6 Days

Umbwe Route

Overview

Mount Kilimanjaro

This route is steeper and shorter than the Machame Route. Once at the Barranco Hut you continue on with the other Machame hikers. The descent is down the Mweka trail.

Since it is a very short and direct route, it is not recommended for people with little altitude experience.

No of Days

6 Days | 5 Nights

Area to Visit

Moshi,Mandara Hut, Horombo Hut and Kibo Hut

Full Itinerary

Day by Day

Drive from Moshi to the Umbwe Gate (about 1 hour). Commence the climb through the rain forest with packed lunch on route. Also you can see some wildlife, including Colobus monkeys. Halfway up the trail you will have a lunch break and you will reach the Bivouac Camp (2940m) in the late afternoon or early evening

  • Elevation: 1660m/5450ft to 2850m/9350ft
  • Distance: 11km/7mi
  • Hiking Time: 5-6 hours
  • Habitat: Montane Forest
  • Meals: LD
  • Budget Lodging: Umbwe Cave Camp

After breakfast, we will leave the glades of the forest and follow an ascending path on the open moorland to Barranco Camp. In the moorland you will spot exotic plants, including giant lobelia and groundsel. As you ascent, the trail provides a spectacular view of Mt. Kilimanjaro. The trail then flattens and descends into the Barranco Valley until you reach Barranco Camp. At this campsite, you will be next to a stream and have a spectacular view of the Western Breach and the Great Barranco Wall in the East.

  • Elevation: 2850m/9350ft to 4000m/13,000ft
  • Distance: 6km/4mi
  • Walking Time: 4-5 hours
  • Habitat: Semi-desert
    Meals: BLD
  • Budget Lodging: Barranco Camp

After breakfast, we leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge up the Barranco Wall to the Karanga Valley and the junction, which connects, with the Mweka Trail. At this point of the hike, it is normal for hikers to start feeling the effects from the altitude including headaches and shortness of breath.

  • Elevation: 4000m/13,000ft to 4050m/13,250ft
  • Distance: 5km/3miles
  • Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
  • Habitat: Alpine Desert
    Meals: BLD
  • Budget Lodging: Karanga Camp

We continue up to the Barafu Camp. South Circuit will be completed,

this circuits offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day.

  • Elevation: 4050m/13,250ft to 4700m/15,350ft
  • Distance: 4km/2miles
  • Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
  • Habitat: Alpine Desert
  • Meals: BLD
  • Budget Lodging: Barafu Camp

Very early in the morning, we will continue our way to the summit between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. We will head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy stone scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek. At Stella we will stop for a short rest and rewarded with the magnificent sunrise ever seen.
From Stella Point, you may encounter snow all the way on your 1-hour ascent to the summit (Uhuru Peak) the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa. From the summit we begin our descent by continuing straight down to the Mweka Camp, stopping at Barafu for lunch. You may want gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel going down. We arrive at Mweka Camp and enjoy our last evening on the mountain.

 
  • Elevation: 4700m/15,350ft to 5895m/19,340ft
    Down to 3090m/10,150ft
  • Distance: 5km/3mi up / 13km/8mi down
  • Hiking Time: 5-7 hours up / 5-6 hours down
  • Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit
  • Meals: BLD
  • Budget Lodging: Mweka Camp

After breakfast we continue the descent down to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. Gaiters and trekking poles will help. Shorts and t-shirts will probably be plenty to wear (keep rain gear and warmer clothing handy).
From the gate, continue another hour to Mweka Village. A vehicle will meet you at Mweka gate to drive you back to your hotel in Moshi/Arusha

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

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