Itinerary

1. Day 1: MIHUNGA GATE [ 1651M] - NYABITHABA CAMP [2651M]

   • The 7-day Rwenzori hiking via the central circuit trail starts at the Rwenzori Mountains National Park mihunga gate at about 1,651m asl.
   • After an early morning breakfast at your booked hotel in Kasese town, the driver guide drives you to the Mihunga gate for the trek briefing, where you meet the porters and guides and organise your equipment.
   • The trail begins passing through the farmland to the park boundary, beyond which it follows a thick forest along the Mubuku River.
   • Cross the Mahoma River tributary before starting a long, steep climb up onto a massive ridge to reach nyabithaba hut.
   • During this part of the trip you may hear the chimpanzee, see the black and white colobus monkeys, the blue monkeys and the brilliantly coloured Rwenzori turaco bird.

   Hike duration: 5-6 hours.

2. Day 2: NYABITHA CAMP [ 2651M] – JOHNMAATE CAMP [3505M]

   • From nyabithaba 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 Johnmaate hut after passing through the tiring bog.

   Hike duration: 7-8 hours.

3. Day 3: JOHNMAATE CAMP [3505M] – BUJUKU CAMP [3962M]

   • From Johnmaate 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 mount Baker to the south and mount 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.

   Hike duration: 4-5 hours.

4. Day 4: BUJUKU CAMP [3962M] – ELENA HUT [4541M]

   • Leaving bujuku camp, 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 the left leads those who are not climbing margherita peak to kitandara hut.
   • Those climbing the peak will have their Dinner overnight at the coolly and icy Elena hut.

   Hike duration: 5-6 hours.

5. DAY 5: ELENA HUT [4541M] – MARGHERITA PEAK [ 5109M]

   • 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 mountains.
   • The descend from margherita peak back to Elena hut will take you about 2-3 hours.
   • After your lunch at Elena hut, descend to the scott Elliot pass [4372m] 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 and reach kitandara hut for an overnight.

   Descend duration: 3-4 hours.

6. Day 6: KITANDARA HUT [4023M] – GUY YEOMAN [3505M]

   • 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.

   Hike duration: 6-7 hours.

7. Day 7: GUY YEOMAN [3505M] – NYABITHABA [2651M] – MIHUNGA GATE [1651M]

   • 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 Nyabithaba to complete the circuit.
   • Continue descending Nyabithaba camp and complete your trek by the evening to mihunga gate to end your 7 days Rwenzori hiking trip.

   Descend duration: 7-8 hours.

   END OF TRIP!