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Lake Bujuku in Rwenzori mountains
Lake Bujuku in Rwenzori Mountaina lies in the shadow of Mount Baker, Mount Speke and Mount Stanley in Rwenzori mountains national park. The lake is found in Bujuku valley and it was formed as a result of blockage of the glaciers from Mount Speke, Mount Stanley and Mount Baker which are among the highest mountains in the Rwenzori ranges. Lake Bujuku is considered to be among the beautiful attractions in the Rwenzori mountains.
Lake Bujuku in Rwenzori mountains: During hikes along the central circuit in the Rwenzori mountains national park, tourists can enjoy seeing Lake Bujuku. Other routes can also be used to get to this lake during hikes on the mountain and they include the Bukurungu trail, Mahoma loop nature trail. Rwenzori mountains has about 20 other lakes which can be seen during tours to the destination and they include Lake Mahoma, Kitandara lakes, Lake Irene, Lac Noir, Lac Vert, Lac de Dune among others. There are also a number of rivers in the valleys of the Rwenzori mountains.
Mount Rwenzori is also referred to as the mountains of the moon and it is a snow capped mountain at an altitude of 5,109 meters. The mountain is on the border of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The highest point on Mount Rwenzori is the Margherita peak which is found on Mount Stanley. This mountain is the 3rd highest mountain in Africa and is part of the Rwenzori mountains national park.
Hiking is among the main activities which take place when visiting Mount Rwenzori and different trails are used during these hikes. To get to the highest peak on the mountain it takes about 9 to 12 days. Alternatively, hikers can go to the other peaks of Mount Rwenzori when visiting the destination. These peaks include Mount Baker at an altitude of 4842 meters, Mount Speke at an altitude of 4890 meters and also the Weismann’s Peak at an altitude of 4620 meters.
hiking to lake bujuku in rwenzori mountains
Hiking to Lake Bujuku when visiting the Rwenzori mountains can take about 4 days. The trail that leads to the lake runs along the Bujuku river to the lower bigo bog and is followed by a steep hike to the upper bigo bog where hikers can use a board walk. From the bog the trail to Lake Bujuku passes through glacial moraine, and gets to an altitude of 3962 meters above sea level where the lake is found. The lake is found in the alpine savannah zone.
During the 4 day hike to Lake Bujuku, hikers can spend the night at Bujuku camp. From Bujuku camp, hikers can view Mount Baker, the Scott Eliot pass and also the Stanley plateau. Some of the items to pack for the hike to Lake Bujuku include good hiking shoes, long trousers, warm jackets, sleeping bags, socks, shoes, gloves, first aid kit, long sleeved shirts, warm hut, gaiters among others. Equipment used for the hikes can also be rented at a fee prior to the hike and hikers can also use their own equipment. Hiking poles can also be provided.
Staying hydrated and eating energy giving food is also key for hikers to complete their hiking adventure on Mount Rwenzori. Time taken to acclimatize before getting to the peak is also good for the hikers to successfully get to the top and back when visiting Lake Bujuku. When visiting Mount Rwenzori, park entrance fee is also charged to tourists and this fee is 35 USD for foreign nonresidents, 25 USD for foreign residents and 15,000 Uganda shillings for East Africans.
BEST TIME TO GO HIKING IN Rwenzori Mountains
The dry season is considered a good time to visit Lake Bujuku especially during the months of December, January and February as well as in July, August and September. This is because the clear skies make it easy to view the surroundings during hiking on Mount Rwenzori.
However, the hikes can be done at any time of the year depending on the preference of the hikers although many people opt to hike in the dry season. During the rainy season which takes place around March to April and also around November, the hiking conditions are not as favorable due to the slippery trails on the mountain.
Getting to Lake Bujuku in rwenzori mountains
Lake Bujuku in Rwenzori mountains is located in the western part of Uganda. The lake can be accessed by flight and also by road.
To get to Kasese, tourists can drive from Kampala and it takes about 6 hours to get there. The route used can be the Fort Portal route and alternatively tourists can use the Mbarara route to get to Kasese and from there drive to the starting points for the hike closest to Kasese town which include the Nyakalengija central circuit trail and the Kilembe trail.
Tourists can get to Kasese town by flying from Entebbe international airport to Kasese airfield. The airline operators in Uganda which book these flights include Aerolink and also Bar Aviation.
Where to stay around Lake Bujuku in Rwenzori Mountains
The different camps to stay at when visiting Lake Bujuku during a 4 days hike include Nyabitaba camp where the first night is spent. Another place to stay during the hike to Lake Bujuku is the John Matte camp on the second and third day of the hike. On the third day of the hike to Lake Bujuku, the hike goes to Bujuku camp which is a good location for acclimatization. The duration taken on each day of the hike to Lake Bujuku ranged between 5 to 8 hours.
Before the hike, there are many alternatives of accommodations in the neighboring town of Kasese where hikers can spend the night as they prepare for the hike the next day in the morning. These hotels can be budget accommodations, midrange accommodations or luxury accommodations. Some of the hotels around Kasese include hotel Margherita, Rwenzori international hotel, White house hotel, Equator snow lodge, Rwenzori mountains safari lodge, Ruboni community camp, Ruboni turaco view camp, Rwenzori travelers inn among others.
