Uganda · Trekking

7-Day Rwenzori Trekking Expedition to Margherita Peak via Kilembe

7 Days Round trip from Kilembe Easy pace

The journey

Trip highlights

01 Climb up to Namusangi Valley at 3,840 m for the best view of the Mutinda Peaks
02 Enjoy views of Weismann's Peak of Mount Luigi di Savoia, often covered by snow
03 Explore Lake Kitandara stretching toward the Democratic Republic of Congo
04 Cross distinct Rwenzori vegetation zones from mountain forest to alpine bogs and glaciers
05 Summit Margherita Peak on Mt Stanley after an early glacier crossing before sunrise

Embark on this trekking tour of Rwenzori from Kilembe, following the Kilembe Trail through mountain forest, bamboo-mimulopsis, heather, boggy alpine valleys, and high glacial terrain. Hike via Sine Camp, Kalalama Camp, Mutinda Valley, and Namusangi Valley, with rewarding views of the Mutinda Peaks, Weismann's Peak of Mount Luigi di Savoia, and Lake Kitandara stretching toward the Democratic Republic of Congo. The route builds steadily toward Margherita Camp and the summit push to Margherita Peak on Mt Stanley, before descending through bird-rich valleys back to the ranger post.

You will wake up as early as 3 AM and have your breakfast, then set off at precisely 4 AM to hike to Margherita Peak of Mt Stanley.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 7 Days

Tour type Shared

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Not included

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Not applicable

Cities Kasese, Mount Stanley, Rwenzori Mountains National Park

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Kilembe to Kalalama Camp through the mountain forest

Meet your tour guide at the ranger's post and head straight to the Rwenzori National Park entrance point, marking the official beginning of this hike. This walk takes you into the mountain forest zone, where you might encounter species of monkeys such as colobus monkeys and blue monkeys, as well as birds like the Rwenzori Turaco.
Proceed to Sine Camp, where you will stop for lunch and other refreshments.
Continue to the first overnight camp at Kalalama, which sits at 3,147 m.
Spend the first night at this camp in the cabins, where dinner will be served. You will also be briefed about what will transpire the following day before sleeping over.

Day 02

Kalalama Camp to Mutinda Camp via bamboo and heather zones

Set off on this hike through the bamboo-mimulopsis zone, a steep climb with many high steps. You will reach a resting point where you will have tea and some refreshments.
Proceed along the heather zone, passing several streams and waterfalls, all covered by the typical green moss vegetation. You will see many Giant Heather trees, sometimes in a misty atmosphere. The arrival point of the day is Mutinda Camp, at 3,688 m, named after the Mutinda Peaks.
From this point, climb further to Mutinda Lookout at 3,925 m, about one and a half hours' walk plus one hour to descend back to the camp. The place is worth visiting, as you stand on moss-covered rocks with views across the Rwenzori Mountains, down to Kasese town and Lake George.
Reach the camp late in the evening and check into the cabins for dinner and an overnight stay. You will be briefed about the following day and then retire to your beds.

Day 03

Mutinda Camp to Bugata Camp across alpine bogs

Still on the hike to the peak, day 3 of this trip will begin at precisely 9 AM and continue through boggy terrain with typical wet vegetation and tussocks. You enter the alpine vegetation zone, with the presence of giant lobelias (Lobelia gibberoa), groundsel (Senecio adnivalis), and everlasting flowers as you cross the Mutinda Valley.
Climb a steep section up to Namusangi Valley (3,840 m), from where you will enjoy the best view of the Mutinda Peaks. Along the Namusangi Valley, you cross various bogs as you climb to Bugata Camp at 4,062 m, which is the arrival point of the day.
Enjoy a view of Weismann's Peak of Mount Luigi di Savoia, often covered by snow. The vegetation area is covered with tussock grass, everlasting flowers, giant groundsel, and giant lobelia. This walk takes you via Lake Kitandara, stretching up to the Democratic Republic of Congo. From the nearby Plozza Rock, you will get fantastic views of nine lakes down the valley and Lake Nusuranja. Bugata Camp has good facilities with solar lights, eco-toilets, and a bathroom.
Have dinner and spend the night. You will be briefed about the following day and then retire to your cabins for the night.

Day 04

Bugata Camp to Hunwick's Camp over Bamwanjara Pass

Wake up, have your breakfast, and begin the hike to what is almost the epitome of this trek that started four days ago.
Start your hike up Bamwanjara Pass. The trail climbs steadily with several long, flat bogs. As you climb, you can look back to see the glacial lakes far down in the valley. On reaching the top of Bamwanjara Pass (4,450 m), you get excellent views of all the prominent snowcapped peaks, where there is a small shelter for you to rest and enjoy the scenery.
This walk leads you down to Lower and Upper Kachope Lake. The descent is steep and often very muddy, but it offers fantastic views of Kachope Lakes and McConnell's Prong. Hunwick's Camp (3,974 m) is the arrival point of the day.
The camp is set on a ridge overlooking snowcapped Mt Baker.

Day 05

Hunwick's Camp to Margherita Camp below Elena Hut

Enjoy the most important walk of this hike to Margherita Camp, which will be followed by making it to the summit the following day. This is a walk along the ridge before crossing several wet areas and small rivers from Mt Baker and Freshfields Pass. The walk up Scott Elliott Pass is enjoyable as you climb through the pass and up the ridge of Mt Stanley to Margherita Camp at 4,485 m, below Elena Hut of the Rwenzori Mountaineering Services.
A ring of high rocks shelters the camp, and it is the original camp used by the Italian Prince Luigi Amadeo di Savoia, Duke of the Abruzzi. You have great views of Mt Baker, Scott Elliott Pass, and some of the high glaciers on Mt Stanley. The day's hike to this camp is 4.2 kilometres.
Reach there late in the evening and relax a little. Then you will prepare and go through what will transpire on the following summiting day. This exercise will entail preparing the ropes, hiking shoes, ice-breaking axes, and crampons. You will also go through how to use this equipment and attire.
After that, retire to your cabins for the night.

Day 06

Summit day to Margherita Peak on Mt Stanley

This is the D-day of this hike, and it will turn out to be the longest and most hectic day, yet the most sought-after day of the entire hike. You will wake up as early as 3 AM and have your breakfast, then set off at precisely 4 AM to hike to Margherita Peak of Mt Stanley. This early start is intended to get you across the glacier before sunrise, as the sunshine makes the glacier impassable when it begins to melt.
Climb up Margherita Glacier, which is steep and requires good fitness. Near the top of the glacier, you then climb around an exposed section of rock, which is also bolted and roped, to get onto the ridge running up to the top of Margherita Peak (5,109 m).
Enjoy the scenery of almost the whole country as you stand at the highest point in the country. You will eat the special food package that you carried from day one at the starting point.

Day 07

Descend to the ranger post and receive your certificate

Wake up to the shrill calls of the Ruwenzori Turaco (Ruwenzorornis johnstoni) and other birds. After breakfast, walk down the valley, home to many birds that dive in and out of the thick vegetation. Chameleons are common as they crawl along the branches of the thick vegetation feeding on insects. You may catch a glimpse of a duiker quietly feeding in the clear areas, surrounded by giant lobelias and various flowering plants.
Descend a few kilometres, then climb two hundred metres to a ridge overlooking the valley before crossing several small valleys and streams to Kyalavula.
Walk back to the base camp, where you will be awarded your Rwenzori hiking certificate, marking the end of this mesmerising hike on the Rwenzori Kilembe Trail.