The Umbwe route has a well-deserved reputation of being the most challenging route on Mount Kilimanjaro. Due to the fast ascent to high altitude, this route does not provide the necessary stages for acclimatization. Although the number of people on this trail is very low, the chances of success are also low. Umbwe is considered to be very difficult, taxing route – one that should only be attempted by strong hikers who are confident in their ability to acclimatize quickly to altitude. Approaching from the south, the Umbwe route is a short, steep and direct climb. After reaching Barranco Camp, the trail turns east and traverses underneath Kilimanjaro’s Southern Ice Field on a path known as the Southern Circuit before summiting from Barafu.
Descent is made via the Mweka route. Burigi Chato Safaris® offers Umbwe as a six or seven day private climb. The seven day variation adds an acclimatization day on day three at Barranco Camp
Day 1: FROM HOTEL TO UMBWE CAVE CAMPSITE
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
- Distance covered: 10km Time to be used: 4 – 5 hours
- Meals: Lunch and Dinner
- Accommodation: Umbwe cave campsite 1
Day 2: UMBWE CAVE CAMPSITE TO BARRANCO HUT CAMPSITE
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.
- Distance Covered: 9kms
- Time to be used: 4 – 5 hours
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Barranco Hut Campsite 2
Day 3: BARRANCO CAMPSITE TO KARANGA CAMPSITE
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.
- Distance Covered: 6km
- Time to be used: 4-5 hrs
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Karanga Camp 3
Day 4 : KARANGA CAMP TO BARAFU CAMP
Today trek up to the Barafu ridge campsite is tough because of altitude. The walking hours is few because is steep so it need slowly walk so to avoid fatigue as well as high altitude sickness. You will walk across alpine desert with strong cold wind blowing because there are no trees around as well as getting closer to the Kibo glaciers. You will have lunch and early dinner of around 1700hrs then rest until midnight when you commence you push for the summit.
- Distance Covered: 5 km
- Time to be used: 3 – 4 hrs
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Barafu Camp 4
Day 5: BARAFU CAMP TO UHURU PEAK TO MWEKA CAMP
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 screed 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 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 Camp, then dinner and overnight at Mweka Camp.
- Distance Covered: 15kms
- Time to be used: (10-12)hrs ascent – 4-6hrs descent)
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Accommodation: Mweka Camp 5
Day 6: MWEKA CAMP TO MWEKA GATE – BACK TO MOSHI
After breakfast, today is your last day on the mountain so you will descend down to Mweka park gate walking across Montana 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 Moshi.
- Distance Covered: 9.1kms
- Time to be used: 3 – 4 hrs
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Umbwe Price Inclusion
General
✓ Guide
✓ Park Fees
✓ Tax
✓ Gate transfer
✓ Crew wages
✓ Environment fees
Accommodation
✓ During the climb you will spleep in Tents
Food
✓ 5 Breakfasts
✓ 6 Lunches
✓ 5 Dinners
✓ Drinking Water
Other
✓ Guide
✓ Porters
✓ Cook
Not Included
✓ Flights
✓ Crew Tips
✓ Visas
