Mountaineering

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Mountaineering

General Information

Type:
Adventure
Price from:
3200 USD /person
Phone:
256-77-2465418
Payment Types:
  • No Cash
  • No Credit Card
  • No Cheque
  • No Travellers cheque
  • No Paypal
  • No Wire Transfer
Duration:
7 days
Location Start:
Rwenzori Mountains Services (RMS) offices at Nyakalengija
Location Finish:
Rwenzori Mountains Services (RMS) offices at Nyakalengija
Start time:
08.00 am
End time:
04.00 pm
We Speak:
English
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Last updated: 08/16/2007

Tourists keen on mountaineering regard the Rwenzori in Uganda as one of Africa's most strenuous mountains demanding lots of psychological and physical preparation. You don't want to miss it.

Itinerary

Day 1

Today's total time for an average hiker [from Nyakalengija (offices) to Nyabitaba] is about 5-7 hours and elevation gained is about 4,000ft (1,200m).
Slower hikers may take considerably longer so see to it that you leave the park offices before noon to avoid being on the trail after dark.

Day 2

Today theres a one hour walk to John Matte hut (11,200ft/ 3,414m) through a challenging bog full of extra-ordinary plants and the slow pace can be a delightful chance to examine and photogragh this unique enviroment. It takes about seven hours to reach John Matte from Nyabitaba [where you stayed for the night].
Some hikers consider this to be the longest and most tiring of the circuit so an early start is important.

Day 3

Leave John Matte hut to cross the Bujuku river and enter the lower Bigo bog where your first real experience of jumping from tussock to tussock on a grassy bog begins.
The trail is muddy and follows the left (southern) edge of lower Bigo bog until eventually it reaches the round metal 'uniport' - the Bigo hut and its roch shelter. A steep section past the hut leads to the upper Bigo bog.

Day 4

Rising and falling the trail descends past Upper lake Kitandara through thick mud to lower lake and Kitandara hut about 13,200ft (4,023m) above sea level. This lovely site is sorrounded by towering peaks but the sun sets early and the nights can be cold.

From Bujuku to Kitandara Huts takes roughly 3-5 hours; the elevation gain to the pass from Bujuku being 1,400ft (425) and becuase Scott Elliot is the highest point so far, some hikers will be slower due to greater effort required at these altitudes. Watch carefully for signs of altitude sickness.

Day 5

An early start is advisable to avoid overheating on the steep but lovely hour-long climb from lake Kitandara which is at about 14,050ft (4,282m) to the Freshfield pass.
Viewing westwards on clear days one seas the Democratic Republic of Congo and northwards the Magherita (highest peak) and its glaciers still dominate the horizon.
Mist or rain can make tracing the trail difficult and the first one kilometre can be very slipperly. Rock shelters at Bujongolo and Kabamba are optional over-night stop-overs but it is better to push-on through the seemingly endless mud to newly constructed Guy Yeoman Hut at about 10,700ft (3,261m) above sea level.

Day 6

Hikers should begin their journey back early so as to get to Nyabitaba Hut before dark. In any case the path from Guy Yeoman is quite difficult in some spots.

Helping each other and descending very slowly facing the slope instead of facing outwards is recommended, especially as one approaches Kichunchu where the trail parallels and twice crosses the Mubuku river mostly in deep mud, until the last few kilometres of good dry trail. This follows the ridge down Nyabitaba which completes the circuit.

Day 7

Descend to Park Headquarters; it can take 2-3 hours.

You are great; you climbed the Mountains of the Moon!!

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