passes you through an alpine zone of sparse vegetation and rough boulders, descend past the Kitandara Lakes for dinner and overnight at the Kitandara camp.

The descend takes an average of 3 – 4 hours. 

Day 8: KITANDARA – GUY YEOMAN (3261m asl.)

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 4282m asl. 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 high alpine mossy. Thereafter start the descend through steep rocky trails and the rock shelter at Bujongolo, the base camp for the historic expedition by the Duke of Abruzzi in 1906 and then an overnight at Guy yeoman camp.

The hike takes an average of 6 – 7 hours. 

Day 9: GUY YEOMAN – NYABITABA – NYAKALENGIJA (1615m asl.)

Below Guy Yeoman, the route descends the cliffs of Kichuchu. Beyond Kichuchu the muddy path crosses the Mubuku River twice through a bamboo forest before climbing downwards to Nyabitaba to complete the circuit.

Continue descending Nyabitaba Camp and complete your trek by the evening at Nyakalengija, the base camp.

The descent takes 7 – 8 hours

Day10: TRANSFER TO ENTEBBE AIRPORT

Wakeup by morning and have breakfast, our driver will therefore join you to connect to Kampala to catch up with your flight back home.

The cost includes:

Meals while in the park, park entrance and nature walks fees, guiding fees, porters’ wages, gas cooker, climbing ropes, camping gear. Clients to pay for their accommodation and meals outside the National Park, climbing equipment and other necessities which are not mentioned

The price excludes:

1. Tips
2. Special meals different from those provided at the hotel or restaurant
3. Extra porter in case a client has luggage beyond 20kgs, and for any extra porter the client is charged $110
4. In case of an extra day beyond the proposed itinerary, the client is charged $130
5. Extra peak is charged $150 per person
6. Hard or alcoholic drinks.
7. Climbing equipment, in case the client doesn’t have some of the equipment they can hire from the store but must first inform us of the type of technical equipment they need to hire/rent, however if the number of climbers is 4pax and above the office provides free extra climbing rope

Note:

1. The accommodation is not in luxury hotels but middle range
2. Transport is by Omin-bus HAICE or Jpsuim car and not land cruisers.
3. Hire of equipment ( ice axe-$20, harness-$20, crampons-$20, climbing rope-$25, helmet-$20, climbing boot-$25, sleeping bag-$25 ) However we have few helmets, and climbing boots, sleeping bags in our stores.

MOUNTAIN CHECKLIST

1. Please come with your climbing equipment or you can hire some of them locally when you arrive BUT after booking them in advance.

Climbing equipment
– 1 Pair, Snow glasses
– Sunscreen
– First aid kit
– Rubber boots (for boggy areas)
– Ice axe

– Gaiters

– Crampons

– Harnesses

– Climbing rope

– Helmet

Body and Chest

• 2 Thermal vests and thermal leggings (polypropylene or capilene)
• 1 Fleece pullover (like soft polaretec 100g or 200g, or similar)
• 1 Fleece jacket or alike
• 1 Rainproof or windproof jacket with hood (such as Gore‐Tex)
• Kickable T‐shirts or shirts (not cotton)
• 1 Buff or similar

** Highly suggest getting a prescription for an Albuterol Inhaler to
bring along on the trip in case of any breathing difficulties as well
as Ciproxin which is a safe medication for travel diarrhea and can be
used as a general antibiotic.

Feet and Legs

• 1 Pair of comfortable hiking boots
• 3 Pairs of outer socks (thick wool or polypropylene)
• 4 Pairs of inner socks (thin silk or polypropylene)
• Sandals or light weight trainers for around camp
• Gaiters
• 1 Fleece pants (full length zippers recommended)
• Comfortable trekking pants

Hands

• 1 Pairs of inner thermal gloves (polypropylene or capilene)
• 1 Pair of insulated outer gloves

Sleeping Gear

– Sleeping bag for ‐15°C / 5°F (down or polar guard)
– Sleeping mats

Others
• Head lamp with extra batteries and bulb
• Block for lips and sun screen (not less than 35 spf)
• 2 Water bottles (32 fl.oz / 1 liter Nalgene recommended. Water
bottle insulator needed)
• 1 Stainless steel thermos of one liter or half liter (optional)
• Hand warmers (for summit day)
• Hydrating system (like CamelBak, for approach trek to base camp)
• Personal care elements (small towel and soap, wet wipes recommended)
• 1 Pair of trekking poles (adjustable preferred)

Upper Body Packs

• Comfortable Day pack (for approach to base camp)
• One XL strong duffel bag (to be carried by the porters)

Optional Items

• Book, IPod, games or anything for leisure time
• Camera, memory cards and extra batteries
• Silicon Earplugs (for windy nights)
• Pocket‐knife
• Your favorite energy bars. Avoid anything with caramel and toffee.

Head

• Sun cap or hat
• Ski hat (wool or fleece)
• Light balaclava
• Good pair of sunglasses (with UV filter, wrap around)
• Walking sticks