Rwenzori Mountains National Park
The Rwenzori, or Mountains of the Moon as they are popularly called, lie on the border between Congo and Uganda, separating the East African savannahs from the lowland forests to the west. Unlike the other mountain ranges in East Africa, the Mountains of the Moon are not of volcanic origin. They were formed during the formation of the western part of the Rift Valley, which extends all the way west to the Rwenzori. The Rwenzori also stands out in that it covers a larger area and consists of six different mountain ranges, each with glaciers and peaks covered in permanent snow. For this reason, the Rwenzori is often called the “Alps of Africa”.
Day 1
Arrival Entebbe
We arrive in Entebbe and are accommodated somewhere by Lake Victoria, a few kilometers from the airport.
Day 2
Entebbe - Nyakalangija
After breakfast we are met by our guide and driven to the starting point of the tour: Nyakalengija
Day 3
Nyakalengija - Rwigo Camp
We start early and hike up through the cultural landscape and further into the national park. The path leads us westwards up a ridge with views over the Kasuka and Isule valleys. We have lunch along the way, prepared by our talented chefs. We continue through the Afromontane rainforest and look down at the bamboo forests below us. Here grow orchids, lilies, spring grasses and many other plants that we also find in Norway. It is common to see black and white colobus monkeys during this day.
Day 4
Queen - Kibale Forest NP
Right after a good breakfast we continue to the Pian Upe reserve, only an hour away. What is so great about Uganda is that it always has new gems to offer. One such shining diamond is the Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve located in the northeast of the country. Although the area does not contain elephants or lions (they occasionally visit), there is a healthy population of cheetah and the only population of Roan antelope in the country.
Day 5
Kambeho Camp - Muguli Camp
We walk in giant heather covered in clumps of moss and long tendrils of beard lichen. In this zone there are also masses of rhododendron, blackberry and lady's mantle bushes and rosewood. You will also have the opportunity to see colobus monkeys and marmosets. Further up towards the camp, giant lobelia and cornflowers begin to appear.
Day 6
Muguli Camp - Bigo Camp
Our journey continues through the Bukurungu Valley, between Portal Peaks and Mt. Gessi, past Lake Bukurungu (4291m) and down to Bigo Camp. Along the way we pass by and through large areas of giant hogweed and giant lobelia. From Lake Bukurungu you can see large parts of the mountain range with Mt. Stanley towering to the west with its glaciers. On a clear day you can see Mt. Margherita, Mt. Alexandria, Vittorio Emanuelle, Kihuma and Mt. Gessi.
Day 7
Bigo Camp - Lake Irene Camp
We will now climb steeply towards the valley side on the other side of Lake Bujuku. The path goes through a gully overgrown with giant hogweed, and leads us up towards the Scott-Elliott Pass. At the end of the gully there is a ladder that leads us up to the Elena hut. The hut is located at 4430 meters
Day 8
Lake Irene - Mt. Marherita - Bigo Camp
It takes about 3 hours from Elena Hut (4540m) to the summit of Mt. Margherita (5109m), and is of grade II. The route first goes over the ice plateau and then up to the cleft between Mt. Alexandra and Mt. Margherita. Further on in steep and exposed terrain up to Mt. Margherita, over a steep snowdrift, and then over loose rock to the summit itself. We take time for photography before we turn our noses back to Elena Hut.
Day 9
After a good night's sleep, the trip continues all the way back to Nyakalengija