7 Days Trekking Kilimanjaro Expedition via Umbwe Route

Your adventure kicks off with an early start, brimming with excitement. After a hearty breakfast, you embark on a scenic one-hour drive from Moshi to Umbwe Village, nestled at 1,490 meters (4,890 feet) above sea level. In Umbwe Village, your experienced guides and dedicated porters efficiently organize your equipment and supplies, handing you a packed lunch for the day. The real journey begins at the quaint Umbwe Gate, perched just above the village. Here, a gentle, winding vehicle track guides you for an hour until you reach a signboard announcing the start of the challenging Umbwe trail. The forest envelops you as you ascend through a captivating landscape adorned with rubber trees and colossal fig trees. At times, you'll find yourself navigating steep sections of roots and rock. As the day unfolds, you'll reach the serene Umbwe Camp, nestled within the lush forest, with caves nearby. A delicious, hot meal awaits, extending a warm Kilimanjaro welcome.

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

The second day of your Kilimanjaro trek begins with a cup of steaming tea or coffee, reviving your spirit. Following a nourishing breakfast, you tackle steep terrain, venturing through the thinning forest glades, gradually revealing Giant Erica, Heather, and a drier atmosphere. Trekking up a ridge with steep drops on both sides, you may be blessed with a glimpse of Uhuru Peak looming in the distance if the clouds part. After a satisfying lunch, you enter a realm inhabited by imposing groundsels, a unique Kilimanjaro treasure that guards the heights.

Destination: Umbwe Cave Camp To Barranco Camp

Accommodation: Barranco Campsite

  public camp site

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

An Extra day for Acclimatization. This additional day enhances your comfort and augments your acclimatization, ensuring a safer and more enjoyable ascent.

Destination: Umbwe Cave Camp To Barranco Camp

Accommodation: Barranco Campsite

  public camp site

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

After a hearty breakfast, your journey continues upward, leading you to the formidable Barranco Wall. Surprisingly, conquering this imposing obstacle proves easier than it initially appears. As you crest the wall just below the Heim Glacier, the breathtaking beauty of Kilimanjaro unfolds before you. With Kibo’s majestic glaciers soaring above, you descend into the picturesque Karanga Valley, where the Karanga Valley campsite awaits. After a satisfying hot lunch at the camp, your afternoon offers time for rest or exploration. This shorter day plays a pivotal role in acclimatization, preparing you for the impending summit push. You'll scramble to the top of the Great Barranco before traversing screes and ridges to reach the Karanga Valley campsite (3 hours, 4,000 meters), positioned beneath the Southern Glaciers' icefalls.

Destination: Barranco Camp To Karanga Camp

Accommodation: Karanga Campsite

  public camp site

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

In the morning, your journey leads you east, guiding you across intervening ridges and valleys to meet the Mweka Route, your descent path. Veering left toward the mountain, you ascend the ridge through a sparse landscape for another hour until you reach Barafu Hut, where a hot lunch awaits. Keep in mind that the last available water source on this route is located in Karanga Valley; there's no water at Barafu Camp, despite its name, which means "ice" in Swahili. The renowned snows of Kilimanjaro lie far above Barafu Camp, near the summit of the mountain. Your tent will be perched on a narrow, stony ridge, exposed to the elements, so acquaint yourself with the terrain before nightfall to ensure a safe night. Prepare your gear and don warm clothing for your impending summit trek while staying well-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

Your summit day begins around 11:30 PM. After savoring some steaming tea and biscuits, you embark on a challenging 6-hour ascent to the northwest, navigating heavy scree between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers to reach Stella Point on the crater rim. This section presents the most demanding part of the route for many trekkers. Following your 3-hour descent from the summit back to Barafu Camp, you enjoy a well-deserved but brief respite. Collect your gear and descend along a rocky and scree-covered path into the moorland, eventually descending into the forest to reach Mweka Camp at 3,100 meters (10,170 feet) above sea level. Positioned in the upper forest, this camp is susceptible to mist and rain in the late afternoon. Dinner is prepared, and washing water is available. The camp office offers drinking water, soft drinks, chocolates, and beer for your convenience.

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

Following a satisfying breakfast, embark on a picturesque 3-hour trek 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 express your gratitude to the staff at the gate. At the Mweka Gate, take a moment to sign your name and provide details in the register. It's also where triumphant trekkers receive their summit certificates. Trekkers who reached Stella Point are awarded green certificates, while those who conquered Uhuru Peak receive gold certificates. From the Mweka Gate, descend to Mweka Village, which may entail a muddy 3-kilometer, 1-hour trek if the road is too muddy for vehicles. In Mweka Village, indulge in a delicious hot lunch before being chauffeured back to Moshi. Here, a well-deserved hot shower awaits, providing the perfect conclusion to your remarkable journey before a comfortable night's rest in Moshi.