Kilimanjaro Umbwe Route

On your arrival, we will arrange for a driver to pick you up from the airport to your hotel. Usually, a day before starting an expedition, your guide will meet you at the hotel around 5:00 pm for a pre-climb briefing and gear check. Feel free to ask your guide any questions you have about your trip. If a group happens to be big with people in different hotels that time might change to be earlier or later since a guide has to go around to meet them all.

Elevation: 5,249 ft to 9,514 ft Distance: 11 km/7 miles Hiking Time: 5-7 hours Habitat: Heath The day commences with a drive from your hotel to Machame Gate where recording requirements are going to be done. We then transfer through villages and occasional and banana plantations to Umbwe Gate. The trail ascends sharply on a forestry track which finishes up the dense rain forest. The path gets narrower and steeper as we climb the ridge between two rivers bounded by huge trees. Umbwe Camp is settled between trees and thick undergrowth.

Elevation: 9,514 ft to 13,044 ft Distance: 6 km/4 miles Hiking Time: 4-5 hours Habitat: Heath The second day of the trek keeps on rockier topography with thin undergrowth and untidy, moss-covered trees. As we gain elevation, glimpses of Kilimanjaro are often seen. The trail flattens as we proceed to Barranco Valley. From Umbwe ridge, the itinerary descends to Barranco Camp through the bizarre but gorgeous Senecio Forest.

Elevation: 13,044 ft to 13,106 ft Distance: 5 km/3 miles Hiking Time: 4-5 hours Habitat: Alpine Desert We begin the day by descending into a ravine to the bottom of the good Barranco Wall. Then we ascent the non-technical but steep, approximately 900ft cliff. From the highest point of the Barranco Wall, we pass a series of valleys and hills till we descend steeply into Karanga Valley. One steeper up trek leads us to Karanga Camp. This is a shorter day intended for acclimation.

Elevation: 13,106 ft to 15,331 ft Distance: 4 km/2 miles Hiking Time: 4-5 hours Habitat: Alpine Desert We depart Karanga and succeed the junction which joins with the Mweka Route. We proceed to the rocky portion of Barafu camp. At moment, you've accomplished the Southern Circuit, which offers views of the summit from several angles. Here we make camp, rest, and luxuriate in an early dinner to organize for the summit day. The two Kilimanjaro peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi are viewable from this location.

Elevation: 15,331 ft to 19,341 ft Distance: 5 km/3 miles Hiking Time: 7-8 hours Habitat: Arctic Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp Elevation: 19,341 ft to 10,065 ft Distance: 12 km/7 miles Hiking Time: 4-6 hours Habitat: Rain Forest Very early in the morning (around midnight), we start our push to the summit. This is the leading emotionally and physically challenging portion of the climb. The wind and cold at this elevation and time of day are often extreme. We ascend within the darkness for several hours while taking numerous, but short breaks. Near Stella Point (18,900 ft), you'll be compensated with the notable superb sunrise you're ever likely to discover approaching above Mawenzi Peak. Finally, we reach Uhuru Peak- the very best point on Kilimanjaro and therefore the continent of Africa. From the summit, we now make our descent proceeding down to the Mweka Camp, stopping for lunch at Barafu camp. The trail is extremely rocky and may be quite hard on the knees; trekking poles are helpful. Mweka Camp is situated within the upper forest and mist or rain is often expected within the late afternoon. Later in the evening, we appreciate our last dinner on the Kilimanjaro mountain and a well-earned sleep.

On our last day on the mountain, we continue the descent to Mweka Gate. At lower altitudes, from Mweka camp to Mweka Gate it is often wet and muddy. After reaching the Gate we will collect our summit certificates and meet our vehicle here, then drive back to Arusha via Moshi for Lunch and celebration with an appreciation for Kilimanjaro supporting team.