5 Days trip

Drive from Kampala in the morning and proceed to the western part of the country by either passing through Masaka-Mbarara which is 422km drive by 4*4 vehicle that takes you through Queen Elizabeth national park crossing  the Equator line that takes 7-8 hours and arrive in Kasese town or by using Mityana-Fortportal kasese road which is 372km drive that takes 6-7 hour drive to Kasese. On reaching either Mbarara or Fortportal, your driver will stop you for a lunch and then proceed to kasese and to your hotel for an overnight. 

In the morning after breakfast, you will be picked by your guide and then head to the Rwenzori Mountains National Park Head Quarter at Nyakalengija, 1.646 m. At this point you receive briefing from your guide or the tourism officer. The hike starts through the plantations and homes of the Bakonzo, the people of the mountain, gradually reaching garden plots and elephants grass and then join the forest zone . You follow the Mubuku river, until crossing the Mahoma river. The trail passes through an open bracken fern slopes and a beautiful Forest canopy, up to Nyabitaba Hut, 2.652 m. which is the arrival point for the day. From the location, you are facing on the North the Portal Peaks 4.627m, in front Mount Kinyangoma. During the day, you might see monkeys, the Rwenzori Turaco, three horned chameleons which is endemic in the Rwenzoris, common bulbul birds, yellow eyed tinkle birds, wood pecker, mountain elephants and hearing the voices of the chimpanzee, Kasese town. This hike takes between 5-6 hours.

From Nyabitaba Hut you cross the Kurt Shaffer Bridge, through a muddy area. Then the trail climbs up through the bamboo forest. During this day, it takes you to the forest zone up to Kurt Shaffer bridge and then you start the bamboo/memolopsis zone up to Nyamuleju camp which is the old hut before John Maate camp. This point marks the start of the heather zone where you will see the Ericaceous trees, everlasting flowers, giant lobelia and groundsel and its at this point where you can see red duikers, rock hyrax and white Columbus monkeys. The way proceeds through a bog full of typical plants along the Bujuku river. The final point is John Matte Hut, 3.414 m. for spending the night.  From Nyabitaba Hut to John Matte it can take approximately 6-7 hours. Enjoy the view of Mount Stanley and snow capped Margherita and Elena Peaks if the weather is clear.

Leave JohnMaate hut early retracing out route back to the park gate. Descend back through the 6-8 hours. This involves descending, steep slopes and rocks and wadding through this trail passing through mud, crossing rivers and deep mud back to Nyabitaba hut for lunch and continue descending through Mubuku River and through fields to the Park Headquarters.

In the morning, take breakfast and drive to Kampala either through Kasese-Fortportal road or Mbarara-Masaka road to reach Kampala /Entebbe for a flight back home.