Climb Mount Stanley with Holly Budge

Arrive at Entebbe International Airport

On arrival, you will be greeted and transferred to your hotel, Protea Hotel Entebbe where you will stay on a B&B basis in a deluxe room.

The afternoon and evening are free to do as you please with lunch and dinner by your own arrangement.

Fly to Kasese

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Entebbe Airport for your morning domestic flight to Kasese Airstrip. On landing, you will be transferred to Elephant Plains Lodge for dinner and an overnight stay

Hike to Sine Camp 2,596metres

The first day of trek will see you climb from Trekkers at 1,450 meters to Sine Hut at 2,596 meters.

A steady climb through the Afro Montane Forest Zone with a chance to see blue monkeys, Colobus monkeys and occasionally there are rare sightings of the L’Hoest monkey. There is a wide variety of plant species from forest trees to bamboo thickets, low shrubs, flowers and lichen-covered vines hanging from the tall trees. Enock’s Falls are just 200 meters from Sine Hut - a beautiful and refreshing spot.

Trek to Mutinda Camp at 3,582 meters

Trekking starts at 8.30 am and almost immediately you enter the Bamboo-Mimulopsis Zone which is a steep climb with many high steps through a beautiful forest. Climb 551 metres in altitude to Kalalama Camp at 3,147 meters where you can take a rest and enjoy a quick cup of tea or coffee.

Continue on and the trail climbs up a deep valley, which is unique due to its many Giant Heather trees creating a beautiful atmosphere, often shrouded in mist. Arrive at Mutinda Camp at 3588 meters.

In the afternoon you may wish to climb up to the top of the Mutinda Lookout (1-2 hours up and 1 hour down), which has stunning views of the Rwenzori Mountains and is an excellent way to acclimatise and reduce the risk of high altitude sickness. Sleep at Mutinda Camp at 3.582 metres.

Hike to Bugata Camp at 4062 metres

The trail to Bugata Camp is boggy, particularly in the wet season but with a little skill, you can step from tussock to tussock to make the going easier.

First, you cross the Mutinda valley through the tussock grass and everlasting flowers interspersed with many Giant Lobelias before climbing a steep section up to the Namusangi Valley (3,840 meters), with sheer waterfalls. Looking back you get fantastic views of Mutinda Peaks. The Namusangi Valley is wide, with many ups and downs as the trail climbs steadily to Bugata Camp at 4,100 metres.

Hike to Hunwick’s Camp 3974 meters

Ascend up to Bamwanjarra Pass at 4,450 meters where we have a hut in case the weather turns bad. From the pass on a clear day, you get excellent views of the three main peaks.

The trail then passes down the valley and around the edge of some bogs and thick evergreen vegetation. Here is possibly the best place in all the Rwenzori to observe the Malachite Sunbird as it feeds on the many lobelia flowers and is a known breeding site.

Next, there are some steep sections before a steady climb up to Hunwick's Camp which is situated on the top of a deep valley with excellent views of Mt Stanley.

Option to Summit Weismann’s peak or Visit the valley of Kitandara.

After an early breakfast, set off to either summit Weismann’s peak and then down to Kiharo Camp or hike up higher to the valley of Kitandara lakes region and enjoy the stunning views of the Lakes before descending down to Kiharo Camp for the night.

Descend down to basecamp.

The distance from Kiharo Camp to the park gate is 12.2km and then another 2.8km down to Trekkers Hostel. The time to walk is 5 to 8 hours.

The trail down the Nyamwamba Valley is mostly downhill and absolutely stunning with beautiful views, moss-covered rocks along the river, cascading waterfalls, deep valleys and forests that are possibly the best in the Rwenzori Mountains.

From basecamp, you will be picked up by your guide and transferred to Elephant Plains Lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park for dinner and overnight stay.

Fly to Entebbe

This morning you will transfer to Kasese Airstrip for your morning domestic flight to Entebbe Airport where you will connect with your International flight back home.

OPTIONAL ADD ON: GORILLA TREKKING