Looking back retrospectively, it was not by choice to hike the 3 mountains in virungas in descending order, Muhabura, Sabinyo then Gahinga.  It happened by mere coincidence. It taught me not to only look out for the altitude gain, but to appreciate the unique nature of each mountain. This time I assembled a team of four setting off from Kampala. We planned a one-night stay in Mbarara to allow our bodies enough travel rest. The journey from Kampala to Kisoro can have its toll (486 km and about 8 hours by road). However, with good planning, this can turn into a gratifying road trip. On this particular trip, the one…

The Muhabura experience was not only delightful but an eye opener as well. “Men at sometime are masters of their fates: The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings.” (Julius Caesar; William Shakespeare) I was to take on another mountain, and get better at mastering this exceptional outdoor activity, just as Cassius was implying to Brutus mastering fate through choice, regardless of what the stars say.  We tried to put together the Muhabura team, however most of the guys were still counting their losses. The Kisoro highway, now a familiar foe, nevertheless a marvel was in proximity as we embarked on the…

The circumstances surrounding this Mount Muhabura expedition were unique. In essence, a friend who had hiked the mountain, proposed we head out and give it a try, since were in Kabale at the time. (Kabale is located about 409 km from Uganda’s capital Kampala). The idea resonated well, given the fact that we had already toured most of the other sites around the area during our stay. On the eve of the hike, we had a team of 12, ready to take on the mighty Muhabura mountain. I should say we were a diverse lot, with different expectations, however we all had a shared goal of summiting. The team arrived…