8-DAYS UGANDA SAFARI TO RWENZORI MOUNTAINS |NATIONAL PARK SAFARIS
Uganda Mountain Hiking Tour Courtesy of Africa Adventure Safaris
The Rwenzori is the highest mountain range in Africa, known primarily for it’s challenging hikes and climbing possibilities. The park also supports a diversity of animals including 70 mammals and 177 birds. It is the only park where the Angola colobus is recorded. The Safari to the Rwenzori Mountains provides a thrilling experience, which requires planning for one to achieve this experience. The actual “central circuit” hike takes six nights/seven days to reach an altitude of 14,000ft (4,267 m) above sea level. The condition on the mountains can be challenging to even experience hikers and thus it requires one to follow the precautions stated and to have the necessary equipment before they set off for the trail.
However despite the challenges it’s and interesting experience to try out especially during the dry periods of July-August, December- February to when there is reduced mud and steepness. Always carry your rain gear, sleeping bag, warm a hat, jungle shoes, a walking stick fro balance no matter the season. You language will be carried by porters leaving you with small packs like cameras, warm clothes and others. You may be provided with cooking utensils to cook if you want or you can purchase you own cooked food.
THE CENTRAL CIRCUIT TRIAL
Day one:
Wake up early in the morning at 7: 00 am (local time) and leave Kampala for western Uganda. Drive to Kasese through Lake Mburo, lunch enroute in Mbarara. Then through Queen Elizabeth National park on the western arm of the Great Rift Valley and finally to Kasese. Spend a night at Margherita Hotel or Rwenzori Base Camp to prepare for the next days hike.
Day two
After a cup of coffee / tea arrive early in the morning at Rwenzori Mountains National Park and the Rwenzori Mountaineering Services (RMS) offices at Nyakalengija to have time to attain the necessary equipment and be availed with guides and porters. Begin the hike from the park headquarters 5,400ft (1,646m) and walk past typical “mud and wattle” Bakonzo homes. Gradually move upward through elephant grass and garden plots for about 40minutes to reach the park boundary. The track then follows the Mubuku River crossing recent landslide areas. Before reaching River Mahoma it involves climbing over rocks and its tricky for about two and a half hours. Cross the river for a steep climb through open bracken fern slopes and Podorcarpus Forest up to Nyabitaba hut 8,700ft (2652m), where you will spend a night. Behind the hut, you may be able to hear chimpanzees and at times the black and white colobus or the brilliantly coloured Turaco bird.
This hike generally takes about 5 to 7 hours and the total elevation is 4,000 ft (1,200 m).
Day Three:
Depart from Nyabitaba Hut West ward for half a kilometer and then drop steeply to Kurt Shaffer Bridge, which flows together Bujuku and the Mubuku rivers. Turn right to the bridge to climb the central circuit anti-clock wise cause the clockwise direction is much more difficult and risky. After crossing the Kurt Shaffer Bridge, climb steadily the muddy slippery trail through the bamboo forest to encounter an area of slippery boulder in about an hour and a half, which most hikers consider most difficult and dangerous footing of the circuit.
Consequent to 5hrs of traveling from Nyabitaba you reach Nyamuleju hut and its supplementary rock shelter where you might spend a night if you had a late start or know that there is a large group ahead of you at the next hut. On the top or the rock near Nyamuleju hut one can have a view of Mt Stanely and Speke. This point too, marks the start of giant lobelia and groundsel zone, this remarkable vegetation type is found only on high-altitude tropical mountains in the world.
Go for an hour walk to John Matte hut (11,200 ft /3,414 m) to pass through a taxing bog,
full of extra ordinary plants of which, slow movement offers a charming chance to examine and shoot this sole environment. The over role time to reach John matte takes 7 hours and it’s considered the longest and most tiring day of the circuit.
The loss of altitude to Kurt Shaffer Bridge means the total elevation to be gained on this day is about 3,000ft (915m). Hikers who feel, have reached their limits by this point should consider john matte as a reasonable stopping point.
Day Four:
Depart form John matte to cross the Bujuku River and enter the lower Bigo bog, to begin your first experience of jumping from tussock to tussock on a grassy bog. Following the muddy trail left (southern) edge of the lower Bigo bog you reach around metal “uniport” the bigo hut and its rock shelter. In the last half of this bog, use the steep section past the hut to the upper Bigo bog. At the upper bog there is a beautiful narrow stream that can make a lovely stop over for lunch. Beyond the upper bog and after climbing the drier ground and criss-crossing the river, you reach Lake Bujuku in an hour and half.
The Southern end of the lake is in a majestic setting with Mount Baker to the south, Mount Stanley to the West and Mount Speke to the North. The trail route along the lake’s northeastern shore crosses the worst mud on the trip. Past the north end of the lake is a rock shelter called cooking pot and a short distance further is Bujuku Hut 13,000ft (3962m), strategically located for Mountain climbers which requires technical skills and special equipment. The hut is however quiet cold due to it’s shaded location and frequent mists. This trail from John Matte to Bujuku takes a total time of 3-5 hour and the total elevation gained is 1,800ft (560 m) but the bog and mud make it another challengingn hike.
Day Five:
Leave Bujuku hut directly to a newer trail which rises and falls twice before finally climbing steeply through mysterious moss draped Groundsel vegetation 14,345ft (4,372m) to Scott Elliot pass. At the steepest section is a short strong ladder after which a right hand branch will lead to Elena Hut 14,700ft (4,430m). The trail is known to be steep and rock which when wet it is slippery but if you continue straight and a few steps below the pass there is a sheltered spot premium for a break. Then proceed to the second trail right to Elena. Elena is the base camp for climbing 16,763ft (5,109m) to Margherita Peak in the Mount Stanley complex that requires an additional day or two and can only be attempted with the necessary equipments such as an ice axe, mountain boots, crampons, ropes and prior arrangements with Rwenzori Mountaineering Service guides.
The trail continues and passes through and enters an alpine zone of sparse low vegetation and stark rough boulders more familiar to high altitude climbers from northern altitudes to the left over Scot Elliot. If the weather is not conducive, the conditions for “hypothermia” are ideal. It enable you have a pleasant view of northward of Margherita peak, Elena and Savoia Glaciers, and Mount Baker 15,889ft(4,843m) towering above you to the east or left of the trail.
Having dropped a few hundred feet elevation from the pass, you cut below massive rock walls at the base of Mount Baker, where dramatic “impact craters” have been caused by large rocks falling from above and your might be cautioned by your guide against loud noises.
Climbing and sloping the trail the trail moves down to Lake Kitandara Hut 13,200ft (4,023m). A splendid site surrounded by towering peaks however, the sun sets early and the nights can be cold. The over all trail takes from Bujuku to Kintandara is 3-5 hours and the average elevation gained is 1,400ft (425m) and because Scott Elliot is the highest point so far, some hikers will be slower due to greater effort required at these altitudes. Take note of the signs of the altitude sickness.
Day Six:
Start the trail very early in the morning to avoid over heating on the steep but spectacular hour-long climb from the Lake Kitandara which is 14,050ft (4,282m) to the Fresh field pass. Viewing Westward on clear days leads into neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and north, Margherita, and its glaciers still dominate the horizon.
Freshfield is a long traverse through splendid high alpine mossy glades and more mud until after half an hour, when the trail begins the circuit’s long two-day descent. The trail can be difficult to trace if it’s rainy and misty - also the first one kilometer can be very slippery. It’s optional to have over night stop over at Rock shelters at Bujongolo and Kabamba, however it is better to push on through the apparently endless mud to newly constructed Guy Yeoman Hut 10,700ft (3,261m). To some hikers this trail from Kitandara-Guy Yeoman trip can be five hour journey however, any stops to enjoy the pass, bad weather , and the slow conditions in the last two hours of deep mud can make this a much longer day which some visitors consider as difficult as day two.
Day Seven:
Begin the journey back very early in the morning to get to Nyabitaba Hut before it darkens. The pass from Guy Yeoman being difficult it requires to help each other and descend very slowly facing the slope instead of facing outward is recommended- especially as you approach Kichunchu where the trail parallels and twice crosses the Mubuku river especially in deep mud until the last few kilometers of good dry trail. Therefore this follows the ridge down Nyabitaba, which completes the circuit. For typical hikers Guy Yeoman to Nyabitaba trail can be achieved in 5 hours. In case you decide to continue to Nyakalengija it is another two or three hours depending on the condition of your knees and your desire to reach a comfortable bed and bath. One should take note of the vines and brush and resist the urge to hurry out of the mountains. Late evening walks enables you to watch birds and you may view the occasional blue tailed monkey and sharp eyes may catch a sight of the luminous green but changeable Rhinoserous chameleon.
Day Eight:
Move down to the head quarters which will take you about 2-3 hours and prepare to leave back to Kampala
Precautions
• Accept the park’s limit of 15 people per hut per night. Delaying you first departure a day may mean less congestion at huts and much more pleasant trip.
• Don’t litter the park with non-burnable or biodegradable items like tins, plastic and silver foil. Personally collect these things and make sure you or your porters take them out of the park.
• Please use the latrines for all body waste.
• Respect others in the huts by sharing space, stoves, talking quietly
• Observe the prohibition of wood fire. Making fires using local wood is prohibited in the park. Use your own paraffin stove or gas or charcoal provided and please be considerate to your porters by bringing minimum equipment. Extra personal gear means heavier loads or extra porters, which is bad for the porter but also for the environment.
• Minimise damage on trails by following your guide closely-avoid making new paths. Each time a hiker makes a new route, the paths get wider and more vegetation turns to mad.
• Ask your guides on how to conduct yourself
