Why do ruboni Hill trek?

Many people admire trekking the Rwenzori Mountains, but very few have been able to do this trip, due to budget fitness and time constraints. Fortunately, things have changed. Ruboni hill trek provides a perfect answer. Through this hill trek, trekkers will be able to get, an almost full experience of the Rwenzori Mountains in just one day or overnight. The trek starts at 1615m to 2400m above sea level and it is easy to arrange within one day’s notice.

This is what you get when you participate in the Ruboni community hill trek. First of all, the hill trek puts both the Rwenzori climbing and the community experiences in one beautiful, short and affordable trekking experience, making it the easiest way to experience the Rwenzori Mountains, at the moment.

Packages available

The hill trek is either sold as a day trek or an overnight trek. The day experience takes a minimum of 3-4 hours on a return trip depending on the pace. The trip price for the day trek covers the guide and trek experience. For overnight trekkers, it is sold on a full board package that covers the meals, guide and porter, camping gear, and the entire experience.

Overnight trekking starts in the afternoon. After lunch at Ruboni community camp, start the trek with the porters and guides carrying your supplies. You cross River Mubuku and then start ascending. The hill is steep at some points, but our experienced community guides and porters will give you good company and support to enable you to keep on climbing to the top. Trekking time is 1-2 hours climbing and 1 hour descending back to the community.

common site during the trek

During the trek, you find local Bakonzo people on the way in the local mode that gives you an idea of the local village life. The trail is also a community path that takes some community members to their homes and gardens over the hills. You will be passing through the community gardens where you will view some of the locally farmed crops around the village homes such as coffee, fruits, bananas, and vegetables.

Throughout the trek, you have resting points where you will take beautiful views, offering perfect picture moments. As you go up the hill, the scenery gets better, until you reach the peak. From the top, you will take a walk around to explore, where you will view the entire village, Lake George in Queen Elizabeth National Park plains, and the Rwenzori Mountain peaks.

Other attractions that you won’t miss along the trail include beautiful plants with bright flowers, chances of finding the small colorful birds of this area, and the fresh wind breeze typical of Rwenzori, which carries with them the mountain sounds from the portal peaks.

After setting your camp, is a good time for taking panorama pictures of the plains and villages. In the evening and early morning; at sunset and sunrise, are the best times to take the perfect views over the mountains.

highlights while at the top

It is a wonderful moment being at the top in the morning. Every clear morning, the sun rises pointing towards the Rwenzori Mountains in the west. On a clear day, this is a good time to take the view of Margarita peak, the highest point in the Rwenzori Mountains and Uganda at a height of 5109 meters above sea level. On such clear days, you will be able to take perfect pictures of this peak capturing Stanley plateau with permanent glaciers. 

Margarita peak is believed to be standing on the border between Uganda and Congo. Trekkers through the central circuit trail take five days to reach this peak. This hill trek trail is a perfect alternative for that long-distance and time since it enables you to see the peaks in just one day or overnight.

For as long as you want, after reaching the top, you take very close views of the portal peaks, the mountain forest, and the village with homesteads lined along the Mubuku valley. After a memorable moment at the peak, you will return to the camp for a nice shower.

The key requirements on this trek include; a walking stick, drinking water, stable walking shoes, light clothing, sun cream, and other items of personal nature that you will need if you’re doing an overnight on the hill.

It is important to consider not bringing so much unnecessary luggage on the trek. The few items to trek with can be put in a small day pack that can be carried outside your main luggage. The rest of your luggage can be kept at the camp until you return.