12 Days Rwanda Gorilla & Rwenzori Trek

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Kigali & Transfer to Volcanoes National Park

Upon the arrival at Kigali international airport, you will meet by  Primate Safari Experiences guide who will warmly welcomed you and also give you some briefing for the safari, From the city tour, you will drive to Volcanoes national park taking a drive of approximately 3 hours.  You will arrive at the park in the evening hours and check in at your lodge/hotel of booking

Accommodation: Mountain Gorilla View lodge

Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park

Wake up in the morning for your breakfast and drive to the park headquarters at Kinigi for briefing and start off your trekking adventure into the rain forests of Volcanoes national park. The experience takes about 2 to 6 hours depending on the location of the assigned gorilla group. After finding the gorillas, you will be allowed to spend an hour with them and after pick your certificates at the starting point.

In the evening  you will drive to connect to Mgahinga National Park in Uganda that is known for hosting the Golden monkey , which is also part of the Virunga Massif that are shared between Uganda , Rwanda and Congo.

You will proceed to Ikoro lodge or Ichumbi Safari lodge Kisoro

Day 3: Golden Monkey Habituation in Mgahinga National Park

Day 4: Transfer to Mountain Rwenzori national park.

In the morning after your breakfast, check out of the lodge and leave Volcanoes national park and cross into Uganda from Rwanda via Cyanika border. You will have an enroute lunch and arrive at Rwenzori national park in the evening hours.

Day 5: Nyakalengija Camp ( 1615M)  to 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.  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 6: Nyabitaba Camp to 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 7: John Matte to 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 8: Bujuku camp to 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 9: Elena Hut to Margherita Peak  and descend 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.

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 10: Kitandara to 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 11: Guy Yeoman to Nyabitaba - Nyakalengija Camp (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 and proceed to spend your night in Kibale forest national Park which is the home for the primates!.

Dinner and overnight : Chimpanzee Forest Lodge

Day 12: Chimpanzee watching & Departure

After morning breakfast , you will head to the park headquarter for the briefing about the chimpanzee tracking in the morning , later  transfer to Entebbe International airport for your departure flight.

You can also have a city tour in the capital of Uganda, Kampala depending on the time of your flight. In this tour, expect to visit several destinations like museums, art and craft shops, historical sites and many others.