Tanzania · Trekking

4-Day Mount Meru Climbing Tour in Tanzania with Summit Sunrise

4 Days Round trip from Moshi Challenging pace

The journey

Trip highlights

01 Spectacular climb on Tanzania's second-highest peak at 4,615 meters
02 Traverse rainforest and woodland habitats with diverse wildlife
03 Enjoy spectacular views of Kilimanjaro and sunrise over the plains of Africa
04 Walk through Arusha National Park, home to giraffe, zebra, and elephant

Climb Mount Meru, Tanzania's second-highest peak, on a rewarding 4-day trek through Arusha National Park. This spectacular mountain rises to about 4,615 meters and features steep slopes, a vast caldera, and a jagged rim formed by an ancient eruption. Along the way, walk through rainforest and woodland rich with wildlife such as monkeys, elephants, buffalo, giraffe, and warthog. The summit climb rewards you with spectacular views of Kilimanjaro and sunrise over the plains of Africa, making Meru a great experience in its own right.

The summit climb rewards you with spectacular views of Kilimanjaro and sunrise over the plains of Africa, making Meru a great experience in its own right.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 4 Days

Tour type Private

Activity level Challenging

Accommodation Included · Standard

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Yes

Cities Arusha, Moshi, Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Meru, Arusha National Park

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

From Moshi or Arusha to Momela Gate and Miriakamba Hut

Soon after breakfast, we leave and drive to the start of our route on Mt. Meru. This takes approximately 2 hours from Moshi and passes through farmland and small communities on the edge of Arusha National Park.
As we travel to the foot of the mountain, there is a lot to see - examples of the local way of life, the alkaline lakes inside the park that are home to flamingoes and other water birds, and even giraffe grazing near the road.
We arrive at the Momella Park Gate (1,500 m) and register while our porters sort their loads.
We then enter the park with a National Park ranger, who accompanies us throughout our time on the mountain, and cross a small plain that is home to game including zebra, giraffe, and elephant.
Climbing gradually, we enter the rainforest and can look out for bushbuck, a small antelope, and Colobus monkeys among the large cedar trees and forest glades. The relatively few Zuhura Tours on the mountain mean the camps are not overcrowded, and we may not even encounter other groups during our trek.
After around 4 hours of walking, we arrive at Miriakamba Hut, at an elevation of roughly 2,500 meters above sea level.
From here, there are views of the lakes in the National Park.
While on Mt. Meru, we stay in large wooden huts divided into small dormitories that are relatively comfortable.

Day 02

Rainforest Ascent to Saddle Hut

The path through the rainforest is steeper today, and we should have views of Kilimanjaro roughly 50 km away to the northeast. Hanging vines, many large trees, ferns, and streams provide a rich habitat for plants and animals in this part of the National Park, where we may see monkeys and birdlife and may even spot leopard. Our camp for tonight is Saddle Hut at 3,570 meters. This lies between Little Meru and Rhino Point on Mt. Meru, and we reach it after 4-5 hours of walking. From Saddle Hut, we have the option to climb Little Meru, a 2-hour return trip that takes us to 3,821 meters and is very useful for further acclimatization. We then have time to get our kit ready for tomorrow's summit and have an early dinner before going to bed to be ready for the climb's early start tonight.

Day 03

Summit Mount Meru and Descend to Miriakamba Hut

We wake up around 1 am, preparing to leave the hut by 2 am. We start walking by the light of our head torches towards Rhino Point and the crater rim.
We then follow the crater rim to the 4,566-meter summit and enjoy the spectacular silhouetted views of Kilimanjaro as the sun rises over the plains of Africa, including the pyramid shadow cast by Mt. Meru behind us. The flag of Tanzania is fixed at the top of Mt. Meru, also known as Socialist Peak since the country's independence, and there is a summit register kept in a metal box to sign before leaving. The true, dramatic nature of Mt. Meru can be seen on the way down once the sun has risen; the crater rim is shaped like a horseshoe because the opposite wall collapsed, leaving cliffs of 1,500 meters. These are some of the biggest in Africa, and from the top of them on the crater rim we can see the ash cone below, a perfectly formed reminder of past volcanic eruptions that is quite spectacular to see. We follow the rim back to Rhino Point with views of Little Meru, then return to Saddle Hut for food and to pack before heading down to Miriakamba Hut.
On a four-day itinerary, the overnight stay is here at Miriakamba Hut. On the three-day itinerary, we stop at the hut for a short break before continuing to the national park gate.
After collecting our certificates for climbing to the summit, we head back to our hotel for a well-deserved hot shower and rest. This is a long day with a total walking time of 12-14 hours.

Day 04

Descend to Momela Gate and Return to Arusha or Moshi

After breakfast, we take a few hours to continue down to the national park gate, where our vehicle will be waiting to transport you back to your hotel.