8 DAYS RWENZORI HIKING
This perfect expedition if you want a real taste of the Mountains of the Moon in fewer days, without aiming for the highest summits. You’ll trek through rainforest trails and bamboo zones, cross the iconic Bigo Bog toward Lake Bujuku, and experience classic Central Circuit scenery with expert local guides and porter logistics supporting the route and pacing.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1 —
Arrival in Entebbe & hotel transfer
Overnight: Protea Hotel, Entebbe
Day 2 —
Entebbe → Kasese
Overnight: Margherita Hotel, Kasese
Day 3 —
Nyakalengija → Nyabitaba Hut
Overnight: Nyabitaba Hut
Trekking time: 5–6 hours
Day 4 —
Nyabitaba Hut → John Matte Hut
Overnight: John Matte Hut
Trekking time: 6–7 hours
Day 5 —
John Matte Hut → Bujuku Hut
Overnight: Bujuku Hut
Trekking time: 4–5 hours
Day 6 —
Bujuku Hut → John Matte Hut (return hike)
Overnight: John Matte Hut
or Nyabitaba Hut
Trekking time: 4–5 hours
Day 7 —
John Matte Hut →
Nyakalengija (Park HQ) →
Kasese
Overnight: Buffalo Safari Lodge (Kasese)
Trekking time: 6–8 hours
Day 8 —
Kasese → Entebbe (departure)
End of trip.
Arrive at Entebbe International Airport and meet a Weismann Safaris & Expeditions representative. Short transfer to Protea Hotel. Depending on arrival time, enjoy meals at the hotel and review the next day’s plan with your guide/driver.
Morning drive to western Uganda via the Mityana–Fort Portal–Kasese route (approx. 303 km / 6–7 hours). Scenic road journey through towns and countryside with stops for breaks. Arrive in Kasese, check-in, lunch and rest.
After breakfast, transfer to Rwenzori Mountains National Park HQ at Nyakalengija (1,646 m) for registration and briefing. Begin the trek through villages and farms of the Bakonzo people, then into forest. Follow the Mubuku River, cross the Mahoma River, and climb through bracken fern slopes and forest canopy to Nyabitaba Hut (2,652 m). Possible sightings include monkeys, Rwenzori turaco and endemic three-horned chameleons.
Cross the Kurt Shaffer Bridge and continue through muddy sections before climbing into bamboo forest. Move from forest into the heather zone with giant lobelia, groundsels and everlasting flowers. Continue along the Bujuku River through boggy terrain to John Matte Hut (3,414 m). On clear days, enjoy views of Mount Stanley and the snow-capped Margherita and Elena peaks.
Cross the Bujuku River into the Lower Bigo Bog, moving between tussocks (wooden boardwalk sections exist). Enter the alpine zone and continue toward Lake Bujuku with stunning vegetation and birdlife. Views may include Mount Stanley, Mount Baker and Mount Speke (weather dependent).
Climb steep slopes west of Lake Bujuku through bog and the dramatic Groundsel Gully to Scott-Elliot Pass (4,372 m). A metal ladder assists over a steep section before the trail splits. Take the right-hand route up a boulder-strewn path to Elena Hut (4,541 m), a cold and iconic high mountain base for the summit attempt.
Retrace the route down to Nyabitaba Hut for lunch, then continue descending through the Mubuku River valley and fields to the Park Headquarters. You descend from 3,414 m down past 2,652 m and return to 1,646 m at Nyakalengija. Transfer to your lodge/hotel in the Kasese area.
After breakfast, drive back to Kampala/Entebbe for your onward flight via Kasese–Fort Portal road (approx. 372 km) or via Mbarara–Masaka road (approx. 422 km).
