Shroud in mist, and legend, the Rwenzori Mountains, Africa’s third-highest, after Kilimanjaro and Mt. Kenya, remain largely unexplored. This Rwenzori hike is an adventure into a UN World Heritage Site of surreal plants, animals, and tropical glaciers, to leave a small environmental footprint. The hike will take you across forests and glaciers before you summit Margherita. After the Rwenzori hike, take a tour to a coffee farm that supports over 800 locals from the community – workers to small farm owners (shambas).
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?
NOTE: Climbing to Margherita Peak in the Rwenzori Mountains (Uganda) has become increasingly technical. It requires knowledge of ropes, crampons, ascenders, figure-8 devices for belaying, and ice axe use. With sections of ice reaching 60% steepness and rapidly changing due to climate change and glacier melt, such skills are highly recommended. All our guides are extensively trained in ice climbing and rescue, and they can assist you even if you have minimal experience. However, you should be prepared to learn along the way, fit your own crampons, and know basic knot-tying, as well as the use of ascenders and figure-8s. We recommend bringing your own crampons due to the mix of hard ice and rocks.
Welcome to Uganda for your Rwenzori Hike and Coffee Safari Your adventure begins today when you arrive into Uganda. Your guide from Nandi Adventures will warmly welcome you at the airport before you transfer to your accommodation tonight. 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.
Depart early for the Rwenzori Mountains National Park. This is largely a travel day from Entebbe to the western town of Kasese. Transfer by road from Entebbe International Airport to Kasese airfield at the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains in western Uganda. Our guide will pick you up early so you can have a more comfortable 6-7 hour drive to the Rwenzori Mountains, also famously known as the Mountains of the Moon. Once in Kasese, check into your hotel to rest or explore town as you prepare for the next day’s start of the mountain trek.
Today is you embark on your hike into the Rwenzori Mountains National Park. After an early breakfast at your hotel in Kasese, your guide will drive you to the trek starting point at Trekkers Hostel at the foothills of the mountains.
The Rwenzori Mountains, often referred to as the “Mountains of the Moon,” offer a truly unforgettable mountaineering experience. These majestic peaks, second only to Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa, are renowned for their stunning beauty, diverse ecosystems, and challenging terrain. Ascend through lush rainforests, traverse across glaciers, and summit towering peaks, all while being surrounded by breathtaking scenery. The Rwenzori Mountains offer a unique blend of adventure, natural beauty, and cultural immersion, making it a must-do for any avid mountaineer or nature lover.
Today’s your hike starts off at 1450 meters. After the briefing from the guides, start the trek into the famed Mountains of the Moon. You destination is at Sine Camp 2596m above sea level. Warm dinner and overnight here.
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.
Today is the momentous highlight of your Rwenzori hike. Start the day early with a 2:00 AM wake-up and breakfast. Begin your climb of Mt. Stanley by 2:30 AM and on to Margherita Peak. Due to the unpredictable weather, reaching the summit by 10:00 AM is important. If conditions are unfavorable, you may need to turn back for safety.
Margherita Glacier is challenging, with steep ice sections, and the effects of global warming have created unstable conditions. For those with less mountaineering experience, we recommend climbing a vantage point on the southern edge of Alexandra Peak for incredible views over Congo and the lower mountain ridges. You could also choose our new trail to Cheptegei Peak (4907m), which is less technical but just as thrilling and fulfilling.
After summiting Margherita Peak (5,109m), descend to Hunwick’s Camp (3,874m) for the night. At 5,109m (16762 feet) above sea level, the Margherita is Africa’s third highest peak after Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Kenya.
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 and botanical garden. Enjoy the sunrise before breakfast and the trek back to base. The Nyamwamba Valley offers stunning scenery, with cascading waterfalls, moss-covered rocks, and some of the best forests in the Rwenzori Mountains. After passing several Duiker clearings and breathtaking waterfalls, you’ll climb up and over a ridge before descending through dense forest. Stop at Forest View Camp for lunch before completing the final leg of your adventure at Trekkers Hostel.
From Kiharo Camp, you’ll trek 16 kilometers downhill to the park gate, plus an additional 2.8 kilometers to Trekkers Hostel. It takes about 5 to 8 hours to do the trek. Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers will debrief you before you exit the national park.
Your guide will then transfer you to Kibale National Park, also fondly known as the “Primate Capital”. Kibale is home to the largest groups of chimpanzees that you can visit on a trek here. Rest in your comfortable accommodation as you prepare for next day’s chimpanzee tracking adventure.
Tracking chimpanzees in Kibale National Park is a thrilling and immersive experience, offering you the chance to observe these intelligent and charismatic primates in their natural habitat. Kibale National Park is renowned for its high population of chimpanzees, making it one of the best places in Africa for chimpanzee tracking.
The day starts with a pre-trek briefing by experienced guides. Once the chimpanzee community is located, visitors are allowed a limited time (usually one hour) to observe and enjoy the experience. Guides provide information about the chimpanzees’ behavior, social structure, and the surrounding ecosystem. You may witness various behaviors, including feeding, grooming, playing, and even vocalizations. Chimpanzees share a close genetic relationship with humans, and observing them can be a fascinating and sometimes emotional experience.
After chimpanzee tracking adventure, trans to the Clarke Farm and Coffee Estate. Nestled amidst serene landscapes, this idyllic retreat offers a perfect blend of relaxation and exploration. Immerse yourself in the art of coffee cultivation, learning about the farm-to-cup process and sampling freshly brewed Ugandan coffee.
Savor the tranquility and indulge in the flavors of Uganda’s renowned coffee, reflecting on the memorable adventure. This enriching experience offers a delightful introduction to the warmth and hospitality of Ugandan culture, and providing the perfect cup to toast your unforgettable adventure.
Break the morning with 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 safari 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.
After a memorable safari experience, depart the coffee farm and transfer to Entebbe to the next destination.
Optional activities like a safari to Queen Elizabeth National Park; 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.
