12 DAYS UGANDA GORILLA AND MOUNT RWENZORI TREKS
This trip combines gorilla and Mount Rwenzori treks. It’s one of the amazing but physically challenging trips to the peak of Margherita and encounter Mountain Gorillas in their natural habitats.
Day 1: Entebbe Airport – Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Arriving at Entebbe Airport, you will be welcomed by our professional safari guide/ driver – He will brief you shortly and then transfer you to the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. En route stop at the Uganda Equator for memorable photos. Proceed to the park for dinner and overnight at Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, Gorilla Safari Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Camp, or Lake Mutanda Resort.
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking – Batwa cultural tour
Breakfast. Get briefing and thereafter, move into the jungle to search for mountain Gorillas. Meet them and take photos, and views, and return to your respective accommodation for lunch and relaxation. Thereafter, walk to meet the Batwa pygmies for lots of entertainment through music, dance, and drama. Dinner and overnight as on day 1.
Day 3: Travel to Rwenzori base camp
Breakfast. Leave the gorilla park for Mount Rwenzori National Park. Travel via Ishasha sector to search for the tree-climbing lions, and proceed to Ruboni Community camp for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Trek from Nyakalengija to Nyabitaba Hut, 2.652 m.
Breakfast, transfer to the park headquarters for briefing together with other trekkers. At the park headquarters, hire hiking equipment and porters to carry your luggage. The hike will take you through the Bakonjo traditional homestead and cross the meandering Mobuku and Mahoma Rivers. Proceed to Nyabitaba with great memories of the views. Relax as you wait for dinner and overnight in the hut.
Day 5: Trek from Nyabitaba Hut to John Matte Hut, 3.414 m.
After having breakfast, you will trek via verdant shrubs & forest to the Kurt Schuffer Bridge which is at the confluence of the Mubuku and Bujuku rivers. You will continue trekking through the bamboo mixed with montane forests and slippery moss-covered steep rocks that lead to Nyamulejju rock shelter for a night.
Enjoy spectacular views of magnificent Mt. Stanley & Mt. Speke if the weather is clear as you continue to move via the alpine forest to John Matte’s hut for dinner and a restful night. The hut is near R. Bujuku and most hikers take a bath there, the water is so cold but so refreshing as well. You get a view of the Margherita glacier which is on Mount Stanley between Alexandra and snow-capped Margherita peaks.
Day 6: Hike from John Matte Hut to Bujuku Hut, 3.962 m.
After having breakfast, you will go for an invigorating hike crossing the Bujuku River to the captivating Bigo bog experience of how to jump from tussock to tussock. At Bujuku hut, you will have a glimpse of Lake Bujuku in a valley among 3 mountains: Mt Stanley, Mt Baker, and Mt Speke. Lake Bujuku lies along the head of a deeply carved glacier of the beautiful Bujuku Valley.
Bujuku Valley is perched in between the 3 stunning Rwenzori Mountain chains of Mountain Baker, Mountain Speke, and Mountain Stanley. Lake Bujuku is one of the 8 picturesque lakes formed from the glacial marine creation of dams. These also include rivers and streams whose origin is the Rwenzori Mountain ranges and at the slopes, there are unique floral and faunal species that this block mountain supports.
At Bujuku, the Alpine savanna begins, and expect to navigate through a unique vegetation zone not far from Lake Bujuku thus there is also a chance to view the elusive antelopes. Accommodation: Overnight at Bujuku hut
Day 7: Trek from Bujuku to Elena camp
After breakfast, you will leave Bujuku Hut to Ellena Camp with a stopover and a diversion for climbers who plan to hike Mountain Speke and Mountain Stanley nestled in a valley below Stuhlmann Pass as well as climbing Margherita and Alexandra peaks to Elena Hut.
Day 8: Hike from Elena hut to Margaharita Peak (5109ft)
Wake up early, take your hot breakfast at Elena Hut, and ascend an adrenaline-pumping hike for 3-hours through slippery rock and ice to Margherita Peak on Mt. Stanley, 5.109 m covered by glaciers. This invigorating walk takes you on to the glaciers, crossing the Stanley plateaus, acclimatized by fog, altitude sickness, and cool weather, and scrambling up to the summit of Margherita the highest peak of Mount Rwenzori.
After you descend for 3 hours from Margharita through thick mud around Lake Kitandara to Kitandara Hut located, at 4.023 m. From Kitandara Hut you can proceed to climb Mount Baker or Mount Luigi di Savoia and the peak Vittorio Sella. Enjoy the view of Mountain Luigi di Savoia. Dinner and overnight at Kitandara hut.
Day 9: From Kitandara to Guy Yeoman
After crossing Fresh Field pass head for the new Guy Yeoman hut at 3261 meters. In case of fog or bad weather, it could be hard to follow the trail and remember that the last part is full of bogs. Before Guy Yeoman hut there are other two shelters: Bujongolo and Kaijongo.
Bujongolo is well known for having been the base camp of Luigi di Savoia, Duke of Abruzzi who conquered and fully explored the Rwenzori in 1906. You will have dinner and overnight at Guy Yeoman Hut Meals.r
Day 10: Descend from Guy Yeoman to Nyabitaba
After breakfast, you will descend for 6 hours through tricky terrain and cliffs of Kichunchu that are often slippery and boggy. Beyond Kichunchu, you will cross the Mubuku River through bamboo forests interesting to birders to spot the Rwenzori turaco to Nyabitaba camp for dinner and overnight at Nyabitaba Hut.
Day 11: Descend from Nyabitaba to Nyakalengija
You will be finalizing your hiking trip on Mountain Rwenzori. Return to the Rwenzori National Park headquarters at Nyakalengija. Proceed to Gator’s Paradise Resort for dinner and overnight.
Day 12: Transfer to Entebbe Airport
After breakfast, drive at leisure to Entebbe Airport for your departure flight.
End of your Gorilla and Mt. Rwenzori tour
