THE OVERVIEW

This 6-day hiking expedition from Arusha to the summit of Uhuru Peak via the Umbwe path begins and concludes in Arusha. The Umbwe route will put your climbing talents to the test. The spectacular sweeping panoramas compensate for the first day’s rapid ascent with little time for acclimatization. Climbers with high-altitude climbing experience are welcome to take part in a 6-day excursion.

The highlights of this 6days hiking safari

• View the breathtaking Shira Plateau.
• Mountain shelters for sleeping
• Observe the dawn from Uhuru Peak.
• Reach the highest point in Africa
• Trek through breathtaking woods, moorland, and high-alpine deserts

DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1: Hike from Umbwe Gate (1650m) to Umbwe Camp (2940m)

You will wake up early for breakfast on this day of the Umbwe Route and check out of the Lodge. You will drive from Moshi to the Umbwe route entrance gate. You begin your trek at the modest Umbwe Gate just above the settlement and follow a smooth winding vehicle track for an hour to a signboard that indicates the little steep Umbwe path. You will now climb for 6 to 7 hours and 9 kilometers through a dense forest of rubber trees and large fig trees to the Umbwe Route Camp, which is located in the forest and close to some caves. Umbwe Camp will provide you with leisure, dinner, and an overnight stay.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and dinner

Day 2: Umbwe Camp to Barranco camp (3,900 m)

After breakfast, you’ll leave the glades of the woodland and take a climbing trail on the open moorland to the Barranco campground, passing through rockier terrain with limited undergrowth and straggly, moss-covered trees. As you ascend, you can catch glimpses of Kilimanjaro’s peak.  As you approach Barranco Valley, the path flattens out. You will have dinner, and night in Barranco Camp. Trekking distance of 6 km and 5 hours journey

Meal plan: All meals are included

Day 3: Barranco camp to Karanga camp (4034m)

Today, after breakfast, your trek begins from Barranco camp to Karanga camp, which sits in the height range of 13044 ft. to 13106 ft. and is a distance of 5km that requires around 4 to 5 hours to cross the alpine desert. You will head down the ravine to the base of the majestic Barranco wall before ascending the nearly 900-foot cliff. You are going to descend from the top of Barranco wall through a series of hills and valleys until you reach Karanga valley, where you will have dinner and spend the night in Karanga camp. This is a shorter trek aimed for acclimatization.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner

Day 4: Karanga camp to Barafu Camp (4,640m)

After breakfast, you depart Karanga and proceed to the junction with the Mweka Trail on Mount Kilimanjaro. Then you go up to the Barafu Hut, which is around 5 kilometers long and takes 4 to 5 hours to reach. You’ve completed the South Circuit, which provides views of the top from a number of vantage points. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are readily visible from this vantage point. Spend the night and have dinner at Barafu camp.

Meal plan: All meals included

Day 5: Ascend to Uhuru Peak (5,895m) and Descent to Mweka Camp (3,820m)

After a cup of hot tea and a quick snack, the ascent begins after midnight. The screes of Kibo will be climbed under torchlight. After 5 to 7 hours of rising in the dark, you will reach Stella Point (5,730 m), the crater rim of Mount Kilimanjaro. Uhuru Peak is a 1- to 2-hour hike along the crater ridge. Enjoy a 360° view of the landscape below as the sun rises to reveal Kilimanjaro in all its glory. You are presently standing on the “Roof of Africa.”

The weather at the highest point will impact how long you can stay, but it is critical to start descending early to ensure you have enough rest back at Barafu Camp. After shooting photos, proceed to Barafu Camp for lunch, and then to Mweka Hut Camping, which is snuggled in the jungle. Because of the rocky terrain, hiking poles are recommended for this hike. You will have dinner and spend the night in Mweka camp.

Meal plan: All meals are included

Day 6: Descend from Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate (1,640m)

On the final day of hiking the Umbwe path, you will descend through the rainforest from Mweka camp to Mweka gate, a distance of 10km and three to four hours of trekking. Enjoy the lower elevation and the view of Mt Kilimanjaro’s forested slopes. You will be issued a green certificate for reaching Stella Point and a gold certificate for reaching Uhuru Peak at Mweka gate. You’ll meet your guide and drive to Arusha, where you’ll check into your hotel, have dinner, and spend the night.

Meal plan: All meals are included

BOOKINGS