Hiking to mountain Rwenzori is an activity that one has to prepare for adequately and in advance. Hiking to Rwenzori is quite vulnerable especially to times when snow is at the peak.
Unlike other hiking areas, Rwenzori hiking is quite vulnerable to rain and snow conditions. Unless you are after the snow trails, then you are in the right place for snow adventures otherwise you don’t want to be driving right at the trail head only to find out that the snow has already covered the trail up to the summit.
Now, if you don’t want to be facing this unwanted scenario then you should check out when is the best season to hike the Rwenzoris for a regular hike.
Also take into consideration the altitude of your hike. The higher the altitude of the trail, the longer the snow lingers. The lower the altitude, the easier for the snow to melt.
Now you should plan to hike the lower altitude during the first months of the year and the end months. During dry season months, plan to take the higher altitudes. This would also help condition your body to better adapt to the temperature and the pressure of altitudes.
Determine the items you need in your backpack- Of course, hiking require backpacking especially during longer tours. In your bag you should find several must-haves such food packages, clothing that are well-adapted to the terrain, first-aid kit, head lamp and other items that would help you get through a hassle-free Rwenzori hike.
You must also have with you a good pair of hiking boots depending on the terrain’s level of difficulty, a hiking staff, several pairs of hiking socks,gum boots for the boggy part,rain jackets as the weather changes from time to time and other hiking gears.
Budget your time and work- Your best bets are decent estimates of the Rwenzori hiking trails. If you intended to hike for several days straight, it would be better to cover as much distance as possible with the least possible discontentment and the greatest possible enjoyment of the Rwenzori Hike. You could only gauge the tentative days and hours you would be consuming in a specific trail so you can have a better vision of how to approach your tour.
Certain factors affect your budgeting of time such as your supplies, the distance you want to cover, rest periods, your own physical condition, the difficulty of terrain, the elevation and your pace of movement.
Hiking to the summit- If you have plans to hike to Magherita which is the highest peak on this mountain, then you should plan your hiking adventure more. During summers especially around the mid-afternoons, Rwenzori hiking may be a bit unpleasant due to too much sun shine that do dehydrate you. Even if you are not hiking to the summit, you still must plan your Rwenzori hiking in a way that you would not get caught with these unpleasant weather conditions.
However, even with good planning sometimes things still go wrong. In case you find yourself in the middle of a flat terrain and the thunderstorms roll in, you still could save yourself from potential thunderstruck by sitting or crouching underneath rock crops.
There are a few guidelines for your Rwenzori hiking yet the impacts they have on your trip are immeasurably advantageous. In the end, Rwenzori hiking and other hikes you will have are determined by careful preparation.
