Climbing Margherita Peak - 8 - $1,910
Trip Summary and Itinerary Map
This trip can work as a standalone adventure, or in combination with other destinations in Uganda. The itinerary below starts and ends in Entebbe, but we can arrange transfers to and from the mountains no matter where you are coming from.
The itinerary can be customised to suit your fitness levels, time constraints, budget, and wider travel plans. For more information and different itineraries, check out our ultimate guide to the Rwenzori Mountains.
Start from Rwenzori Mountains and end at Rwenzori Mountains
Landmarks potentially visited on Climbing Margherita Peak
Itinerary
Day 1: The adventure begins!
The trek starts from Trekkers Hostel in Kilembe - the base camp at 1450 meters. Here you will receive your trek briefing from the guides and start the trek to sleep at Sine Camp (2596 meters) following a height gain of 1146 meters.
Overnight: Sine Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 2: Rwenzori Mountains
Hike to Mutinda camp at 3,588 meters, giving you a height gain of 992 metres. In the afternoon at Mutinda, you can climb up Mutinda Lookout at 3,975 metres. The views from the lookout are extraordinary.
Overnight: Mutinda Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Rwenzori Mountains
Hike to Bugata camp at 4,062 meters, gaining 412 metres of elevation. Pass through a valley of unique plant species, streams and waterfalls. The trek starts to get tougher as we climb in altitude, with the steep ridges, muddy and boggy sections, and high steps leading to the camp. The rewards are worth it - the views from camp are exceptional.
Overnight: Bugata Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Rwenzori Mountains
Hike to Hunwick’s camp (3974 meters) via Bamwanjara pass at 4450 meters. The views of the main peaks are fantastic on this trail.
Overnight: Hunwick's Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Rwenzori Mountains
Hike to Margherita camp at 4,485 meters, passing down and across the valley floor to Lake Kitandara.
Overnight: Margherita Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: Rwenzori Mountains
Early rise today at 2:00am. Early breakfast before setting off to summit Margherita Peak at 5,109 metres. After summiting, return to Hunwick's camp at 3,974 meters for overnight. This is the longest and most challenging day of hiking, but the most rewarding.
Overnight: Hunwick's Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: Rwenzori Mountains
Descend to Kiharo camp at 3,430 meters through Oliver’s pass. Overnight at Kiharo camp set in a deep valley with high cliffs and dense vegetation.
Overnight: Kiharo Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8: Kasese
Descend past the moss covered rocks along rivers and beautiful forests back to the base camp in Kilembe. Debrief and transfer and overnight at Trekkers Hostel, or continue on to Kasese for overnight or connect with flights back to Kamapala/Entebbe.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Prices, Departures and Inclusions
Prices are per person based on 2 people travelling together.
Price depends on group size:
1-2 person group: $1,910 per person for the trek starting and ending in Kilembe.
3+ person group: $1,816 per person for the trek starting and ending in Kilembe.
Additional Notes
Group size
We run group treks and solo treks. You can book any date, and the number of other people in the group will simply depend on how many other travellers have booked to be in the mountains for those dates. If no one else has booked for your dates, the trek will run as a private tour.
Maximum group size for the high altitude treks is 8 or 9, or up to 15 for low altitude treks.
Equipment and training
The standard of both equipment and training is very high in the Rwenzoris. The team is also constantly in the mountains finding new routes and keeping existing ones open, so even when visitor numbers are low, they are not getting stale.
We partner with the best regional specialists who value safety immensely. External trainers are brought in to keep the local guides up to date in alpine techniques and safety.
All of the technical gear is imported from the UK, including ropes, ice screws, ice axes, harnesses, and crampons. We do recommend every client comes along with their own pair of crampons, but there are also some to rent.
For all treks summiting Magherita peak, the following gear is provided: harnesses, caribinas, ice axes, helmets, rubber boots, ropes and ice screws.
Requisite experience
The technical climbing experience is only essential on one day when you summit Margherita Peak.
The technical climb involves the use of crampons, ice axes, and other technical equipment when you go through the Stanley Plateau. Here, you begin to ascend the Margherita glacier. The angle of elevation is around 60% and changes rapidly, there are some hard rock scrambles before you summit.
In total, the summit hike is about 7-10 hours (there and back to Hunwick's camp). Although some people can take up to 16 hours if they don't have strong fitness.
Summiting Margherita peak requires good fitness, and ideally at least one attempt at high altitude summits before. We have a 98% success rate in summit hikes to Margherita Peak. While some experience is always preferred, most of our clients haven't used crampons/ice axes before - but our local guides are absolute professionals and if you're in good shape and determined, you should have no problem reaching the Rwenzori's icy peaks!
Includes
- Accommodation as mentioned in the itinerary in hotels and mountain huts
- Full board on the trek
- All park fees
- Mountain guides & porters
- Scheduled internal flights
- Technical summit equipment (requierd to bring your own crampons)
- VAT for hotels and lodges outside Kampala
Excludes
- International flight
- Visa (USD $50, available upon arrival & online)
- Optional activities
- Meals and drinks not mentioned above and drinks at hotels
- Items of personal nature
- Tips
- Note that we can arrange transfers to and from the trailhead for you at additional cost, or if you're including the Rwenzoris as part of a wider itinerary with us, then transport to and from Kilembe and accommodation before/after the trek will be included.
