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 journey. The tarmac winds straight to your head. If you have tendencies of motion sickness, it is better to go slowly and catch snippets of breath along the journey. I have to emphasize that having a generous host on travels goes along way into easing on the budget. Building, nurturing and managing relationships is a skill that goes along way if am to add.
The eve to the hike was spent planning for the next day. The season was good, so we had light gear and an assortment of snacks for the hike. Since we were three, the merry making was a bit contained. At the break of dawn, we set off from our host’s home which is near the Kisoro Airstrip and head for the Mgahinga National Park information Centre. The drive is quite bumpy due to the rocky nature of the terrain and takes about 25 minutes. Ntebeko as it known is neatly organized. The architectural design of the center is inspired by the stone. The UWA guides and rangers receive you smiling ear to ear. These fellows are very knowledgeable. They interest you in the Gorilla trekking and always share the uniqueness of their habituated mountain gorilla group which has two silver backs. This is a rare occurrence, and the story to be shared in another escapade.
The brief shifted to Mount Sabinyo. Its greatest tribute is that the highest peak (3,669m asl) is a boarder point shared by Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. This was motivation enough, though given the serrated nature of this mountain, we were to summit 2 other peaks before reaching the border peak. These 3 peaks give Sabinyo its name from the Rufumbira/Kinyarwanda word “Iryinyo” meaning tooth in particular “old man’s teeth” qualifying its form as the oldest volcano of the Virunga ranges. If luck is on your shoulders, you might come across some mountain elephants, antelopes, golden monkeys among other animals on the trail.
We embarked on the trail, on a stretch of thick vegetation marked with grasslands, and humming birds. The bamboo point marked the start of elevation, after about an hour into the hike. This particular mountain has a couple of ridges which alternate bright light and shadows as the sun rises. The trees look predominantly old with whitish draping, the guides described this as moss. As we proceeded, alas! a staircase. This was a crossing point as you approach the first peak. I would encourage one not to peep downwards, just focus on the first peak. This cross was rather scary for my liking.
The first peak (3,423m asl) is a chance to rest and catch the warmth of the sun rise. Here after a well-earned rest, we proceeded to the second peak (3,537m asl). The second peak offers a 360 view of the surrounding. After a few snacks, we headed for the ultimate peak.
Sabinyo’s third peak (3,669m asl) has a couple of rocks you can rest upon and enjoy the emotions that come with summiting. At this particular peak, I started appreciating that each mountain tells its own peculiar story. One thought that crossed my mind was if a pregnant lady at term hired a helicopter, landed at this peak and gave birth. The child would have a triple citizenship, well forgive my thoughts, (indulgence in marvel cinematic universe) however the jurisdiction would dictate the same.
We then descended for about 3 hours on the same trail, encountered a slight drizzle towards the information center, which was gladly welcomed as a positive sign. It was a great hike and fast. Since none of the members was complaining of any aches, we proceeded back to Kabale town.
Mount Sabinyo Experience (3Ps Highlight)
Purpose
The understanding of hiking as more than a hobby was starting to be apparent. The stories with the guides about what inspired them to take on the line of work. The guides always expressed excitement about the Ugandan(local) hikers and tourists. Surprisingly, the visitors log at information center is full of foreign nationals. When the local tourists visit, the guides are always excited.
Plan
Mark off the dates. Get the budget in place for the hike fee and snacks. Accommodation was already taken care of. Upgrade the hiking gears. Have 100% summit rate.
Physique
The focus was on recovery after the hike. The body was conditioned for the hike already.
