Itinerary
Distance: 8km
Duration: 7hrs
Accommodation: nyabitaba camp
Meal plan: full board
The Central Circuit begins at the Rwenzori Mountaineering Services offices in Nyakalengija. You should plan to arrive in the morning, which will provide sufficient time to rent equipment and meet your assigned guides and porters. The trail initially winds through local farmland until reaching the park boundary. Beyond this point, it follows a dense forest path alongside the Mubuku River. You'll cross the Mahoma River tributary before embarking on a challenging ascent up a substantial ridge to reach Nyabitaba hut. During this portion of the journey, keep your senses alert for the distinctive calls of chimpanzees. The area is also home to remarkable wildlife, including black and white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, and the spectacularly colored Rwenzori turraco.
Distance: 7km
Duration: 8hrs
Accommodation: john matte camp
Meal plan: full board
From Nyabitaba, follow the trail that descends through the forest to the Kurt Shafer Bridge, located just below where the Mubuku and Bujuku rivers converge. As you pass through the bamboo forest, prepare for a long and challenging stretch of slippery, moss-covered rocks. From the Nyamuleju rock shelter, you can catch glimpses of Mount Stanley and Mount Speke before entering the area filled with giant heather, lobelia, and groundsel. After navigating through the tiring bog, you will finally arrive at John Matte Hut, where you can enjoy dinner and spend the night.
Distance: 5km
Duration: 5hrs
Accommodation: bujuku camp
Meal plan: full board
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.
Distance: 4.7km
Duration: 6hrs
Accommodation: elena camp
Meal plan: full board
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.
Distance: 11.6km
Duration: 14 t0 15hrs
Accommodation: kitandara lakes
Meal plan: full board
Very early in the morning, 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. Acclimatized to fog, altitude sickness and coolly weather, scramble up to the summit of Margherita the highest peak of the Rwenzori. The descent from Margherita peak back to Elena Hut will take you about 2 – 3hours.
After your lunch at Elena hut, descend to the Scott-Elliot pass (4372m asl.), 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.
Distance: 6km
Duration: 7hrs
Accommodation: guy yeoman hut
Meal plan: full board
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 asl. 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.
Distance: 14km
Duration: 7hrs
Accommodation:
Meal plan: bed and breakfast
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 Nyakalengija, the base camp and off to your hotel for a long awaited bath and celebration.
