6-Day Mount Kilimanjaro Trek via Umbwe Route to Uhuru Peak

• After breakfast, the day starts at dawn with a 1 hour 45 minute drive from Moshi to Umbwe Gate, where you will meet your guides and porters on arrival at the park gate.

• Commence a 4-5 hour walk through the spectacular forest to the first camp, Bivouac No. 1 (2900 m), with access to water. The path begins at 2100 m and generally keeps to the narrow ridge crest between the Lonzo River on the west and the Umbwe River on the east. The trail gains altitude quickly and offers spectacular views of deep gorges.

Break for dinner and overnight at Umbwe Forest Cave (2,940 m).

Elevation (ft): 5,249 ft to 9,514 ft

Distance: 11 km

Hiking Time: 5-7 hours

Habitat: Rain Forest

• After breakfast, walk with your Kilimanjaro trekking guide to Bivouac No. 2 (3780 m), just below the first head-on view of the peak. If you are feeling strong, continue to Barranco Hut (3976 m).

• The path is fairly steep through the forest, heading along a sharp ridge before flattening as you approach Barranco Hut in the moorland zone.

Relax with dinner and overnight at Barranco Camp.

Elevation (ft): 9,514 ft to 13,044 ft

Distance: 6 km

Hiking Time: 4-5 hours

Habitat: Heath

• Start the morning with a scramble up the Barranco Wall to an altitude of 4200 m, then cross the southwestern slopes to reach the Karanga Valley after 3 hours before arriving at the camp below 4033 m. The path offers great views of Heim Glacier, as well as Kersten and Decken glaciers that form part of the southern ice fields.

Stop for dinner and overnight at Karanga Camp.

Elevation (ft): 13,044 ft to 13,106 ft

Distance: 5 km

Hiking Time: 4-5 hours

Habitat: Alpine Desert

This is the last water stop on the route; there is no water at all at Barafu Hut (4673 m), so you should take care and stock up your water supply.

• After breakfast, continue in a south-easterly direction to the junction before turning north to reach Barafu Hut after about 4-5 hours. On a clear day, the Saddle and Mawenzi can be seen to the east. Barafu Hut is situated on an exposed, dangerous ridge, so familiarize yourself with the terrain before dark to avoid any tragedies. Rest and acclimatise at Barafu, gathering strength for the summit.

Elevation (ft): 13,106 ft to 15,331 ft

Distance: 4 km

Hiking Time: 4-5 hours

Habitat: Alpine Desert

• At around midnight, head in a north-westerly direction up the southeast valley toward Stella Point on the crater rim. The night is very cold, and the footpath is rocky and steep in places. The six-hour walk to Stella Point is a mental and physical challenge, with a steep face just below Stella posing the ultimate test.

• Depending on weather conditions, you could encounter snow and ice from below Stella Point all the way to Uhuru for about one hour, with views of Rebmann, Decken, Kersten and Heim glaciers.

• From Uhuru Peak, see Furtwangler Glacier to the north and the Eastern Ice Fields to the northeast. The time you spend on the summit is determined by weather and wind conditions, which can cause temperatures to plummet well below minus 30 degrees Celsius.

• Walk back to Barafu Hut from the summit for a short rest and collect the rest of your gear before heading down to Mweka Hut, your final camp on the mountain, which can take over three hours.

Rest up with dinner and overnight at Mweka Camp.

Elevation (ft): 15,331 ft to 19,341 ft to 10,065 ft

Distance: 17 km

Hiking Time: 11-14 hours

Habitat: Arctic

• Have an early breakfast and depart for the three-hour descent to the park gate. There is a strong chance that the footpath through the forest will be wet, muddy and slippery, but you will eventually arrive at the park gate where your particulars are entered in the register. The guides are issued with green certificates for climbers who reached Stella Point and gold certificates for those who reached Uhuru Peak.

• After all formalities are over, continue your descent to Mweka Gate, where transport awaits to transfer you to the hotel in Moshi, where certificates are presented during dinner. The drive takes about 1 hour.

Elevation (ft): 10,065 ft to 5,380 ft

Distance: 10 km

Hiking Time: 3-4 hours

Habitat: Rain Forest