7 Days Rwenzori climbing Margherita Peak ( Central Circuit)
Day 1: NYAKALENGIJA – NYABITABA CAMP (2651m.)
The 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 and the hiking distance is 6.5 kilometers
Day 2: NYABITABA – JOHN MATTE CAMP (3505m.)
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 Distance is 7.5km The hike takes an average of 7 – 8 hours.
Day 3: 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. The distance is 5kms. The hike takes an average of 4 – 5 hours.
Day 4: 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. Later, you have some rest at Elena Camp where you will have your dinner and
overnight stays. Dinner and overnight at the coolly and Icy Elena Hut. The distance is 2.5 kms. The hike takes an average of 5 – 6 hours.
Day 5: ELENA HUT – CHEPTEGEI PEAK (4907m)- KITANDARA
Very early in the morning, you attempt climbing the one of the highest peaks of Mount Stanley. To reach the summit of Cheptegei, 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. Later after the explore of the peak, the descend from the peak back to Elena Hut
where you will have your delicious lunch and later proceed to Kitandara Camp for an overnight. The distance is 4kms. This is the challenging part on the Rwenzori mountain Summit. The descend takes an average of 3 – 4 hours.
Day 6: KITANDARA – GUY YEOMAN (3261m.)
In the morning after breakfast, you will descend from Kitandara to Guy Yeoman Camp and the descend will take you 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. Kitandara to Guy yeoman is 6kms. The hike takes an average of 6 – 7 hours.
Day 7: 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. The Guy yeoman to Nyabitaba camp is 6.5km and Nyabitaba camp to Nyakalengijja Camp is 6.5 kms.