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The Umbwe route on Mount Kilimanjaro is the most challenging due to the fast ascent to high altitude, which does not allow for proper acclimatization.
Despite the low traffic on this particular trail, the success rate is also notably low. This can be attributed to the strenuous nature of the route, which presents significant challenges that only hikers who are capable of adapting quickly to altitude can overcome. As such, this trail is best suited for experienced hikers who are familiar with high-altitude environments and have the necessary skill set to tackle this arduous journey.The route is offered at a minimum of six days, though seven days is recommended when attempting this route.
If you have chosen to use our airport transfer service, we will collect you from Kilimanjaro Airport and take you to your hotel in Moshi or Arusha. Your guide will meet you at the hotel for a pre-trek briefing, which is scheduled for the day after your arrival. We recommend that you arrive at least one day before the trek begins. During the briefing, we will discuss the trek and review your equipment. If you require any additional equipment, we can arrange for it to be rented from our store.
Pick up with our vehicle from the hotel, drive to Umbwe gate. Here after completing the gate registration procedures, the trek starts through the rainforest to Umbwe cave campsite where you will find all tents already setup then stop for dinner and overnight. Today you will walk across ridges and valleys into a really thick forest.
This day after breakfast you will trek through the remaining forest to the moorland and heath zone and you will be enjoying some wonderful views of Barranco valleys and ice cap on top of the mountain. Then you will arrive to barranco camp for dinner and overnight.
Today you will be having a short day walk and in the late morning you will start climbing Barranco wall and reach 4200m for acclimatization and continue crossing ridges and valleys to Karanga campsite for hot lunch. After lunch you will have a short rest and get another acclimatization of trekking up the screed slopes towards the Southern ice field then you will return to the camp for dinner and overnight.
After a good night’s rest and breakfast, we set off on our walk to Barafu camp at 4643m. The climb will take us across desolate scree slopes with no vegetation around us at all. It’s a tough steep walk made more difficult by the altitude. On arriving at camp, we eat and spend the afternoon resting as we prepare for a long night and day ahead. The summit is now a further 1342m up and you will make the final ascent tonight. Prepare your equipment, ski stick and thermal clothing for your summit attempt. This should include the replacement of your headlamp and camera batteries and make sure you have a spare set available as well. To prevent freezing it will be wise to carry your water in a thermal flask. We have an early dinner and then try to get some sleep as we will be getting up at between 11pm and 12pm to start the climb to the summit.
The day starts around midnight with a light breakfast, and then last preparations for your summit ascent. The goal is to climb before dawn so that you can reach Uhuru Peak shortly before or after sunrise. Leave to the peak at 12; 00am, switchback up steep scree or possibly snow, and reach Stella Point on the crater rim at 5,861m between 4 and 5am. At this point, you will have views of the fabled crater and its icecaps facing you and all spectacular all area surrounding you. Then after 1 hour of hiking along the Kibo crater rim near the celebrated snows takes you to Kilimanjaro’s true summit, Uhuru Peak. Here you will spend some time for taking photos. After your summit activities done, descend back to the Barafu Huts campsite, have lunch, rest, collect your equipment, and continue your walk down through moorland and heath zone to Mweka Huts campsite, then dinner and overnight at Mweka hut campsite.
After breakfast, today is your last day on the mountain so you will descend down to Mweka park gate walking across Montane forest this descent will take 3-4 hours. Then here at the gate you will do sign out and get ready to board the vehicle ready for the transfer back to the hotel in Moshi for certificate presentation and a well-deserved celebration.
The day is left free to wind down after the trek before your flight home. After a good night’s rest at your hotel, you will take breakfast ready for the scheduled check-out by 10.00. (If you wish to remain in the hotel during the day, please advise us of this when you book your trip and we will inform you of the cost for day room which ends at 18:00hrs, and then make the booking on your behalf.)
If you have booked a transfer to the airport, you will be collected from your hotel and dropped off at the airport. For those travelers who have booked to go on safari, our Sons and Daughters guide will be meeting you in the evening to provide you with a pre-safari briefing.
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