This is another relatively short but steep route (West of Moshi), which is less traffic and attempts by few climbers since is one of the most challenging trails up the Mount Kilimanjaro which many professional hikers would like to trek and descend down from Mweka route.
To get to the trailhead, we drive to the Machame gate where we will undergo some park formalities before drive towards the Umbwe village then crossing the Sere River before we found the Umbwe Mission where we will end driving and start walking through an old forestry track up to 2100 metres and then the path along the narrow ridge between the Lonzo and Umbwe rivers and big trees around where you will find the Umbwe camp 2800 metres, From Bivouac continue to 3780 metres which is rock overhang.
Then next go up the ridge to the end of the tree line where the path marked cairns go up to Barranco camp then to Barafu camp where you will rest before the summit to the Uhuru Peak
You can climb Kilimanjaro all year around. Depend on the what time of the year you wish to travel then we have both private and open group Kilimanjaro tours which you can join, Let us know your preferable time of travel and we will help you arrange your adventure tour in Tanzania.
Depend on the time of your travel, weather in Kilimanjaro is unpredictable, you can experience anything from hot to humid and to freezing, it is advisory to read thriller our Kilimanjaro clothing and equipment guide so you can have the best trek experience in terms of weather.
You can pay by our online payment system . We also accept payment in cash on arrival or deposit to our bank account 7 days before tour starts. Read our Terms and Conditions.
Our driver guide will be at the airport holding a paper written your name ready to pick you up and drive to the hotel in Moshi
Depends on what you wish to do after your trek (i.e Going on Safari or Travel to Zanzibar) our driver guide will drop you off at Kilimanjaro International Airport.
Once arrived at Kilimanjaro International airport (JRO), our driver-guide will pick you up from the airport arrival gate and then drive you to the Hotel in Moshi town. Once in the Hotel, our Kilimanjaro mountain guide will meet and pre-briefing you about your upcoming trek adventure as well as check if you have all the necessary mountain gears, unless you do not have some of the equipment then you can rent before starting the trek.
After your breakfast at the hotel, the driver will be there at 10:30 to drive you to the Machame Gate where you will register and submit our permit then continue to Umbwe village by car and once arriving at the Umbwe gate we will start our trek through an old forestry track up to 2100 metres and then follow the path along a narrow ridge between the Lonzo and Umbwe rivers, after 6 hours walk you will then arrive at Bivouac place where you will spend a night at Umbwe camp.
Early after breakfast, you continue up the Bivouac 3780 metres which are a rock overhang. Next, go up the ridge to the end of the three lines. From here path marked by cairns goes up to Barranco Camp 3900 metres, there is an earth toilet and water is available from a nearby stream which can be treated for you to use, today you will walk for about 5 hours.
After finish with your breakfast today we will have another adventure through the Barranco breach wall which is not that hard but technical then later we will trek down the Karanga valley where we will rest and spend our night, in the evening you will have dinner and take an early sleep.
After finish with your breakfast, you will start following a path, which follows a gully. This path will take you up the ridge to the west until you reach the Barafu camp (4664m), this will be another relatively short but difficult 3 km walk path marked by cairns and you need to take it slowly. Once arrived at the Barafu camp which can be extremely cold then you will have your early dinner and then go for a pre-summit sleep in the night which you can start around 11 to 12 am.
Above 4000m the vegetation is alpine desert and you will be able to witness only White-necked raven going around the campsite. Not so much while arriving at the Barafu camp. No water for wash. No water streams above this elevation. By the time you arrive, you will be tired and maybe weak. The crew will already set up your tent as well as a table for dinner (you won’t feel sleepy anyway). Your guide will visit you before hit the bed for checking on your required summit clothes. It advised sleeping on 3 layers of clothes. First, because it is cold at the basecamp during the night (up to -10c). Second, it is because you have to make your layers warm as you will leave at midnight for the summit which is the exact cold. You will have your early dinner and then go for a pre-summit sleep until around 11 to 12 a.m before start trekking to Uhuru Peak
Before leaving to Uhuru Peak, you will have a cup of coffee and cookies or biscuits. Put on the rest of layers (summit clothes) and ready to conquer Mount Kilimanjaro (Uhuru Peak). What an incredible trek. Temperatures at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, the nights are really cold. In the middle of June, the thermometer can drop to – 20 C. Dress and cover yourself accordingly. Walk slowly and listen to your Guide instructions. Expert to take six to seven hours from Barafu to Uhuru peak, The highest point on Africa, once at Uhuru peak you will be amazed by the breathtaking views and incredible sunrise if the weather permits then later you will descend down after having a short time at the peak and climb down to Barafu camp for a short break and then proceed to Mweka camp where you will spend your night (Here is when the Tipping celebration can take place before your dinner).
After breakfast in the morning, you will then descend down to Mweka gate, once you arrived you will sign out and get presented with the certificates. The driver-guide will be there to drive you back to the hotel in Moshi Town together with the crew. You can go back to the Hotel and get ready for your flight back home or to Zanzibar or prepare for the safari trip the next day. Contact us for more details.
We provide three meals per day during your tour and only breakfast during a stay in a booked accommodation. During this tour you will have the following meals plan:
For any special dietary requirements e.g vegetarian. Please, Let us know in advance.
Guides: US$20 per day. Cook: US$15 per day. Porter: US$10 per day
The summits of Mt Kilimanjaro are covered in glaciers and snow, and the temperature at night often drops to below -10c to -15c so you are going to need a good sleeping bag. A closed mattress is also advisable if you are going to sleep on the ground as it provides the necessary insulation under your body and is far more comfortable and are provided by us during your trekking. A good set of warm clothes is equally important and that should include some sort of headgear and gloves. As it can rain at any time of year and heavily — you will also need waterproof clothing. A decent pair of hiking boots is an advantage for this trek. A pair of joggers is quite adequate most of the time though it’s a good idea to have a pair of thongs, sandals or canvas tennis shoes to wear in the evening at the camp if your main shoes get wet.
Remember that it’s not a good idea to sleep in clothes which you have worn during the day because the sweat which your day clothes absorb from your skin keeps them moist at night and so reduces their heat-retention capabilities. If you don’t intend to stay in the huts along the way you’ll need a tent and associated equipment which we normally provide. Unless you intend to eat only canned and dried food along the way (not recommended) our mountain local professional chef have basic cooking equipment and a water container to refill your bottles with treated and filtered water from the mountain streams with a capacity of at least one to three-liter per person every day. Our porters have the rucksack that they can carry your luggage including theirs with a limited of 20kg per person, so bring as little as you can (with a maximum of 15kg).
If you wonder want to bring during your trek, below is the list of the important equipment even though all the gear you need for the trek can be hired in Moshi at the mentioned pice for the whole trek.
Lemosho, Machame, Shira which approaches Kilimanjaro on the western side of the mountain are regarded as the most scenic of the trails up Kilimanjaro while using camping accommodation and they are routes which takes more days on the mountain. The Marangu Route is the route most taken by people, being the easiest way up the mountain with hut accommodation which consists of a group of comfortable wooden A-frame with bunk beds and mattress. The Rongai is coming from the north side of the mountain and this trail is as well only for camping but not scenic as that of western of the mountain since it receives a short period of rain. Lemosho and Machame, Umbwe and Shira routes descend down to Mweka gate while Marangu and Rongai descend down via Marangu route to the gate. Learn More from our Guide to Kilimanjaro Routes.
All our guides are trained and approved by the Kilimanjaro National Park Authority (TANAPA) before awarded the certificate and License to carry out the service for mountain guiding. During low seasons (March to May) all of our guides undergo different training based on mountain guiding and first aid techniques.
Our esteemed porters will be responsible to carry your pieces of luggage with the limit of 20kg which means you need to bring less with a maximum of 15kg and the rest of your belonging which are not in use during the climb can be stored in the Hotel in Moshi town. You will need to bring your backpack with you which you can put your essential belongings and personal stuff that you need them regularly during a day and the rest can stay with porters until you arrive at the campsite.
The answer is yes, you can always turn around whenever you feel that you can not continue with a trek and you will be escorted with the assistant guide/porter and descend down to the gate where you will find the transport ready to pick you up and drive you to the Hotel.
No specialist equipment is required to climb Kilimanjaro but you do need a strong pair of good boots, and plenty of warm clothing, including gloves, a woollen hat and waterproof overclothes. You also need a sleeping bag and a small mattress or air bed. If you lack any of these, they can be hired in Moshi town at a very reasonable price. Read More about Clothing and Equipment rent.
At Kilimanjaro mountain, the temperatures will decrease as you move through Mount Kilimanjaro’s ecological zones. On the plain area the temperature will go up to 30 c while after 3000m the temperature will hit to 5 to 15 c during a day and At the summit, Uhuru Point, the night time temperatures can range between -7 to -29 c. Due to Mount Kilimanjaro’s great height, the mountain creates its own weather. Learn more about the ultimate guide to Tanzania Weather and Climate.
This is another relatively short but steep route (West of Moshi), which is less traffic and attempts by few climbers since is one of the most challenging trails up the Mount Kilimanjaro which many professional hikers would like to trek and descend down from Mweka route.
To get to the trailhead, we drive to the Machame gate where we will undergo some park formalities before drive towards the Umbwe village then crossing the Sere River before we found the Umbwe Mission where we will end driving and start walking through an old forestry track up to 2100 metres and then the path along the narrow ridge between the Lonzo and Umbwe rivers and big trees around where you will find the Umbwe camp 2800 metres, From Bivouac continue to 3780 metres which is rock overhang.
Then next go up the ridge to the end of the tree line where the path marked cairns go up to Barranco camp then to Barafu camp where you will rest before the summit to the Uhuru Peak
To secure a booking for this tour, 20% of the total cost should be paid upfront (Can be via Online Payment System or Bank Transfer). Remaining balance should be paid 14 days prior tour departure or with cash on the arrival day. Free cancellation up to 7 days prior departure. Read More About our Terms of Condition.
We accept payment via Bank Transfer and Online payment system with credit and debit cards including Visa, MasterCard and Amex. Once make a payment please send us the receipt confirmation and we will confirm your booking immediately. In case you will get any trouble while making payment e.g.. transaction failed. Please Contact us for more assistance.
You can also reserve a space without make a payment. Our travel expert will keep in touch while you are waiting to make payment in the future/ arrival days.
We accept only TSH, USD, EURO and GBP in terms of cash and it has to be on arrival, one day before starting the tour.
We advise you to take out Travel Insurance to cover any unforeseen circumstances. Read More about Travel Insurance while in Tanzania.