6-Day Kilimanjaro Umbwe Route Trek to Uhuru Peak

Begin your day with a 50-minute drive to Machame Gate, where registration formalities will be completed.

Continue through villages and coffee and banana plantations to Umbwe Gate. The trail then ascends sharply on a forestry track that winds up through the dense rainforest.

Notice how the path narrows and steepens as you climb the ridge between two rivers, surrounded by huge trees. Umbwe Camp is perched among trees and thick undergrowth.

Follow rockier terrain with sparse undergrowth and straggly, moss-covered trees as you proceed.

As you gain elevation, glimpses of Kilimanjaro begin to appear.

Watch as the path flattens when you approach Barranco Valley. From Umbwe Ridge, the route descends to Barranco Camp through the strange but beautiful Senecio Forest.

Begin the day by descending into a ravine to the base of the Great Barranco Wall.

Then climb the non-technical but steep, nearly 900 ft cliff.

From the top of the Barranco Wall, cross a series of hills and valleys until you descend sharply into Karanga Valley.

One more steep climb leads you to Karanga Camp. This is a shorter day meant for acclimatisation.

Leave Karanga and head to the junction that connects with the Mweka Trail.

Continue up the rocky section to Barafu Hut. At this point, you will have completed the Southern Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles.

Here, make camp, rest, and enjoy an early dinner to prepare for summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are visible from this position.

Very early in the morning, around midnight, begin your push to the summit. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek. The wind and cold at this elevation and time of day can be extreme.

Ascend in the darkness for several hours, taking frequent but short breaks.

Near Stella Point (18,900 ft), you will be rewarded with one of the most magnificent sunrises you are ever likely to see, coming over Mawenzi Peak.

Finally, arrive at Uhuru Peak, the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and on the continent of Africa.

From the summit, begin your descent, continuing straight down to the Mweka Hut campsite and stopping at Barafu for lunch. The trail is very rocky and can be quite hard on the knees, so trekking poles are helpful.

Mweka Camp is situated in the upper forest, and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. Later in the evening, enjoy your last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep.

On the last day, continue the descent to Mweka Gate and collect your summit certificates. At lower elevations, conditions can be wet and muddy.

From the gate, continue for another hour to Mweka Village. A vehicle will meet you there and drive you back to the hotel in Moshi.