Hiking in Uganda is one of the activities to do during safaris across the destinations in the country and some of the best hiking destinations include the following;
- Rwenzori mountains
One of the popular hiking destinations in Uganda is the Rwenzori mountains which are located in western part of the country.
The highest peak on the Rwenzori mountains is the Margherita peak which is at an altitude of 5109 meters. For a period of 5 days to 12 days tourists can hike along different routes to get to the snow capped peak of Mount Rwenzori.
Tourists can also enjoy day hikes on Mount Rwenzori during their hiking tours in Uganda. The routes which are used during hikes on the mountain include the central circuit trail, the Kilembe trail and the Bukurungu trail.
Each of the hiking trails in Rwenzori mountains national park offers scenic beauty which includes forests, glaciers, alpine meadows, montane forests among other stunning scenery around the national park. Different vegetation zones are also passed through during the hikes to the summit of the mountain.
During tours in Uganda, tourists can access the Rwenzori mountains by driving from Kampala for a period of about 6 to 7 hours along the Kampala-Mbarara-Kasese route. Another route used to get to the Rwenzori mountains is the Kampala-Fort Portal-Kasese route.
Flights can also be booked from Entebbe international airport to Kasese airstrip to access the Rwenzori mountains during hiking tours in Uganda. These flights are scheduled and charter flights which can be booked with domestic airlines such as Aerolink Uganda.
Mount Rwenzori is part of the Rwenzori mountains national park which apart from hiking is also a place where activities such as guided nature walks, bird watching and cultural tours.
- Hiking on Mount Elgon
Mount Elgon in eastern Uganda is another destination where hiking in the country takes place throughout the year.
Different routes are used for hiking on Mount Elgon which is at an altitude of 4321 meters and they include the Sasa trail, Piswa trail, Suam trail and Sipi trail. Mount Elgon is part of Mount Elgon national park and is the second highest mountain in Uganda.
It takes about 4 days to hike on Mount Elgon using the Sasa trail about 7 days to get to the summit of the mountain using the Piswa trail, 4 to 5 days hiking along the Suam trail and the Sipi trail can be used during day hikes around the destination.
The highest point on Mount Elgon is the Wagagai peak and the mountain is located on the border with Uganda and Kenya.
- Sipi falls hike
The Sipi falls located in the eastern part of Uganda are also a destination which is popular for hiking in the country.
Three waterfalls make up the Sipi falls and the hike to get to these waterfalls also involves hiking through the local villages as well as coffee plantations depending on the route used for the hike. Local guides move with tourists during this hike.
The Sipi waterfalls are at different altitudes which include 75 meters, 85 meters and 100 meters. The falls are located on the foothills of Mount Elgon in Kapchorwa.
- Climbing Mount Muhabura
Hiking in Uganda can also take place on Mount Muhabura which is located in Mgahinga national park in south western part of the country.
Mount Muhabura is part of the Virunga mountains in Uganda and is at an altitude of 4127 meters which takes about 5 to 7 hours. During this hike, tourists can also encounter primates such as mountain gorillas and golden monkeys.
The hikes on Mount Muhabura are also done with ranger guides and the mountain can also be climbed from Rwanda.
- Climbing Mount Sabyinyo
Another hiking destination in Uganda is Mount Sabyinyo which is another Virunga mountain which is located in Mgahinga national park.
At 3669 meters, Mount Sabyinyo offer amazing hiking experiences in Uganda for a duration of between 6 to 9 hours. One of the unique features about this mountain is that it is shared by three countries including Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo.
- Climbing Mount Gahinga
In Mgahinga national park, another destination for hiking is Mount Gahinga which is at an altitude of 3474 meters.
Mount Gahinga hiking takes about 6 to 8 hours through farmlands as well as the bamboo forests where primates such as black and white colobus monkeys, mountain gorillas, baboons and vervet monkeys can be seen.
The mountain is also part of the Virunga volcanoes found in Uganda and is the smallest of the 3 mountains. During hikes on Mount Gahinga, tourists can also see a crater lake at the summit of the mountain and this mountain is also a short and easy hike.
Activities such as primate tours including gorilla trekking and habituation as well as chimpanzee trekking and habituation also involve hiking which takes place in the steep slopes around destinations such as Bwindi national park, Mgahinga national park and Kibale forest national park.
- Hiking on Mount Moroto
Hiking in Uganda can also be done on Mount Moroto which is located in the north eastern part of the country.
The mountain is located in the Karamoja region and hikes to the top of Mount Moroto take about 2 to 3 days. Tourists can also engage in day hikes when visiting the destination. During torus around the mountain, tourists can also interact with the locals including the Tepeth.
- Hiking in Bwindi national park
The gorillas of Bwindi national park are known for being found in the steep slopes of the park and there are different hiking routes found around the national park.
Bwindi national park is located in south western Uganda and is a place where tourists can take part in gorilla trekking experiences, hiking, bird watching, nature walks and also Batwa cultural tours.
Best time for hiking in Uganda
Hikes in Uganda can be done throughout the year although the best time to navigate the trails is the dry season which occurs around June, July, August and September and also around December, January and February.
