Queen Elizabeth & Rwenzoris ( 10 Days)

Itinerary

Day 1: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park

Upon the arrival, you will be welcomed by Rwenzori Expeditions Safari guide  who will offer you short brief about the safari, Uganda history  and then proceed with the transport to the home of wilderness. You will several stopovers at different destinations including at the equator for photography and breakfast. You will then continue with the journey passing by different crater lakes and later have another stop for lunch. Arrive at the park in the late afternoon, check in at the lodge of your choice for refreshment, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation at Kazinga channel lodge

Day 2: Game drive and boat cruise

Wake up with your packed breakfast and meet your driver for the transfer to Kasenyi trail for a game viewing experience. The park is known for hosting over 78 mammal species including the four of the five big african animals – lions, elephants, leopard, and African buffalos. Other animals to spot include the kobs, waterbucks, topis, and several bird species. Later, drive back to the lodge for lunch as you prepare for the afternoon boat cruise on Kazinga channel. Boat cruise provides a fantastic view of several wild animals like hippos, Nile crocodiles, buffalos, elephants and lions around its shores as they quench their thirst. After, you will drive back to the lodge for refreshment, dinner and overnight

Day 3: Chimpanzee tracking and transfer to Rwenzori mountains

Wake up very early with your packed breakfast and drive to Kyambura gorge headquarters for registration and briefing about Chimpanzee tracking experience. The area is known as one of the destinations where chimps can be viewed. The experience involves hiking through the park rain forests in search of the apes and once they are found, you are allowed to spend an hour in their presence. After, you will meet your guide for your transfer back to the lodge for lunch and proceed transfer to Rwenzori Mountains National Park on the local community for your dinner and overnight. Accommodation at Turaco Camp

Note : 1 #Rwenzori Mountaineering adventure will be undertaken via the oldest trail of Rwenzori Mountaineering services ( Rwenzori Central Circuit) which is unique and its scenic view of Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Note :2 #Accommodations in the Rwenzori Mountains are Cabins which are maintained by Uganda Wildlife Authority and we shall be supplying you with sleeping bags. Check out on the cabins in Rwenzori Mountains

Day 4: Nyakalengija -Nyabitaba camp.

Have your breakfast at the lodge and later meet your driver for your transfer to the starting point of Rwenzori mountains. Rwenzori central circuit starts at the Rwenzori Mountaineering Services offices at Nyakalengijja . 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 colored Rwenzori turaco.

The hike takes an average of 6 -7 hours

Day 5: Nyabitaba- John matte camp

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 6: John matte -Bujuku camp

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 7: Elena hut - Margherita peak – kitandara camp

Leaving Bujuku, the trail takes you through more bog, while climbing the steep slopes west of the lake and through the magical and forest of Groundsel Gully. Turn to your right up to Elena Hut and Mount Stanley on a steep trail over large boulders, while the trail on your left leads to Scott-Elliot Pass and down to Kitandara Lakes the trail on he left leads those who are not climbing Margherita Peak to Kitandara Hut. Those climbing the peak will have their Dinner and overnight at the coolly and Icy Elena Hut. The hike takes an average of 5 – 6 hours.

Day 8: Kitandara – guy yeoman

Very early in the morning, you attempt climbing the highest peak, Margherita of Mount Stanley. To reach the summit of Margherita, the climb takes about 4 -5 hours depending on the weather conditions and the pace of climbing this mountain. This tough walk takes you over three glaciers, slippery rock, ice and very exposed areas which are open on many sides. Climbing on to the glaciers, cross the Stanley Plateau and proceed with the ascent. Acclimatized to fog, altitude sickness and coolly weather, scramble up to the summit of Margherita the highest peak of the Rwenzori. The descend from Margherita peak back to Elena Hut will take you about 2 – 3hours. After your lunch at Elena hut, descend to the Scott-Elliot pass (4372m asl.), where there are spectacular views of Bujuku Lake and Mount Speke. After, the trail passes you through an alpine zone of sparse vegetation and rough boulders, descend past the Kitandara Lakes for dinner and overnight at the Kitandara camp. The descend takes an average of 3 – 4 hours

Day 9: Guy yeoman – Nyabitaba - Nyakalengija

From Kitandara, take on the trail that ascends steeply up the head wall, spreading out from the base of Mount Baker and continuing along the south side of the mountain to Fresh field Pass 4282m asl. At this point you can view into the Congo to the west and Mount Stanley to the north. From the pass, take on the long high alpine mossy. Thereafter start the descend through steep rocky trails and the rock shelter at Bujongolo, the base camp for the historic expedition by the Duke of Abruzzi in 1906 and then proceed to Nyakalengija  Dinner and overnight in Kasese Town.

Dinner and overnight at Ruboni Camp

Day 10: Drive back to Kampala

You will be picked up by the safari guide an start on the drive to connect to Entebbe , Lunch will be en route, various stop overs are available as you will be advised by the Safari guide.

Video Credit to Mark de Zwart  who traveled in Uganda