In the morning, you will be picked up from your hotel and, after 45 minutes by car, you will arrive at the Arusha National Park Gate.
At the entrance gate, the guide will complete the mandatory registration forms (it is possible to consult the national park information sheets).
Once the formalities have been completed and the team of hikers has been formed (also made up of porters from the surrounding villages), the ascent will begin.
A park ranger, armed, will accompany you as you begin your excursion and you will have the opportunity to have a first look at the wonderful giraffes and buffaloes.
Once you leave these herds behind, you will enter the acacia forest following the Southern Route.
After a constant 2 hour climb, you will reach the Maio waterfalls and some picturesque meadows which are the perfect place for a picnic.
After a rest, you will be back on the road and soon you will reach the famous “Arched Fig Tree”. Here the park ranger will tell you about the formation of this tree and how it got its arch shape on the path.
After another 2 hours, you will arrive at the Miriakamba refuge.
Dinner overnight at the Miriakamba hut
In the morning, you will leave the Miriakamba refuge and follow a steep path with wooden steps to the top.
Due to the altitude increase, it will be significantly cooler than the previous day so the hike will seem easier.
Clouds are also often found in the rainforest and immerse the lush vegetation in a special atmosphere.
After about 2 hours, you will reach the ‘Mgongo wa Tembo’ (elephant’s back) viewpoint at an altitude of 3,200 m, where you can enjoy a well-deserved break.
After another long walk where you will see the vegetation transform from the rainforest into an airy woodland, you will reach Saddle Hut (3,550 m) around noon and there you can relax and have lunch.
During the afternoon, you have the opportunity to take a trip to Little Meru (3,820 m), which lasts about an hour and a half and from where you can enjoy a splendid view of the Arusha National Park and Kilimanjaro (about 80 km away) .
Back at the refuge, a hot dinner awaits you before starting the last speech in view of the climb the day after the summit.
Dinner overnight at the Saddle hut
The alarm will be at night, breakfast with tea and biscuits, you will leave for the top at 02:00. In the light of the torches, you will follow the path through the bush to the so-called rhinoceros point (3,821 m) where the path turns into a slightly more demanding trek with occasional lighter climbs.
You will follow the north ridge to the top where you will walk on a ground formed by lava and rock ash. After about 4/5 hours, you will begin to glimpse the top and the flag of Tanzania.
From the top, you can enjoy the sun rising over Kilimanjaro and the fantastic view of the crater of Mount Meru with its steep sides and the “Ash Cone” in the middle.
The descent follows the same path up to the Saddle refuge (3,550m) where we allow ourselves a long, well-deserved break and we recover with a hot soup and tea.
Once refreshed, you will continue with the descent. In the early afternoon you will arrive at the Miriakamba refuge (2,500 m), tired but happy.
Here, you can relax and rethink the last achievement you have completed.
Dinner overnight at Miriakamba hut (2,500 m)
After breakfast, you will follow a 2/3 hour trek on the so-called “Northern Route” to Momella Gate.
The descent is shorter than the ascent, but there is still the possibility of seeing elephants, buffaloes, giraffes and colubus monkeys.
At the gate, you will say goodbye to your team of hikers and your driver will take you back to Arusha.
Note:
The climb to the summit contains some simple, but unsafe climbing steps. A good habit of heights and firm feet are absolutely necessary.
In adverse weather conditions (heavy rains, rocks and icy paths or dense fog) the park ranger can postpone the climb to the summit.
We do not recommend climbing in the rainy season (April and May)