Itinerary
The central circuit starts at the Rwenzori Mountaineering Services offices at Nyakalengija. You need to arrive in the morning to allow ample time to rent equipment and meet your guides and porters.
This trek is priced at $840 per person. This includes: UWA (Uganda Wildlife Authority) park entrance fees of USD35 per person per day, guides, porters, meals and all accommodation while in the mountains.
Day 1 – NYAKALENGIJA (1615m) – NYABITABA CAMP (2651m asl.)
The central circuit starts at the Rwenzori Mountaineering Services offices at Nyakalengija. You need to arrive in the morning to allow ample time to rent equipment and meet your guides and porters. The trail begins by passing through farmland to the park boundary beyond which it follows a thick forest along the Mubuku River, crossing its Mahoma River tributary before starting a long, steep climb up onto a massive ridge to reach Nyabitaba hut. During this part of the trip you may hear chimpanzee and see black and white colobus, blue monkey and the brilliantly coloured Rwenzori turaco.
The hike takes an average of 6 -7 hours.
Day 2 – NYABITABA – JOHN MATTE CAMP (3505m)
From Nyabitaba follow the trail that drops down through the forest to the Kurt Shafer Bridge, just below the confluence of the Mubuku and Bujuku rivers. Passing through the bamboo forest, traverse through a long and exhausting stretch of slippery moss-covered rock. From the Nyamuleju rock shelter, Mount Stanley and Mount Speke can be seen before passing into the zone of the giant heather, lobelia and groundsel. Finally reach John Matte Hut after passing through the tiring bog, for dinner and overnight at the hut.
The hike takes an average of 7 – 8 hours.
Day 3 –JOHN MATTE – BUJUKU CAMP (3962m)
From John Matte Hut the trail drops down to cross the Bujuku River and enters Lower Bigo Bog, the home of giant lobelias. Jumping from tussock to tussock, the bog is finally crossed but rarely without the feet sampling some of the freezing ooze below. The upper Bigo bog gives way to Bujuku Lake, with views of Mt Baker to the South and Mt Stanley to the West. Bujuku Hut, well located in the shadow of Mount Baker and Mount Speke, is set in a narrow valley below Stuhlmann Pass. This camp is good for acclimatization for clients attempting the summits of peaks Mount Stanley and Mount Speke. Dinner and overnight at Bujuku hut.
The hike takes an average of 4 – 5 hours.
Day 4 – BUJUKU – MT. SPEKE (4890M) – BUJUKU – JOHN MAATE
Early in the morning start the hike through stullmans pass (4192m asl.) and spectacular views of Virunga National park of DR Congo to Victorio Emanuele peak.
The ascend to the peak takes 4 – 5 hours.
Prepare to descend back to Bujuku camp from Victorio Emanuele with views of Bujuku valley and Bujuku lake, Margherita and Albert peaks on Mount Stanley, and Mount Baker back to Bujuku and continue for an overnight at John Maate Camp.
The descend takes an average of 3 – 4hours.
Day 5 – JOHN MAATE – NYABITABA – NYAKALENGIJA (1615m)
Below Guy Yeoman, the route descends the cliffs of Kichuchu. Beyond Kichuchu the muddy path crosses the Mubuku River twice through a bamboo forest before climbing downwards to Nyabitaba to complete the circuit.
Continue descending Nyabitaba Camp and complete your trek by the evening at Nyakalengija, the base camp.
The descent takes 7 – 8 hours
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