Day 1
Arrive in Kigali
Keep the day light, sort cash and SIM, and do the final kit and snack check before heading north.
Rwanda Uganda Volcanoes and Rwenzori Fourteen Day
A serious East Africa mountain itinerary that stacks one volcano day, one two-day volcano expedition, gorilla tracking, and a full high mountain summit push.
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Trip snapshot
Days14
Distance93 km
Total climb6450 m
High point5109 m
What this trip is like
A serious East Africa mountain itinerary that stacks one volcano day, one two-day volcano expedition, gorilla tracking, and a full high mountain summit push.
Stay style: Kigali hotel, Kinigi or Musanze lodge, forest lodge in Bwindi, Kasese staging stay, then Rwenzori camps or huts.
Food and support: Mix of lodge meals and expedition catering, with the mountain section relying on the guide and porter team.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 2
Kigali to Volcanoes National Park
Drive to the Kinigi area, check into the lodge, waterproof pack the mountain kit, and prepare for an early start.
Day 3
Mount Bisoke
A strong first mountain day and a good test of pacing before Karisimbi.
Day 4
Mount Karisimbi day 1
Begin the Karisimbi expedition, climbing to high camp with the local support team.
Day 5
Mount Karisimbi summit and descent
Early summit start, cold and windy conditions possible, then the full descent back out.
Day 6
Transfer to Bwindi
Cross into Uganda, rest, repack, and prepare clothing for thick vegetation and wet ground.
Day 7
Gorilla tracking in Bwindi
A ranger-led forest day where the effort depends on where the gorilla family is located.
Day 8
Transfer to the Rwenzori gateway
Long transfer day, guide briefing, duffel weigh-in, and final repack for the mountain.
Day 9
Rwenzori trek start
Enter the range and keep the pace controlled through the humid forest.
Day 10
Into the higher valleys
Continue deeper into the range as the terrain becomes more dramatic and more serious.
Day 11
Approach the upper mountain
Climb higher through the central basin and use the day for acclimatisation rather than speed.
Day 12
Move to summit staging camp
Keep the day controlled, stay fed, and prepare the technical kit for the summit push.
Day 13
Margherita Peak summit day
The main objective of the trip: an alpine start, cold conditions, and a very long day to Margherita Peak before descending to lower camp.
Day 14
Final descent and exit
Complete the descent out of the Rwenzori and return to Kasese for onward travel or an extra recovery night.