Itinerary

9 days  Chimpanzee watching and Cheptegei hike

Day 1: Drive from Kampala to Kalinzu for afternoon chimpanzee tracking

On the first day of your trip, you will be picked up by the guide and embark on your journey to southwestern part of Uganda for your afternoon chimpanzee tracking in Kalinzu. During the transfer, pass by different features including plantations, valleys, hills, craters and many others. Arrive at the reserve in the afternoon hours, have lunch and later drive to the headquarters for briefing about chimpanzee tracking experience. Enjoy your amazing afternoon with the playful chimps as you learn their daily lifestyles like playing, eating and others. After, drive back to the lodge of your booking for dinner and overnight.

Day 2: Drive to Rwenzori mountains and start the 7 days hike (Nyakalengija (1650) to Nyabitaba camp (2650m)

Have your breakfast at the lodge and meet your guide/driver for your transfer to Rwenzori mountains national park for your 7 days Cheptegei hike. Arrive at the park before noon and head to the headquarters for briefing about the 7 days Cheptegei hike. After the briefing and fitting in of the hiking equipment, start off the hike to the glaciated Cheptegei peak from Nyakalengijja to Nyabitaba.

The hike from the park gates (Nyakalengijja) to Nyabitaba a distance of 7km takes 5-6 hours and an ascent of 1200 meters. The trail at the beginning goes through homes and fields progressing through high elephant grasses and dense bush. You will climb over cliffs and bluffs crossing River Mahoma, then ascending steeply into Nyabitaba camp. The hike can expose you to certain animals like the white and black colobus monkey, three horned chameleon and the Rwenzori Turaco birds. Stay an overnight at the Nyabitaba camp.

Day 3: Nyabitaba (2650) m to Johnmaate camp (3505) m

From Nyabitaba you descend to your right follow the trail that drops down through the forest for a half an hour to the Kurt Shafer bridge, just before the confluence of the Mubuku and Bujuku rivers. The walk is then easy going for a couple of hours passing through the bamboo forest and then becomes more difficult kind of like spelunking, traverse through a long and exhausting stretch of slippery moss-covered rocks.

From the Nyamileju rock shelter, Mount Stanley and speke can be seen before passing into the zone of the giant Heather, lobelia and groundsel. Finally reach Johnmaate camp after passing through the tiring bog. While here, high chances of catching the nice views of Mount Stanley and margherita glacier. Dinner and overnight at the hut.

Day 4: Johnmaate camp (3505) m to Bujuku camp (3900) m

From Johnmaate camp 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, continuing on to the upper bigo bog you will follow the Bujuku river that sometimes runs underground from lake Bujuku, with views of mount Baker to the South and mount Stanley to the west. Bujuku hut well located well located in the shadows of mount Baker and Speke, is set in a narrow valley below Stulman pass. Dinner and an overnight

Day 5: Bujuku hut (3900) m to Elena hut (4541) m

Leaving Bujuku, the trail takes you through more bog, while climbing up the steep slopes west of the lake and through the magical groundsel gully as it ascends to Scot Eliot pass at 4372m. At the head of the gully a metal ladder takes you over a steep section after which the trail is divided into two. The trail on your right leads up to Elena hut and Mount Stanley on a steep trail over large boulders. while the trail on your left leads to Scott Eliot pass and down to Kitandara lakes, the trail on the left leads those who are not climbing margherita peak. Those climbing up the peak will have their dinner and overnight at the coolly and icy Elena hut.

Day 6: Elena hut (4541) m to Cheptegei peak 4907m and back to Kitandara lakes camp (4022) m

For those aiming at reaching Cheptegei peak, continue to the base of Stanley glacier. To reach the summit of Cheptegei peak, the climb takes about 2 - 3 hours depending on the weather conditions and the pace of climbing this mountain. This tough walk takes you through over slippery Rock, ice on the Stanley plateau and very exposed areas which are open on many sides. This climb is for everyone whether fit or not you can make it to Cheptegei peak. Climbing on to the Stanley plateau and proceed with the ascent. Acclimatized to fog, altitude sickness and colly weather.

Scramble up a little bit to the summit of Cheptegei peak the 4th highest peak of the Rwenzori. Given the high altitude and the tough conditions even if you don't reach the peak, don't get disappointed. Prepare for your return through the Scot Eliot pass where there are spectacular views of the Bujuku lake, mount Speke, Mount Stanley and down the Kitandara lakes. After the trail that passes you through the Alpine zone of sparse vegetation and rough boulders, descend passed the Kitandara lakes for dinner and an overnight at Kitandara lakes camp.

Day 7: Kitandara lakes camp 4022m to Guyeoman camp 3505m.

From Kitandara, the trail ascends steeply up the headwall, spreading out from the base of mount Baker and continuing along the Southside of the mountain to fresh field pass 4280m. 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 trail passing the rock shelter of Bujongolo the base camp for the historic expedition by the Duke of Abruzzi in 1906. Overnight at Guyeoman camp.

Day 8: Guyeoman 3505m to Nyabitaba camp 2560m and drive to Queen Elizabeth national park

The descend to Nyabitaba takes around 6-7 hours but with an early start and it's possible to make it all the way down to Nyakalengija. Below Guyeoman, the route descends the cliffs of Kichuchu and takes you through the bamboo forest zones down to Nyabitaba for either dinner and an over night or lunch and continue down to Nyakalengija for hot showers.

Day 9: Drive back to Kampala

Have your breakfast at the lodge and meet your guide for the transfer back to Kampala for an overnight or departure flight.