Umbwe Route

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6 Days, 5 Nights Trek

Umbwe Route

Route Notes:
Trek Inclusions:

Accommodation

Transfer

Meals

We offer six (6) days of Umbwe route experience to Mount Kilimanjaro. Umbwe Route is the most difficult route on Mount Kilimanjaro. This route is recommended for climbers with a great climbing experience. The route joins the Machame route at Barranco camp on the second day. Visitors to this route will spend the first night at Umbwe Cave camp. This route takes a minimum of six days. The Umbwe Route is the least used and least crowded compared to the other routes on Kilimanjaro

Trekking Itinerary

Day 1:

Machame Gate to Umbwe Cave Camp 1800m

You will be picked up from your hotel in Arusha to Machame gate to get your climbing permits. After obtaining your permit, proceed with your journey passing through agricultural land.
You can see coffee and banana plantations and other crops on the way. After reaching Umbwe Gate, your adventure begins at the small winding path which leads you through the rainforest and along the Umbwe river until reaching the first camp. After arriving at the camp, you will get hot water for washing up and tea/coffee while waiting for your first dinner on Kilimanjaro.

  • Hiking time: 5hours Hiking distance 11 km

Day 2:

Umbwe Cave Camp to Barranco Camp 3900 m

Enjoy your first breakfast on the mountain, then start another steep uphill climb along several ridges, leave the forest and approach the moorland, you will soon get to Barranco Camp where you can see a very crowded ground used by climbers from Machame and Lemosho route. You spend your night at Barranco valley overlooking the Barranco wall which you hike the next morning.

  • Hiking time: 4 hours Hiking distance 6 km

Day 3:

Barranco Camp – Karanga camp 3995m

Wake up early in the morning after breakfast, starts hiking the Barranco wall which is also known as breakfast. The Barranco Wall is somehow a technical part of the whole trek where you experience hugging and kissing some rocks. After one hour, we reach the top of the Barranco wall where we take a short break before continuing with our journey to Karanga Camp for Lunch, dinner, and overnight.

  • Hiking time: 4hours Hiking distance 6 km

Day 4:

Karanga Camp to Barafu camp 4673 m

Wake up in the morning for breakfast and be prepared to leave the camp. Today the next camp is not far, the trail is also less steep. After arriving at Barafu Camp, check-in, and spend your time resting until dinner time. Today you will get your dinner earlier to give yourself enough time for rest. Your guides will meet for a summit briefing before you go to sleep. Carefully listen and follow the advice from your guides for a successful summit.

  • Hiking time: 4hours Hiking distance 4 km

Day 5:

Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp

Today you wake up early around 11 pm for summit preparation and breakfast. Unlike other days your breakfast will be very early and light. After breakfast, we start our summit journey around 12.00. Don’t rush, enjoy your special night. The summit night is always challenging but if you respect the mountain and follow the advice from your guides. It will be easy.
At some point, you can feel exhausted but never give up, try to push yourself slowly while drinking frequently. It is advised to drink a lot of water at the beginning before freezing. Stop at Stella Point 5,756 m for hot drinks and photos. It takes us 1 hour from Stella point to Uhuru Peak where we celebrate conquering the peak of Africa and enjoying the beautiful sunrise, crater view, and glaciers.
After taking many photos at the top of Africa, we return to the base camp for breakfast, short rest, and lunch before we descend to Mweka Camp 3100 m. Enjoy your last dinner and your last night in Kilimanjaro. Hopefully, you will get a better night’s sleep due to physical exhaustion.

  • Hiking time and distance from barafu to Stella point: 6 hours, 4 km
  • Hiking time and distance from Stela point to Uhuru Peak: 1hours 1 km
  • Hiking time and distance from Uhuru Peak to Barafu camp: 3hours, 5 km
  • Hiking time and distance from Barafu camp to Mweka Camp: 4hours,7.5 km
  • Hiking time and distance from Mweka camp to Mweka gate: 3hours, 10 km

Day 6:

Leave Mweka camp to Mweka gate to Arusha

After the last breakfast on the mountain, you will descend about 10 km, 3 hours through the rainforest to Mweka Gate, on arrival you will check out and your guide will collect your certificates and be ready to drive back to your hotel in Arusha for a shower and celebrations.

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