Rwenzori Mountains Hiking Rwenzori Tours Uganda Africa
February 27, 2008
Central Circuit Trail:
Day 1: Nyakalengija (1615m)-Nyabitaba Hut (2651m).
The Central Circuit starts at Nyakalengija at RMS offices.
Visitors are advised to arrive early morning to meet their guides, porters and rent their equipments, to save some time for the trail.
The trail starts by moving through a farmland to the boundary of the park, then followed by Mubuku River. Here you cross the Mahoma tributary and climb up the ridge to reach Nyabitaba hut.
During the trip, you will have a chance of seeing the black and white Colobus, coloured Rwenzori turaco, blue monkey and the chimpanzee as well.
(The hike takes almost 5 hours).
Day 2: Nyabitaba (2651m)-Mubuku River (2600m). John Matte Hut (3505m).
The trail starts beyond Nyabitaba, a few (100m) where the trail divides.
The right path takes you to Bujuku valley peaks and the left one to the descent occasions.
This trail takes you to Kurt Shafers Bridge crossing the Mubuku valley below the confluence of the river.
After the river, a slippery muddy trail climbs up through the bamboo forest.
At this point, you meet the groundsel zone and giant Lobelia found only in East Africa’s highest mountains.
Then you pass through the extra ordinary plants of challenging bog, to John Matte.
The trek takes 7 hours.
Day 3: John Matte (3505m)-Buyuku (3962m):
This route takes you to the Bujuku River where you cross the lower Bigo bog.
To improve walking, aboard walk has been constructed at the upper Bigo bog, reached by climbing a steep slope at the upper Bigo bog, a stunning view of Mt. Stanely at the top of the glacier- carved valley
After along glacial moraine climb, the trail takes you to Lake Bujuku, after crossing the river.
Past the cooking pot cave to Bujuku Hut is the muddiest stage of the trek.
The Hut is for interested parties climbing Mt. Speke, which stage almost takes 5 hours to the Hut at Bujuku.
Day 4: Bujuku (3962m-Scott Eliott Pass (4372m) to Kitandara (4023m).
The trail crosses more into mud from Bujuku through giant groundsels forest before a steepy climb.
To reach the groundsel gully, a metal ladder has to be climbed.
A branch climbs direct to Elena Hut (4430m) above the Gully.
The climb to Mt. Stanely (5109m) needs crampons, ropes, mountain boots and an ice axe.
The final trail leads you to a steep scree slope, this being the highest point on the circuit. Over Scott Elliot pass superb views of Mt. Stanely and Bujuku valley.
After the pass, the route leads you to Mt. Baker’s massive cliffs. After passing Upper Lake Kitandara, the hike ends near Lower Lake Kitandara for almost 3-5 hours.
Day 5: Kitandara (4023m)-Fresh Field Pass (4282m)-Guy Yeo man (3505m):
From Kitandara, the hike continues into more mud, to which the long descent to Nyakalengija begins.
The Guy Yeo man Hut enjoys superb sites for viewing Mt. Baker close to Mubuku River.
(The hike takes around 5 hours).
Day 6: Guy Yeo man (3505m)-Nyamitaba (2651m):
With the early start; the hike can take you down to Nyakalengija where the route descends the cliffs of Kichuchu below Guy Yeo man. After Kichuchu, the muddy path takes you to Mubuku River. This takes you round before climbing up to Nyabitaba to complete the circuit for 5 hours.
Day 7: Nyabitaba (2651m)-Nyakalengisa (1615m):
This is the last trail which takes you around 2-3 hours from Nyabitaba to Nyakelengija.
Kilembe Trail:
An alterative route is in plan to be re-opened from Rwenzori near Kasese to Rwenzori.
According to the UWA development plans.
Trail Health and Safety:
Altitude sicknesses such as hypothermia should be familiarized by the hikers, with their treatment and symptoms.
Irrespective of age, these altitude sicknesses can affect anyone especially above 2500m altitude. The most effective First Aid is being at lower levels when affected by these sicknesses. (See Osmaston’s Guidelines).
Huts and Trails Guidelines:
§ Use latrines provided by the huts.
§ It may be necessary to wait more than one night during the period of bad weather, to ease congestion a head.
§ Follow your guide path to reduce the trails damage.
§ Reduce the use of wood fires which damage the park’s vegetation.
(Gas cookers are provided).
§ Respect others in the hut by talking quietly.
§ Move with all your property with a porter.
Rwenzori Safari Uganda Rwenzori Mountaineering
February 27, 2008
Flora and Fauna:
Rwenzori Mountain is renown for its flora concentration such as the giant forest hog, bushbuck, elephant, chimpanzee, elephant’s diminutive cousin, leopard, buffalo and among the primates include black and white Colobus hyrax and the blue monkey.
Among the 241 bird species include 19 which are not found elsewhere in Uganda unless in Albertine Rift Valley forests. Search for the malachite sunbird in the alpine zone (Rwenzori Turaco).
Vegetation zones include;
§ Motane Forest (1500-2500m) above the Bakonzo Farm lands, which gives way to bamboo stands.
§ Mimulopsis messy tangle zone (2500-3000m).
§ Heather Rapenea zone (3000-4000m) made of big tree heathers. Lichen drab beards and garishly coloured mosses.
Also first found in this zone are the ground sels (senecio spp) and giant Lobelia (Lobalia spp).
These plants move on up to the Alpine zone (3800-4500m) joined by wiry.
The tussocks of sedge (Carex spp) invaded the Bigo Bogs upper of Bujuku valley by
use of climbers.
Trip plan:
The most attractive months for your trip may be the months of July-August and December-February. Visitors are attracted to follow the central circuit trail for their magnificent setting enjoyment.
For this trip, you may need spare warm clothes, rain gear and not forgetting the sleeping bag since there are limited dry clothes and other equipments.
Other requirements may be the gumboots mainly used in the central circuits.
The Rwenzori Mountaineering Services (R.M.S) is responsible for arranging the central circuit, which starts from Nyakalengija.
Visitors will be provided with sufficient food, Guides, Cook and Porters, who will carry your luggages, reducing on your burden to carrying your own camera, rain gear, spare clothes and snacks.
However, cooking equipments, fuel and food will not be provided and those being rented include ice axes, ropes, harnesses and crampons.
You can purchase your food in Kasese or Kampala. However, you should bring light weight dried meals with you to Uganda.
Several companies from Uganda (Adrift Adventure Company) or Internationally. Can arrange the technical mountaineering guides.
Note: Park fees are separately paid from UWA.
Accommodation Rwenzori Mountains Lodging
February 27, 2008
Accommodation:
The park provides camping sites and rooms at the trailhead in Nyakalengija as well as mountain huts for perfect views of the Albertine Rift valley. However, visitors should take their own sleeping mats and beds.
Other alternatives may be in nearby Queen Elizabeth National Park, Fort Portal and in Kasese.
Section Details
Rwenzori Mountains National Park Uganda
Rwenzori Mountains National Park Uganda
February 27, 2008
RWENZORI MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
The remarkable landscape was referred to as the Mountain of the moon by Alexandrine
a Geographer Ptolemy in AD 150. He also claimed that it was the source of the Nile since it had snow-capped range on its peak.
However, over along period, the snow faded away to form a mythology. The name (Mountain of the moon) was assured when John Speke found the existance of the Nile from Lake Victoria.
In1889, it was proved by Henry Stanely that the mountain existed. He then local named it Rwenjura (rain maker) on its map.
Mountain Rwenzori lies between Uganda and Congo border, then passes through the highest peak of Mt. Stanely. The landscape is surrounded by Virunga National Park in Congo and Rwenzori Mountains National Park in Uganda.
Beneath the highest peak along the Bujuku and Mobuku valley on which the trail meanders for 7 days on its explore, a tough trek is created although there are short distances terrain weather and altitude when combined.
The Ptolemy’s mountains were explored by the mountaineers and found that they are in the high Rwenzori glaciers and snow peaks, despite being just miles North of the equator, and the highest springs of the Nile are represented by the melt waters from the snow peak.
A 2500mm of rain/year twinkle downwards into a u-shaped glacial valleys and form great soggy bogs when they saturate the floors of the broad valley.
These rain and mist form specimens of Africa’s bizarre, vegetation of high altitude and stunted trees.
A lay out of the Rwenzori peak was established by the Italian Duke of Abruzzi in 1906 during his attempt of June and July. He photographed, mapped and scaled all the main peaks of Rwenzori Mountain after succeeding Stanely.
Access:
Rwenzori is 4000m above the Albertine Rift valley floor, few kilometers North of the equator. From Kampala to Nyakalengija park via Fort Portal from the North is 375km. Another route is passing through Mbarara and Queen Elizabeth using the Southern Route, its 450km.
Nyakalengija is 25km North of Kasese town and 17km off Fort Portal road.
Charter flights can as well be arranged from Kampala or Entebbe to Nyakalengija.
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