Best 10 Days Wildlife, Gorilla Trekking And Rwenzori Hiking

Tour Overview

This Uganda safari starts and ends in Entebbe. It includes 1 gorilla permit of $800 per person in the final cost. This safari will take you to Bwindi impenetrable national park in western Uganda. This park has over 340 mountain gorillas making it half of the mountain gorillas remaining in the world. While on this trip, you will explore the Rwenzori mountains in 7 Days. The Rwenzori Mountains trekking & climbing for travelers who are not physically fit and can make it to the peak of Mountain Rwenzori using the Rwenzori Mountains Central Circuit in 7 days. To explore the various peaks, this hike takes you up to the top of Mount Stanley in the fastest way possible. This 7-day Rwenzori mountain hike can only be done by mountaineers who are healthy, strong, fast, and fit because you will be moving fast and covering long distances each day.

Safari Gallery: Gorilla Trekking And Rwenzori Hiking

Detailed Itinerary: Gorilla Trekking And Rwenzori Hiking

Day 1: Arrival at the airport and transfer to the hotel

Upon arrival, you will be met and greeted by our driver guide who will briefly take you through the trip plan and transfer you to your hotel in Entebbe for an overnight stay and dinner.

Accommodation: Papyrus guest house (Midrange)/ Via Via Entebbe (Budget)

Meal plan: Bed & Breakfast

Day 2: Transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park

After breakfast, you will check out of the lodge and transfer to Bwindi impenetrable national park via the Ishasha sector. The Ishasha sector is famous for its tree-climbing lions and the chances of seeing them are very high. Upon arrival, you will check in at the lodge for relaxation, dinner, and an overnight stay.

Accommodation: Ichumbi gorilla lodge (Midrange)/ Rushaga gorilla havens (Budget)

Meal plan: Full board

Day 3: Gorilla trekking and transfer to Nyakalengija

With well well-prepared packed lunch, you will assemble for briefing time at 8:00 am. During the briefing, you will learn more about the dos and don’ts of the gorilla trekking. It is at the briefing point where you will find the rangers who will inform you about gorilla tracking the great adventure and experience!  The time taken to encounter these peaceful primates is impulsive for it may take 1-5 hours. Nevertheless, on encounter, one may be forced to say, it is stunning!!!! After the adventure certificate rewards will be successfully given out to every trekker.  After trekking, you will transfer to the mountains of the moon at the base of Nyakalengijja.

Accommodation: Snow heights lodge (Midrange)/ Ruboni Community camp (Budget)

Meal plan: Full board

Day 4: NYAKALENGIJA (1615m asl.) – NYABITABA CAMP (2651m asl.)

The central circuit starts at the Rwenzori Mountaineering Services offices at Nyakalengija. You need to arrive in the morning to allow ample time to rent equipment and meet your guides and porters. The trail begins by passing through farmland to the park boundary beyond which it follows a thick forest along the Mubuku River, crossing its Mahoma River tributary before starting a long, steep climb up onto a massive ridge to reach Nyabitaba hut. During this part of the trip, you may hear chimpanzees and see black and white colobus, blue monkeys, and the brilliantly colored Rwenzori turraco.

The hike takes an average of 6 -7 hours.

Day 5: NYABITABA – JOHN MATTE CAMP (3505m asl.)

From Nyabitaba 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 John Matte Hut after passing through the tiring bog, for dinner and overnight at the hut.

The hike takes an average of 7 – 8 hours.

Day 6: JOHN MATTE – BUJUKU CAMP (3962m asl.)

From John Matte 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 Mt Baker to the South and Mt 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. Dinner and overnight at Bujuku hut.

The hike takes an average of 4 – 5 hours.

Day 7: BUJUKU – ELENA CAMP (4541m asl.)

Leaving Bujuku, the trail takes you through more bog, while climbing the steep slopes west of the lake and through the magical 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 and overnight at the Coolly and Icy Elena Hut.

The hike takes an average of 5 – 6 hours.  

Day 8: ELENA HUT – MARGHERITA PEAK (5109m asl.) – KITANDARA CAMP (4430m asl.) 

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 that are open on many sides. Climbing onto the glaciers, cross the Stanley Plateau, and proceed with the ascent. Acclimatized to fog, altitude sickness, and cool weather, scramble up to the summit of Margherita the highest peak of the Rwenzori. The descent 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 asl.), 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 for dinner and overnight at the Kitandara camp.

The descend takes an average of 3 – 4 hours. 

Day 9: KITANDARA – GUY YEOMAN (3261m asl.)

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 the Congo to the west and Mount Stanley to the north. From the pass, take on the long high alpine moss. Thereafter 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.

The hike takes an average of 6 – 7 hours. 

Day 10: GUY YEOMAN – NYABITABA – NYAKALENGIJA (1615m asl.)

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 Nyabitaba to complete the circuit.

Continue descending Nyabitaba Camp and complete your trek by the evening at Nyakalengija, the base camp.

The descent takes 7 – 8 hours

End of 10 Days Wildlife, Gorilla Trekking And Rwenzori Hiking

Price includes

• 1 gorilla permit
• Accommodation
• Meals as mentioned above
• Rwenzori Hiking permit
• Park entrance fees
• Ice climbing equipment
• Accommodation on the mountain
• Sleeping bag
• Ranger guide
• Guides and a porter
• Transport from Kasese to Rwenzori.
• Chef

Excludes

• Accommodation at base on the first and last meals
• Ground Transportation
• Visas
• Air ticket
• Warm and rain gear
• Tips
• Other items of personal nature
• Transport from the airport to Kasese
• Other personal expenses not included in the package.