14 Days Rwenzori Hiking, Virunga Mountains & Gorilla Trekking - Uganda Rwanda Safari tours
The 14 Days Rwenzori Mountains, Virunga Mountains Hiking & Climbing adventures will reward you with great experience of visiting the Snow Capped mountain of the moon and hiking virunga mountains of Sabyinyo , Karismbi hike and enjoying the watching of various primates in Uganda's national parks of
14 Days Rwenzori, virunga Mountains Climbing starts from Kampala Uganda and ends in Kigali Rwanda , This Uganda Rwanda Safari tour is available for all travelers luxury or mid range or budget travelers on Rwenzori hiking / Climbing there is no luxury or budget the hiking fees is uniform may be the change can be caused by the type of the fleet used and the hotels where you will spend your nights after or before the actual Hike, The traveler will be using the Central Circuit route that is managed by Rwenzori mountaineering services.
Book the 14 Days Uganda Rwanda Safari tour for the rwenzori mountains hike using the central circuit that is managed by Rwenzori Mountaineering Services for the 7 Days hike and then add on the extra adventure safari activities in the wilderness of Africa tailored by Active African Vacations Ltd
Day 1: Transfer from Entebbe Airport / Kampala City to Kasese Town
The Company guide will pick you up from your hotel in Entebbe/Kampala or at the airport and then transfer to Kasese- Nyalengija. The journey via the Kampala-mubende -Fortportal-Kasese highway and will take you around 7-8hours with a stopover along the way for lunch. You will check in at Ruboni community camp where you will have dinner and spend the night.
Day 2: Nyakalengija (1600m)-Nyabitaba hut (2660m)
After breakfast at the camp, you will go to RMS headquarters where you will be briefed about the whole hike. Start the hike from Nyalengija through the Bakonzo settlements to mount Rwenzori national park gate where you will be registered before entering the park. You will start the central circuit trail trek through the thick tropical with high elephant grass and dense bushes
This forest is a home to various animal species like forest elephant, chimpanzee, hyrax, black-and-white colobus, L'Hoest's monkeys, duiker, and three horned chameleon among many more. Some of the bird species include; Handsome Francolin, Rwenzori Turaco, Long-eared Owl, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Strange Weaver, Archers’ Robin-chat, Rwenzori Batis among many others as well as various tree and plant species. You will expect to see some of them. It’s about 8km from Nyalengija to Nyabitaba hut. Dinner and overnight at Nyabitaba hut.
Day 3: Nyabitaba hut (2660m)-John Matte hut (3420m)
Have breakfast at the hut, you will move through thick shrubs and forest for about 30 minutes to the Kurt Shafer bright which is at the confluence of the Mubuku and Bujuku rivers. You will then move though the bamboo mixed with montane forests and slippery moss covered rocks for a couple of hours. As you hike you will also expect to see various bird species that live in the forest. You will continue to move up to Nyamulejju rock shelter where the first hikers used to at times camp and also spend the night, you will have a stopover here for lunch.
At this point you will have a view of mount Stanley and mount Speke if the weather is clear. You will then continue to move through the alpine forest to John Matte hut where you will have dinner and spend the night. The hut is near river Bujuku and most hikers take a bath there, the water is so cold but so refreshing as well. You will also have a view of the Margherita glacier which is on mount Stanley between Alexandra and Margherita peaks. Nyabitaba to John Matte is about 11km.
Day 4: John Matte hut (3420)-Bujuku hut (3930m)
After breakfast at the hut, you will cross river Bujuku and through forest to the lower bigo bog. This is a swampy area in a valley and is a home to the giant lobelias. This area used to be hardest part of the Rwenzori since the area is so boggy, jumping from one tussock to another was not so easy for most hikers more so females. Currently, there is a walk board up to the end of the boggy area which makes the walk much easier for trekkers. As you move you will expect to see giant lobelias, everlasting flowers and groundsels.
You will then take a steep hike along a ridge which will lead you to the start of the upper bigo bog. There is also a board walk up to Lake Bujuku. After the board walk you will try to move through the remaining small boggy area with no walk boards to Bujuku hut. At this point, you will have a view of Lake Bujuku, mount Speke, Mount Baker and mount Stanley. At this point you are able to ascend mount Speke and mount Stanley. Distance from john matte to Bujuku is about 5km. dinner and overnight at Bujuku.
Day 5: Bujuku hut (3930m)-Elena hut (4563m)
Have breakfast at Bujuku hut then continue with the hike to Elena hut, which is 5-7 hours hike. You will move through the sides of the upper Bigo bog. You will then hike through the steep slopes the steep slopes of Lake Bujuku. Elena hut is at the rocky part of Mount Stanley and the area is too cold. At this point, you are at the highest mountain of the Rwenzori and you will have a direct view of Mount Baker and Mount Speke. Sometimes it is hard to view these two mountains because they are covered by fog. Have dinner at Elena hut then spend the night.
Day 6: Elena hut (4563m) - Kitandara (3979m)
This day you will have to wake up as early as 2am, Have breakfast at Elena hut then hike to the top of mount Stanley, Magherita peak, through the Stanley plateau and Magherita Glaciers. The guide will teach you how to use the equipment while on the ice. At the top you will have a view of Irene Lake, mount Speke and the surrounding environment. Then descend to Elena Hut for Lunch and later proceed to descend to Kitandara through the Scott Elliot pass to Kitandara, it is the most beautiful point of the Rwenzori. Have dinner at Kitandara then spend the night. If the group is big, you might spend another night at Elena hut and continue the following day.
Day 7: Kitandara hut (3979m) - Guy Yeoman hut (3505m)
Have breakfast at Kitandara then move through the base of Mount Baker, which can be slippery so you will need to be so careful. From Kitandara, the trail ascends steeply up the headwall, spreading out from the base of Mount Baker and continuing along the south side of the Rwenzori Mountain to Fresh field pass. From the pass, the long muddy descent continues, passing the rock shelter at Bujangolo, the base camp for the historic expedition by the Duke of Abruzzi in 1906. This will take you around 4-6 hours then reach Guy Yeoman hut which is located at the banks of river Mubuku, have dinner and spend the night.
Day 8: Guy Yeoman to Nyabitaba
The Highest Point in Uganda
From Guy Yeoman, you will descend to Nyalengija 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. Dinner and overnight at Nyabitaba. You will have a stopover at Nyabitaba for lunch and then proceed to Nyakalengija. As you descend you will expect to see various bird species like the Rwenzori turaco. Dinner and overnight at Ruboni community camp.
Day 9: Nyabitaba to Nyakalengija & transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable national park.
You will have to start the journey very early in the morning to enable you arrive at the base on time, and later transfer back to Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park for the gorilla trekking experience the next Day. From Nyabitaba, you will descend through the tropical forest and crossing some rivers and streams back to the base. You may see the three horned chameleons, black and white colobus monkeys as well as various bird species like the Rwenzori turaco. It takes about 3-4 hours to get back to the base. Have lunch at Savanna Resort Hotel and then continue to Ruhija Sector . Dinner and overnight at Gorilla mist camp.
Day 10. Gorilla trekking and Transfer to Kisoro
After breakfast at the camp, the guide will drive you at Rushaga trekking headquarters where your permits will be verified. You will be briefed by the park guide about the activity and the start the trek.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park lies in southwestern Uganda on the edge of the Rift Valley. More famously, this “impenetrable forest” also protects an estimated 400 mountain gorillas – roughly half of the world’s population, including several habituated groups, which can be tracked. This biologically diverse region also provides shelter to a further 120 mammals, including several primate species such as baboons and chimpanzees, as well as elephants and antelopes. There are around 350 species of birds hosted in this forest, including 23 Albertine Rift endemics. The park has different trekking sectors with different gorilla groups; Rushaga, ruhija, nkuringo and buhoma.
As you trek the gorillas you will expect to spot some of the other primates that live in the forest and also various bird species. The activity will take between 4-6 hours depending on where the gorilla group you are trekking will be that day. When you find them, you will be given an hour to see the gorillas as they go about their daily life, and also take photos. You will then return to the camp, refresh and have lunch. You will then check out of the camp and transfer to Kisoro, which is about an hour drive. Check in at countryside guest house where you will have dinner and spend the night.
Primates in Uganda
As you trek the gorillas you will expect to spot some of the other primates that live in the forest and also various bird species. The activity will take between 4-6 hours depending on where the gorilla group you are trekking will be that day. When you find them, you will be given an hour to see the gorillas as they go about their daily life, and also take photos. You will then return to the camp, refresh and have lunch. You will then check out of the camp and transfer to kisoro, which is about an hour drive. Check in at countryside guest house where you will have dinner and spend the night.
Day 11. Sabyinyo hike in Virunga Mountains
After breakfast at the guest house, the guide will drive to the mount Sabyinyo hike starting point. The park guide will brief you about the activity, be assigned guides and porters.
Mount Sabyinyo is an extinct volcano located in the Virunga region. The summit of the mountain, at 3,669 metres, marks the intersection of the borders of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Rwanda, and Uganda, and holds religious significance to local tribes. It also is within the adjoining national parks established by these countries: Virunga National Park in the DRC, the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. The slopes of Mt. Sabyinyo are a habitat for the critically endangered mountain gorilla.
The hike to the top will take you about 5-6 hours. You will move through the tropical vegetation, proceed through some bamboo and shrubs and grasses. The top of your mountain, you will be standing in 3 countries, have beautiful views of the Virunga massif; the volcanoes and other highlands, ridges and valleys which are covered with beautiful vegetation. You will then descend back to the base where your driver will be waiting. You will then drive back to the guest house where you will refresh, have dinner and spend the night.
Day 12. Golden monkey and cross to Rwanda
After breakfast at the guest house, you will drive to mount Mgahinga national park headquarters. You will be briefed and then start the trek through the forest to look for golden monkeys. This activity will take about 3 hours. You will expect to see the golden monkeys in the bamboo region of the forest where these monkeys spend most of their time.
You will follow the monkeys as they jump from one bamboo tree to another as they go about their daily life. Return to the guest house and then check out and drive to cyanika border which is about one and a half. You will cross the border and drive to musanze-ruhengeri. Check in at Da Vinci Lodge, have lunch. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
You will follow the monkeys as they jump from one bamboo tree to another as they go about their daily life. Return to the guest house and then check out and drive to Cyanika border which is about one and a half. You will cross the border and drive to musanze- ruhengeri. Check in at Da Vinci Lodge, have lunch. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Day 13. Karisimbi hike
After breakfast at the lodge, you will drive to Karisimbi hike starting where the park guide will brief you about the hike. You will be assigned, hiking guides and porters. Mount Karisimbi is an inactive volcano in the Virunga Mountains on the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. At 4,507 metres, Karisimbi is the highest of the eight major mountains of the mountain range, which is a part of Albertine Rift, the western branch of the East African Rift.
Karisimbi is flanked by Mikeno to the north, Bisoke to the east and Nyiragongo to the west, on the other side of the Rift Valley. Karisimbi is the 11th highest mountain of Africa. With all your needed hiking equipment, you will start the hike to the top of mount karismbi. You will pass through the tropical forests, and some bamboo and you will expect to see various primates and well as bird species that live in the forest. The top of this mountain will meet you with beautiful views of the Virunga massif, and the volcanoes. You will set your tents, dinner will be served and spend the night on the mountain.
Day 14. Descend
After breakfast on the mountain, you will descend back to the base. You guide will be waiting for you and then transfer back to the lodge. Refresh and have lunch and in the after lunch transfer to Kigali International Airport for the night flight back home.
