Rwenzori Trekking – 8 days

From the lodge we drive to the Rwenzori National Park entrance in a few minutes. First, the usual formalities are clarified, the porters take over the luggage and the guide will give a short briefing before the ascent begins. The route climbs steadily through the rainforest. The fascinating mountain world of the ‘Mountains of the Moon’ offers a real jungle atmosphere with the cries of wild chimpanzees and colobos. The tall trees are covered in lichen and fungi. You will pass the Enock waterfall just 200 meters before the end of the day’s stage. The Sine hut is located below the bamboo zone, where you can get a first impression of the many different bird species.

Today we start from the Sine hut on swampy paths and the rubber boots come into play. It goes through a unique heather forest, past huge moss cushions and gnarled branches. Steep ascents and short descents follow, and swampy paths again and again. The view from the ridge and the magnificent flora make up for the effort. We hike through the Nyamwamba Valley and you will be amazed by the flora.

After breakfast we continue towards Bugata Camp. The mystical landscape with deep valleys, small streams, waterfalls to the right and left of the path and the first lakes seem like a landscape from another world. This is where the vegetation of the Rwenzori is at its most pristine. We pass Lake Afrika and Lake Kopello and reach Bugata Camp, situated on a rocky plateau above Lake Kopello.

After a hearty breakfast, we start today over the Bamwanjara Pass with its 4450 m back down to Butawu Camp at 3974 m. The first section runs along the southern shore of Lake Kopello before climbing steeply up to Bamanzara Ridge. The trail runs repeatedly along muddy serpentine paths and through several swamps. On a clear day you can see the peaks of Mt. Baker and Mt. Stanley. In the evening we reach Butawu Camp, situated on the edge of a high valley.

The first stage of the long descent to Mutinda Camp planned for today leads along the familiar path past Lake Kopello to Lake Afrika. There we leave the familiar path and continue through several swamps, along a deep black trail into an overwhelming landscape of water, lush grass, moss and lichen. After crossing the river, we arrive at Mutinda Camp, situated below the Mutinda Rock Shelter.

Today is a fairly easy stage. Once again we walk through mud and swamp, past giant senecia and lobelia, over multicolored moss cushions and past erica trees. We cross small rivers and enjoy the view of picturesque water landscapes again and again as we reach Kalalama Camp, it gets noticeably warmer in the evening and there are the first signs of a return to civilization.

On the last day of our exciting Rwenzori trekking tour, you will once again pass through the bamboo zone and the mountain rainforest. We leave the national park and enter agricultural and inhabited regions. There are still some steep passages before we reach Kilembe in the afternoon.