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Day
1:
Drive from Kampala to Kasese Town stopping at Equator crossing, lunch
stop in Mbarara town and continue to Kasese. Arrive in the earl afternoon,
carry out food shopping of all food needed up in the mountain for the
days you will be trekking. Dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Arrive at Ibanda, the park
headquarters and the Rwenzori Mountaineering Services (RMS) concession
building at Nyakalengija in early morning so as to have ample time to
arrange payments, rent equipment and select guides and porters. Begin
your hike by leaving park headquarters, located at 5,400ft/1.646m. The
trail then follows the Mubuku River, crossing recent landslide areas
and requires scrambling over rocks and bluffs before reaching the Mahoma
River. After crossing the river you will have a very steep climb through
open bracken fern slopes and podocarpus forest up to Nyabitaba Hut (8,7000-ft2,
652m). Slower hikers could take considerably longer, so insist on leaving
park headquarters before noon to avoid on the trail after dark (7 PM
all year round).
Day
3:
From Nyabitaba Hut the trails leads westwards for a half – km
then drops north (right) steeply to Kurt shafer Bridge, crossing below
the confluence of the Bujuku and Mubuku Rivers. You reach the poor-condition
hut at Nyamileju and it’s accompanying rock shelter. Walk to John
Matte Hut (11,200 ft/3,414 m) which is newly constructed, large and
comfortable through muddy a round the site. Many hikers consider this
the most tiring and longest day of the circuit so an early start is
important. The loss of altitude to Kurt Shafer Bridge means the total
elevation to be gained on this day is at least 3,000ft (915m). Hikers
who feel they have reached their limits by this point should consider
John Matte a reasonable stopping point. You can just enjoy the unique
vegetation in the bog and the great views and the following day begin
your return to Nyabitaba.
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Day
4: You
leave John Matte to cross the Bujuku River and enter the lower of the
Bigo Bogs. The trail is very muddy and follows the left (southern) edge
of lower Bigo Hut and it’s shelter. Have a lunch break at the
upper edge of the Bigo beyond the north end of Bujuku Lake is a rock
shelter called Cooking pot and short distance further to Bujuku Hut
(13,000ft/3.962m). The shaded location and mists can make Bujuku Hut
uncomfortably cold for hikers and especially guides and porters with
simple blankets and light clothing.
Day
5:
Continue the circuit you leave directly west from Bujuku Hut towards
Scott Elliott 14,345 ft (4,372 m) after a right hand branch would lead
you to Elena Hut (14,700 ft/4,372m). As you leave the Elena and Savoia
Glaciers, and Mt. Baker (15,889 ft/4,843 m). The trail descends past
upper Kitandara Lake through bad mud to the lower lake and Kitandara
Hut (13,200-ft/4,023 m). The elevation gain to the pass from Bujuku
is a modest 1,400 ft (425 m) but ups and downs nearly double that a
mount. And because Scott Elliott is the high point so far, some hikers
will be slower due to greater effort required at these altitudes. Watch
especially for signs of altitude sickness.
Day
6:
Climb from the lake to 14,050-ft (4.292m) Fresh field Pass. Fresh field
is a long flat traverse through beautiful high alpine mossy glades (and
more mud) until after half an hour the trails begin the circuit’s
long two-day descent. Rock shelters at Bujongolo and Kabamba are optional
overnight stops but it is best to push on through the seeming endless
mud to newly constructed Guy Yeomen Hut (10,700-ft/3,261 m).
Day
7:
Begin very early if you have decided to make it all the way to park
headquarters and complete your trek. An alternative would be to stay
another night at Nyabitaba Hut. In any event the path from Guy Yoeman
is quite dangerous in spots. Helping each other and descending very
slowly facing the slope instead of facing outward are recommended especially
as you approach Kichuchu down a dry and dusty crevice. From Kichuchu
the trail parallels and twice crosses the Mubuku River mostly in deep
mud until the last few kilometers of good dry trail follow the ridge
down to Nyabitaba, which completes the circuit. Should you decide to
continue to park headquarters it is another two or three hours depending
on the condition of your knees and desire to reach a comfortable bed
and bath.
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Day
8:
From Nyabitaba Hut, descend to Nyakalengija the park headquarters. You
will meet your driver to drive you back to Kasese town to your Hotel/Queen
Elizabeth National Park Mweya Safari Lodge/ Institute Hostel. Take warm
showers and relax. Dinner and overnight.
Day
9:
After breakfast drive to Kampala or Entebbe in case your flight falls
on this day. If you spent the night in Queen Elizabeth Park, morning
will start with game drive and after proceed to Kampala or Entebbe.
End of Central Circuit.
