10 Days Rwenzori Trek & Muhabura Hike
10 days Rwenzori trek and muhabura Trek
On this 10 day trip, you will experience hiking mount Rwenzori, and one of the volcanoes in the Virunga, muhabura which you will hike twice from both Uganda and Rwanda
Activities
- Climbing muhabura twice
- Hikingg mt Rwenzori
Destinations
- Mt Rwenzori
- Mt muhabura
Highlights
Day 1: start of ascent- Nyakalengija (1600m) to John matte hut (3420m)
Day 2: John matte to Elena hut (4563m)
Day 3: Elena to Bujuku camp (3930m) – Hiking to the top
Day 4: Bujuku to Nyabitaba hut (2660m)
Day 5: Nyabitaba back to Nyakalengija
Day 6: transfer to Mgahinga gorilla national park
Day 7: ascending muhabura from Uganda
Day 8: descend and transfer to Rwanda
Day 9: ascending muhabura
Day 10: descend and departure
Details
Day 1: start of ascent- Nyakalengija (1600m) to John matte hut (3420m)
Hiking in Nyakalengija at the head office where you will be briefed and then pick your hiking equipment. The guides and porters will be ready and you will start the hike passing through the local settlements, tropical forests, montane forests, bamboo forest and part of the alpine. As you hike, you will have a stopover at Nyabitaba hut for lunch and then proceed through the Kurt Schaffer Bridge, which is at the conference of Mubuku and Bujuku Rivers. You will then reach john matte where you will have dinner and spend the night.
Day 2: John matte to Elena hut (4563m)
After breakfast at john matte, you will pass through the rocky and slippery area as you cross-different rivers and stream. Along this route, you will spot where you will be able to spot the Margherita and Alexandra peaks at a distance. You will then proceed with the hike through the lower bigo bog where boards were put to make movement easier, you will spot various plants like giant lobelia, groundsels, and everlasting flowers among others. You will continue to hike through the rocky parts of mount Stanley to Elena hut where you will have dinner and spend the night.
Day 3: Elena to Bujuku camp (3930m) – Hiking to the top
On this day you will start the hike at around 2am, get ready with your hiking gear and headlamps, you will hike through the rocky area, and you will use the ropes as you hike on some spots to the Stanley glacier. You will need your crampons. After the Stanley glacier, you will remove the crampons and continue with the hike through the rocks to the Margherita glacier. The hike through the Margherita glacier will lead you to Margherita peak, which is the highest point of the Rwenzori.
You will then descend back to Elena hut where you will rest and have lunch. And then continue to descend to Bujuku hut where you will have dinner and spend the night.
Day 4: Bujuku to Nyabitaba hut (2660m)
After breakfast at Bujuku you will move through the upper bigo bog, continue descending through the lower bigo bog to john matte where you will rest and have lunch. You will then proceed to Nyabitaba hut where you will have dinner and spend the night.
Day 5: Nyabitaba back to Nyakalengija
After breakfast at Nyabitaba, you will descend back to Nyakalengija through the bamboo forests. The path down can be slippery and muddy with little to hold on to and requires careful balancing over the vertical mud or steep rock. After about 5 hours of trekking you will reach Nyabitaba hut where you will have a stopover for lunch and continue to descend for more 3 hours to Nyakalengija.
Upon arrival at Nyakalengija in the late evening, your driver will be ready to transfer you to your hotel where you will spend the night.
Accommodation: Rwenzori sports resort
Acacia villa
Day 6: relaxation and personal work- transfer to Mgahinga gorilla national park
The morning is designed for you to relax from the long hike and prepare for the next 2 hikes. You can choose to take a walk or visit the communities and Your guide will be there in case you need anything.
In the afternoon, after your lunch meal, you will set off for your journey to
Muhabura which you will be hiking the next day. The distance is about 300km and your arrival will be in the late evening.
Dinner will be at Mgahinga park
Accommodation luxury: mount gahinga lodge
Mid range: travelers rest camp
Budget: kisoro tourist hotel
Day 7: ascending muhabura from Uganda
After the usual briefing, you will start off with your hike led by the park guide assigned to you. The mountain is steep and one of the hardest to climb in the Virunga so one needs to be ready to meet the demands.
The first stop is at about 3,117 meters while the second is at about 3,860 meters and from these you can rest and have meals. From the second stop, its only a little distance to the summit so be strong to make it there as you will be rewarded with breath taking views.
You can also hire porters to help you with the luggage.
Accommodation and dinner will be at the summit shelter camps.
Day 8: descend and transfer to Rwanda
After your breakfast, your guide will lead you back to the bottom.
Our driver will be ready transfer you to Rwanda where you will have your second muhabura hike.
Lunch will be available in Rwanda upon arrival.
You will be driven to a lodge around muhabura where you will get time to relax from the 1st hike and spend your night as you prepare for the 2nd hike. It will only take about 2 hours for you to arrive in Rwanda.
Accommodation facilities: Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge.
Gorilla Volcanoes Hotel
Red Rocks Rwanda
Day 9: ascending muhabura
After your breakfast, you will be driven to the park headquarter at Kinigi at for briefing and you will later head off for hiking. The hike usually takes a full day from 6 to 8 hours depending on your hiking experience.
You will head off with you packed lunch that you will have at the different stopovers.
Accommodation and dinner will be at the summit shelters.
Day 10: descending and departure
After your breakfast at the summit, you will be led to the starting point where your guide will be waiting to transfer you to your next destination; the airport or a hotel
What to see at the summit of muhabura
- A crater lake at the summit with beautiful clear waters.
- From the Rwanda side one can spot the beautiful twin lakes Ruhundo and Burera
- Lake Bunyonyi can be seen from the Uganda side.
- the beautiful countryside
- Other volcanoes within the Virunga ranges like Sabyinyo, Gahinga, Karisimbi, Bisoke and Nyiragongo
Trip includes
- Hiking permits- muhabura
- Hiking permits- rwenzori
- Pick up and transfers
- Accommodation
- Meals
- Bottled water
Trip excludes
- Tips
- Visa fees
- Porter fees
- Extra snacks
- Other activities not on itinerary
What to carry
- Good bush shoes
- Insect repellents
- Sleeping bag
- Rain coats
- Cameras