12 Days Mount Rwenzori Hiking and Gorilla Trekking Safari
The 12 Days Mount Rwenzori Hiking and Gorilla Trekking Safari will take you through the hidden gems of Uganda. You will prove that indeed, Uganda is the Pearl of Africa. The safari will start and end at the Entebbe International Airport. It involves hiking through the highest mountain in Uganda commonly known as the Mountains of the Moon. Accommodation facilities for this 12 Days Mount Rwenzori Hiking and Gorilla Trekking Safari are both budget and mid-range.
They include spending nights at a camping site while you hike the Rwenzori. You will pass by rivers, waterfalls, human settlements, and many more. Spending time with the endangered mountain gorillas is one of the highlights of your 12 Days Mount Rwenzori Hiking and Gorilla Trekking Safari. You will also visit Queen Elizabeth National Park and enjoy an amazing game drive as well as a boat trip on the Kazinga Channel. Without any further do, let us dive into the detailed itinerary for this 12 Days Mount Rwenzori Hiking and Gorilla Trekking Safari.
Safari Summary
Day 1: Arrival and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Day 2: Mountain gorilla trekking and Batwa Community tour
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park and en-route game drive in Ishasha Sector
Day 4: Game drive in Kasenyi Sector and afternoon boat cruise on Kazinga Channel
Day 5: Nyakalengija to Nyabitaba Hut (2681 meters)
Day 6: Nyabitaba Hut to John Matte Hut (3505 meters)
Day 7: John Matte Hut to Bujuku Hut (3962 meters)
Day 8: Bujuku Hut to Erena Hut (4541 meters)
Day 9: Erena Hut to Margherita Peak to Kitandara Hut (4023 meters)
Day 10: Kitandara Hut to Guy Yeo Man Hut (3505 meters)
Day 11: Guy Yeo Man Hut to Nyabitaba Hut to Nyakalengija (2651 meters)
Day 12: Transfer to Kampala – Departure
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival and transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Upon arrival at the Entebbe International Airport or after breakfast at your hotel in Kampala, you will meet our professional driver guide. He or she will brief you about your 12 Days Mount Rwenzori Hiking and Gorilla Trekking Safari. You will then embark on the drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via Kampala – Masaka – Mbarara – Kabale highway. You will make a stopover at the Uganda Equator and learn some geography. You will have a lunch stop over in Mbarara and visit the Igongo Cultural Centre as well as hike the Eclipse Monument. Upon arrival at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, check in to your earlier-booked lodge for dinner and spend the night over.
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Day 2: Mountain gorilla trekking and Batwa Community Tour
On the second day of your 12 Days Mount Rwenzori Hiking and Gorilla Trekking Safari, you will do your dream activity – mountain gorilla trekking. The day starts with a delicious early breakfast followed by a transfer to the park headquarters for a briefing. The briefing will equip you with the dos and don’ts of the gorilla trekking activity. You will be led by a professional tour guide and start the search for a gorilla family.
Upon meeting the gorilla family, you will be allowed to spend one hour in their presence as you watch them play, dine, and mate. The park is also home to many bird species including the endangered Rift Valley species. You will also meet other primate species before returning to your lodge for lunch and relaxation.
In the afternoon, you will take a walk around the neighboring Bakiga and Batwa communities for an amazing Uganda cultural tour. The 12 Days Mount Rwenzori Hiking and Gorilla Trekking Safari is incomplete without participating in the chores of the local communities. The Batwa are an indigenous tribe in Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo. They are fond of staying in forests and mainly do fruit gathering and hunting. In the later hours of the day, you will return to your lodge for dinner and spend the night over.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 3: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park and en-route game drive in Ishasha Sector
After a morning meal at your lodge, you will check out and drive to Uganda’s most popular safari destination – Queen Elizabeth National Park. The park is home to the rare tree-climbing lions and many elephants roaming the Ishasha and Kasenyi sectors respectively. You must enjoy the scenic views of the lush green vegetation mixed with coffee and tea plantations. The rolling hills of the Kigezi region will create an everlasting memory on your road trip.
Upon reaching the park, you will have lunch and embark on a game drive in the Ishasha sector. You will come across a pride of lions and enjoy the views. There are other wildlife species including buffaloes, elephants, antelopes, warthogs, and many more. The sector is also a haven for birders since it is home to multiple species of birds. In the evening, you will return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 4: Game drive in Kasenyi Sector and afternoon boat cruise on Kazinga Channel
After breakfast, you will embark on a morning game drive in the Kasenyi sector. The Kasenyi sector is dominated by many elephants and other grazers. You will also visit the Katwe Salt mining area and get a chance to interact with the local members of the communities. The sector is also home to multiple bird species some of which are rift valley endemics while others are migratory. Return to your lodge for lunch and relaxation.
In the afternoon, you will go for a boat cruise at either Katunguru or Mweya. The cruise will introduce you to large schools of hippos, crocodiles, and water birds. You will interact with the local members of the communities and watch them catch fish. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 5: Nyakalengija to Nyabitaba Hut (2681 meters)
This is the beginning of your hiking adventure on the 12 Days Mount Rwenzori Hiking and Gorilla Trekking Safari. After breakfast, your driver guide will drive you to Nyakalengija – the starting point for your Rwenzori hiking adventure. After registration and briefing, you will be assigned an armed ranger to take you through your hiking tour. You will walk through the rugged and challenging terrain towards Nyabitaba Hut. You will come across several small rivers including River Mubuku. The hike will introduce you to many bird species like the Rwenzori turaco. You will stop somewhere for lunch since it will be packed. Dinner and overnight will be at Nyabitaba Hut.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 6: Nyabitaba Hut to John Matte Hut (3505 meters)
After breakfast at Nyabitaba Hut, you will embark on the hike to John Matte Hut. The journey will take you through bamboo forests and slippery rocks. You will also pass by the Kurt Shafer Bridge, just below the confluence of the Mubuku and Bujuku rivers. Pass by the giant heather and enjoy scenic views of the surrounding areas. Lunch will be along the way. Upon arrival at John Matte Hut, you will spend the night over.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 7: John Matte Hut to Bujuku Hut (3962 meters)
After breakfast, you will start your hike to Bujuku Hut at 3962 meters. The hike is quite a challenging one but with patience and endurance, you will make it. It involves crossing the Bujuku River and a hike from the lower Bigo bog to the upper section of the bog. If the weather is clear enough, you will enjoy scenic views of Mount Stanley at a distance. Traverse through the muddy landscape and cross Lake Bujuku. Arrive at Bujjuku Hut for dinner and spend the night over.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 8: Bujuku Hut to Erena Hut (4541 meters)
start your 8th day of the 12 Days Mount Rwenzori Hiking and Gorilla Trekking Safari with a delicious breakfast. Pack your lunch and carry on with the hike to the Rwenzori Mountains. You will traverse the rocky landscape while enjoying views of the endless mountain ranges. For many people, the feeling of giving up comes at this stage, but the endurance is worth it. You will have already seen the snow-capped ranges of these Mountains of the Moon. Dinner and overnight will be at Erena Hut.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 9: Erena Hut to Margherita Peak to Kitandara Hut (4023 meters)
You are almost there, after breakfast, you will hike from Erena Hut to Margherita Peak which is the highest point of Rwenzori. This is the long-awaited day on your 12 days Rwenzori and gorilla safari. You will spend a night here and relax in preparation for hiking down the mountain.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 10: Kitandara Hut to Guy Yeo Man Hut (3505 meters)
After breakfast, you will carry your belongings and embark on another challenging day of your safari. You will pass through rocks and montane vegetation. The journey takes approximately 5 hours before you reach Guy Yeo Man Hut. You will pass by the waterfalls at Kabumba Caves. Lunch will be along the way as you enjoy different altitudes. Dinner and overnight will be at Guy Yeo Man Hut.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 11: Guy Yeo Man Hut to Nyabitaba Hut to Nyakalengija (2651 meters)
After breakfast, you will continue with your hike down the mountain. This is a four hour descent extending from Guy Yeomen to Nyabitaba Hut. The course runs down the overhangs of Kichuchu. After Kichuchu, the mud-covered pathway crosses the Mubuku River twofold before descending downward to Nyabitaba to finish the marvelous central circuit. Dinner and overnight at Nyakalengija Hut.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 12: Transfer to Kampala – Departure
After breakfast, check out of your accommodation facility and drive back to Kampala. You will have an en-route lunch. The driver will drop you at the Entebbe International Airport for your outbound flight. If you desire to spend a night in Kampala, we are ready to follow your advice. This will mark the end of your amazing 12 Days Mount Rwenzori Hiking and Gorilla Trekking Safari.
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
