This adventure holiday includes trekking Uganda’s magnificent Mount Rwenzori and seeing the mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

Margherita Peak is less high than Mt Kilimanjaro. It is also less well known and less frequently climbed. However, it requires more technical skill and every bit as much stamina and determination. Depending on the season, the climb can present a number of difficulties such as rain and mud.

Still, adventurers will be well rewarded for their efforts. The hike features spectacular vistas, astonishing flora, chattering monkeys and colourful birds. Tackle hilly areas of bamboo and giant heather. Navigate steep rocky outcroppings. Finally, anyone taking on this route will traverse ice planes as the summit nears. Some technical climbing skills are required to reach the top.

You set off from the Rwenzori National Park entrance on the walk up through the dense forest.  You see a multitude of birds’ species and even some Colobus monkeys on the way to Sine Camp. The trail to Bugata Camp provides some of the easiest walking of the entire trek in dry conditions.  Tussock grass and Giant Lobelias abound as the landscape takes on a much different feel. 

The steady climb to Bamwanjara Pass helps with acclimatisation.  Here you gain your first views of Mt Stanley, Mt Baker, and Wiesmann’s Peak and into the Democratic Republic of Congo beyond. At Marguerita Camp 4485m.  Contemplate the 2am start next morning for the summit.  Even on the Equator it often snows in the afternoon so the mountain is climbed early, with some steep scrambling by torchlight.

Get to the summit of Margherita Peak 5109m at 9.00 am.  High above the clouds on top of Africa’s third highest peak in perfect conditions.  There are some short sections of technical climbing as well as roped descents on the glacier. After all this you will descend and head to Bwindi where you will enjoy gorilla tours the following day.

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Forest starts with a briefing at the park headquarters at around 7:30am. Visitors should sleep early before the day of tracking and wake up by 5am to take breakfast before starting the journey to the park office.

 After the briefing at the park office, trekkers are separated into smaller groups of 8. Each group of eight track a particular gorilla family. Some gorilla families live near the park offices while others are found further away.

The park guides from the Uganda Wildlife Authority, two armed rangers and porters move with each group. The guides are very experienced, knowledgeable and well-trained. While leading tourists to the gorillas, they will share information about the gorilla family and other animals found in the forest.

The time taken tracking gorillas in Bwindi depends on the gorilla group one is assigned to. It can take only 30 minutes to locate some groups while others can take hours. A team of trackers normally go ahead of the group to identify the location of the gorilla family. They then inform the lead Guide by radio call of the exact location of the gorilla family. These advance trackers know where the gorilla group built their last sleeping nests and will head to that direction.

Once you spot the family, you will be allowed only one hour with them so that they don’t start getting uncomfortable. Take your time to observe their behaviour and different personalities while taking some great photos for your memories.