Rwenzori Mountains National Park is located in southwestern Uganda on the east side of the Albertine Rift Valley. It lies along the Ugandan boarder to Democratic Republic of Congo and also bordering Virunga National Park.
Rwenzori Mountain National Park was established in 1991. It was designated a world heritage site in 1994 because of its outstanding beauty.
Almost 1000 km2 in size, the park has Africa’s third highest peak and many water falls, lakes and glaciers.
The national park hosts 70 species of mammals and 217 bird species including 19 Albertine rift endemics, as well as some of the world rarest vegetations.
The mountain is a world class hiking and mountaineering destination requiring a 9 to 12 days of adventures to get skilled climbers to the summit of Margherita.
Price based on two-person trip from 3360 USD per person.
After an early morning breakfast, we will set off for Kasese. We will stop for lunch in Fort Portal before we continue to Kasese for an overnight stay.
Accommodation: Trekkers Hostel at Kyanjiki
Having spent the night at the hotel or at the Trekkers Hostel (1450m), we will begin our trek by going to the UWA Park Headquarter. After a briefing at the gate, we start the climb by walking up the valley floor through an Afro Montane Forest Zone. The arrival point of the day is Sine Hut (2585m) where we will be served the dinner and spend the night.
After breakfast, we start trekking at 08:30 and we soon enter the steep climb of the Bamboo-Mimulopsis zone. After about 1.8 km, we reach Kalalama Camp at 3147m which is located in the Heather–Rapanea zone. Here we will have a rest and a cup of tea. From this point, we proceed along the Heather zone. The arrival point of the day is Mutinda Camp at 3688m, named after the Mutinda Peaks. The camp is located near a small river that drops off a waterfall and offers a chance to freshen up and relax. For an optional climb, we head up to the top of the Mutinda Lookout (3925m, 2.5hrs roundtrip) for views across the Rwenzori Mountains.
Starting off from the Mutinda Camp, we will enter the Alpine vegetation zone. We will climb a steep section up to Namusangi Valley (3840m) from where we will enjoy the best views of the Mutinda Peaks. Along the Namusangi Valley, we cross various bogs as we climb up to Bugata Camp at 4062m, the arrival point of the day and our overnight stay.
Trekking starts at 08:30, upwards to Bamwanjara Pass. From the Banwamjara Pass, we get excellent views of all the main snowcapped peaks where we have a small shelter for you to rest and enjoy the scenery. We then walk down to Kacholpe Lakes to finish the day at Butawu Camp (3974m) where we spend the night.
We start the day by walking back along the ridge before crossing several wet areas and small rivers coming from Mount Baker and Freshfields Pass. We then climb the Scott Elliott Pass up the ridge of Mount Stanley to Margherita Camp at 4485m where we spend the night.
Note: total distance of the day is 4.2 kilometers.
We wake up at 04:30 to have a quick snack before starting our climb towards Margherita Peak via the Stanley Glacier. After summiting, we descend directly to Butawu Camp where we spend the night. In case of bad weather, we may need to stay in Margherita Camp instead.
Note: total distance of the day is 11.2km.
After a late breakfast, we will start the climb up through Bamwanjara Pass.
Dinner and overnight at Bugata Camp.
We set off in the early morning from Lake Bugata and the outlet of Kopello Lake. We then climb 200 meters to the confluence of the two valleys.
Overnight stay in Kiharo Camp at 3460m or Samalira Camp at 3170m.
After breakfast, we walk down the valley which is home to many species of birds that dive in and out of the thick vegetation. After descending a few kilometers, we climb 200m of altitude to a ridge overlooking the valley, before crossing several small valleys and streams to Kyalavula. We then walk back to the Base Camp.
Early in the morning after breakfast, you will travel back to Kampala or Entebbe. On the way back to the city you will have lunch in Mbarara at Igongo Cultural Center that exhibits the ancient history and culture for the Banyakitara including their tools and household items. After Masaka, there will be an opportunity to stop at the Equator for photo shoots and buying souvenirs and have tea or coffee.
We will then bring you to a guesthouse, campsite or hotel of your choice in Kampala or Entebbe. Or, if you continue your holiday somewhere else, we will bring you directly to Entebbe airport for an onwards flight.