7 Days Climbing Mt Kilimanjaro via the Umbwe Route

Your journey begins bright and early with a briefing, a hearty breakfast, and a one-hour drive from Moshi to Umbwe Village (1,490 meters/4,890 feet). Here, our experienced guides and porters will organize your equipment and provide a packed lunch. The adventure kicks off at the small Umbwe Gate just above the village, where you'll start by following a gently winding vehicle track for an hour until you reach a signboard marking the beginning of the steep Umbwe trail. The real challenge begins as you ascend through a dense forest filled with rubber trees and giant fig trees. At times, you'll find yourself scrambling up steep sections of roots and rocks. Your first night's camp, Umbwe Camp, nestled within the forest, offers a warm and well-deserved meal.

Destination: Umbwe Gate To Umbwe Cave Camp

Accommodation: Umbwe Cave Campsite

  public camp site

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Meals & Drinks: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Drinking water

Rise early to savor a hot cup of tea or coffee before tackling the day ahead. After breakfast, you'll climb steeply through thinning forest glades, encountering Giant Erica and Heather as you ascend to drier air. Along the way, you'll traverse a ridge that drops sharply on both sides, and with a bit of luck, the clouds might part, revealing a magnificent view of Uhuru Peak. Following lunch, you'll enter a zone adorned with towering groundsels, known as Scenario Kilimanjaro, a unique treasure of Kilimanjaro's beauty.

Destination: Umbwe Cave Camp To Barranco Camp

Accommodation: Barranco Campsite

  public camp site

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Meals & Drinks: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Drinking water

Take this extra day at Barranco Camp (3,900 meters/12,800 feet) to ease your efforts and enhance your acclimatization, preparing you for the challenges ahead.

Destination: Shira Cave To Lava Tower To Barranco Camp

Accommodation: Barranco Campsite

  public camp site

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Meals & Drinks: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Drinking water

Following breakfast, the journey continues as you ascend a steep ridge leading to the formidable Barranco Wall. Climbing this imposing obstacle is surprisingly easier than it appears. As you reach just below the Heim Glacier, you'll be treated to a breathtaking view of Kilimanjaro's beauty, with Kibo's glaciers towering above. Descend into the lush Karanga Valley to reach the Karanga Valley campsite. Here, you can gaze eastward at the jagged peaks of Mawenzi against the African sky. After a satisfying hot lunch, your afternoon offers a chance for rest or exploration, a crucial part of your acclimatization process. You'll scramble easily to the top of the Great Barranco, then traverse over screes and ridges to the Karanga Valley campsite (3 hours, 4,000 meters), beneath the icefalls of the Southern Glaciers.

Destination: Barranco Camp To Karanga Camp

Accommodation: Karanga Campsite

  public camp site

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Meals & Drinks: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Drinking water

Morning light finds you climbing eastward over ridges and valleys to join the Mweka Route, which will be your descent route. As you turn left towards the mountain, you'll ascend a ridge through a sparse landscape for another hour to reach Barafu Hut, where a hot lunch awaits. The last water source on the route is in Karanga Valley, as there's no water at Barafu Camp, despite its Swahili name meaning "ice." Kilimanjaro's famous snows are far above Barafu Camp, near the summit. Your tent will be pitched on a narrow, stony, wind-swept ridge, so be sure to familiarize yourself with the terrain before nightfall to avoid any mishaps. Prepare your equipment and warm clothing for your impending summit climb, and stay hydrated. After an early dinner, rest for a few precious hours of sleep.

Destination: Karanga Camp To Barafu Camp

Accommodation: Barafu Campsite

  public camp site

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Meals & Drinks: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Drinking water

Prepare to rise around 11:30 PM for the most challenging part of your journey. After enjoying some hot tea and biscuits, you'll venture into the night. The six-hour climb northwest through heavy scree between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers to Stella Point on the crater rim tests your endurance. At Stella Point (5,685 meters/18,650 feet), you'll pause for a short rest and the chance to witness an awe-inspiring sunrise. Although you'll join the top section of the Marangu Route at Stella Point, it's advisable not to linger for too long, as restarting after a break can be tough due to the cold and fatigue. Depending on the season and recent weather, you may encounter snow as you continue along the rim towards Uhuru Peak. At the summit, savor your accomplishment, knowing you've created a memory to last a lifetime. After a three-hour descent from the summit back to Barafu Camp, enjoy a well-deserved but brief rest, gather your gear, and hike down a rocky, scree-covered path into the moorlan

Destination: Barafu Camp To Uhuru Peak To Mweka Camp

Accommodation: Mweka Campsite

  public camp site

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Meals & Drinks: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Drinking water

After a satisfying breakfast, start on a short, scenic, three-hour hike back to the park gate. Hold off on tipping your porters until you and all your gear have safely reached the gate. However, don't forget to tip your dedicated staff at the gate. At Mweka Gate, you can sign a register, where successful climbers receive their summit certificates. Those who reached Stella Point are issued green certificates, while those who reached Uhuru Peak proudly receive gold certificates. From Mweka Gate, continue the descent to Mweka Village, which may involve a muddy three-kilometer, one-hour hike if the road is impassable for vehicles. In Mweka Village, a delicious hot lunch awaits, followed by a drive back to Moshi, where you can finally enjoy a well-deserved hot shower and a comfortable night's rest at your hotel.