About This Destination

17-Day Uganda Adventure: Rwenzori Trekking, Gorilla Trekking & White-Water Rafting Overview This 17-day Uganda tour is designed for travelers eager to explore the country’s most iconic experiences—from white-water rafting on the Nile to gorilla trekking in Bwindi, wildlife safaris, and a thrilling trek through the mystical Rwenzori Mountains. Expertly crafted by 6Summits, this itinerary combines adventure, wildlife, and cultural immersion with comfortable mid-range accommodations and guided local expertise. Trip Highlights White-water rafting on the Nile Game drives & boat cruise in Murchison Falls & Queen Elizabeth National Parks Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest 7-day technical trek to Margherita Peak in the Rwenzoris Rhino tracking at Zziwa Sanctuary Mid-range safari lodges & mountain huts with full-board meals Detailed Itinerary Day 1: Arrive in Kampala, transfer to Jinja for overnight Day 2: Full-day white-water rafting on the Nile Day 3: Transfer to Murchison Falls via Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary Day 4: Game drive & boat cruise on the Nile to the base of the falls Day 5: Drive to Rwenzori Mountains National Park Day 6: Trek from Nyakalengija to Nyabitaba Hut (2,651m) Day 7: Trek to John Matte Hut (3,505m) Day 8: Trek to Bujuku Hut (3,962m) Day 9: Trek to Elena Hut (4,541m) Day 10: Summit Margherita Peak (5,109m), descend to Kitandara (4,023m) Day 11: Trek to Guy Yeoman Hut (3,505m) Day 12: Descend to Nyabitaba & proceed to Queen Elizabeth NP Day 13: Game drive and optional boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth NP Day 14: Explore the park: Ishasha sector for tree-climbing lions or crater lakes Day 15: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Day 16: Gorilla trekking experience Day 17: Return to Kampala, transfer to airport for departure Rwenzori Trekking – What to Expect Known as the “Mountains of the Moon,” the Rwenzoris are East Africa’s most technical and rewarding climbs, offering a 99% summit success rate—even for first-time climbers. You’ll encounter glaciers, alpine meadows, and boggy terrain. A good level of fitness is required as trekking days range from 4 to 8 hours, often over steep, rocky, and muddy sections. Climbing Equipment Technical gear is essential and available for hire at $25–$30: Crampons, ropes, harnesses, ice axe Trekking poles, ascenders (jumars), helmets Gaiters, carabiners, rubber boots Optional extensions include climbing Mount Speke or Mount Baker, or shorter nature hikes to Mahoma Lake and Lake Bujuku. Accommodation Mountain huts during the Rwenzori trek Comfortable mid-range safari lodges with ensuite bathrooms Full-board meals (3 meals daily) throughout the tour Included Activities Rwenzori trekking to Margherita Peak White-water rafting on the Nile Rhino tracking at Zziwa Sanctuary Game drives & boat cruises in Murchison Falls & Queen Elizabeth NP Gorilla trekking permit (included in price) Optional Treks with 6Summits Mahoma Lake Nature Walk (1–3 days) John Matte Hut (3-day trek) Lake Bujuku in the Bujuku Valley (4 days) Mount Speke – Central Circuit (5 days) Weismann’s Peak (6 days) Margherita Peak – Central Circuit (7 days) Mount Stanley – Bukurungu route (10 days) Margherita Peak – Kilembe route (7 days) Best Travel Months June to October and December to March offer the most stable trekking and wildlife viewing conditions. Tour Price From US$ 3,680 per person (Includes permits, accommodation, guiding, meals, park fees, and logistics) Why Travel with 6Summits? 6Summits is a local expert in Rwenzori mountaineering and Uganda safaris. Our guides are seasoned climbers, certified and experienced in technical treks, and our safari staff ensure seamless transitions between Uganda’s iconic destinations. Ready for Your Adventure? Don’t miss this chance to discover Uganda’s wild heart—from the snow-capped Rwenzoris to the gorilla forests of Bwindi, the thundering Murchison Falls, and the thrill of rafting the Nile. 📩 Request a Quote Now Let us help you customize your unforgettable Uganda expedition!

Activities

Itinerary

You will be welcomed by the 6summits Safari guide, who will brief you about the Entire trip overview and start on the drive to Jinja City which is the oldest town in Uganda. It’s known to have the source of the Nile and the rafting Safari adventure is always done in this region. You will have lunch en route. Evening feel the city where a city tour may be done in Jinja. Dinner and overnight at the 2 friends Jinja (Lower Mid range)/ Haven Lodge (Upper Mid Range)

You will have morning breakfast at your hotel and head out for white water rafting along the river Nile. The stretch with rapids used to be over 10km long until a power dam was constructed recently. White water rafting in Jinja is divided into two sessions – morning and afternoon. You will be going for the half day water rafting and after which you will return to the lodge and head to visit the other tourists attractions within Jinja. Guide to the Rafting Activity with Us, The morning session starts at 9am. You will join your fellow rafters for registration and the briefing. After the briefing, you will be supplied with life jackets, helmets and other rafting gear. The activity will go on for about 4 hours after which you will go for lunch. Optional Extra Activities include • quad biking, • horse riding • Bungee jumping (if open).

You will have morning breakfast and prepare to start the journey to Murchison fall national Park passing through Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for the Rhino Tracking. Rhinoceros are among the big 5 and due to heavy poaching had disappeared from Uganda since the early 1980s. The sanctuary was set up in 2005 to breed and later introduce Rhinos to Uganda’s major game parks. You will then head to Masindi district for lunch then to the Murchison falls national park to check in at your hotel. Dinner and overnight at Heritage Lodge

At 6:30am, you will be taken for your first morning game drive where you will finally see the parks great Savannah grasslands and overlooking Budongo forest. You will also see several mammals including warthogs, antelope, lions, hyenas, giraffes and primates among others. You will have Lunch from the Paraa Lodge Restaurant so that you can relax awaiting the boat cruise on the Nile. While on the Boat cruise, be prepared to spot more than 200 bird species (Kingfishers, the shoe billed stork etc), Nile crocodiles, hippos, monitor lizards, elephants and many of the animals seen during your early morning safari drinking along the river Nile shores. You will be awestruck by these great falls with wonderful surrounding vegetation. The water from the falls generates mist which has colors of the rainbow. In the Evening, you will be transferred back to the Lodge for Dinner and overnight Optional Activity • Hike to the Top of the Falls -15$ • visiting the Delta --15$

You will wake up early morning and have an en route Game drive as you exist the Murchison falls to connect to Albert region which is the lowest point in Uganda, the Adventure will reward you with the feel of the Rift Valley of the Albertine Region with refreshment (Ugandan Rolex) at Ngusi Camp along the Road to Fort portal, Proceed to arrival at Fort Portal Restaurant for Lunch, continue to drive to Rwenzori Mountains National Park where you will arrive in the late evening. Check in at the lodge for Dinner and overnight • Equator Snow Lodge ( Luxury ) • Sandton Hotel ( Mid Range ) • Margherita Hotel Lower Mid Range • Ruboni Camp ( Budget )

The Rwenzori central circuit starts at Nyakalengijja. You need to arrive in the morning to allow ample time to rent equipment and meet your guides and porters. The trail begins by passing through farmland to the park boundary beyond which it follows a thick forest along the Mubuku River, crossing its Mahoma River tributary before starting a long, steep climb up onto a massive ridge to reach Nyabitaba hut. During this part of the trip you may hear chimpanzee and see black and white colobus, blue monkey and the brilliantly coloured Rwenzori turaco. The hike takes an average of 6 -7 hours.

From Nyabitaba follow the trail that drops down through the forest to the Kurt Shafer Bridge, just below the confluence of the Mubuku and Bujuku rivers. Passing through the bamboo forest, traverse through a long and exhausting stretch of slippery moss-covered rock. From the Nyamuleju rock shelter, Mount Stanley and Mount Speke can be seen before passing into the zone of the giant heather, lobelia and groundsel. Finally reach John Matte Hut after passing through the tiring bog, for dinner and overnight at the hut. The hike takes an average of 7 - 8 hours.

From John Matte Hut the trail drops down to cross the Bujuku River and enters Lower Bigo Bog, the home of giant lobelias. Jumping from tussock to tussock, the bog is finally crossed but rarely without the feet sampling some of the freezing ooze below. The upper Bigo bog gives way to Bujuku Lake, with views of Mount Baker to the South and Mt Stanley to the West. Bujuku Hut, well located in the shadow of Mount Baker and Mount Speke, is set in a narrow valley below Stuhlmann Pass. This camp is good for acclimatization for clients attempting the summits of peaks Mount Stanley and Mount Speke. Dinner and overnight at Bujuku hut. The hike takes an average of 4 – 5 hours.

Leaving Bujuku, the trail takes you through more bog, while climbing the steep slopes west of the lake and through the magical and forest of Groundsel Gully. Turn to your right up to Elena Hut and Mount Stanley on a steep trail over large boulders, while the trail on your left leads to Scott-Elliot Pass and down to Kitandara Lakes the trail on he left leads those who are not climbing Margherita Peak to Kitandara Hut. Those climbing the peak will have their Dinner and overnight at the coolly and Icy Elena Hut. The hike takes an average of 5 – 6 hours.

Very early in the morning, you attempt climbing the highest peak, Margherita of Mount Stanley. To reach the summit of Margherita, the climb takes about 4 -5 hours depending on the weather conditions and the pace of climbing this mountain. This tough walk takes you over three glaciers, slippery rock, ice and very exposed areas which are open on many sides. Climbing on to the glaciers, cross the Stanley Plateau and proceed with the ascent. Acclimatized to fog, altitude sickness and coolly weather, scramble up to the summit of Margherita the highest peak of the Rwenzori. The descend from Margherita peak back to Elena Hut will take you about 2 – 3hours. After your lunch at Elena hut, descend to the Scott-Elliot pass (4372m asl.), where there are spectacular views of Bujuku Lake and Mount Speke. After, the trail passes you through an alpine zone of sparse vegetation and rough boulders, descend past the Kitandara Lakes for dinner and overnight at the Kitandara camp. The descend takes an average of 3 – 4 hours.

From Kitandara, take on the trail that ascends steeply up the head wall, spreading out from the base of Mount Baker and continuing along the south side of the mountain to Fresh field Pass 4282m asl. At this point you can view into the Congo to the west and Mount Stanley to the north. From the pass, take on the long high alpine mossy. Thereafter start the descend through steep rocky trails and the rock shelter at Bujongolo, the base camp for the historic expedition by the Duke of Abruzzi in 1906 and then an overnight at Guy yeoman camp. The hike takes an average of 6 – 7 hours.

Below Guy Yeoman, the route descends through the cliffs of Kichuchu which is muddy path that takes crosses the Mubuku River twice through a bamboo forest before climbing downwards to Nyabitaba to complete the circuit. Continue descending Nyabitaba Camp and complete your trek by the evening at Nyakalengijja, the base camp and you will proceed to spend the night in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Dinner and overnight at • Enganzi Lodge ( Mid Range ) • Bush Lodge ( Budget ) • Kazinga Channel Resort - ( Budget ) • Kasenyi Safari Camp ( Mid Range)

This is another good day for your Uganda Safari tour. Wake up very early for your morning breakfast and set off for the a morning game drive to catch-up with the early risers and predators returning to their hideouts and you will most likely meet grazing Hippos, Elephants and Lions, spotted Hyenas, bush buck, water buck, stripped jackal, comical warthogs and the fierce leopard. Return for lunch and later on take on an afternoon Launch cruise along Kazinga Channel which joins Lakes Edward and George. The cruise is an astonishing way to see hippos, buffaloes, Kob and the occasional Nile crocodile plus a spectacular bird watching on the water banks. Many who experience the launch cruise consider it the best part of their entire African safari. Return for dinner and overnight at your lodge. (Full board).

Very early in the morning drive to Kyambura gorge Chimpanzee tracking experience, where you will meet face to face with the chimpanzees for at most 1 hour when you find theme in their natural home. Thereafter, go for the second Game drive in the Queen Elizabeth National Park to visit the local community and enjoy community visits, Lake Katwa, Return to the lodge

You will have breakfast at the lodge and Proceed with the en route to game drive in the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park – famously known for tree-climbing lions. The chance of spotting these lions is about 70% though sometimes they are really hard to spot (most especially when they’re down in the grassland looking for prey). Hoping you get the chance to spot them, the sight will be spectacular! Proceed to the lodge for lunch and later proceed to drive connecting to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Ruhija Sector or Rushaga Sector depending on the gorilla permit secured. Dinner and overnight at • Ruhija Gorilla Mist (Mid Range) • Ichumbi Lodge (Luxury ) • Rushaga Gorilla Camp (Mid Range)

Set off early with guides after breakfast to track the Uganda mountain gorillas in their home. The thrill of your encounter will wipe out the difficulties of the potentially laborious climbing. Come with jungle boots and rain jackets because the park is often wet. Use time in wonder watching the gorillas go about their activities. Each gorilla encounter is different and has its own rewards, but you are likely to enjoy to the extremes when adults are feeding, grooming and resting as the youngsters play and swing from vines in a pleasantly good-humored show. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is a magnificent green swaddle of dense rain forest, so ancient that survived the last ice age. A recently proclaimed World Heritage site, it is one of the most biologically diverse areas on earth and its unique, precious flora sustains roughly half of the world population of mountain gorillas estimated at 600. There is also a substantial chimpanzee population and research shows that Bwindi is the only forest in Africa in which these two apes live together. Dinner and overnight at Bwindi at your booked accommodation.

Enjoy breakfast as a routine and start a day’s drive back Kampala. First, you will stop in Mbarara for a lunch break and secondly stop at the Uganda Equator for a photo moment. You will be in Kampala in the evening and proceed to Entebbe.

  • • Rwenzori Trekking Permit
  • • park Entrance
  • • Game drives
  • • gorilla trekking Permits
  • • Boat cruise
  • • White water rafting
  • • Rhino Tracking
  • • Accommodation
  • • English Speaking Guide
  • • Meals
  • • Transportation in 4x4 Safari land cruisers.
  • • Porters
  • • Chimpanzee Watching in Kyambura Gorge.
  • • Public Liability Insurance
  • • Uganda visa>>> Kindly apply for the visa in Advance online
  • • Flights
  • • other items not mentioned in the travel plan
  • • Medical Insurance - Emergency Evacuation.