Is there something else you should bring to a trek through the Rwenzoris?

Sleeping

During the Central Circuit you always will find huts at the end of the day. A good sleeping bag is highly recommended, temperatures of 0 Celsius can be taken for granted, very often combined with a high humidity in the air. Trekking matrasses are not essential, sometimes however the matresses in the huts have disapeared or are very worn. Therefore it might be a good idea to think about it.

If I use such kind of huts I always bring a cheap fleece blanket, which can be bought everywhere. I cover the bunk with the blanket, it gives me a much better, cosier feeling and it is of course much cleaner. And the blanket makes a good gift to the guide or the porters at the end of the trek.

We prefered to use our tent in the Rwenzori, even when we camped at the site of the huts. You will sleep better (snoring...) and you will have a real private space (in my case for all my camera equipment), especially if you stay longer as we did. Some groups told us that sometimes there are more trekkers than bunkbeds. We never encountered such a situation. There are no special requirments for a tent in the Rwenzori, the groundsheet however must be really 100% waterproof.

 

As we are in high altitudes, a good sunglass or snow googles has to be used in any case. Especially dangerous is the very frequent fog during the climbing of the passes like Scott Eliott pass as it darkens the sky, the strong UV radiation however is not blocked. Wear your googles also in fog and rain, your eyes will be very grateful and snow blindness is no fun!