Machame Route
Mount Meru is the fifth-highest mountain in Africa and the second-highest peak in Tanzania. It is located 70km south of Mount Kilimanjaro and can be found within Arusha National Park. The mountain is also known as Mount Kilimanjaro's little brother and can be seen from the summit on a clear day. Mount Meru stands at 4,560m (14,960ft) making it a good practice climb for those wanting to summit Mount Kilimanjaro.
Itinerary
Day of arrival.
Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be met by an Omura representative who will transfer you to your hotel. There, you will be given time to settle in before a meet and greet with your guides. In this meeting, we will brief you on what to expect on Mount Meru and answer any last-minute questions you may have. After the briefing, we recommend an early night for an early pick up the following day.
Day 1.
After breakfast, you will be collected from the hotel and driven to Momella Gate which is about an hour from Arusha City. After the registration process, we will start the climb steadily through dense rainforest. During today's climb, we will have spectacular views of wildlife, Ngarenanyuki River, and Mayo Falls until we reach Miriakamba Hut where we will be spending the night. During dinner, you will be briefed for the following day by your head guide.
Camp: Momella Gate to Miriakamba Hut
Elevation: 1,500m (4,921ft) to 2,514m (8,212ft)
Distance: 10km (7 miles)
Trekking Time: 4-6 hours
Day 2.
Today we continue to trek through the dense rainforest where volcanic rocks are draped with lichen beards. We continue until we reach Elephant Ridge (3,200m) where the trail becomes steep and occasionally slippery depending on the weather. From here climbers will have clear views of Mount Kilimanjaro, Burst Crater, and Momella Lake. Our destination for today is Saddle Hut, once arrive we will have lunch then begin an acclimatization hike to Little Meru (3,820m) where we will have clear views of Arusha National Park and its surroundings. Once we return back to Saddle Hut we will have an early dinner where we will be briefed for the following day by the guide. We recommend spending the rest of the day resting and sleeping before being awoken at 2:00 am to prepare for the summit climb.
Camp: Miriakamba Hut to Saddle Hut
Elevation: 2,514m (8,212ft) to 3,560m (11,680ft)
Distance: 8km (4.9 miles)
Trekking Time: 3-5 hours
Day 3 (Summit Day).
You start the summit climb at 2:00 a.m. and walk upwards towards Rhino Point (3,820m). After a short break, you continue trekking to Socialist Peak (4,560m) where the path becomes rocky and more challenging. Once at Socialist Peak, you will have views of the sun rising behind Mount Kilimanjaro and lighting up the plains of Meru. You begin our descent by returning to Saddle Hut where we will break to have lunch. After a short rest, you will continue to descend to Miriakamba Hut where you will stop for a short rest before continuing your decent to Momella Gate. There we complete park formalities and present you with a certificate confirming you summited Mount Meru. You will then be transferred back to your hotel for a well-earned rest.
Camp: Saddle Hut to Hotel
Elevation: 3,560m (11,680ft) to 4,560m (14,968ft) to 2,514m (8,212ft)
Distance: 18km (11 miles)
Trekking Time: 8-10 hours
Final Day.
After breakfast, a vehicle will transfer you to your next destination. If you have additional time we recommend you extend your stay. Omura offers safari packages to see nature at its finest or maybe a relaxing beach trip to Zanzibar.
