The 9 days best of Rwenzori hike to Margherita Peak takes 8 nights, and 9 days of exploring the world’s renowned Rwenzori Mountains of the Moon. This package offers a thrilling mountaineering experience and a lifetime opportunity for adventure seekers to make their dreams come true. Conquering Margherita Peak entirely involves trekking up to Mount Stanley at an altitude of 5109m.
Rwenzori Mountain is East Africa’s 3rd tallest mountain and it is incredibly one of the very few block mountains with snow on its summits. Hikes to its summits begin at an altitude of 1615m and the Margherita peak is at 5109m. En route, there are multiple camps/huts to have relaxation, lunch, dinner, and overnight before you get to the final point. Below is the detailed 9 days best of Rwenzori hike to Margherita Peak safari itinerary.
Day 1: Kampala-Rwenzori Mountains National Park
Meet and greet your driver guide after you have had a sumptuous breakfast in a hotel in Kampala. Briefing about your hiking tour to the Rwenzori Mountains will be done early morning, after, beginning your journey through Masaka-Mbarara-Kasese. En route, your driver guide will make a stopover at the Equator crossing for you to relax and take pictures, and lunch at Igongo Cultural Center/a hotel in Mbarara City. After, proceed to Kasese’s side while viewing extensive tea and banana plantations, hills, and a lot more.
Day 2: Report to Nyakalengija, hike to Nyabitaba camp (2651m)
Today, your journey to Margherita begins early with a briefing at Nyakalengija 1615m and you will be conquering the Central Circuit. At Nyakalengija, you will have time to hire equipment that you may not have, get briefed by the officials, and then begin your adventure. You will also meet porters who will be assisting you in carrying luggage and as you hike, you will pass via farmlands, and homesteads of Bakonjo connecting up to the park boundary and then heading towards the Mubuku River.
You will cross the Mubuku River tributary before setting off on a steep hike to the ridge where you will find Nyabitaba hut. This is a 6-7 hours hike and there are higher chances to come across primates like blue monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, plus birds, especially the Rwenzori Turacos.
Day 3: Nyabitaba 2652 to John Matte Hut
Leave Nyabitaba hut for John Matte hut, a journey expected to take between 7 and 8 hours. Navigate via the bamboo forest to the Kurt Shafer bridge and below it, there is a confluence of Bujuku and Mubuku Rivers. Once you get to Nyamuleju rock shelters, you can be in a position to view Mt. Stanley and Speke. From here, navigate via the giant heather zone, with lobelia and groundsel before you get to John Hut for dinner and a night stay.
Day 4: Bujuku Hut (3962m)
Set off from John Matte hut taking the trail downslope to cross Bujuku River. Penetrate through the lower bogs of the Bujuku Valley and depending on its state, this area can be wet/muddy, and navigating through it is another experience. Crossover to the dry area to Lake Bujuku where you can be viewing the Speke and Mt. Baker. Bujuku hut is set just in the shadow of Mt. Baker and Speke. The entire trek from John Matte takes about 4 to 5 hours.
Day 5: Elena Hut
Begin your trek early morning penetrating through the moss-draped groundsel vegetation to Scott Elliot Pass located at altitude 4372m. This is found between Mt. Baker and Stanley, from where you will branch off to Elena Hut at 4540m for a night stay. It is at Elena where you begin your final journey to Margherita Peak and it also provides remarkably breathtaking views of the Rwenzori Mountain ranges especially the Mt Luigi, Baker, Stanley, and Bujuku Valley.
Day 6: Kitandara Hut
Leave Elena hut for a final hike to Margherita Peak at 5109m located right on Mt. Stanley and you will be passing through ice. Here you will require crampons, an ice axe plus rope to help pass through the glacier leading to Mt. Stanley. Once you get at the Margherita peak, you would have reached Uganda’s highest point and one of Africa’s mountains. The first climber to hike to Margherita was Prince Luigi Amedeo, the duke of Abruzzi in 1906. From Margherita peak after photography and breathtaking view of the surrounding, begin descending to Elena Hut, proceed to upper Kitandara Lake and camp at Kitandara Hut. Enjoy the beautiful view of Mt. Luigi di Savoia and you may opt to hike to Mt. Baker 3-4 hours then back to Kitandara Hut.
Day 7: Guy Yeoman Hut
Begin your journey once again and ascend to Fresh field pass where you will descend to Bujongolo cave. This is one of the rocky and bogy spots, but comes with magnificent view of Baker, Stanley and Luigi glaciers. The whole journey covers about 6 hours and you will retire for the night at the Guy Yeoman Hut then continue to Nyabitaba Hut the next day.
Day 8: Nyabitaba Hut
Start your 4 hours trek to Nyabitaba Hut, descending through steep slopes on River Mubuku River side. En-route, view the beautiful heather zone with attractive plant and flowers, then penetrate via the bamboo forest and don’t miss to view the Kabamba waterfalls.
Day 9: Nyakalengija Camp
Leave early Nyabitaba Hut for Nyakalengija base camp. Meet your driver guide and begin your journey back to Kampala or Entebbe marking the end of 9 days best of Rwenzori hike to Margherita peak, Uganda.
