7-Day Kilimanjaro Umbwe Route Trek to Uhuru Peak from Moshi

After arriving at Kilimanjaro Airport, you will meet your Tanzania Safari Radar guide, who will be waiting for you with a smile. Relax and enjoy your transfer to the hotel in Moshi, then get some rest as you prepare yourself for an amazing 6-day Umbwe Route Kilimanjaro climbing adventure.

Accommodation:

Meal plan: Bed & Breakfast

Overnight stay:

Moshi - Kilimanjaro White House Hotel

• The hike will begin with a 50-minute drive to Machame Gate. After all the formalities are completed, we will transfer to Umbwe Gate, passing through coffee and banana plantations. The strenuous and long hike then follows through the rainforest and onto a mountain ridge.

Elevation: 5,249 ft to 9,514 ft

Distance: 11 km/7 miles

Hiking Time: 5-7 hours

Habitat: Heath

• Proceed with trekking over rockier terrain with sparse undergrowth and straggly, moss-covered trees. Kilimanjaro can be spotted as we gain altitude.
• As we keep moving, the path flattens and we descend to Barranco Camp through the beautiful Senecio forest.

Umbwe Camp to Barranco Camp

Elevation: 9,514 ft to 13,044 ft

Distance: 6 km/4 miles

Hiking Time: 4-5 hours

Habitat: Heath

• We will start this day by descending to the base of the intimidating Barranco Wall.
• Afterwards, we hike the non-technical yet steep cliff.
• From the top of Barranco, we go across a sequence of hills and valleys until we descend into Karanga Valley. The day is short to improve acclimatization.

Elevation: 13,044 ft - 13,106 ft

Distance: 5 km

Hiking time: 4-5 hours

Habitat: alpine desert

• We will depart from Karanga and reach the intersection that connects with the Mweka Trail. We then proceed to Barafu Hut. This completes the southern route, which offers spectacular views of the summit from different angles.
• Here, we will rest and enjoy a tasteful early dinner as we prepare for the summit the next day. The two peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi are clearly visible from here.

Elevation: 13,106 ft - 15,331 ft

Distance: 4 km

Hiking time: 4-5 hours

Habitat: alpine desert

• On this day, we will push our way to the summit. Our trek will begin around midnight, and this can be a bit more physically and mentally challenging compared to the other parts of the trek.
• After reaching Stella Point (18,600 ft), we will take a short rest and be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see, weather permitting. From Stella Point, snow may be encountered all the way on our 1-hour ascent to the summit. Your time at Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa, will be brief. Take as many pictures as you want, enjoy your accomplishment, and then start heading back to Stella Point.
• From the summit, we will immediately start our descent straight down to the Mweka Hut campsite, stopping at Barafu for lunch. The trail is rocky and can be quite hard on the knees, so trekking poles are useful. Mweka Camp is situated in the upper forest, and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon.
• We will later enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and take a well-earned rest.

Distance: 5 km

Hiking Time: 7-8 hours

Habitat: Arctic

• Following a well-earned breakfast, we will celebrate with the whole team and afterwards take a three-hour walk to Mweka Gate.
• Upon arrival at the gate, you will receive your gold certificate for reaching the summit. Thereafter, we head to Mweka Village, where we will meet our driver, who will take you back to your hotel for a long rest.

Distance Covered: 9.1 km

Time to be used: 3 hrs

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Accommodation:

Meal plan: Bed & Breakfast

Overnight stay:

Moshi - Kilimanjaro White House Hotel