6 Days central circuit trekking trail

Day 1: NYAKALENGIJA (1615m asl.) – NYABITABA CAMP (2651m asl.)

 

The 6 day trekking central circuit starts at the Trek Rwenzori Tours offices at Nyakalengija. You need to arrive in the morning to allow ample time to check on equipments   and meet your guides and porters. 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 chimpanzees’ calls or see them, black and white colobus, blue monkey and the brilliantly colored Rwenzori turaco. Cross different rivers and waterfalls in the green lush jungle, take a look at your right hand side to see portal peaks that you will follow until at the hut.

 

You opt for evening walks in mountains to discover more of the Rwenzori Mountains take a rest before dinner, shower, camp fire and fans with the guides and porters.

 

The hike takes an average of 6 -7 hours.

 

 

Day 2: NYABITABA – JOHN MATTE CAMP (3505m asl.)

 

Wake up at 8:00am and take breakfast, then from Nyabitaba follow 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, camp fire, showers, storytelling/fans and overnight at the hut.

 

The hike takes an average of 7 - 8 hours. 

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Day 3: JOHN MATTE - BUJUKU CAMP (3962m asl.)

 

Big up at leisure for breakfast at 8:00am then proceed 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.

 

The hike takes an average of 4 – 5 hours.

 

Day 4: BUJUKU - KITANDARA CAMP (4430m asl.)

 

On this day after breakfast at 9:00am, you leave 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 left, while the trail on your right leads to Elena Camp, the highest camp, for those who are aiming at climbing Margherita Peak. The trail will lead you through the Scott-Elliot pass, 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.

 

The hike takes an average of 5 – 6 hours.

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Day 5: KITANDARA – GUY YEOMAN (3261m asl.)

 

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.

 

The hike takes an average of 6 – 7 hours.

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Day 6: GUY YEOMAN – NYABITABA – NYAKALENGIJA (1615m asl.)

 

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 hiking downwards and complete your 6 day trek by the evening.

The descent from Guy yeoman to Nyakalengija takes 7 – 8 hour