5-Day Kilimanjaro Trek via Umbwe Route with Uhuru Peak Sunrise

• Elevation: 1200m to 1700m to 2850m, Distance: 11 km, Hiking time: 6 hours, Habitat: Montana forest.

On the morning of the first day of Kilimanjaro trekking, your driver will pick you up from your accommodation and drive you to Umbwe Gate Point. After registration, you will begin your journey through a dense tropical jungle with giant fig trees. Along the way, you may see different species of animals, including Colobus monkeys. On a clear day, you can also admire Kibo Peak in the distance as you climb. The day's trek ends after 6 hours at Umbwe Cave Camp. If you still have energy left, you can visit the nearby cave before dinner and your overnight stay, getting ready for the next day's start.

• Elevation: 2850m to 3950m, Distance: 6 km, Hiking time: 4 hours, Habitat: Montana forest and heather.

After breakfast, continue trekking as you gradually reach the tree line and watch the landscape change from rainforest to moss-covered trees and heather. You will follow a challenging ridge that eventually leads into the Barranco Valley near Barranco Camp, which sits at nearly 13,000 feet in the shadow of Barranco's Great Wall. At Barranco Camp, the Lemosho, Shira, and Machame routes join the Umbwe ascent. Dinner and overnight stay at Barranco Camp.

• Distance: 10 km, Hiking time: 8 hours.

After breakfast, begin your ascent from Barranco Camp near the Barranco Great Wall and continue to Karanga Valley Camp. This section of the Kilimanjaro trek is challenging but rewards you with excellent views of the southern Kibo Glaciers. From Karanga Valley Camp, continue along a ridge to Barafu Camp, where dinner will be followed by an overnight stay.

• Elevation: 4620m to 5895m to 3100m, Distance: 15 km, Hiking time: 10-12 hours, Habitat: Desert and ice.

Begin your night climb with lanterns from Barafu Camp, making your way through boulders and snow toward the summit of Uhuru Peak on Kilimanjaro. After a few hours, you will reach Stella Point on the rim of Kilimanjaro Crater. With good visibility, you can experience a magnificent sunrise here, and after about an hour more, you will reach the summit of Uhuru Peak. Here, you stand on the roof of Africa and enjoy one of the best viewpoints in Africa.

You will then begin descending to Barafu Camp, rest there for a while, and continue your descent to Mweka Camp.

• Elevation: 3100m to 1700m, Distance: 9 km, Descending time: 4 hours, Habitat: Montana forest.

After breakfast, today is your last day on the mountain, so you will descend through Montana forest to Mweka Gate. This descent takes about 4 hours. After checking out at the gate, prepare to board the vehicle for your transfer back to Moshi or Arusha.