Hiking to Cheptegei Peak in Uganda’s Rwenzori Mountains is a journey of both adventure and reward, offering breathtaking views and a deep connection to nature. As you ascend through lush forests, moss-covered trees, and alpine meadows, the diverse ecosystems provide a stunning backdrop. Towering above the clouds at 4907 metres above sea level, Cheptegei Peak offers a panoramic view of the rugged, snow-capped Rwenzori range and the distant landscapes of Uganda. This hike is an adventure that leaves a lasting imprint on both body and soul, offering a profound sense of accomplishment and awe. After hiking to Cheptegei peak, reward yourself with a coffee tour at a local farm that supports over 800 locals.
At Nandi Adventures, we believe in creating all-inclusive Ugandan safaris that maximize your experience and minimize your worries. Unlike other companies, we prioritize transparent pricing with no hidden costs. Our meticulously crafted itineraries include a variety of activities, attraction entrance fees, comfortable accommodations, reliable transportation, and the services of our expert guides. This ensures you can focus on what truly matters: making unforgettable memories in the heart of Africa.
We understand that dietary needs can vary, and we’re happy to cater to vegetarians, vegans, and pescatarians. Simply let us know your preferences during the booking process, and we’ll ensure your meals are delicious and tailored to your dietary restrictions.
Ready to embark on an unforgettable Rwenzori hike and coffee safari?
Welcome to Uganda for your adventure to discover Rwenzori’s Cheptegei Peak starts today as your guide warmly welcomes you to Uganda. From the airport, you will transfer to your accommodation. Entebbe sits on the shores of Africa’s largest (and the world’s second-largest) fresh water body, Lake Victoria. Depending on your arrival time, you could explore some of the areas around the lake or the town before settling down for the night. You could also stock up on supplies like batteries, energy bars and some of that small stuff you may need to boost your Rwenzori hike.
Transfer by road to the Rwenzori Mountains in western Uganda. The mountains the locals call the rainmaker. Since ancient times, these mountain ranges and their permanent glaciers on the equator have enchanted travelers and explorers. Little wonder ancient and modern explorers have called them the Mountains of the Moon.
The Rwenzori Mountains are characterized by dramatic peaks, deep valleys, and glaciers, making them one of Africa’s most stunning and unique mountain ranges. The highest peak is Mount Stanley, which reaches an elevation of 5,109 meters (16,763 feet) and is the third-highest peak in Africa after Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya. On this safari you will hike to Rwenzori’s Cheptegei peak at 4,907 meters (16,099ft).
Compared to Kilimanjaro, the Rwenzoris are unexplored and there are no crowds so a minimal environmental footprint. More so, you are spoilt for choice when it comes to the number of peaks.
Today is you embark on your hike into the Rwenzori Mountains National Park. After an early breakfast at your hotel in Kasese, transfer to the Kilembe base camp at 1,450 meters (4757ft). Your mountain guides will brief you on the trek. From the base camp, you trek 2.2km to the Rwenzori Mountains National Park entrance. Here you will get a briefing from the Uganda Wildlife Authority wildlife rangers on rules and responsibilities while in the park. Start at Trekkers at 1,450 meters and sleep at Sine Hut at 2,596 meters being a height gain of 1,146 meters. This is a steady climb with multitudes of birds and a chance of seeing blue monkeys, troupes of black and white colobus monkeys, and rare sightings of the L’Hoest monkey which are part of the Bukonzo cultural emblems. You may also hear wild chimpanzee in the distance.
Hike to Mutinda Camp at 3,588 meters (11,752ft), giving you a height gain of 992m (3,255ft). The trek ends in Mutinda Camp, which sits near a small waterfall. You will be staying here for the night. You can now wash, refresh and simply enjoy being in the Mountains of the Moon. Or if you do have what it takes, climb up to the Mutinda Lookout -3975m (13,041ft) – which is one and a half hours up, and one hour down. You will be rewarded with great views of Kasese town and on a clear day, even Lake George in the savanna plains farther away in the Queen Elizabeth National Park. This afternoon trek is also good for acclimatization.
Bugata Camp: The day’s trek will take you hopping from tussock to tussock through the garden of everlasting flowers and giant lobelia in the Mutinda Valley. Hike to Bugata camp at 4062 meters, with a height gain of 412 meters through the valley of amazingly unique beautiful plant species, streams and waterfalls while we head to Bugata camp at 4100 meters. The trek gets tougher and exhausting with the steep ridges, mud and boggy sections, but the rewards are enormously beautiful.
Start out at 8.30am after a hot breakfast. Hike to Hunwick’s camp at 3,874meters (12,710ft) via Bamwanjara pass at 4450m. Hunwick’s Camp which, is situated on the top of a deep valley, has good views of Mt Stanley, Mt Baker, Weismanns Peak and McConnell’s Prong. The trek is 8.3km (5.2miles), which is 5.18miles. It takes 6 to 10hrs of hiking. It goes through nature’s garden of everlasting flowers, giant groundsel and giant lobelia. The garden is a favorite of the scarlet-tufted malachite sunbird, which is common and endemic to the Rwenzori Mountains.
This extraordinary trek leads you across crystal-clear rivers and through lush, picturesque landscapes, culminating at the Scott Elliott Pass before reaching the renowned Margherita Camp at an altitude of 4,485 meters (14,715 feet).
The journey retraces the steps of Italian Prince Luigi Amadeo di Savoia, the Duke of the Abruzzi, who set up camp here in 1906 during his expedition to conquer the legendary Mountains of the Moon.
The trek from Scott Elliott Pass to Margherita Camp covers a distance of 5.1 kilometers and typically takes between 3 to 5 hours to complete, depending on your pace and the conditions. Along the way, you’ll be captivated by the stunning flora and fauna unique to the Rwenzori region.
Once you arrive at Margherita Camp, you’ll settle in for an overnight stay, where you can prepare and acclimatize for the exhilarating summit ascent. This historic hiking experience not only offers physical challenges but also an opportunity to immerse yourself in the natural beauty and rich history of the Rwenzori Mountains.
This is the day every climber to Cheptegei peak looks to. After an early breakfast set off between 4:30 to 5:30am from the base of the Stanley Glacier we climb until the end of the glacier. Our target is Cheptegei Peak 4907 meters (16,099ft). We have only started to climb this peak so you are among the few hundreds in the whole world to conquer it.
The ascent to Cheptegei Peak is non-technical and involves minimal rock scrambling, making it feasible without the use of ropes. However, for safety reasons, we carry ropes on this climb. The peak offers stunning views of the valleys on both the Ugandan and Congolese sides, as well as excellent views of Alexandra Peak with Margherita Peak behind it, and the Stanley Glaciers below.
After summiting Cheptegei Peak (4,907m asl), descend to Hunwick’s Camp (3,874m) for the night.
From Hunwick’s Camp we start the day by climbing up a ridge towards McConnell’s Prong where you get the best views of all three peaks and Scott Elliott’s Pass before reaching Oliver’s Pass at 4,505 metres. The distance from Hunwick’s Camp to the top of Olivers Pass is 3km the trail then cuts across below Weismann’s Peak to the confluence of the Nyamwamba River which flows down thought Kilembe and Kasese to Lake George in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
If you wish to climb Weismanns Peak 4,620 metres from Olivers pass you may do so at an extra cost of $20 each. On a clear day, you get fantastic views of Margherita and Mt Stanley, Mt Speke and Mt Baker.
After crossing the confluence, the trail meanders down the valley to Kiharo Camp at which is situated in a deep valley with high cliffs and dense vegetation. On the way down the valley after each bog you will climb over a ridge of stones and earth which seems out of place but actually was pushed there by slow moving glaciers which eventually stopped moving, melted and left a pile of rocks and debris in front of where the glacier once stood.
It is time to say goodbye to Africa’s greatest secret – the unexplored Cheptegei peak. Enjoy the sunrise before breakfast and the trek back to base. The trail down the Nyamwamba Valley is absolutely stunning with beautiful views, moss covered rocks along the river, cascading waterfalls, deep valleys and forests. A great experience and ending to a fantastic trek. It takes about 5 to 8 hours to do the trek. Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers will debrief you before you exit the national park, and move on to your accommodation in to freshen up and rest for tonight.
You will then transfer from the Rwenzori Mountains to a local farm. You will be spending the night at farm to the music of the natural sounds of rural Uganda, and the aroma of from the coffee plantation.
Enjoy a cup of freshly brewed Ugandan coffee that was harvested from these same lands. Thereafter, take a coffee tour at the farm, learning about the bean-to-cup journey. There is no better way to toast to your Uganda safari than enjoying a coffee experience with the locals of the coffee estate. Over 800 individuals and families are positively impacted by this coffee plantation that shares its knowledge and expertise. One more mountain summit down, one community lifted up, you are now part of that positive change. We hope your adventure to Rwenzori’s Cheptegei peak, and the farm coffee experience shall forever remain memorable.
Today you will transfer to Entebbe to your next destination.
Optional activities like a safari to Queen Elizabeth National Park; Chimpanzee Tracking, or Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi can be arranged on request. It is always an honor to serve you and our team is flexible to meet any extra needs like short tours in the city.
