7-Days Umbwe Route Climbing Kilimanjaro

Day 0: Arrival at Kilimanjaro or Arusha Airport

Distance: 45km /5Mnts

Meet on arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport or Arusha Airport. Transfer to Tulia Boutique for dinner and overnight BB. (45 km, 50 minutes)

• MEALS: Dinner and Overnight BB
• ACCOMMODATION:  Tulia Boutique

Day 1: Tulia Hotel to Umbwe Cave Camp

After breakfast, you will drive to the Umbwe Gate, do the formalities and begin a climb through the rain forest with packed lunch on route.

Elevation: 1660m/5450ft to 2850m/9350ft
Distance: 11km/7miles
Hiking Time: 5-6 hours
Habitat: Montane Forest
Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Day 2: Umbwe Cave Camp to Barranco Camp

After breakfast at umbwe camp, we leave the dells of the forest and follow an ascending path on the open moorland to Barranco Camp for a dinner and overnight.

Elevation: 2850m/9350ft to 4000m/13,000ft
Distance: 6km/4miles
Time: 4-5 hours
Habitat: Semi-desert
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 3: Stay at Barranco Camp

This will be a full day relaxation at the camp for Acclimatization. It is an important day to ease your effort, and amplify your acclimatization.

Elevation: 4050m/13,250ft
Distance: 0km/0miles
Hiking Time: 0 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 4: Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp

After breakfast at Barranco, we begin a day up the Barranco Wall to the Karanga Valley and the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail.

Elevation: 4000m/13,000ft to 4050m/13,250ft
Distance: 5km/3miles
Climbing Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 5: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp

After breakfast at Karanga Camp, we proceed to Barafu Camp and here you will have completed the South Circuit which offers views of the summit from many different angles. We then have a full relaxation, rest, enjoy dinner under the African sky, and prepare for the summit day.

Elevation: 4050m/13,250ft to 4700m/15,350ft
Distance: 4km/2miles
Climbing Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 6: Barafu Camp to Summit to Mweka Camp

Very early in the morning (Midnight to 2 Am), we linger our way to the summit between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. Here, you will have head in a northwest direction and ascend through a heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This is the most mentally and physically challenging part of the trek. At Stella Point you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most outstanding sunrise you are ever likely to see.

From Stella Point, you may come across snow all the way on your 1-hour ascent to the summit. Once at Uhuru Peak you have reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the rooftop of the African Continent.

From the summit we begin to descent straight down to the Mweka Camp with one stop at Barafu camp for lunch. Here, you may want gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel walking down to Mweka camp. Arrive at Mweka Camp on time and enjoy our last evening on the mountain.

Elevation: 4700m/15,350ft to 5895m/19,340ft
Down to 3090m/10,150ft
Distance: 5km/3miles up / 13km/8miles down
Hiking Time: 5-7 hours up / 5-6 hours down
Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 7: Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate to Moshi hotel

After breakfast at Mweka camp, we continue the descent down to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your award (Summit certificate).

North Face Expeditons vehicle will be waiting for you at Mweka gate to drive you back to your hotel in Moshi (around 60 minutes).

Elevation: 3090m/10,150ft to 1680m/5500ft
Distance: 10km/6miles
Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Forest
Meals: Breakfast