Itinerary
Day 1: Transfer from the airport to the hotel
Upon your arrival at Entebbe International airport, you will be welcomed by our company representative who will brief you about the safari and later make a transfer to you booked accommodation.
Day 2: Transfer to Rwenzori Mountains national park
In the morning after your breakfast, you will make a transfer to Rwenzori mountains national park for mountain climbing experience. You will enjoy amazing views of countryside features like plantations, mountains, valleys and hills. Since the journey takes about 6 hours of drive, you will have an enroute lunch in the district of Fort portal.
Day 3: NYAKALENGIJA (1615m) – NYABITABA CAMP (2651m)
In the morning after your breakfast, you will drive to Nyakalengijja Trailhead where the trekking of the central circuit starts at the Rwenzori Mountaineering Services. 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 coloured Rwenzori turaco.
Day 4: NYABITABA – JOHN MATTE CAMP (3505m)
After your breakfast, you will hike from Nyabitaba following 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.
Day 5: JOHN MATTE - BUJUKU CAMP (3962m)
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.
Day 6: BUJUKU - ELENA CAMP (4541m)
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.
Day 7: ELENA HUT - MARGHERITA PEAK (5109m) – KITANDARA CAMP (4430m)
Very early in the morning after your heavy breakfast, 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. 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), 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.
Day 8: KITANDARA – GUY YEOMAN (3261m)
From Kitandara, take on the trail that ascends steeply up the headwall, spreading out from the base of Mount Baker and continuing along the south side of the mountain to Fresh field Pass 4282m. 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 an overnight at Guy yeoman camp.
Day 9: GUY YEOMAN – NYABITABA - NYAKALENGIJA (1615m)
Below Guy Yeoman, the route descends the cliffs of Kichuchu. Beyond Kichuchu the muddy path crosses the Mubuku River twice through a bamboo forest before climbing downwards to Nyabitaba to complete the circuit.
Continue descending Nyabitaba Camp and complete your trek by the evening at Nyakalengijja, the base camp. Dinner and overnight at Equator snow lodge
Day 10: Transfer to DR Congo
After your morning breakfast, you will be transferred to Congo for the Volcano hike at Nyiragongo. Prepare for a long drive of about 9 hours from Rwenzori national park. You will have an enroute lunch as you enjoy the amazing views of different vegetation countryside check in Goma Serena Hotel .
Day 11: Nyiragongo Volcano Hike
In the morning after your breakfast you will go for Nyiragongo hike that involves crossing the Grande Barriere border. You will then check in with Virunga tourism office for your volcano trek permit and later transfer to the starting point of the hike.
The Nyiragongo hike takes about 6 hours depending on your speed and fitness. You will hike through the forested areas, lava flows and the open space. When you reach the summit, you will have the opportunity of watching the wonderful views of the boiling lava with red glow from the crusted lava. Such experiences are a lifetime memory to the travellers and adventurous lovers. You will spend this night at the crater
Day 12: Descend the volcano and transfer to Kigali
Wake up early and start off your journey back to the starting point of Grande Barriere where your driver will pick you and make a transfer to Kigali. You will have your enroute lunch in Goma town and then proceed to Kigali for your dinner and overnight
Day 13: Transfer to the airport
In the morning after your breakfast, Enjoy city Tour of Kigali and visit the different shopping centres, depending on your flight time, you will be transferred to Kigali International airport for your departure flight.
