11 Days Gorilla tracking and Mt Rwenzori Hiking Safari

11 Days Gorilla tracking and Mt Rwenzori Hiking Safari

11 Days Gorilla tracking and Mt Rwenzori Hiking Safari is the world’s challenging trip with maximum hiking experience. Hike the rare mountains of the moon the only mountain near Equator with permanent snow on top. Kill two birds with one stone with our 11 Days Gorilla tracking and Mt Rwenzori Hiking Safari. Track the rare mountain Gorillas and hike the Uganda’s highest mountain.

Inclusions

Transportation Charges

Gorilla Trekking Permit

7 days Hike

Guide fee

Full board accommodation

English speaking driver/guide

All meals

Boat Ride in Lake Buyonyi

Park entry fees

Potters

Guides

Exclusions

International / Domestic Flights

Additional accommodation before or after the tour

Personnel items (souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fee)

Drinks/spirits

Tips

Day 1: Kampala to Mt Rwenzori

After our healthy continental breakfast at your hotel in Kampala, you will be picked by our driver guide who will brief you on the itinerary then we start our drive to Western Uganda. Passing through beautiful villages and plantations. You will have a good view of the Ankole long horn cattle along the way. We pass by the famous Queen Elizabeth National park as we proceed. Check in our hotel for lunch and refreshments. Have relaxing afternoon as we acclimatize in the area. Dinner and overnight at  Mihunga Safari Lodge

Day 2: 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 3: 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 4: 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 5: 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 6: 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 7: 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 8: 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.

Day 9 Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Wake up early in the morning for your breakfast, after we start our drive to the Southern part of Uganda to the famous home of the Mountain Gorillas. We pass by Queen Elizabeth National park have lunch break in Mbarara then proceed to Bwindi. Check in our lodge for refreshments dinner and overnight at Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge

Day 10: Gorilla tracking and transfer to Lake Buyonyi

After breakfast and briefing by experienced park rangers and with a picnic lunch, embark on a trek in search for the Mountain gorillas. These massive primates are extremely rare believed to be only 700 remaining. The tracking starts at the area where the gorillas spent the previous day. The thrill of spending time with and observing these gentle giant gorillas is a rare, moving, awesome and exciting adventure that will leave us with long lasting memories of a truly unique experience it is an unforgettable experience to watch and photograph them as the little ones play and interact. If finished early we will go for Batwa community walk.  After we then drive to lake Buyonyi for the refreshing evening. We can have brief boat ride at the lake as we look for the African sun set at the lake.  Check in our accommodation for overnight at Lake Bunyonyi Eco Resort

Day 11: Departure

After breakfast drive back to Kampala or Entebbe for your flight back home