Umbwe Route Itinerary

UMBWE GATE TO UMBWE CAVE CAMP

You will be collected from the hotel in Moshi and transferred to Umbwe gate where you will register and meet the rest of your Kilimanjaro trek team before starting your trek. As you start your hike, the small winding path leads you up through the rainforest and along the Umbwe river. The first night’s Kilimanjaro camp is at Umbwe Cave Camp, at about 2,900m altitude.

• Elevation (m): 1600m to 2900m

• Distance:11km

• Time: 6 hours

• Habitat: Mountain Forest. 

UMBWE CAMP TO BARRANCO CAMP:

You will have breakfast in your camp before you leave the camp and shortly afterward the forest ends. As you hike, you will be able to see the spectacular sheer wall of the Western Breach appearing and disappearing as the afternoon mists roll up the Great Barranco. Your camp for tonight is at Barranco.

BARRANCO CAMP TO KARANGA CAMP:

Enjoy today’s hike as you start with a short, but fun, scramble, to the top of the Great Barranco Wall. Thereafter, you traverse over scree to the Karanga Valley (3930m) beneath the icefalls of the Heim, Kersten and Decken Glaciers. We will stay overnight at Karanga campsite.

KARANGA CAMP TO BARAFU CAMP:

Enjoy breakfast at your camp before you leave Karanga campsite behind to meet the junction connecting with the Mweka descent Trail. From here you will continue up to the Barafu Hut. You have now completed the Southern Circuit, which offers spectacular views of the summit from many different angles. Once you reach your camp, you can rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day. The two peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are to be clearly seen from this position.

BARAFU CAMP TO SUMMIT TO MWEKA HUT:

Today you have to rest well as you will be woken at 23:30, your Kilimanjaro crew will serve you with some quick tea and biscuits and afterwards you start you trek to the summit between the Rebman and Ratzel glaciers.

As you trek , you will head in a north-westerly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This is undoubtedly the most mentally and physically challenging part of the trek. At Stella Point (5732m), You will have a stop for a short rest at Stella Point (5732m).Here, you will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see (weather permitting).
After the short rest continue with your trek until you reach At Uhuru Peak (5895m), the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa. It can be extremely cold at night at these elevations, but it will be quite warm by the end of the hiking day.Spend some time at the crater enjoying your success as well as taking photos.

From the summit, you will have to descend down to the Mweka Hut camp site, via Barafu where you will have for lunch. Trekking poles will be needed for the loose gravel going down to Mweka Camp (3100m).Enjoy our last dinner on the mountain and a well-earned sleep later in the evening.
 

MWEKA CAMP TO HOTEL

You leave your last camp on Mount Kilimanjaro after breakfast descending down to the Mweka Park Gate where you will be awarded summit certificates. At lower elevations of Mount Kilimajaro, it can be wet and muddy. Gaiters and trekking poles will help. Shorts and t-shirts will be suitable (keep rain gear and warmer clothing).