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Why take this trip

The Rwenzoris are also known as the Mountains of the Moon, they lie on the border of Uganda and Congo. The highest point in the Rwenzoris (and the third highest point in Africa) is Margherita Peak (5109m) on Mt Stanley. A steep difficult climb that although lower than Kilimanjaro provides a much sterner test of a climb.

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Who is this for

If you have caught the mountain bug on Kilimanjaro or Toubkal and looking for your next challenge then look no more. Mt. Stanley offers a more challenging climb in an area that is untouched from the commercial crowd and allows you the opportunity to gain more climbing experience in a more remote setting.

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What's next

Once you’ve successfully completed this climb, you will have gained the necessary experience to climb on Island Peak, Gran Paradiso, and Stok Kangri.

Grab your breakfast in Kampala before being picked up from the hotel and driving for about eight hours through Uganda’s lush green landscape before arriving to our hotel in Kasese. On the way, we’ll be stopping in Fort Portal to have lunch.
Today we’re getting transferred to Nyakalengija for weighing and porter allocation before having a picnic lunch and starting the five-hour climb through moss to get to Nyabitaba Hut (2,650 m) where we’ll be spending the night.
It’s an early morning as we’re setting out to climb through the Kurt Shafer Bridge that crosses the Mobuku River Confluence. This five-hour hike takes us through the bamboo, Lobelia, and heath, before we arrive at John Matte Hut (3,350 m) where we’ll be spending the night.
We’re getting boggy, Guanabanas! Today we hike 4.5 – 5 hours through Lobelias and groundsel – through the Cooking Pot to Bujuku hut (3,977 m) where we’ll be spending the night.
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before we get muddy on today’s hike through steep cliffs until we reach Elena Hut (4,541 m) where we’ll be spending the night. Elena Hut will be our base for the final ascent to the highest peak of the Rwenzori Mountains – The Margherita.
Starting before sunrise, we’re walking through the snow to Margherita peak (5,109 m), a stint that requires mountaineering equipment including the ice axe, crampons, and rope. If weather conditions are favourable, sunset will find us at the peak – a picture perfect opportunity. From there, we descend to the Kitandara Lakes (4,023 m) where we’ll be spending the night.
Descending from Kitandara Lakes, we’ll get beautiful views of the Congo and alpine moss before the trai leads us through the Bujongolo and Kabamba rock shelters. It should take us roughly 6 hours to get to Guy Yeoman Hut (3,260 m) where we’ll spend the night.
Today we’re taking on an eight-hour descend to Nyakalengija trailhead (1,600 m) where we’ll be spending the night at a hotel.
After breakfast, we’re hopping into our transfer vehicle for an eight-hour transfer back to Kampala where we’re enjoying a leisurely day ahead of being transferred back to the airport.
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Terrain

The beauty of this mountain is that you pass through many eco systems and different terrains that will keep you in awe throughout the climb. You will start off by hiking through the jungle where you might be fortunate enough to come across some wildlife. You will then start passing through some stunning lakes and bogs and the higher up you go, the more rocky it becomes. At the end, you will get to enjoy some glaciers and snowy scenery till the summit before you head back down.

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Weather

The weather on the mountain is a bit tricky as it is rainy almost all year round, and even though June is considered one of the “dryer” months, it is still difficult to predict. Mountains always tend to surprise us so just keep this in mind while packing. June to August is generally the peak season for climbing mount stanley as these are the driest months of the year with warmer temperatures. Autumn and Spring are the monsoon season on the Rwenzori mountains and are not recommended for climbing. Winter months are considered good months to visit this area as they are between both monsoon seasons so they are slightly drier but it tends to get really cold at night so keep that in mind.

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Food

Three meals a day are cooked on the mountain by your very own cook and special diets are catered for. All meals include the required nutrients to give you the right amount of energy for such a climb and they are super delicious too!

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Accommodation

On this climb, your accommodation will be in mountain huts in the each of the camps you will be reaching on a daily basis.

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Overall Difficulty

C

Technical Skills

/5

Days

/5

Fitness level

/5

Altitude

Technical Skills

No experiences is needed: Anyone can join this trip.
Minimal experience: You should probably have some hiking experience to join this trip. It is advisable to have gone on a hike for at least 2 days prior to joining this trip.
Moderate experience: You should have some climbing experience to join this trip. It is advisable to have been on at least a 4-day climb before joining this trip.
Technical experience: You should have technical climbing experience before joining this trip. It is recommended that you have experience with crampons, skis, ropes and belays.
Advanced technical experience: You should have technical climbing experience to join this trip. Depending on the climb, you will need a specific set of skills.

fitness level

Occasional workout, no fixed routine.
Workout routine with at least 2-3 workouts a week, overall in good shape. Trekking days on this trip are around 3-4 hours long each day with little elevation.
Workout routine with at least 4-5 workouts a week, overall in great shape. Trekking days on this trip are around 4-5 hours long each day with moderate elevation.
Workout routine with at least 5 workouts a week. Trekking days on this trip are around 5-7 hours long each day with high elevation.
Specified workout routine with at least 5 workouts a week as well as technical training. Trekking days on this trip are 8 hours long each day with extreme elevation.

Altitude

1,500m - 2,999m
3,000m - 4,499m
4,500m - 5,999m
6,000m - 7,499m
7,500m - 8,999m

Climbing Days

0 - 4 Days
5 - 9 Days
10 - 12 Days
13 - 15 Days
16+ Days

PRICE

$2,750

best time to travel:

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

PRICE INCLUDES

    • Price based on 4 pax 
    • Meals as mentioned in the itinerary (Breakfast = B, Lunch = L, Dinner = D) 
    • All transport to and from destination (Private Car) 
    • All accomodation (Insert trip specifics) 
    • All mountain permits 
    • Highly qualified guides and expedition cooks 
    • Drinking water on the mountain  

PRICE EXCLUDES

    • International flight 
    • Visa Fee 
    • Excess baggage & Airport Taxes 
    • Single Supplement fee 
    • Personal & Travel insurance
    • Vaccinations 
    • Bottled Beverages  
    • Gear rental available at additional cost (Let us know if you would need any)
    • Tips and Gratuity