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.  

Itinerary

Arrive Tanzania
You will be picked up at the Kilimanjaro International Airport and transferred to your hotel in Moshi town; 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.

Day 1: Umbwe Gate to Umbwe Cave Camp
-Elevation: 1640m to 2850m
-Distance: 11km
-Hiking Time: 5-6 hours
-Habitat: Montane Forest
Drive from Moshi to the Umbwe Gate (about 1 hour). Commence the climb through the rainforest with a packed lunch en route.

Day 2: Umbwe Cave Camp to Barranco Camp
-Elevation: 2850m to 3900m
-Distance: 6km
-Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
-Habitat: Semi-desert
After breakfast, we leave the glades of the forest and follow an ascending path on the open moorland to Barranco Camp.

Day 3: Stay at Barranco Camp
-Elevation: 3900m
-Distance: 0km
-Hiking Time: 0 hours
-Habitat: Alpine Desert
Extra Day for Acclimatization. Adding this day will ease your effort, and amplify your acclimatization.

Day 4: Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp
-Elevation: 3900m to 3960m
-Distance: 5km
-Hiking Time: 34 hours
-Habitat: Alpine Desert
After breakfast, we leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge up the Barranco Wall to the Karanga Valley and the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail.

Day 5: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp
-Elevation: 3960m to 4670m
-Distance: 4km
-Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
-Habitat: Alpine Desert
We continue up to the Barafu Camp. You have completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day.

Day 6: Barafu Camp to Summit to Mweka Camp
-Elevation: 4670m to 5895m to 3100m
-Distance: 5km up / 13km down
-Hiking Time: 5-7 hours up / 5-6 hours down
-Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit
Very early in the morning (midnight to 2 am), we continue our way to the summit between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. You head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through a heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek. At Stella Point, you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see. Faster hikers may view the sunrise from the summit.

From Stella Point, you may encounter snow on your 1-hour ascent to the summit. Once at Uhuru Peak, you have reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa!
From the summit we begin our descent by continuing straight down to the Mweka Camp, stopping at Barafu for lunch. You may want gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel going down. We arrive at Mweka Camp and enjoy our last evening on the mountain.

Day 7: Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate to Moshi.
-Elevation: 3100m to 1640m
-Distance: 10km
-Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
-Habitat: Forest
After breakfast, we continue the descent down to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. Gaiters and trekking poles will help. Shorts and T-shirts will probably be plenty to wear (keep rain gear and warmer clothing handy).
From the gate, continue another hour to Mweka Village. A vehicle will meet you at Mweka gate to drive you back to your hotel in Moshi (about 30 minutes).

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