Rwenzori Mountains, Uganda: the trekking routes, the huts and where to stay
Private trekking trips to Uganda's Rwenzori Mountains, planned around your route: the Central Circuit from Nyakalengija, or the Kilembe Trail near Kasese.
The Rwenzori, mapped: the two trails, their huts and the trailheads
Two trails climb to Margherita Peak: the Central Circuit from Nyakalengija, run by Rwenzori Mountaineering Services (RMS), and the Kilembe Trail from Kilembe, run by Rwenzori Trekking Services (RTS), UWA's brochure says.
Each trail has its own huts and its own operator, so choose the trail first. Tap a trail, a hut, a trailhead or a place to stay to see more.
The park and its two main trails
Camps on the mapPrice level: BudgetOur guide to price level; ask us for rates for your dates.
A national park since 1991 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994, UWA says. Of its 99,600 hectares, 70% lie above 2,500 m, UNESCO says.
Park entry, UWA's tariff to June 2026: USD 35 a day for a foreign non-resident adult, USD 5 for a child aged 5 to 15; we confirm it when we book
Two summit trails: the Central Circuit with RMS and the Kilembe Trail with RTS
Day walks: into the forest from the Kilembe and Nyakalengija trailheads, UWA's brochure says
Gates: open from 7 am to 7 pm, UWA's tariff says
Run by Rwenzori Mountaineering Services (RMS)
The Central Circuit
A loop from Nyakalengija that reaches Mount Stanley and returns in seven days, UWA's brochure says. The line on the map joins its huts in walking order; it is not the path itself.
Seven days with Margherita Peak: nights at Nyabitaba, John Matte, Bujuku, Elena, Kitandara and Guy Yeoman, RMS's itinerary says
Shorter: three days to John Matte and back, or four days to Bujuku, RMS says
Huts: basic shelters with wooden sleeping platforms; bring your own sleeping bag and mat, UWA's brochure says
Run by Rwenzori Trekking Services (RTS)
The Kilembe Trail
From the head of the Nyamwamba Valley, 15 km west of Kasese, UWA's brochure says. RTS says it was given the route in June 2009, when there was no trail and no hut.
Eight days to Margherita Peak: RTS's own trek, from Trekkers Hostel at 1,450 m
Shorter treks: one or two days to Sine Hut, three to Samalira Falls, four to Mutinda Lookout, RTS says
Mount Luigi da Savoia: a six-day option, UWA's brochure says
On the map: the line joins the Sine, Kalalama, Mutinda, Bugata and Hunwick's camps in walking order; the camps are not marked, and the line is not the path itself
Nyakalengija, by the park gate · Camp 1
Ruboni Community Camp
Price level: Budget
Self-contained bandas and four rooms with a shower and toilet just outside, for parties of one to fifteen, next to the park gate, the camp says. On the map: its area, not its exact spot.
The Central Circuit starts at the RMS offices at Nyakalengija, 1,615 m, RMS says. UWA's brochure puts the trailhead in the Mubuku Valley at Mihunga, 25 km north of Kasese; RMS gives 17 km from Kasese.
Places to stay: Ruboni Community Camp, Rwenzori Turaco View Camp at Mihunga, and RMS's own base-camp lodge
A two-day hike: to Lake Mahoma in the bamboo forest, UWA's brochure says
Transfers: RMS lists transfers to and from the airport and hotels, and between Kasese town and its base camp
UWA's brochure puts the Kilembe Trailhead at the head of the Nyamwamba Valley, 15 km west of Kasese. RTS starts its treks at Trekkers Hostel in Kyanjiki, at 1,450 m, 12 km from Kasese past Kilembe, RTS says.
One- and two-day treks: 2.2 km to the UWA rangers' post at 1,727 m, and on to Sine Hut on the first day, RTS says
Insurance: RTS asks everyone climbing above 4,000 m to carry mountaineering insurance that covers rescue
Aerolink flies here from Entebbe at 7:00 every day, and at 10:30 and 13:00 except in March, April, May and November, its 2026 timetable says. Each flight needs at least 2 passengers.
Flight time: about 1 hour 15 minutes from Entebbe on the 7:00 flight
To the Central Circuit: 25 km north of Kasese, UWA's brochure says
The circuit's top camp, an average of 5 to 6 hours from Bujuku. RMS calls it cool and icy; those climbing the peak sleep here.
Higher than the CDC advises: 579 m above the night at Bujuku. Once above 3,000 m, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises sleeping no more than 500 m higher each day
Each trail starts from its own trailhead: Nyakalengija for the Central Circuit, Kilembe for the Kilembe Trail. Choose one to see what is there.
Map key
Huts, Margherita Peak and Lake Mahoma
The six huts of RMS's seven-day Central Circuit, Margherita Peak, and Lake Mahoma, a two-day hike from Nyakalengija. Choose one to read about it.
Map key
Lodges marked by area only
We know only the area these lodges are in, so their open markers show the area, not the exact spot. Choose one to read about it.
02
Where to stay for a Rwenzori trek: at the Central Circuit trailhead, or near Fort Portal
The places to stay below are at the Central Circuit trailhead, in Nyakalengija and Mihunga, plus one lodge near Fort Portal. For the Kilembe Trail, RTS starts its treks at Trekkers Hostel in Kyanjiki.
On the trail you sleep in the operator's huts: basic shelters with wooden sleeping platforms, UWA's brochure says, so bring your own sleeping bag and mat.
Price level: LuxuryPrice level: BudgetOur guide to price level; ask us for rates for your dates.
Community camps at the Central Circuit trailhead
Ruboni Community Camp says it is next to the park gate at Nyakalengija. Rwenzori Turaco View Camp, in Mihunga village where UWA's brochure puts the trailhead, has three rooms in bandas, a restaurant, a bar and a camping site, and guides for the Mahoma trails, it says. Both are community-run.
Ruboni Community Camp
Nyakalengija
Price level: Budget
Bandas and 4 rooms
1 to 15 guests
Village and forest walks
Best for: A night beside the gate before the Central Circuit, and village walks with local storytellers, the camp says.
Look elsewhere if: you are walking the Kilembe Trail, which starts from Kilembe, west of Kasese.
The base-camp lodge at Nyakalengija, run by Rwenzori Mountaineering Services
RMS runs a lodge with a bar and restaurant at its base camp, where the Central Circuit starts: five cottages, two with twin beds and the rest with single beds, and space to camp, RMS says.
A lodge near Fort Portal, 1.5 hours from the park
Kyaninga Lodge stands above Lake Kyaninga near Fort Portal, north of the map. It puts the park 1.5 hours away, so it suits the nights before or after a trek.
Kyaninga Lodge
Near Fort Portal
Price level: Luxury
9 cottages
Rwenzori park, 1.5 hours away
A crater rim walk of about 1.5 hours
Best for: A quiet stay before or after your trek, with spa treatments and a walk around the crater rim looking towards the Rwenzori, the lodge says.
Look elsewhere if: you want to sleep at the trailhead the night before you start.
Facts: their websites, read in October 2026. We book every place here; ask which suits your route.
03
Things to do in the Rwenzori: summit treks, short hikes and village walks
Climb to Margherita Peak in seven or eight days, trek one to six days without the summit, spend a day in the forest and the villages below, or rest at Kyaninga Lodge before or after: here is who runs each, and what UWA charges.
Six things to do, and who runs each
01
Climb Margherita Peak on the Central Circuit
Seven days from Nyakalengija with Rwenzori Mountaineering Services, which calls itself the sole provider on this trail: up by Nyabitaba, John Matte and Bujuku to Elena Hut, over the summit on day 5, and back by Kitandara and Guy Yeoman, RMS's itinerary says.
02
Climb Margherita Peak on the Kilembe Trail
Eight days to Margherita Peak from Kilembe with Rwenzori Trekking Services, by camps at Sine, Mutinda, Bugata and Hunwick's, RTS says. It also runs a ten-day trek to four high peaks.
03
Trek one to six days without the summit
RMS sells three days to John Matte camp at 3,505 m and back, and four days to Bujuku. RTS sells treks of one to six days, among them four days to Mutinda Lookout, which RTS says helps you acclimatise.
04
Hike to Lake Mahoma in two days
From Nyakalengija into the bamboo forest, UWA's brochure says. Rwenzori Turaco View Camp offers to guide you on the Mahoma trails.
05
Spend a day in the forest and the Bakonzo villages
The villages of the Bakonzo, the people who live on the mountain's slopes, lie beside the park and offer guided walks, homestead visits, traditional performances and home cooking, UWA says. Ruboni Community Camp runs village walks with local storytellers, a forest walk and a half-day hill climb with views of Margherita Peak.
Before or after your trek: spa treatments and a crater rim walk at Kyaninga Lodge
Kyaninga Lodge, 1.5 hours from the park, lists spa treatments, paddle boarding on its crater lake and forest hikes, and a walk of about an hour and a half around the crater rim, with views of the lake and the Rwenzori, the lodge says.
More to do: birdwatching, UWA's mountain hike, the Bakonzo's sacred sites and two more trails
Birdwatching
217 bird species, 19 of them found only in the Albertine Rift, UWA says. Its brochure names the Rwenzori turaco and the Rwenzori double-collared sunbird. UWA's birding and nature walk costs USD 40.
The forest zone
The Rwenzori Mountain Hike
UWA's tariff lists it at USD 50 a day, without describing it. Its brochure says the forest can be visited as a day walk from both trailheads.
KilembeNyakalengija
Sacred sites of the Bakonzo people
The peaks are the home of the Bakonzo's principal god, whose name may not be spoken on the mountain, UWA's brochure says. Eighteen sacred sites have been mapped and protected.
The whole range
The Kazingo and Bukurungu trails
UWA's brochure names a day-long Kazingo Trail across the north of the range towards Bundibugyo, and the Bukurungu Trail to Mount Gessi, from a trailhead at Katebwa off the Fort Portal to Kasese road. UWA charges USD 50 a day for each.
North of the rangeKatebwa
Sources and photo credits
All fees are UWA's rates for foreign non-residents, from its tariff for July 2024 to June 2026, which its Rwenzori page still links as its rates; we confirm them when we book. Treks: RMS's and RTS's own websites; UWA's Rwenzori page and 2018 brochure; the camps' and lodges' websites, read in October 2026. Photos: the bamboo trail and the porters by Vincent Mugaba, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
04
When to climb the Rwenzori, month by month
UWA calls the climate cold and extremely wet, with some daily rain even in the drier months, and names January, June and July as the best months to climb. Rwenzori Trekking Services also counts August and late December to February among its driest. Pick a month below; the panel opens on the current month.
UWA's best months to climbBetween UWA's rainy seasonsUWA's heaviest rainAerolink to Kasese at 7:00, 10:30 and 13:00Aerolink's 7:00 flight only
January
One of UWA's best months to climb, in the drier season; some daily rain is still common, UWA says. Aerolink flies from Entebbe to Kasese at 7:00, 10:30 and 13:00.
UWA's best months
Weather, by UWA's brochureDrier: one of UWA's best months to climb
Dry months, by Rwenzori Trekking ServicesAmong its driest months
Aerolink to Kasese7:00, 10:30 and 13:00
February
Between UWA's two rainy seasons, though UWA names only January, June and July as best to climb. RTS counts February among its driest months. Aerolink flies from Entebbe to Kasese at 7:00, 10:30 and 13:00.
Between the rains
Weather, by UWA's brochureBetween UWA's two rainy seasons
Dry months, by Rwenzori Trekking ServicesAmong its driest months
Aerolink to Kasese7:00, 10:30 and 13:00
March
UWA puts March in its heaviest rains, which sometimes reach 300 mm a month. Only Aerolink's 7:00 flight to Kasese runs in March.
UWA's heaviest rain
Weather, by UWA's brochureHeaviest rain, sometimes 300 mm a month
Dry months, by Rwenzori Trekking ServicesNot among its driest months
Aerolink to Kasese7:00 only
April
UWA puts April in its heaviest rains, which sometimes reach 300 mm a month. Only Aerolink's 7:00 flight to Kasese runs in April.
UWA's heaviest rain
Weather, by UWA's brochureHeaviest rain, sometimes 300 mm a month
Dry months, by Rwenzori Trekking ServicesNot among its driest months
Aerolink to Kasese7:00 only
May
UWA puts May in its heaviest rains, which sometimes reach 300 mm a month. Only Aerolink's 7:00 flight to Kasese runs in May.
UWA's heaviest rain
Weather, by UWA's brochureHeaviest rain, sometimes 300 mm a month
Dry months, by Rwenzori Trekking ServicesNot among its driest months
Aerolink to Kasese7:00 only
June
One of UWA's best months to climb, in the drier season; some daily rain is still common, UWA says. Aerolink flies from Entebbe to Kasese at 7:00, 10:30 and 13:00.
UWA's best months
Weather, by UWA's brochureDrier: one of UWA's best months to climb
Dry months, by Rwenzori Trekking ServicesAmong its driest months
Aerolink to Kasese7:00, 10:30 and 13:00
July
One of UWA's best months to climb, in the drier season; some daily rain is still common, UWA says. Aerolink flies from Entebbe to Kasese at 7:00, 10:30 and 13:00.
UWA's best months
Weather, by UWA's brochureDrier: one of UWA's best months to climb
Dry months, by Rwenzori Trekking ServicesAmong its driest months
Aerolink to Kasese7:00, 10:30 and 13:00
August
UWA puts August in its heaviest rains, which sometimes reach 300 mm a month. RTS disagrees: it counts August among its driest months. Aerolink flies from Entebbe to Kasese at 7:00, 10:30 and 13:00.
UWA's heaviest rain
Weather, by UWA's brochureHeaviest rain, sometimes 300 mm a month
Dry months, by Rwenzori Trekking ServicesAmong its driest months
Aerolink to Kasese7:00, 10:30 and 13:00
September
UWA puts September in its heaviest rains, which sometimes reach 300 mm a month. Aerolink flies from Entebbe to Kasese at 7:00, 10:30 and 13:00.
UWA's heaviest rain
Weather, by UWA's brochureHeaviest rain, sometimes 300 mm a month
Dry months, by Rwenzori Trekking ServicesNot among its driest months
Aerolink to Kasese7:00, 10:30 and 13:00
October
UWA puts October in its heaviest rains, which sometimes reach 300 mm a month. Aerolink flies from Entebbe to Kasese at 7:00, 10:30 and 13:00.
UWA's heaviest rain
Weather, by UWA's brochureHeaviest rain, sometimes 300 mm a month
Dry months, by Rwenzori Trekking ServicesNot among its driest months
Aerolink to Kasese7:00, 10:30 and 13:00
November
UWA puts November in its heaviest rains, which sometimes reach 300 mm a month. Only Aerolink's 7:00 flight to Kasese runs in November.
UWA's heaviest rain
Weather, by UWA's brochureHeaviest rain, sometimes 300 mm a month
Dry months, by Rwenzori Trekking ServicesNot among its driest months
Aerolink to Kasese7:00 only
December
UWA puts December in its heaviest rains, which sometimes reach 300 mm a month. RTS disagrees: it counts late December among its driest months. Aerolink flies from Entebbe to Kasese at 7:00, 10:30 and 13:00.
UWA's heaviest rain
Weather, by UWA's brochureHeaviest rain, sometimes 300 mm a month
Dry months, by Rwenzori Trekking ServicesLate December is among its driest months
Aerolink to Kasese7:00, 10:30 and 13:00
Weather: UWA's Rwenzori brochure (2018) and Rwenzori Trekking Services' website. Flights: Aerolink Uganda's timetable, valid to December 2026; we check flights for 2027 months.
05
Summit day on Margherita Peak, from Elena Hut and back down
Summit day is day 5 of Rwenzori Mountaineering Services' (RMS) seven-day Central Circuit, after a night at Elena Hut. Below are RMS's times, with notes from Rwenzori Trekking Services (RTS), which runs the Kilembe Trail.
Leave Elena Hut, 4,541 m
The circuit's top camp, which RMS calls cool and icy. Those climbing the peak have dinner and sleep there the night before, RMS says.
Hiking boots are needed on the peaks, and specialist gear can be hired from your trail operator, UWA's brochure says.
Over three glaciers to Margherita Peak, 5,109 m
RMS says the climb crosses three glaciers, slippery rock, ice and very exposed ground, and takes about 4 to 5 hours, depending on the weather and your pace.
RTS calls the climb technical: know how to use ropes, crampons, ascenders and an ice axe.
On the Kilembe Trail, RTS turns climbers back at 10:00
RTS turns its climbers back at 10 am if they have not reached the peak, for safety, it says. This is RTS's rule on its own trail.
Back down to Elena Hut
RMS times the descent from Margherita Peak to Elena Hut at about 2 to 3 hours.
Cloud and snow often close in
Even in the drier season, heavy cloud often closes in and snow falls from 1 pm to 4 pm, RTS says.
Sleep at Kitandara
RMS's seven-day route ends summit day at Kitandara camp, which RMS puts at 4,430 m. After dark the temperature drops below freezing, UWA's brochure says.
Sources and photo credits
Sources: RMS's seven-day Central Circuit itinerary; RTS's eight-day Margherita Peak page; UWA's Rwenzori brochure (2018). Photos: the opening photograph, Mount Speke above Lake Bujuku, and Alexandra and Margherita peaks, by Rafał Kozubek, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; a climber on Mount Speke by Jørn Eriksson, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr.
06
The Central Circuit, night by night: from 1,615 m to 5,109 m and back
Rwenzori Mountaineering Services' (RMS) seven-day loop climbs through all four vegetation bands UWA describes, from montane forest to the moorland above 4,000 m. Below are the height of each night's hut, the hours walked to reach it, and the one day that ends 579 m higher than the night before: more than the 500 m a day the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises above 3,000 m.
Where you sleep each night, and how high, by Rwenzori Mountaineering Services' itinerary
7 dayson the Central Circuit, with Margherita Peak on day 5, RMS says
4,541 mElena Hut, the top camp, where the summit climbers sleep
+579 mElena Hut, night 4, is 579 m above Bujuku Hut, night 3: more than the 500 m a day the CDC advises once above 3,000 m
3 glacierscrossed on the climb to Margherita Peak, RMS says
Sources and photo credits
Heights and hours: Rwenzori Mountaineering Services' seven-day Central Circuit itinerary. Vegetation bands: UWA's Rwenzori brochure. Altitude advice: the US CDC's Yellow Book, which does not name the Rwenzori; the +579 m is the difference between RMS's heights for Bujuku and Elena. Photo: Lower Kitandara Lake by Rafał Kozubek, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Day 1Nyakalengija to Nyabitaba2,651 m6 to 7 h
Day 2Nyabitaba to John Matte3,505 m7 to 8 h
Day 3John Matte to Bujuku3,962 m4 to 5 h
Day 4Bujuku to Elena4,541 m5 to 6 h · 579 m higher than the night before: more than the 500 m a day the CDC advises above 3,000 m
Day 5Elena to Margherita Peak, 5,109 m, then Kitandara4,430 m4 to 5 h up and 2 to 3 h back to Elena, RMS says
Day 6Kitandara to Guy Yeoman3,261 m6 to 7 h
Day 7Guy Yeoman to Nyakalengija1,615 m7 to 8 h
Night 5: Lower Kitandara Lake, beside Kitandara camp
07
Plants and wildlife on the Rwenzori: giant lobelias, giant groundsels and 217 bird species
UWA's brochure calls the plants the park's main attraction; elephants, chimpanzees and leopards live in the forest but are rarely seen. UWA and UNESCO count 217 bird species. No one can promise you will see any particular animal or bird.
5
Vegetation zones, by UNESCO's count
Set largely by altitude, UNESCO says; it calls the heath and Afro-alpine moorland the rarest vegetation types in Africa. UWA's brochure names four height bands, as in the circuit chart. Pictured: a giant lobelia among groundsels by a lake in the park.
4,000 m
Above 4,000 m: giant lobelia and groundsel
The mountainside opens into moorland of giant lobelias and groundsels, some of them endemic, UWA's brochure says. Pictured: giant groundsels above the Kachope Lakes.
70+
Kinds of mammal
UWA's park page says over 70; its 2018 brochure counted 18. Pictured: a southern tree hyrax in the park.
9
Kinds of reptile
UWA's 2018 brochure counts 9 reptiles and 6 amphibians, and names the three-horned chameleon among the forest's rarities. Pictured: a coarse chameleon in the park.
Sources and photo credits
Sources: UWA's Rwenzori page (2026) and brochure (2018); UNESCO's World Heritage listing. Photos: giant lobelia and groundsels by Rafał Kozubek, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; tree hyrax by Fábio Olmos, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist; chameleon by Erwin Sieben, CC0, via iNaturalist.
08
Getting to the Rwenzori: fly from Entebbe to Kasese, or drive from Kampala by way of Fort Portal
Fly from Entebbe to Kasese, the airstrip for both trailheads, or drive from Kampala by way of Fort Portal. We price both.
EntebbeKasese airstrip
Aerolink's 7:00 flight runs every day and takes about 1 hour 15 minutes. Flights at 10:30 and 13:00 run except in March, April, May and November. Each needs at least 2 passengers, its 2026 timetable says.
DailyAerolink 2026
KampalaKasese, by Fort Portal
Fort Portal is 300 km from Kampala; Kasese is 375 km by way of Fort Portal, or 450 km by way of Mbarara, UWA's brochure says. The trailheads are reached from the paved road between Fort Portal and Kasese.
375 kmUWA's figure
KaseseNyakalengija, for the Central Circuit
UWA's brochure puts the trailhead 25 km north of Kasese; RMS gives 17 km, and runs transfers from Kasese to its base camp.
25 kmUWA's figure
KaseseKilembe, for the Kilembe Trail
The trailhead is at the head of the Nyamwamba Valley, 15 km west of Kasese, UWA's brochure says.
15 kmUWA's figure
Kyaninga LodgeRwenzori Mountains National Park
The lodge puts the park 1.5 hours away by its own reckoning, and Kibale Forest 1 hour away.
1.5 hoursKyaninga's figure
Sources: Aerolink Uganda's timetable, valid January to December 2026; UWA's Rwenzori brochure (2018); Rwenzori Mountaineering Services; Kyaninga Lodge. Photo: the Kurt Schaffer Bridge on the Central Circuit by Vincent Mugaba, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Add to a Rwenzori trek: Kibale, Semuliki or Queen Elizabeth
Aerolink lists its Kasese airstrip for both Kibale Forest and Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Kyaninga Lodge puts Kibale an hour away and Semuliki an hour and a half.
Answered from the Uganda Wildlife Authority's park page, brochure and tariff, the two trail operators' own itineraries, UNESCO, Aerolink's timetable and the US CDC.
How many days does it take to climb Margherita Peak?
Seven on the Central Circuit with Rwenzori Mountaineering Services, and eight on the Kilembe Trail with Rwenzori Trekking Services, by each operator's own itinerary. UWA's documents differ: its 2018 brochure says at least seven days on the mountain, and its park page now says 9 to 12 days. We plan the days with the operator of your route.
Do we need climbing experience for Margherita Peak?
For the summit, yes. UWA's brochure says climbing Mount Stanley, Mount Speke and Mount Baker needs specialist equipment and technical experience, often in bad weather. RTS advises knowing how to use ropes, crampons, ascenders and an ice axe, on ice sections it describes as 60% steep, changing fast as the glacier melts. If you would rather not climb, RMS sells a three-day walk to John Matte camp and back.
How much is the park entry fee?
USD 35 a day for a foreign non-resident adult and USD 5 for a child aged 5 to 15, UWA's tariff says; children under 5 go free, and a ticket lasts 24 hours. That tariff ran to June 2026 and UWA's Rwenzori page still links it, so we confirm the fee when we book. Treks of several days are priced by RMS or RTS, not by UWA.
When is the best time to climb the Rwenzori?
UWA's brochure names January, June and July, the drier months, and puts the heaviest rain in March to May and August to December. RTS counts August and late December to February among its driest months, which overlaps UWA's wet months of August and December. Even in the drier months some daily rain is common, UWA says.
Can we visit without climbing to the top?
Yes. RMS sells a three-day walk to John Matte camp and a four-day trek to Bujuku, RTS sells treks of one to six days, and UWA's brochure describes a two-day hike to Lake Mahoma and day walks in the forest from both trailheads. The Bakonzo villages beside the park offer guided walks and homestead visits, UWA says.
How do we lower the risk of altitude sickness?
Go up slowly. Once above 3,000 m, the US CDC advises sleeping no more than 500 m higher each day, and says training and physical fitness do not affect the risk. On RMS's seven-day circuit, the night at Elena Hut is 579 m above the night at Bujuku. RMS calls Bujuku good for acclimatisation, and its nine-day trek spends an extra day there climbing Mount Speke; RTS says climbing Mutinda Lookout helps on its trail.
What should we pack?
A sleeping bag, a camping mat, warm clothing, gloves, rain gear with good waterproof trousers, a head torch, plenty of plastic bags to keep clothes dry, energy snacks and any medicine you need, UWA's brochure says. Gumboots are more useful than boots on most days; hiking boots are needed on the peaks, and specialist gear can be hired from your trail operator.
Who carries our bags?
Bakonzo guides and porters, from the people who live on the mountain's slopes, UWA's brochure says. RMS allows each client up to 12.5 kg of luggage for the porters to carry, it says.
Is there still snow and ice on the Rwenzori?
Yes. UNESCO describes glaciers and snow-capped mountains just kilometres from the equator, and RMS's summit route crosses three glaciers. UNESCO also lists snow recession due to global warming among the park's challenges, and RTS says the glacier is melting and changing fast.
Is there a minimum age for a Rwenzori trek?
None of UWA, RMS or RTS publishes a minimum age in the pages we read, so we ask the operator of your route when we book.
Send your dates and we email you a Rwenzori route and price.
Tell us roughly when you can travel, how many of you there are, and whether you want the summit or a shorter trek, so we can check the route and the operator for your dates.
01Send your datesRoughly when, how many of you, and the summit or a shorter trek.
02Get a route and a price by emailThe trail, the operator, the huts, a night before at the trailhead, and a flight or the road, with the cost per person.
03Change the route until it fitsThe month, the trail or the number of days.
