Your Dream, Our Passion..

7 Days Kilimanjaro Umbwe Route

The Experience

KARIBU TANZANIA

Every journey holds unforgettable moments. From the wild plains of Tanzania and mountain summit views to cultural encounters and Zanzibar sunsets, explore the beauty, adventure, and memories captured through our experiences.

From $ 2,275
What to Expect

The Umbwe Route is the shortest, steepest, and most direct path up Mount Kilimanjaro, making it one of the most challenging trekking routes on the mountain. Its fast ascent means climbers have very limited time to acclimatize properly to high altitude, which can significantly reduce summit success rates compared to more gradual routes. However, for those seeking solitude, it offers a quiet and less-traveled trail through dense forest and dramatic mountain scenery.

This route is usually completed in a minimum of six days, though a seven-day itinerary is strongly recommended to slightly improve acclimatization and overall safety. Due to its demanding nature, the Umbwe Route is best suited for very fit, strong, and experienced hikers who are comfortable with rapid altitude gain. For most climbers, gentler and longer routes provide a safer and more enjoyable experience. The Umbwe Route with Mylo Africa Safaris remains a bold choice for those seeking a tough, adventurous, and truly remote Kilimanjaro challenge.

Full Itinerary

We have carefully planned each day to give you the best experience. From exploring landmarks to tasting local cuisine, each day is filled with adventure and excitement. Join us on a journey through fascinating destinations.

Arrive in Tanzania

You will be picked up at the Kilimanjaro International Airport and transferred to your hotel in Arusha city; you will meet your guide who will brief you on your upcoming trek and do an equipment check to make sure you have all the necessary mountain gear. The missing gear can be rented on this day.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included

Day 1: Umbwe Gate (1,800m/5,905ft) to Cave Bivouac Camp (2,850m/9,350ft)

At 8am leave Moshi for Umbwe Gate where you will meet our porters, guides, and cooks who will spend the next six days trekking with you to Uhuru Peak, the roof of Africa. After arriving, wait at the gate while we register your climb and the porters and guides make final preparations. Your first day’s destination is Cave Bivouac Camp, approximately 6 hours from the gate. The trail is steep and can be slippery in some places.Hike through the moss-covered trees of Kilimanjaro’s cloud forest. The forest will thin later in the hike and heathers, tall grasses and wildflowers will come into view. Porters and cooks will walk ahead to set up the camp in time for your arrival.

Elevation Gain:1,050 meters, 3,445 feet
Hiking time: 4 to 6 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included

Day 2: Cave Bivouac (2,850m/9,350ft) to Barranco Camp (3,950m/12,960ft)

The first section of the trail continues following the ridge. After leaving the forest, continue through open moorlands until reaching Barranco Camp. Barranco is generally regarded as the most scenic campsite on the Umbwe Trail as it’s surrounded by giant senecios and lobelias. As Barranco is in a valley, the sun rises later than at the other camps.

Total Elevation Gain: 1,100 meters, 3,610 feet
Hiking time: 5 to 7 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included

Day 3: Barranco Camp (3,900 m/12,800 ft)

Extra Day for Acclimatization. Adding this day will ease your effort, and amplify your acclimatization.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included

Day 4: Barranco Camp (3,950m/12,960ft) to Karanga Valley (4,200m/13,780ft)

Leave Barranco Camp after breakfast for Karanga Valley. The day begins with a 1.5 hour scramble up the Barranco Wall. This is the hardest part of the day and in some places you may have to use your hands to aid your climb. After reaching the top, hike through fairly level terrain before making a short but steep descent into the green Karanga River Valley.

Elevation Gain: 250 meters, 820 feet
Distance: 7 Kilometers
Hiking time: 3 to 5 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included

Day 5: Karanga Valley (4,200m/13,780ft) to Barafu Camp (4,600m/15,100ft)

After breakfast, begin the hike to Barafu Camp. On the way to Barafu, view several of Kibo’s glaciers as well as the junction that connects the descent route, Mweka, with the Machame trail. During day four, hike by the Heim, Kersten and Decken Glaciers. Although the trail to Barafu passes through alpine desert with little vegetation, Barafu Camp offers stunning views of Kibo and Mawenzi peaks. Try to sleep after finishing dinner as you will wake before midnight for your summit hike.

Elevation Gain: 400 meters, 1,320 feet
Hiking time: 3 to 5 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included

Day 6: Barafu Camp (4,600m/15,100ft) to Uhuru Peak (5,895m/19,340ft) to Mweka Camp (3,100m/10,170ft)

Around midnight, begin the final ascent to Uhuru Peak. Hike by the light of your headlamp for the next six hours. The ascent to the crater rim is the most challenging part of the entire trek. The trail is very steep until you reach the crater rim at Stella Point.

The hike from Stella Point to Uhuru Peak is a gradual climb and, as far as hikes go, not very difficult. The altitude, however, makes the hike long and tiring. The crater rim hike takes approximately one hour. Upon reaching Uhuru, take photos of your guide and group at the peak before beginning the descent to Mweka Camp. On the way down from Uhuru, enjoy views of the mountain, crater, clouds, and glaciers.

At Barafu Camp, eat breakfast and take a short break. You still have another three to five hours to go before reaching Mweka Camp.

Elevation Gain: 1,295 meters, 4,240 feet
Elevation Loss: 2,795 meters, 9,170 feet
Hiking time: 6 hours to the rim, 1 hour to Uhuru, 3 to 4 hours back to Barafu, 4 hours to Mweka
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included

Day 7: Mweka Camp (3,100m/10,170ft) to Mweka Gate (1,500m/4,920ft)

After breakfast, finish the trek with a hike through the forest to Mweka Gate. The trail may be slippery following rain. Our vehicles will meet you at the lower station of Mweka Gate to take you back to Moshi.

Elevation Loss: 1,600 meters, 5,250 feet
Hiking time: 4 hours
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included

Depart Tanzania

The day is left free to wind down after the trek before your flight home. Depending on flight times you could go and explore Moshi town and grab some souvenirs before heading to the airport.

*Safari, Zanzibar and other add-ons are available if you wish to continue exploring Tanzania.

Meals: Breakfast Included

Tour Includes
  • Airport pick up and drop off
  • 2 Nights’ accommodation in Moshi or Arusha included
  • All transfers to the mountain and back to your Moshi hotel
  • Professional, experienced, mountain guides
  • Guides, Porters, cook salaries, and park fees
  • Quality, waterproof, four seasons private mountain sleeping tents
  • Sleeping Mattress
  • All meals while on the mountain
  • Quality mess tents with tables and chairs/Mountain Huts
  • Large portions of fresh, healthy, nutritious food
  • Clean purified drinking water
  • Kilimanjaro National Park Entrance fees
  • All Government taxes and levies including 18% VAT.
Tour Excludes
  • International or Local Flights
  • Hiking Gears
  • Optional Activities
  • Alcoholic and soft drinks
  • Visa fees
  • Tips
  • Personal spending money for souvenirs etc.
  • Travel Insurance
Interested

GET A FREE QUOTE

Other Tours You May Like

Discover More Tanzania Adventures

These are just sample tour ideas to inspire your next journey in Tanzania. From wildlife safaris and mountain hiking to cultural day trips and Zanzibar beach holidays, every experience can be customized to match your interests, travel style, and adventure goals.

Kilimanjaro Hiking

Dreaming of a Mount Kilimanjaro climb that combines breathtaking scenery with a high summit success rate? The Lemosho Route is one of the most beautiful and rewarding trails on Kilimanjaro, offering spectacular panoramic views throughout the journey. Beginning at Londorossi Gate, this scenic route leads climbers through lush rainforest, diverse wildlife habitats, and dramatic alpine landscapes before reaching the stunning Shira Plateau on the western side of the mountain.

Famous for its low crowds and excellent acclimatization profile, the Lemosho Route provides a peaceful and immersive trekking experience on Africa’s highest peak. Its gradual ascent gives climbers a better chance of reaching the summit successfully while enjoying the incredible variety of landscapes and ecosystems along the way. For an unforgettable Kilimanjaro adventure that perfectly blends challenge, beauty, and comfort, choose the Lemosho Route with Mylo Africa Safaris and experience the journey of a lifetime.

Mountain Hiking

Mt. Meru which is Tanzania’s second highest mountain standing tall at 4,566m. It is located in Arusha National Park and offers some of the most spectacular scenery and wildlife diversity of any mountain in Tanzania. Mt. Meru is a challenging trek due to its steepness, but is a great way to acclimatize before attempting Mt. Kilimanjaro. Climbers are accompanied by an armed ranger due to the abundance of wildlife on the lower slopes. Mt. Meru also has some historical significance to it whereby some have suggested that it was the resting place of Noah’s Ark when it came to rest after the biblical flood receded. Mt. Meru is a great trekking option for those who want to take on a climbing challenge and get the sense of being out in the wild, but are not quite ready to tackle Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Mountain Hiking

Mt. Meru which is Tanzania’s second highest mountain standing tall at 4,566m. It is located in Arusha National Park and offers some of the most spectacular scenery and wildlife diversity of any mountain in Tanzania. Mt. Meru is a challenging trek due to its steepness, but is a great way to acclimatize before attempting Mt. Kilimanjaro. Climbers are accompanied by an armed ranger due to the abundance of wildlife on the lower slopes. Mt. Meru also has some historical significance to it whereby some have suggested that it was the resting place of Noah’s Ark when it came to rest after the biblical flood receded. Mt. Meru is a great trekking option for those who want to take on a climbing challenge and get the sense of being out in the wild, but are not quite ready to tackle Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Kilimanjaro Hiking

The Northern Circuit is the newest and longest route on Mount Kilimanjaro, offering one of the most scenic, peaceful, and rewarding trekking experiences on the mountain. The journey begins at Londorossi Gate on Kilimanjaro’s western side, following the famous Lemosho Route through lush rainforest and across the breathtaking Shira Plateau. After reaching the Lava Tower area, the trail branches away from the busy southern routes and enters the remote northern slopes, where climbers enjoy a quieter and more exclusive adventure surrounded by incredible wilderness and panoramic mountain views.

Known for its excellent acclimatization profile, the Northern Circuit gradually circles around the northern side of Mount Kilimanjaro toward the eastern approach, giving climbers more time to adapt to the altitude and greatly improving summit success rates. Because it is the longest route on the mountain, the trek usually takes eight to nine days, allowing for a slower, more comfortable ascent and a more enjoyable overall experience. Whether choosing the standard eight-day itinerary or a longer climb with extra acclimatization time, the Northern Circuit with Mylo Africa Safaris offers an unforgettable journey to the Roof of Africa.

Kilimanjaro Hiking

The Rongai Route is the only trail that approaches Mount Kilimanjaro from the northern side near the Kenyan border, offering a quieter, more remote, and less crowded trekking experience. This route is ideal for climbers looking for a peaceful adventure away from the busier southern trails while still enjoying the beauty and challenge of Africa’s highest mountain. The northern side of Kilimanjaro also receives less rainfall, making the Rongai Route an excellent option during the rainy season and a reliable choice throughout the year.

The route typically takes six to seven days, with the seven-day itinerary highly recommended for better acclimatization and a higher chance of reaching the summit successfully. Although the scenery is slightly less diverse compared to western routes, Rongai offers beautiful wilderness landscapes, open moorlands, and a true sense of isolation on the mountain. The trail eventually joins the Marangu Route at Kibo Camp before the final summit push to Uhuru Peak, while the descent follows the Marangu Route. With its gradual ascent and moderate difficulty level, the Rongai Route with Mylo Africa Safaris is perfect for climbers seeking a comfortable, scenic, and unforgettable Kilimanjaro experience.

Traveler Experiences

Hear From Our Happy Travelers

Discover what our guests say about their journeys with Mylo African Safaris. From unforgettable wildlife encounters to exceptional service and memorable adventures, every review reflects the experiences we proudly create across Tanzania.

amazing 5-days safari experience in Serengeti
I have had the best safari and amazing guide,I felt very safe and could see a lot of animals. The lodges were really nice and you could see lions and hyienas in the middle of the night in the serengeti. The Guide was very knowledgeable and passionate spotting and observing animals himself. I can highly recommend going on tour with this company. everything was handled very professional.
Esther L
United Kingdom

Why Choose Mylo African Safaris

At Mylo African Safaris, we are passionate about creating unforgettable journeys across Tanzania with personalized service, local expertise, and carefully planned experiences. Whether you are visiting for wildlife, culture, beaches, or adventure, our team is dedicated to making every moment of your journey smooth, comfortable, and memorable.