Overview
Daring experienced climbers seeking adventure and challenge will find just what they want on Umbwe. A short steep climb traversing all the climate zones - from tropical rainforest to eternal ice - will put your strength and endurance to the test. Like no other route on Kilimanjaro Umbwe gives a sense of achievement to those who reach the summit.
Your first day on the mountain will start from Umbwe Gate and continue with a lengthy trek to the first camp on your way - Umbwe camp. Despite the challenge that Umbwe poses to hikers, well thought-out location of camps will contribute to proper acclimatization.
The trek through the Umbwe trail is available only as a 6-day program. Recommended only to experienced hikers in good physical shape, as the Umbwe route difficulty is quite high for inexperienced trekkers.
Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport
After arriving at the Airport, you will be picked up and transferred to your hotel in Moshi. Later on, your guide will come to brief you about the trek and do an equipment check to make sure you have all the necessary mountain gear.
Day 1 - Umbwe Gate (1800m) to Umbwe cave Camp (2850m)
Distance covered: 11 km
Approximate time taken: 7 hours
Habitat: Rainforest
Meal: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
Your guide and climbing support crew will arrive at your hotel in the morning. Introductions and the final brief equipment check will precede your drive to the Umbwe Gate of Kilimanjaro National Park. This entrance, situated at 1,800m/5905f above sea level, is where your trek starts. The chief guide will finalize the permits and registration for search and rescue services. Your first day of trekking is meant to bring you to Umbwe Camp for your first overnight camping. Climbing up to 2,850m/9350f is a long haul with a significant increase in altitude, so find the right pace for the whole group and stick with it. As this part of the Umbwe route goes through the rainforest, there is a high probability of rain showers - do not forget your raincoat! Your support crew will have prepared the camp and dinner by the time you arrive at the camp.
Day 2 - Umbwe Cave Camp (2850m) to Barranco Camp (3900m)
Distance covered: 8 km
Approximate time taken: 5 hours
Habitat: Moorland
Meal: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
This day starts with an early wake-up and filling breakfast before your team starts the trek to Barranco Camp. The rainforest will quickly give way to moorland, and if it is not too cloudy you will be able to see Meru Volcano for the first time. This day's trek is moderate in length and around lunchtime it is expected that you will reach Barranco Camp (3,900m/12795f), which is nestled inside a huge volcanic fault. Lunch will be provided here, and then you will have the opportunity to relax for the rest of the day, which significantly facilitates the acclimatization process.
Day 3 - Barranco camp (3900m) to Karanga Camp (4000m)
Distance covered: 6 km
Approximate time taken: 4 hours
Habitat: Alpine desert
Meal: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
This day begins with another early wake-up and a filling breakfast before your group starts to climb Baranco Wall. We recommend you leave the camp as early as possible to avoid other groups and crowds on the way, which can slow you down. Hiking up the gorge wall is not difficult and only takes around an hour. After the climb, you can have a rest and take photos in front of the Kibo volcano. Then you will start a more difficult hike to Karanga Camp, which features numerous ascents and descents during the route, but don't worry: our guides are experts at choosing an optimal pace for the group. After reaching the camp you will be offered warm lunch. After a couple of hours, you will have to go on an acclimatization hike in the direction of Barafu Camp with a 200-meter (656-foot) gain in altitude and then descend back down to the camp.
Day 4 - Karanga Camp (4000m) to Barafu Camp (4640m)
Distance covered: 4 km
Approximate time taken: 3 hours
Habitat: Alpine desert
Meal: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
Today our Kilimanjaro trek takes us from Baranco Camp, famous for its giant groundsels. We will ascend the great Barranco wall, which divides us from the southern slopes of Kibo. Climbing the Barranco wall is a climb over rocks. The route is not technical, but long and tiring and it will take us to Karanga Camp where we will have lunch and our last stop for water before the summit. Afterwards we will continue to walk through the alpine desert towards Barafu Camp (Base Camp, 4640m).
Day 5 - Barafu Camp (4637 m) to UHURU PEAK (5895m) then down to Millennium Camp (3950m)
Distance covered: 15 km
Approximate time taken: 12-15 hours
Habitat: Glacier/Moorland
Meal: Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
We will wake up very early, at around 00:00, some light tea with cookies will be ready for you. We will climb scree for 4 to 5 hours but gain incredible height over a short distance. The view is spectacular. We should be on the crater rim at Stella point (5756m) as the first rays of the sun hit us. Then it will take us 1 hour from Stella point to Uhuru peak (5895m) where you take some photos for a few minutes before we start descending to Barafu Camp for lunch and some rest, and then walk down to Millennium Camp (3950m) for dinner and overnight.
Day 6 - Millennium Camp (3950m) to Mweka Gate (1630m)
Distance covered: 14 km
Approximate time taken: 6 hours
Habitat: Moorland/Rainforest
Meal: Breakfast, and lunch included
After breakfast you continue the final descend, it’s a couple of hours further now from Millennium Campsite to Mweka Gate, where you will collect your certificates. After completing park formalities and receiving the certificates, a private car will take you back to your hotel where you can have a warm shower. It’s definitely time to celebrate!
Then - Depart Tanzania/ other destination in Tanzania.
Later in the evening or the next day you will be transferred to Kilimanjaro International Airport to board your home-bound flight. Also, we can organize an affordable safari trip to one of the best wildlife parks in Tanzania such as Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Crater or Serengeti National Park.