This 6 days Uganda Rwenzori mountain hiking safari gives you a new mountain climbing experience in Rwenzori Mountains National Park in Uganda. This Rwenzori mountain hiking safari takes you through the rock shelter (2,785m) previously used by poachers to hunt primates and duikers (small antelopes). It will take you further through ‘Chavumba’ (meaning heaven) at 3,316m.
Within this 6 days Uganda Rwenzori Mountain hiking safari you will explore mountain Rwenzori to the fullest. Get up to Mutinda Camp and Kalama Camp, through the rugged cliff faces of Rwatamaguta and Karasimbi. This turns out to be one of the best Rwenzori hiking safari adventures in Uganda that we highly recommend.
Rwenzori Mountain Hiking Safari Itinerary:
Day 1 : Entebbe – Drive to Kasese Rwenzori
Arrival at Entebbe airport by morning flight. Transfer to Kasese via Mbarara for lunch at the Agip Motel in Mbarara town. From here, the landscape changes to a hilly and fertile area with tea and banana plantations. You will then enjoy sightseeing and relaxation at the hotel, in preparation for the following day hike.
Dinner and overnight stay at Equator Snow Lodge (luxury facility). Meal Plan: Lunch and dinner.
Day 2 : First Day Trek – Rwenzori Mountain Hiking Safari
The trek starts at Trekkers Hostel in Kyanjiki, that’s about 12km from Kasese town past Kilembe mines. The road is now tarmacked except for the last few kilometres, which makes the base camp easily accessible.
It is best to start by 9:00am but you can leave not later than 11:00am. You will walk for 2.2km to Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers’ post at 1,727 meters, which takes about one hour. Here, you will pay the gate entrance fee and then the rangers will brief you on the rules of the national park and the trekking adventure.
Climb steadily for the first two kilometers through pristine montane forest, with thick tall trees undergrowth and a multitude of different species of bird species and primates. Then get on a fairly strenuous climb up the main ridge with few rocks and firm footing except after a heavy downpour. This is within the bamboo zone, while climbing to your first night at Samalira Camp. As you leave the rangers’ post, you will walk along a path through tall grassland and ferns which gives way to magnificent pristine forests.
The forests are untouched, so there is a wide variety of trees and plants, in addition to many bird species that can be heard and seen in this rich environment. After the first few kilometres you will climb steadily, crossing several small streams and rivers and then start climbing the ridge. As you climb, the trees become taller and straighter, so it is common to see and hear many types of primates.
On your left you may hear troupes of chimpanzees echoing around the valleys. Particularly around your lunch spot at 2,570m, it is possible to see troupes of 15 to 20 black and white colobus monkeys or smaller groups of blue monkeys, as they dash through the trees, if you are lucky. Lunch is usually fresh fruits, salads and chicken rolls, combined with a cup of tea, coffee or fruit juice.
After lunch, you will continue to climb steadily passing a small rock shelter (2,785m) previously used by poachers to hunt primates and duikers (small antelopes). Immediately above this small cave, the bamboo zone starts and the trail becomes steeper and at times boggy.
As you get near the top, you will break out of the bamboo because the vegetation changes to giant heather with long lichen or moss hanging from the branches. As a result, the path becomes less steep. Through open spaces in the vegetation you get fantastic views of the valleys and hills below, looking across to Lake George and Queen Elisabeth National Park in the distance. The equator lies about 30kms south of where you will be.
Samalira Camp is at 3,147 metres, which means the lookout offer great views of the surrounding landscape and Kasese town. (Note: mobile network is available at this camp).
Day 3 : Second Day Trek
After a hearty breakfast you will commence today’s walk at about 8:15am. In about 500 metres from camp you will cross a small stream, after which the climb becomes steep for about 200 metres up a narrow moss covered ridge. The thick moss covering the ground and rocks under the giant heather trees is spectacular, so we ask you to help preserve this pristine environment by keeping to the pathway.
The views here give us the impression that we could fly as we look across the many ridges and valleys far below. You can see Kilembe village deep in the valley and across Lake George.
After a relatively short climb, the trail becomes less steep but muddy as you pass over ‘Chavumba’ which means heaven, at 3,316m. You will then cross a small flat valley to climb up a steady ridge through a thick forest of moss covered trees which is so impressive. The trail continues to the top of the ridge at 3,515m.
Here, you will descend steadily for about 1km to the resting point before descending a steep drop into the Nyamwamba valley and a well earned lunch break at Poly’s Rock Shelter (3,249m). Poly was a poacher who lived in this rock shelter for more than ten years hunting duikers (small deer-like antelopes), monkeys, birds and anything else he could sell as meat.
After lunch, we climb steadily above the Nyamwamba River for about 2.6km. Firstly, through old giant heathers covered in old man’s beard moss, then to the head of the valley where you will climb a steep pinch and weave your way through a field of huge boulders.
Due to the high rainfall and swirling mists/fog, the rocks are covered in deep green moss which sets an eerie atmosphere. But the origin is that they were pushed ahead of enormous glaciers, which were carved out of the deep valleys millions of years ago. When these glaciers finally came to rest, they melted, thus leaving a huge pile of rocks in front of them.
Where the glaciers settled they left a flat bog which is now covered in clusters of grass. These bogs are usually hard to walk through and boggy as you walk over a bed of deep peat or plant material several feet deep. After the bog, you will climb a short distance to Kiharo Camp at 3,588m, which is situated directly at the base of granite cliffs of 20 to 40 metres, with towering peaks above.
Some people may want to climb one to the short cliff faces near the camp, to fill in during the afternoon hours. Again, the camp is in 12 x 20, 6 person tents with a 10 foot annex where you may sit and relax. The environment here is fantastic because wherever you look there are cliffs towering above since the camp is set in a narrow valley, with a fast flowing river on one side.
Day 4 : Third Day Trek on Rwenzori Mountain Hiking Safari
You will take a 7.6km trek which takes between 5 to 6 hours as you backtrack past Poly’s shelter, climbing up to the main ridge at 3,515m. You will then take the path to the south which crosses to the trail coming down from Mutinda to Kalalama Camp.
After meeting the trail you descend down to Kalalama Camp 3,134 meters where we prepare your evening meals while overlooking Kasese and Lake George from a different perspective. To the south is the rugged cliff faces of Rwatamaguta and Karasimbi rising far above and creating the wonder of the diversity of the Rwenzori Mountains.
Day 5 : Fourth Day Trek
On the fifth day you will slowly descend down through the bamboo forests. Here, the bamboo zone is wet and boggy particularly after rain, so, the bamboo sheds large volumes of leaves which retain moisture. This trail is on the southern windward side of the mountain that gets much more rain.
At around 2,600 metres the bamboo gives way to afro-montane forests that you pass just above Sine Rock Shelter. This rock shelter was the home to a gentleman called Sine who spent over thirty years in the mountains poaching animals.
When you reach the bottom of the ridge you will cross a rather large fast flowing stem on Musenge rock shelter. Here, you will have lunch and a short break before you walk your final 6km through thick mountain montane forest to the rangers post at 1,727 metres.
After a short debriefing, you sign off and walk down to Trekkers’ Hostel, and then be transferred by our vehicle back to Equator Snow Lodge. Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 6: Kasese – Kampala/Entebbe
Return to Kampala with lunch en-route ready for your evening flight at Entebbe International Airport. Meal Plan B & L.
Rwenzori Mountain Hiking Safari Inclusions and Exclusions:
Includes
- Accommodation and meals during the hike
- All ground transfers with 4wd vehicle as per the itinerary
- Park Entrance fees
- Professional Guide fees
- Porters 25kg per person
- Professional cook
- Rescue fees in case of emergency rescue on Rwenzori Mountains
Excludes
- Flight fares
- Personal insurance
- Equipment for the hike
- Extra Luggage (extra 25kg per person)
- Any changes in the program itinerary while in the Rwenzori
Important to Climbers on Rwenzori Mountain Hiking Safari:
Climbers must be prepared to walk for up to 8 hours every day via steep cliff and muddy paths.
Climbers must bring along their own climbing gear or hire it at the base camp.
Our porters carry 8 kg of personal climbing gear