EXPEDITION STANLEY PEAK | JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2028
The Mountains of the Moon
Through the Rwenzori range to Margherita Peak, 5,109 metres: glaciers on the equator.
The story of this expedition
You fly from Brussels to Entebbe. On arrival we drive west, towards the border with Congo, where a mountain range rises that the ancient Greeks already knew as the Mountains of the Moon: the supposed source of the Nile. From the park gate the real adventure begins, in a landscape that everyone who has seen it says resembles nowhere else.
The Rwenzori is notorious for its mud. You sink in, scramble over tree roots and balance on planks across peat bog. All around grow lobelias and groundsels six metres tall, in a permanently misty light. It feels more like a fairytale forest than a mountain.
Above 4,500 metres, thirty kilometres from the equator, there is real glacier ice. This is where the crampons go on and the ropes come out. You learn to work as a rope party on one of the last remaining tropical glaciers on earth, an ice field that shrinks with every decade.
Summit day is long and technical: over rock, snow and ice to the highest point in Uganda. From the top, in clear weather, you look across two countries at once, with Congo on the other side of the ridge.
We deliberately choose January and February: the dry season in the Rwenzori, with the least rain, the most stable snow conditions and the best chance of a clear view from the summit.
The story of
this expedition
You fly from Brussels to Entebbe. On arrival we drive west, towards the border with Congo, where a mountain range rises that the ancient Greeks already knew as the Mountains of the Moon: the supposed source of the Nile. From the park gate the real adventure begins, in a landscape that everyone who has seen it says resembles nowhere else.
The Rwenzori is notorious for its mud. You sink in, scramble over tree roots and balance on planks across peat bog. All around grow lobelias and groundsels six metres tall, in a permanently misty light. It feels more like a fairytale forest than a mountain.
Above 4,500 metres, thirty kilometres from the equator, there is real glacier ice. This is where the crampons go on and the ropes come out. You learn to work as a rope party on one of the last remaining tropical glaciers on earth, an ice field that shrinks with every decade.
Summit day is long and technical: over rock, snow and ice to the highest point in Uganda. From the top, in clear weather, you look across two countries at once, with Congo on the other side of the ridge.
We deliberately choose January and February: the dry season in the Rwenzori, with the least rain, the most stable snow conditions and the best chance of a clear view from the summit.
Self-sufficient,
but never alone
From the moment we set off, we are off grid. We filter water from mountain streams, cook our own expedition food and sleep in simple mountain huts and camps.
You learn to slog through mud and over tree roots, and to work with crampons and rope on a tropical glacier, guided by an experienced X- Guide whom you meet well in advance during the preparation programme.
Safety & guidance
Safety is the foundation of every Element X expedition. Our X Guides are professionally trained, hold WFR certificates and have years of experience in extreme conditions.
Every expedition has satellite phones, GPS tracking, daily health checks with oxygen saturation measurement, safety procedures, an evacuation plan and local support in Uganda.
Before departure we also carry out a thorough risk analysis and prepare everything down to the last detail.
Guided by real expedition leaders.
You step into nature, away from the
beaten track, but always with the certainty of experienced guidance
and safety first.
Safety & guidance
Safety is the foundation of every Element X expedition. Our X Guides are professionally trained, hold
WFR certificates and have
years of experience in extreme conditions.
Every expedition has satellite phones, GPS tracking, daily health checks with oxygen saturation measurement, clear safety procedures, a detailed evacuation plan and local support in Uganda.
Before departure we also carry out a thorough risk analysis and prepare everything down to the last detail.
Self-sufficient,
but never alone
From the moment we set off, we are
off grid. We filter water from mountain streams, cook our own expedition food and sleep in simple mountain huts and camps.
You learn to slog through mud and over tree roots, and to work with crampons and rope on a tropical glacier, guided by an experienced X-Guide whom you meet well in advance during the preparation programme.
We let no one step into the unknown unprepared.
An expedition of this calibre starts months in advance. The preparation programme consists of an individual phase and a group phase.
Individual phase
Starts immediately after registration. You receive an inspiration pack with practical tips, insights and exercises to start moving like an expedition member. You gather your expedition gear using the packing list (do not buy anything yet: bring what you already have to the kick off). And you share your medical information, because the best preparation is a plan for when things go wrong.
Group phase
Starts 3 to 6 months before departure with the kick off: a full day on which you meet your team, taste the expedition atmosphere and take the first steps as a group. There we plan the follow-up moments together and the WhatsApp group starts. Training includes, among other things: getting to know the group and roles, physical screening and analysis, a personalised training schedule, technical and resilience training, gear, nutrition and sleep setup, and a final check.
Accredited service provider for the KMO-portefeuille
To help entrepreneurs and KMO leaders grow as much as possible, a leadership programme/training is linked to this expedition, which closely aligns with the adventure. This programme falls under the theme Business strategy and is eligible for subsidy via the KMO-portefeuille.
As an entrepreneur, you can receive up to 30% subsidy on the training costs of this programme. Important (!): only the training itself is eligible. Travel, accommodation, and expedition costs are not covered by the subsidy.
Accredited service provider for the KMO-portefeuille
To help entrepreneurs and KMO leaders grow as much as possible, a leadership programme/training is linked to this expedition, which closely aligns with the adventure. This programme falls under the theme Business strategy and is eligible for subsidy via the KMO-portefeuille.
As an entrepreneur, you can receive up to 30% subsidy on the training costs of this programme. Important (!): only the training itself is eligible. Travel, accommodation, and expedition costs are not covered by the subsidy.
As seen in
Imagine: plants six metres tall in permanent mist, mud up to your knees, and then suddenly glacier ice thirty kilometres from the equator.
On Expedition Stanley Peak you climb a mountain the ancient Greeks already described but which still barely sees visitors today: wetter, stranger and more demanding than any other summit on the continent.
Imagine: plants six metres tall in permanent mist, mud up to your knees, and then suddenly glacier ice thirty kilometres from the equator.
On Expedition Stanley Peak you climb a mountain the ancient Greeks already described but which still barely sees visitors today: wetter, stranger and more demanding than any other summit on the continent.
Frequently asked questions
No. You do not need to be a top athlete. Through our preparation programme (screening, training schedule and targeted training) we build your level up to expedition standard in 3 to 6 months. We teach you the crampon and rope technique on site.
Very safe. We work with WFR certified expedition leaders, a certified local mountain team, satellite communication, evacuation plans and clearly defined safety protocols. At altitude we carry out daily health checks.
The full expedition programme, gear, workshops, guidance, all local costs and meals are included, plus the full 3 to 6 month preparation programme. Flights, personal clothing and insurance are not included.
Frequently asked questions
No. You do not need to be a top athlete. Through our preparation programme (screening, training schedule and targeted training) we build your level up to expedition standard in 3 to 6 months. We teach you the crampon and rope technique on site.
Very safe. We work with WFR certified expedition leaders, a certified local mountain team, satellite communication, evacuation plans and clearly defined safety protocols. At altitude we carry out daily health checks.
The full expedition programme, gear, workshops, guidance, all local costs and meals are included, plus the full 3 to 6 month preparation programme. Flights, personal clothing and insurance are not included.
Ready for the Mountains
of the Moon?
Taking an option is free and without obligation; your spot is only confirmed after the intake.
Koen De Leeuw
Expedition leader | Element X
“The Rwenzori is one of the strangest mountain ranges in Africa: mud, giant plants and then unexpectedly glaciers on the equator. Anyone looking for something barely visited is in the right place here.”
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