12 days Rwenzori Mountains Trek (Kilembe), wildlife and gorilla trek offers a 12 days safari to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for gorilla trekking, Queen Elizabeth National Park for wildlife viewing on game drives and boat cruise and Rwenzori Mountains National Park for a 7 days Rwenzori mountains climbing along the Kilembe route.
Detailed Itinerary For the 12 days Rwenzori, Gorilla trek & Wildlife
Day 1. Transfer from Kampala to Bwindi impenetrable forest.
You will be picked up by our Yaneta safaris tour guide who will drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a home of endangered mountain gorillas in Uganda. Have lunch in Mbarara town and arrive in the evening. Dinner and overnight stay at Silverback Lodge.
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Forest National Park
Early morning after the breakfast, you will set for gorilla tracking in Buhoma region,Before starting the trek, you will be given a briefing and from here you will head into the forest in search for these gentle giants,tracking is one of the best interesting activities as you watch these gorillas, see how they associate play. You are allowed to spend an hour with the gorillas. From here you will get back to the lodge for lunch and take a restful evening. Dinner and overnight stay at Silverback Lodge.
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, do afternoon Boat Cruise on Kazinga Channel
Early Morning, leave for Queen Elizabeth National Park. Arrive in the afternoon, take lunch and go for a boat cruise on Kazinga Channel. Over Night stay at Ihamba Safari Lodge.
Day 4: Morning Game drive, Transfer to Rwenzori Mountains National Park
After Breakfast, you will do a game drive in the park and then leave for Rwenzori Mountains National Park. Arrive in the afternoon at the Kilembe headquarters for registration at the Rwenzori trekking Services offices. Continue to the lodge for dinner and an overnight.
Day 5: Kilembe (1,450m) to Kalalama Camp (3147m)
From the rangers post, the trail heads further to Rwenzori mountains National Park gate, where the 7 days Rwenzori Kilembe trail trek starts. The trail then continues to the Forest zone. Expect to see some primate species; colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, then birds like the Rwenzori Turaco among others. You then continue to Sine camp where you will stopover for lunch. Then proceed to Kalalama camp (3,147m) where you will have dinner, the next day briefing and an overnight rest.
Day 6: Kalalama Camp (3.147m) to Mutinda Camp (3.688 m)
After along night rest, gather for tea, and get ready to start your hike to Mutunda camp(3.147m) from Kalalama hut. Set off by 9:00am for your trek through the bamboo-mimulopsis zone, which is a steep climb with many high steps. You will stop for a break, before you proceed along the heather zone, passing through many streams including waterfalls, all sheltered by the typical green moss vegetation. You will be able to see more of Giant Heather trees, even in a misty atmosphere.
Arrive in the early afternoon at the Mutinda Camp (3.688 m). This camp was named after the Mutinda Peaks. At this point, if you still have enough physical strength, you can climb further to Mutinda Lookout at 3.925 m, in about 90 minutes walk plus another 60 minutes descent back to the camp.
Mutinda look stands out among the moss covered rocks with spectacular views across the Rwenzori Mountains, down the Kasese town and Lake George which makes it worth visiting. Return to the camp late in the evening dinner, next day briefing and overnight rest.
Day 7: Mutinda Camp to Bugata Camp (4.062 m)
Following your breakfast, you will head for your trek at 9:00 Am, where you will walk straight through the boggy terrain with the typical wet vegetation and tussocks, to the Alpine vegetation zone with the presence of the giant lobelias (Lobellia gibberoa), the groundsel (Senecio adnivalis) and the everlasting flowers as you cross the Mutinda valley.
Then climb steeply up to Namusangi Valley (3.840 m), from where you will enjoy the best view of the Mutinda Peaks. You will proceed across the many bogs, along the Namusangi valley to Bugata Camp at 4.062m which is the arrival point of the day.
At this point, you will enjoy the breathtaking views of the Weismann’s peak of Mount Luigi of Savoy, which is usually covered by snow. The vegetation in this surrounding is defined by tussock grass, everlasting flowers, giant groundsel and giant lobelia.
This Rwenzori Kilembe trek takes you via lake Kitandara that stretches up to the Democratic republic of Congo. You will also get breathtaking views, nearby the Plozza Rock, of the nine lakes down the valley of lake Nusuranja. Bugata Camp has good facilities with solar lights, eco-toilets and bathroom. You have dinner and spend the night. You will be briefed about the following day and then return to your cabins for the night.
Day 8: Bugata Camp to Hunwick’s Camp (3.974 m)
Wake up early for breakfast and begin hiking to almost the epitome of this 7 days Kilembe Rwenzori Hike. You will hike up the Bamwanjara Pass, that raises steadily with several long flat bogs. As you proceed, expect to see the glacial lakes far beneath the valley, and get excellent views of all the main snow capped peaks upon reaching the Bamwanjara pass at 4450m, where there is a small shelter for you to relax for a short break refreshment, as you enjoy the scenery.
This walk then continues downwards to both lower and upper Kachope lake which is steep and muddy at all times but offers impressive views of Kachope Lakes and McConnell’s Prong. Arrive in the afternoon at Hunwick’s Camp, which is set on a ridge overlooking snowcapped Mt Baker. Dinner and an overnight at the camp.
Day 9: From Hunwick’s Camp to Margherita Camp (4,485 m.)
On this day, you will trek along the ridge before crossing many wet areas and small rivers flowing down from Mt Baker and Fresh fields Pass.
After breakfast, you will embark on your trek up the Scott Elliot Pass to the drift of the Stanley range, to Magherita Camp at 4485, which is located just beneath Rwenzori Mountaineering services hut of Elena Hut.
Margherita camp is covered with a ring of high rocks, and history has it that, it is the camp, that was first used by the Italian Prince Luigi Amadeo di Savoia, Duke of the Abruzzi. You will also enjoy breathtaking views of Mt Baker, Scott Elliot Pass and some of the Mount Stanley glaciers.
Hiking to Margherita peak takes is so challenging that you might reach in the early evening, where you will wait for dinner, followed by briefing and an overnight sleep. During the briefing, you will be trained how to use the ropes, harness, crampons, the hiking shoes, ice axe for breaking axes.
Day 10: Hike to the Summit and back to Hunswick Camp
You will wake up at 2:00pam for breakfast, and assemble together to start the trek. Set off at 3:00am in the morning after breakfast so as to reach the peak before the sunrise, to avoid walking through the trails that become impassable when the glacier melts.
Trekking up the Margherita requires enough physical strength to walk through the glaciers, and when you are about to reach the peak, you will head around an exposed section of rock, which is also bolted and roped, to get on the ridge running up to the top of Margherita Peak (5.109 m). Upon reaching the Margheritah peak, you enjoy the breathtaking views of the surrounding, then descend back to Hunwick’s camp for dinner and an overnight.
Day 11: Descend back to the Ranger post
Wake up to the beautiful sound of the Ruwenzori Turaco, have breakfast and embark on your trek down to the Rangers Post
You will walk down the valleys, which is home to a number bird species that fly in and out of the lush forest & Vegetation. Other attractions that you may encounter include the colobus monkeys, and the 3 horned chameleon.. you may also glimps, duikers, Giant Lobelias and various plant species.
Few kilometers as you approach the rangers post, you will walk through a climb , 200 metres height to a ridge overlooking the valley, before crossing a number of small valleys and streams to Kyalavula. Trek at your pace to the base Camp to pick up your certificate for climbing upto Margherita Peak. Proceed to the Lodge for dinner and an overnight
Day 12: Depart for Kampala
On this day, you will set off for Kampala, with stop overs in Mbarara for lunch and at the equator for photography. Arrive in Kampala in the Afternoon at your drop off location which marks the end of the trip.