9-Day Rwenzori Mountains — Margherita Peak
Uganda · 9 Days / 8 Nights · Road Safari
Duration
9 Days
Destinations
Uganda
Transport
Road Safari
Style
Mountaineering
Difficulty
Strenuous — includes glacier travel
Price
On request
Overview
The Rwenzori Mountains on the Uganda–DR Congo border are the legendary Mountains of the Moon — a UNESCO World Heritage Site of mist-draped valleys, giant lobelias, moss-covered forests and equatorial glaciers. It is one of the wettest and wildest mountain ranges in Africa, and one of the most rewarding. The final ascent of Margherita Peak (5,109m) crosses glacier and involves fixed ropes, crampons and an ice axe, so this climb suits fit trekkers who are comfortable with some basic mountaineering. Our guides provide the technical kit and instruction.
Highlights
- Margherita Peak (5,109m), Africa's third-highest summit
- A UNESCO World Heritage mountain range
- Giant lobelias, groundsels and moss forests
- Glacier travel on the Stanley Plateau
- Remote trails with few other climbers
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Start at the park headquarters in Nyakalengija (1,600m) and climb through forest to Nyabitaba Hut (2,650m).
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Overnight
- Nyabitaba Hut
Cross the Kurt Schafer Bridge and climb through bamboo and heather forest to John Matte Hut (3,380m).
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Overnight
- John Matte Hut
Pick across the Bigo Bogs on boardwalks, past Lake Bujuku, to Bujuku Hut (3,900m) beneath Mount Stanley.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Overnight
- Bujuku Hut
Climb through the Scott Elliot Pass area to Elena Hut (4,540m) at the edge of the glaciers. Afternoon kit check and briefing.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Overnight
- Elena Hut
An early start across the Stanley Plateau glacier with ropes and crampons to Margherita Peak (5,109m), then return to Elena or descend to Kitandara.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Overnight
- Kitandara Hut
Cross Freshfield Pass and descend through wild valleys to Guy Yeoman Hut (3,260m).
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Overnight
- Guy Yeoman Hut
Descend alongside the Mubuku River through forest back to Nyabitaba Hut.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Overnight
- Nyabitaba Hut
A buffer day for weather on the summit attempt — if it isn't needed, we use it to descend at a gentler pace.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Overnight
- Nyabitaba Hut
A short final descent to the park headquarters and your transfer.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 1: Nyakalengija to Nyabitaba Hut. Start at the park headquarters in Nyakalengija (1,600m) and climb through forest to Nyabitaba Hut (2,650m).
Day 2: Nyabitaba to John Matte Hut. Cross the Kurt Schafer Bridge and climb through bamboo and heather forest to John Matte Hut (3,380m).
Day 3: John Matte to Bujuku Hut. Pick across the Bigo Bogs on boardwalks, past Lake Bujuku, to Bujuku Hut (3,900m) beneath Mount Stanley.
Day 4: Bujuku to Elena Hut. Climb through the Scott Elliot Pass area to Elena Hut (4,540m) at the edge of the glaciers. Afternoon kit check and briefing.
Day 5: Summit Margherita Peak. An early start across the Stanley Plateau glacier with ropes and crampons to Margherita Peak (5,109m), then return to Elena or descend to Kitandara.
Day 6: Kitandara to Guy Yeoman Hut. Cross Freshfield Pass and descend through wild valleys to Guy Yeoman Hut (3,260m).
Day 7: Guy Yeoman to Nyabitaba Hut. Descend alongside the Mubuku River through forest back to Nyabitaba Hut.
Day 8: Spare day. A buffer day for weather on the summit attempt — if it isn't needed, we use it to descend at a gentler pace.
Day 9: Nyabitaba to Nyakalengija. A short final descent to the park headquarters and your transfer.
What’s Included
- Licensed mountain guide, assistant guides, porters and cook
- Park, conservation and camping or hut fees
- All meals and drinking water on the mountain
- Tents, sleeping mats and group camping equipment (camping routes)
- Park gate transfers at the start and end of the climb
- Pulse oximeter checks and a first-aid kit carried by the guide
What’s Excluded
- International flights and visas
- Personal climbing kit — boots, layered clothing, sleeping bag
- Travel insurance covering high-altitude trekking and evacuation
- Tips for guides, porters and cook
Optional Add-ons
Frequently Asked Questions
For the trekking routes, no — they need good fitness and determination rather than technical skill. We'll tell you honestly if a route involves scrambling, ropes or glacier travel, and match you to something that fits your experience.
Our itineraries are paced to acclimatise, guides check oxygen saturation and symptoms daily, and anyone struggling descends — the only reliable cure. Choosing a route with more days on the mountain is the best way to improve your chances of summiting.
The drier months — roughly January to early March and June to October — give the clearest skies and firmest trails. The long rains (April and May) make routes wet and cold, though many climbs still run.
Yes. We can hire sleeping bags, down jackets, trekking poles and more locally, so you don't need to fly with everything.
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