How long does it take to hike Mountain Rwenzori?

How long does it take to hike Mountain Rwenzori? How long does it take to hike Mount Rwenzori is one of the most asked questions by travelers planning to visit Uganda? Well, it takes 7 to 9 days to hike Mountain Rwenzori to the summit which is at Margherita peak. The number of days taken to reach Rwenzori summit depends on the hiking trail used.

Rwenzori Mountain has three hiking trails and each trail takes its own days because they have different natures of terrain. The three hiking trails of Mountain Rwenzori include the central circuit trail, Bukurungu trail, and Kilembe trail. The central circuit trail is shorter compared to Bukurungu and Kilembe trails.

It takes 7 to 9 days to get to the tallest point on Rwenzori Mountain which is at Margherita peak. Margherita peak is the highest point on Mount Rwenzori but it’s found on Mount Stanley which is one of the Mountains on Rwenzori. Mount Stanley has Margherita peak at an elevation of 5109 meters above sea level making it the highest point in Uganda.

Thousands of travelers from different parts of the world are always interested in hiking Mount Rwenzori in order to reach the highest point in Uganda which is Margherita peak. A hiker would need a good number of days to reach the summit however those that have a few days can still hike to certain levels of the mountains.

It takes 7 to 9 days to reach the summit of this mountain and the time taken depends on a number of things. One of the things that determine the number of days for hiking are the nature of the hiking trails which depends on the season. During the dry season, it’s easier to hike through the trails which are dry while in the rainy season, the trails tend to be slippery which makes it hard for hikers to pass through.

The speed of hikers also determines the time taken to reach Margherita peak. When the hikers are experienced and physically fit, getting to the summit will take a few days but when it’s the first time for some of the hikers and they are not fit enough, getting to the summit may take a good number of days. To reach the summit in a few days, hikers must be physically fit.

Hiking mountain Rwenzori

On the first day of hiking, hikers wake up to breakfast and then move to the starting points of the trails. Here hikers meet rangers who teach them about the rules and regulations of hiking so that they keep safe while ascending to the summit of the mountain. Porters are available to help hikers carry excess luggage at a small fee. Armed ranger guides are assigned to a group to lead them to the summit.

Each day hikers hike Mountain Rwenzori for 5 to 7 hours and they stay at different accommodation facilities at different stages of the mountain. Here they get food, drinks, and shelter and the next day they hike again for 5 to 7 hours. Each trail used gives hikers an opportunity to see the different attractions on the slopes of the mountain which include rivers, lakes, vegetation, wildlife, and rocks to mention but a few.

Rivers tourists can see while hiking Mountain Rwenzori include River Mubuku, River Makoma, and River Bujuku while the lakes include Lake Bujuku, Kitandara, and Mahoma. Other attractions hikers will see while hiking mountain Rwenzori are the different peaks for example Baker, Gessi, Speke, Emin, Stanley, and Luigi di Savoia.

What to pack for Rwenzori hiking?

In order to be safe and comfortable throughout your Mountain Rwenzori hiking, you need to bring important equipment with you. Some of the equipment you need for Rwenzori hiking include a waterproof daypack, waterproof duffle bag, sleeping bag, gaiters, trekking poles, water bottle, scarf, sun hat, sunglasses, headlamp, torch, warm gloves, waterproof hiking shoes, stocks, long-sleeved clothes, a rain jacket, camera, extra batteries, a pair of binoculars, toiletries, and energy giving snack to mention but a few.

The best time to hike Mountain Rwenzori

The best recommended time to hike Rwenzori Mountains is the dry season of June to September and December to February. These are months with the best weather conditions, they have little or no rainfall received and plenty of sunshine. During the dry season, hikers find the hiking trails dry and passable, the skies are clear, and the vegetation on the slopes are short with good views of the wildlife as well as other attractions.

Hikers can still hike Mountain Rwenzori during the rainy season which happens from March to May and October to November. This period is called the rainy season because that is when the park receives a lot of rainfall and little sunshine. The rainy season favors the budget hikers because they will find the tour packages cheaper since the service providers reduce prices to attract a few travelers to the park. During the rainy season, hikers find muddy and slippery trails as well as tall vegetation cover which gives unclear views of attractions.