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Day 1

Arrive at Entebbe International Airport, meet your driver-guide and then transfer to accommodation, which is about 7min drive from the Airport.

Accommodation:

lake Victoria View Guest House

Meals:

Bed and Breakfast

Day 2 

Leave the guest house after breakfast and proceed to Kampala to     do some shopping before heading on to Kasese via Masaka and Mbarara. Stop at the Equator to take pictures, lunch will be had somewhere convenient. After lunch, continue with the drive to the rift Valley through Queen Elizabeth National Park on to Kasese town. Pass by Rwenzori Mountaineering Services offices before heading on to Hotel Margherita for the overnight.

Accommodation:

Hotel Margherita

Meals:

Full Board

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Day 3

After an early breakfast, drive to the parks offices at Nyakalengija in time to rent equipment and be availed with guides and potters. Hiking starts from the park Headquarters 5,400ft (1,646m), passing by homesteads, gardens and what we call Elephant grass. It takes about 40min. to get to the park boundary but if you drive up to where the road ends, it takes about 20min. You will then walk along Mubuku River, passing through recent landslide areas which you have to negotiate carefully, as it involves climbing over rocks and bluff, before getting to Mahoma River in about two and a half hours. After crossing this river there will be a steep climb through open bracken fern and Podorcarpus forest up to Nyabitaba hut 8,700ft (2,652m). It takes an average hiker about 5-7hrs from Nyakalengija to Nyabitaba, and you will have gained 4,000ft (1,200m) in elevation. It may take longer for slow hikers and so insist on starting early.

Day 4 

From Nyabitaba Hut the trail leads westward for a kilometer, then drops steeply to  Kurt Shaffer Bridge, crossing below the confluence of the Bujuku and Mubuku rivers. By turning right to the bridge you begin to climb the central circuit anti-clockwise. After crossing Kurt Shaffer Bridge the muddy, slippery trail climbs steadily up through bamboo forest. After one and a half-hours you get to an area of slippery boulder hopping that some hikers consider the most difficult and dangerous footing of the circuit. After five hours from Nyabitaba, you get to a hut at Nyamuleju and its accompanying rock shelter. If you started late or know that there is another group ahead of you at the next hut, you can spend the night here. On a rare clear day Mts. Stanley and Speke can be seen from the top of the rock near the hut. From here you will have started the giant lobelia and groundsel zone, and you can’t find this remarkable vegetation anywhere else in the world except high-altitude tropical African Mountains. If you have to walk on to John Matte Hut 11,200ft (3,414m) its another challenging hour through bog, full of extra ordinary plants, and a slow pace can be a delightful chance for photographs and scrutinizing this unique art of God. It takes about 7 hours from Nyabitaba to John Matte. Some hikers consider this to be the most tiring and longest day of the circuit, so make sure you start early. The loss of altitude to Kurt Shafer Bridge means the total elevation to be gained on this day is about 3,000ft, (915m). John Matte is where hikers who feel like they have reached their limits should consider a reasonable stopping point.

Day 5

Head on crossing the Bujuku River and enter the lower Bigo bog, where your first  real experience of jumping from tussock to another on grassy bogs begins. The trail is muddy and follows the left (Southern) edge of lower Bigo bog until eventually it reaches the round metal “unipot” the Bigo hut and its rock shelter. In the last half of this bog, a boardwalk has been constructed to prevent hikers from further damaging the bog and makes walking easier. A beautiful narrow stream at the upper end of this bog makes a good lunch break. An hour and a half beyond the upper bog, and after climbing through drier ground and criss-crossing the river, you reach Lake Bujuku. The southern end of the lake is in a majestic setting, with Mt. Baker to the South, Mt. Stanley to the West, and Mt. Speke to the North. The trail route along the lake’s Northeastern shore crosses the worst mud on the trip. Beyond the North end of the lake is a rock shelter called Cooking pot and a short distance further is Bujuku Hut 13,000ft (3,962m). It takes s about 5 hours from John Matte to Bujuku and the elevation gained is 1,800ft (560m). Short distance but long stretches of bog, and the mud along the lake makes this another challenging day. This is one cold location due to frequent mists. Don’t be alarmed by calls of Rock hyraxes at night.

Day 6

From Bujuku Hut take the newer trail which raise and falls twice before finally climbing steeply through magical moss draped Groundsel vegetation 14,345ft (4,372m) to Scott Elliott pass. At the steepest section is a short strong ladder after which a right hand branch will lead to Elena Hut 14,700ft (4,430m). This is a steep,  rocky trail which when wet or icy can be slippery. Continue to the left over Scott Elliot entering an alpine zone of sparse low vegetation and stark rough boulders more familiar to high altitude climbers from northern latitudes like you. If the weather is bad here the conditions for “hypothermia” are ideal here. Do not delay

You’re decent towards Lake Kitandara. As you leave the pass, you may enjoy spectacular views of Margherita peak, Elena and Savoia Glaciers, and Mt. Baker 15,889ft (4,843m) towering above you to the East (left of the trail). Having dropped a few hundred feet in elevation, you cut below massive rock walls at the base of Mt. Baker. Here, dramatic “impact craters” have been caused by large rocks falling from above, and your guide may caution you against loud noise! The trail descends past Upper Lake Kitandara through thick mud to lower Lake Kitandara Hut 13,200ft (4,023m). Towering peaks, but the sun surround this lovely site sets early and the nights can be cold. It takes about 3-5 hrs from Bujuku Hut to

Kitandara Hut. The elevation gained to the pass from Bujuku is 1,400ft (425m), and because Scott Elliott is the highest point so far, more hikers tend to be slower due to he need at these altitudes. Watch carefully for altitude sickness signs.

Day 7 

An early start is advisable to avoid overheating on the steep but lovely hour-long climb from Lake Kitandara, which is 14,050ft (4,282m) to the Fresh field pass. On clear days if you look west you are looking into DRC and north, Margherita and its glaciers still dominate the horizon. Fresh field is a long flat traverse through beautiful high alpine mossy glades (and more mud) for half an hour, the trail begins the circuit’s long two-day descent. Mist or rain can make tracing the trail difficult, and the first one kilometer here can be very slippery. Rock Shelters at Bujongolo and Kabamba are optional overnight stopover but it is best to push on through the seemingly endless mud to newly constructed Guy Yeoman Hut 10,700ft (3,261m). Some hikers make the Kitandara-Guy Yeoman trip in 5hrs, but because of stopping to enjoy the pass, bad weather and the slow conditions in the last two hours of deep mud can make this a much longer day, which some visitors consideras difficult as day two.

Day 8 

Start your journey back quite early, so as to get to Nyabitaba Hut before dark. In      any case the pass from Guy Yeoman is quite difficult in some parts. Helping one another and descending very slowly facing the slop instead of facing outward should practiced more so when you approach Kichunchu where the trail parallels and twice crosses the Mubuku River mostly in deep mud, until the last few kilometers of good dry terrain. Good hikers make Guy Yeoman – Nyabitaba in 5 hours. Should you decide to continue to Nyakalengija it is another 2-3hrs and this depends on the condition of your knees and your desire to reach a comfortable bed and bath! If you happen to make it down to Nyakalengija, I’ll pick you up and spend the night at

Accommodation:

Hotel Margherita

Meals:

Full Board

Day 9

Descend to the Park Headquarters. This takes 2-3 hours, meet your driver/guide and          drive on to Queen Elizabeth National Park stopping for lunch in Kasese Township.

After lunch driving and cross the Equator as you get close the Lake Kikorongo. Game drive en-route to Enganzi Game lodge.

Accommodation:

Enganzi Lodge

Meals:

Full Board

Day 10 

Early morning cup of tea or coffee followed by a game drive in the park. Have your packed lunch and then head for the launch (Boat trip) on the Kazinga Channel which is the river that joins the lakes George and Edward, to see a variety of wildlife, hundreds of hippos, crocodile and bird life.

Accommodation:

Enganzi Game Lodge

Meals:

Full Board

Day 11

After breakfast, leave Queen Elizabeth and proceed for the drive to Ruhenjeri in the North West of Rwanda driving through Kabale and stop over for lunch before you continue with the drive through Kisoro Town and turn left and drive for ten kms to Cyanika boarder post from where you will cross into Rwanda from where you will

start driving on the right side. Proceed with the drive to Kinigi and to the Mountain Gorillas nest which about 19 kms fro Ruhenjeri town for the overnight. 

Accommodation:

Mountain Gorillas Nest

Meals:

Full Board

Day 12

After an early breakfast, drive to the park headquarters about three kilometers to get the briefing and then drive up to where you will start the trek. We recommend you to wear good walking shoes and carry good rain gear and enough drinking water. Trekking can be tough and so we trust you are in reasonably fit condition. You will carry a picnic lunch with you into the forest and you will be thrilled to have seen these rare primates (no guarantee) and the return journey will be easier.

Accommodation:

Mountain Gorillas Nest

Meals:

Full Board

Day 13

After breakfast, proceed for the return journey back to Uganda crossing the boarder from Cyanika and continue with the drive to Kabale through Kisoro town, Echuyaand on to Lake Bunyonyi where you will spend the night in the part of Uganda known as the Switzerland of Africa.

Accommodation:

Bushara Island Camp

Meals:

Breakfast

Day 14

Breakfast at leisure, and you can swim in the Lake or paddle in a dug out canoe or  hike on the hills around if still feel like hiking. Proceed for the drive to Lake Mburo National Park through Kabale town and Mbarara once again as you continue with the drive through the terraced mountains of Kigezi to the open plains and rocky hillsides of Ankole. Your drive is punctuated with several stops to see the art of the creator. Enjoy the fabulous Ankole long horned cattle, game drive en-route to Mantana Safari camp with a nice view in Lake Mburo National Park.

Accommodation:

Mantana Safari Camp

Meals:

Breakfast

Day 15

Early breakfast followed by a morning game drive to look for the gorgeous Eland, Zebra, Buffalo, Impala, Topi, Reedbuck, Bushbuck, Waterbuck and lots of birds. Lunch at the Camp, followed with a late afternoon game drive or a boat ride on Lake Mburo.

Accommodation:

Mantana Safari Camp

Meals:

Breakfast

Day 16

Morning at leisure or another game drive, leave Lake Mburo National Park at about 10:00 a.m. for the return journey. Lunch in Masaka getting to Kampala in the late afternoon.

Accommodation:

Lake Victoria View Guest House

Meals:

Breakfast

Day 17 : DEPARTURE

After an early breakfast, transfer to the Airport in time for your departure flight. 

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