Ruwenzori Trekking – The Greatest Trek You’ve (Probably) Never Heard Of

After dreaming about it for two years, I finally spent 10 days trekking the Ruwenzori Mountains in Uganda via the Kilembe Route. And it blew my mind. I’ve been hiking for years, and I can confidently say this was the most stunning and otherworldly nature I’ve ever seen.

You can’t enter Ruwenzori without guides, rangers, and porters, so I went solo but with a local African operator (mandatory). The experience was wild, and demanding, but totally safe thanks to the local team. It baffles me that close to 50,000 people climb Kilimanjaro every year, yet only about 2000 venture into Ruwenzori. Kilimanjaro is impressive, sure, but compared to the sheer diversity, challenge, and immersion of the Ruwenzoris, it almost feels tame.

The Kilembe Route offers everything: jungle, moss-draped forests, surreal high-altitude bogs, glacial valleys, and views that don’t feel like they belong on this planet.

Rwenzori Mountains – Peaks and Hikes:

Margherita (5,109 m) is no joke. You cross two glaciers (still hanging on, but slowly disappearing), navigate a few fixed ropes with ascenders and some rappelling. Slightly technical, but not really difficult and absolutely worth it.
Edward Peak (Mount Baker) is non-technical but steep – expect to scramble with your hands in a few spots. Descending in the rain is no fun, trust me.
Weissman Peak is pure trekking joy. Imagine climbing to 4,300 – 4,400 meters in rubber boots. Yes, really. With the ever-present mud, there’s no point in using proper hiking boots until very late in the trek.

I went in July – weather was a mixed bag (sun, rain, mist, some snow, repeat), but generally good. I spent most of the trek in softshell pants and a fleece. Only had to break out the hardshell for Margherita summit and a couple rainy sections.

Would I go again? In a heartbeat.

I believe this place should be on the radar of more hikers and mountaineers and that’s one of the reasons I post.