8 Days DR Congo Rwenzori Mountains hiking – Touching the Glacier (4350m alt)

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

Day 1
Pick up from Kasindi Border
1 stop
1
Mutsora Station, Headquarters Northern Sector, Virunga National Park
Our representative will pick you up from Kasindi Border, help you through all formalities before whisking you off to Mutsora Station at the foot of Rwenzori Massif. It takes 45’ to reach the station from Kasindi. Depending on the time you reach Mutsora, you might enter the bush (40’ walk) to go experience thermal water which is a natural hot water flowing in the rocks at the foothills of Rwenzoris Massifs.
Admission ticket free
Day 2
Climb up to the First Lodging - Kalonge at 2138 m of altitude
1 stop
2
Rwenzori Mountains
After breakfast, you will depart to Kalevia which is located 4 km away from Mutsora. There you will be briefed after paying porters fees and complying with all hiking formalities. From Mutsora you will head to Kyandolirwe which is the hiking starting point (1700 m of altitude). It takes 6 hours to reach the first lodging in Kalonge. During the trek, if lucky you will see chimpanzees or hear their sound. You will spot Rwenzori Turaco, Guerrezzas monkey, Cercopithecus (Red tailed monkeyguenon),… You will see a rare tree called ‘’PIJOUM’’ which under threat from locals as its bark is key to curing prostate and many other diseases. You will spot a couple of rivers during this first day trek to Kalonge. Kalonge means Bamboo and comes from the Nande dialect.
10 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 3
Climb up to the Second Lodging – Mahangu at 3310 m of altitude
1 stop
3
Rwenzori Mountains
On this third day the hike will take you between 6 and 7 hours; you will climb up the Rwenzoris from Kalonge to Mahangu, a total of 1172m of altitude. Mahangu is Nande dialect and means between two hills. As you go up, you will cross Nyamuamba River, your porter will supply water from the river to get you to the summit. During the trek, if lucky you will see chimpanzees or hear their sound. You will spot Rwenzori Turaco, Jackson’s Chameleon which is a three horns chameleon, Cephalof Rubidus (an rare antelopes found only in the Rwenzoris), Green peacock,… The vegetation is pervasively made of purple forest heather and podocarp forests.
10 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 4
Climb up to the Third Lodging - Kiondo at 4200 m of altitude
1 stop
4
Rwenzori Mountains
The trek up to Kyondo from Mahangu will take you up to 4h30’. Kiondo is Nande dialect and means the mud. You will spot Rwenzori Turaco, Guerrezzas monkey, Jackson’s Chameleon, sunlight birds, Pied Crow,… The vegetation is made of lobelia flowers, Carex Flowers, Immortelle (Ageless flower) As you reach Kiondo, you might go to WASUWAMESO located 262 m up from Kiondo at 4462m of altitude to be precise. Wasuwameso means Pleasure of the eyes. WASUWAMESO is a panoramic area at Pic Maria. From Pic Maria you will see Pic Marguerite (5119m alt) actually called Pic Stanley, Pic Alexandra (5098m alt), Pic Albert (5088m alt), Pic Mobeus and also glacier Stanley. From there, you can spot a gallery of rivers ranging from Semuliki river to Lac Edouard. If the atmosphere is not cloudy, you could even see Nyiragongo Volcano (Boasting the world’s largest lava lake), Beni and Butembo city. The fauna is made Cephalos, Pied Crow, Rwenzori Turaco, Sunlight birds, gallery of lakes (Black lake, Green Lake and Gray Lake). It takes 1h30’ to reach WASUWAMESO from KIONDO.
10 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 5
Climb up to the fourth Lodging - Moraine at 4350 m of altitude to touch the glacier
1 stop
5
Rwenzori Mountains
For trekkers willing to touch glacier before the descent, a trek up to Moraine will be done; it takes 4 hours in a roundtrip to reach the glacier, Black and Green Lake via Moraine. The trek up is dangerous as trekkers cross the fault with the risk of falling and dying or being injured but it will definitely worth it as you touch the glacier and see the snow. The vegetation here is the same as in Mahangu and Kiondo. Moraine means, a place where there were used to be glacier but it has disappeared. After touching the glacier and drinking natural water from Black and Green Lakes, you will head down to the third Lodging in Kiondo where you will spend the night in basic Hut.
10 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 6
Going down till the first lodging - Kalonge at 2138 m of altitude
1 stop
6
Rwenzori Mountains
On this day, you will start the descent to the foothills of Rwenzori Massifs. Descending will be easier compared to the challenging hike. You will spend the night at the first lodging all the way from the third lodging.
5 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 7
Going down to the station
1 stop
7
Mutsora Station, Headquarters Northern Sector, Virunga National Park
You will leave Kalonge in the morning to reach Mutsora, the rwenzoris foothills in few hours.
5 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 8
Cultural Visits in Mutwanga and drop-off in Kasindi
1 stop
8
Mutwanga
On this day, you will have the opportunity to interact with the local communities around the park in Mutwanga village and its surroundings, Mutwanga is home to the Nande who live in the foothills of the mountain where you will learn about their daily activities like farming, animal rearing, taste their traditional dishes, visit traditional healers, craft shops and engage in entertainment such as traditional dances, music, dramas which make your visit rewarding. In the evening, you will be brought back to Kasindi Border Post for drop-off.
5 hours • Admission ticket free

Additional info

• Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Travelers should have a high level of physical fitness

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