6 Days/5 Nights Kilimanjaro Trekking - Umbwe Route

DAY O1 - UMBWE GATE (1800M) TO UMBWE CAVE CAMP (2850M)

• Distance:10km      

• Hiking time:5-7 hours      

• Habitat:Mountain forest

Pick up at the lodge and drive from town to the Umbwe gate. After completing the gate registration procedures, you start to trek through the rainforest. There is a strong possibility of rain, so expect a soggy, muddy, and slippery trekking experience.
Some of the trails on this particular day are so steep that they can only be traversed by using the tree pathways, which act as stepping stones. The tree roots can also be used as handlebars to help you haul yourself up to a higher elevation if necessary. You will stop for lunch around halfway through the trek and then continue on to the camp in the late afternoon where you will stay overnight.

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DAY O2 - UMBWE CAVE CAMP (2850M) TO BARRANCO CAMP(3950M)

• Distance:10 km

• Hiking time: 5 hours

• Habitat: Moorland

The second day is also steep and uphill all the way. The landscapes change rapidly from rainforest to moorland, with rocky outcrops and sparse vegetation. The path follows the narrow Umbwe Route ridge until it begins to flatten close to the Barranco Valley. The Barranco camp (3950m) sits in the valley under the shadow of the Great Barranco Wall, with Kibo visible in the distance. Here you will have dinner and an overnight stay.

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DAY O3 - BARRANCO CAMP (3950M) TO KARANGA CAMP (3900M)

• Hiking time: 5-6 hours

• Habitat: Moorland

Today you will have a short day walk and in the late morning, you will start climbing the Barranco wall (4200m) for acclimatization, and then continue crossing ridges and valleys to Karanga campsite for hot lunch. After a delicious meal, you will have a short rest and another acclimatization by trekking up the scree slopes towards the southern ice field. Then you will return to the camp for dinner and an overnight stay. You will have an experienced crew to help you through the symptoms and provide you with all the guidance and support you might necessarily need.

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DAY O4 - KARANGA CAMP (3900M) TO BARAFU CAMP (4620M)

• Distance: 5km

• Hiking time: 4-5 hours

• Habitat: Alpine desert

You’ll begin by making your way up to the Barafu ridge. It will be a little tough because of the altitude. The walking hours will be limited on this day since the terrain is steep and requires a slow stroll to minimize weariness and high altitude sickness. Because of the proximity to the Kibo glaciers and scarce vegetation, the weather is rough with strong gusts of cold wind. On this day you will have an early dinner at around 1700 hours. Try to get some sleep, because at midnight your journey to the summit begins.

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DAY O5 - BARAFU CAMP (4620M) TO UHURU PEAK (SUMMIT ATTEMPT) (5895M) TO MWEKA CAMP (3100M)

• Distance: 15km

• Hiking time: 10-12 hours

• Habitat: Alpine desert and ice

Trek up the scree slopes to Stella Point on the crater rim. After a short break at the Stella point, we will continue the trek for one more hour to the Uhuru peak. After pausing to admire the great view and take photographs at the top of the highest peak in Africa, we begin our descent via Stella Point, then down the scree slopes before finally arriving at Barafu Camp for an hour of short rest. Soon after, we will finally descend to Mweka Camp for an overnight stay.

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DAY O6 - MWEKA CAMP (3100M) TO MWEKA GATE (1700M)

• Distance: 9km

• Hiking time: 3-4 hours

• Habitat: Montane Forest

The following morning, after breakfast, we pull down our tents and begin our trip down through the beautiful rainforest. You will have a roughly 3 hours trek back to the gate, where you will be able to collect your certificates as part of the celebration for completing the climb. Those who reach Uhuru Peak will be awarded gold certificates. You will be picked up and transported back to the lodge where you will be greeted with a warm welcome, a refreshing drink, and a celebratory supper.