Hiking Mount Muhabura

Hiking Mount Muhabura: Mount Muhabura is a Virunga volcano shared by two countries. Mount Muhabura is shared by Uganda in Mgahinga national park and Rwanda in Volcanoes national park. In Uganda, this extinct volcano is found in Mgahinga national park which is situated in the southwestern part of the country.

Mount Muhabura is one of the 8 Virunga volcanoes with the third highest peak the mountain stands at an elevation of 4,127 meters above sea level and it’s said to be one of the most difficult volcanoes to hike. The name Muhabura is a local word to mean guide and it was named that because the mountain was used as a guide by so many distant travelers.

Hiking Mount Muhabura

Mount Muhabura is very difficult to hike compared to Mount Karismbi the highest because its slopes are steeper. To hike Mount Muhabura to the top and descending takes only 1 day and this is about 7 to 9 hours in total. The time taken depends on the speed of hikers and the nature of hiking trails.

Hiking experience

On the day of hiking every hiker has a dream, of getting to the summit. The activity starts at Ntebeko Visitors Centre where hikers are briefed about the rules and things they should expect along the hike. After the briefing, hikers are driven by the driver guides to the starting point of the hiking. Here there are sticks given to hikers to help balance while going through hard areas.

For tourists who think they have heavy luggage, then hiring a porter is advised as they help in carrying your items at a fair price. The armed ranger guide leads the trekkers and others are behind the hikers. Hiking goes through different vegetation zones and different rocks. During the hike, hikers do get an opportunity to see different wildlife species among which include birds, mammals, and primates.

Hiking Mount Muhabura takes 6 to 7 hours to get completed and hikers must be fit enjoying to complete the hike. During hiking, hikers are separated because there are slow hikers and fast hikers. The first hikers can get to the summit before the slow hikers and if they happen to descend back before the slow hikers have reached it means that slow hikers won’t make it to the summit.

Slow hikers are always asked to descend back even when they have not reached the summit for safety reasons and may be keeping time. Hiking mount Muhabura has two stopovers with the first one at 3117 meters and the second one at 3860 meters. Slow hikers normally stop at the first stopover and have their lunch and then relax saying enough is enough.

Hikers who will get to the summit of Mountain Muhabura will have great views of the surrounding mountains, lakes, and other attractions. At the summit, hikers can always drink water, eat snacks, rest, and do some photography. Descending takes a few hours and while sloping hikers will have opportunities of meeting new animals, and birds that live on the slopes of this mountain.

How much is a hiking permit for Mount Muhabura

To hike Mountain Muhabura in Mgahinga national park you need a hiking permit. A hiking permit is a card you will need to present to park authorities to allow you to be part of the hiking team. Tourists who are interested in hiking Mount Muhabura can get the hiking permit from the park headquarters or Uganda wildlife authority at the same fee. A single hiking permit for Mgahinga national park does cost $80 for foreign non-residents, $70 for foreign residents, and UGX50,000 citizens of East Africa Member states.

The most appropriate time to hike Mount Muhabura

Mount Muhabura is up for hiking all throughout the year however certain months are better that the rest. The dry season months from June to September and December to February are good to hike Mount Muhabura. This is because they have little rainfall which keeps hiking trails dry and easier to hike, vegetation along the way is short with clear views of animals nearby and the skies are clear with good views of surrounding areas.

Hikers can still climb Mount Muhabura during the rainy season from March to May and October to November. Hiking during this period is not so good because the hiking trails are muddy and slippery, the vegetation is tall along the way giving unclear views of wildlife and at the summit, the skies are bright with good views of the surrounding attraction.

What to pack for Mount Muhabura hiking?

Are you wondering about What to pack for Mount Muhabura hiking? To have a successful hiking activity on Mount Muhabura, you need to pack the right essentials. What to pack for hiking includes waterproof hiking shoes, long cotton stocks, a pair of gaiters, gardening gloves, long-sleeved shorts, long-sleeved shirts, a hat, a rain jacket, a sweater, sunscreen, insect repellents, a light backpack, drinking water bottle, energy giving snacks, a camera, and a pair of binoculars among others.

How to get to Mount Muhabura

Mount Muhabura is found inside Mgahinga national park therefore one needs to get to the park and then to the mountain. To get to Mgahinga national park, you can either use road transport or air transport based on your travel budget. By road transport, tourists can get to Mount Muhabura from Kampala/Entebbe by driving through Masaka, Lyantonde, Mbarara, Ntungamo, Kabale, and Kisoro to Mgahinga national park.

Luxury hikers or those that hate traveling for long distances can get to Mount Muhabura using chattered flights. The closest airstrip is Kisoro located a few km from Mgahinga national park. There are daily flights to Mgahinga national park from Entebbe international airport and Kajjansi airstrip. Luxury hikers must inform their safari guides in advance to book with these airline companies.