Hiking Mount Muhabura
Hiking Mount Muhabura- Mountain Muhabura is located between the borders of Uganda and Rwanda; raising 4,127 meters above the sea level. Mountain Muhabura is shared by Mgahinga national park of Uganda and the volcanoes national park of Rwanda both protecting endangered primates which are mountain gorillas and the golden monkeys in their thick vegetation. It’s known as Muhabura in Uganda and Muhavura in Rwanda and can be hiked at any time of the year.
Mountain Muhabura is part pf the 8 Virunga volcanoes with Gahinga, Bisoke, Mikeno, Nyamuragira, Nyiragongo, Karisimbi and Sabyinyo. Mountain Muhabura is among the mountains mostly hiked in the Virunga area and the hiking starts in Mgahinga national park on the side of Uganda and volcanoes national park on the side of Rwanda.
Hiking Mount Muhabura
Mountain Muhabura happens to be the most difficult mountain to hike among the Virunga volcanoes and what brings this are the steep slopes but it can be hiked in a single day. You need to come physically fit and mentally okay to make it to the summit and have stunning views.
Hiking mount Muhabura is done in two countries which are Uganda and Rwanda. Those in Uganda will gather at Ntebeko Visitors Centre while those in Rwanda will gather at Kinigi park headquarters for a briefing or paying in case you never paid in advance. During the briefing, you will be taken to the starting points of Mountain Muhabura and it’s from here that you will be given walking sticks to help you balance during the hike.
Hikers with a lot of luggage can hire porters at a fee and then the ranger guide will lead you through the hike telling you different information about the mountain as well as protecting you from dangerous animals on the slopes of this mountain. Hiking starts in the morning at 7 and reaching the summits takes 5-7 hours depending on the speed of hikers. When the fast hikers reach the summit and descend on meeting the slow hikers they will all turn and descend the mountain.’
During the hiking process on Mountain Muhabura, the tourists will encounter so many animals such as hyenas, golden monkeys, mountain gorillas, duikers, monkeys, and several bird species and at a certain point, they stop for a picnic lunch and then later proceed to the summit passing through different vegetation covers and rocks. At the summit of Mountain Muhabura are rewarding views of the breathtaking scenery, beautiful surrounding, Virunga volcanoes like Sabyinyo, Gahinga, Bisoke, Nyiragongo, Karisimbi, sights of different lakes including the small one at the summit, Lake Bunyonyi in Uganda, Burera and Ruhondo in Rwanda among others.
Tourists that normally hike Mountain Muhabura combine it with activities such as mountain gorilla trekking which can be in Mgahinga national park or volcanoes, golden monkeys trekking in Uganda or Rwanda, birding, cultural visits, and nature walk to lake mutanda in Uganda.
How much is a hiking permit for Mountain Muhabura?
Hiking Mount Muhabura requires one to have a hiking permit and this is got from the park headquarters at a fee of $75. Mountain Muhabura permits can be purchased in advance but you can still buy them on the day of hiking at the park offices.
How to access Mount Muhabura for hiking?
Mountain Muhabura can be accessed using road transport from Kampala or Kigali city. Driving from Kampala/Entebbe to Mountain Muhabura takes 9-10 hours passing via Kisoro to Mgahinga national park. From Rwanda, tourists going for Mountain Muhabura hike can access the mountain in 2-3 hours from Kigali city to volcanoes national park.
Luxury travelers can fly to Entebbe international airport in Uganda and then board chattered flights to Kisoro airstrip in southwestern Uganda where they can be picked up by their driver guides to Mgahinga national park and this takes a few hours. The flights to Kisoro airstrip from Entebbe international airport or Kajjansi airstrip do take 1 hour and you need to book them in advance.
What to pack for Mount Muhabura hiking?
To have the best experience hiking Mountain Muhabura, you need to have things such as a hiking backpack, waterproof hiking shoes, warm stockings, a pair of gaiters, gardening gloves, a camera, and extra equipment, a pair of binoculars, a rain jacket, long-sleeved clothes, sunscreen, a hat, insect repellents, first aid kit, energy-giving snacks, drinking water bottle, face masks and sanitizer.
What is the best time to hike Mountain Muhabura?
Tourists can hike Mountain Muhabura at any time of the year but there are months that are better than the rest and these are the dry months. The hikers need to hike Mountain Muhabura in the dry season which occurs in June to September and December to February because it’s during these months that the rainfall is little or not there at all and this leaves the trekking trails dry, the vegetation thin with clear views of the park animals and the roads leading to the park are passable.
Hikers can still hike Mountain Muhabura in the rainy season which occurs in March to May and October to November but they need to know that during this period, there is plenty of rainfall, the trekking trails are muddy and slippery and this reduces the speed of hikers, the vegetation in the park is tall which gives unclear views of the animals on the slopes of the mountain and the roads heading to the mountain are impassable. Hikers will only benefit from huge discounts on accommodation facilities.
