Umbwe Route on Mount Kilimanjaro

Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro via The Umbwe Route

This route is the steepest with the shortest and most direct routes to the Southern Glaciers, Western Breach and Uhuru Peak. It is probably the most scenic, non-technical route on Kilimanjaro. However it is quite taxing, primarily due to the relatively fast ascent to higher altitude, but the rewards are plentiful. Very steep route best suited to experienced trekkers.

Duration: 6 – 7 days.
Difficulty: Very High
Scenery: Very good
Traffic: Very low

This route is not used much. The Umbwe route is only suitable for people with extensive mountain climbing experience.

Overview

Itinerary

FAQs

Map

Other Tour Details

Overview

The Umbwe Route is steeper and shorter than the Machame Route. Once at the Barranco Hut you continue on with the other Machame hikers. The descent is down the Mweka trail.

Since it is a very short and direct route, it is not recommended for people with little altitude experience.

Day 1 :

Arrival in Kilimanjaro

You will be picked up at the Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) by an Let's view Tanzania representative and transferred to your hotel in Moshi town. Your guide will brief you on your upcoming trek and do an equipment check to make sure you have all the necessary mountain gear. Gear which is missing can be rented on this day.

Meals
Meals not included. You have the option of having lunch and/or dinner at the hotel or a restaurant in town.

Accommodation
Accommodation is at the Hotel / Lodge on Bed & Breakfast basis. Alternative accommodation of the same standard will be provided if the primary accommodation option is unavailable.

*For those on a lower budget, you can request for alternative accommodation at a lower price or no accommodation as part of the package.

Day 2 :

Hotel to Umbwe Cave Camp

Drive from Moshi to the Umbwe Gate (about 1 hour). Commence the climb through the rain forest with packed lunch on route.

Elevation: 1660m/5450ft to 2850m/9350ft
Distance: 11km/7mi
Hiking Time: 5-6 hours
Habitat: Montane Forest
Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Day 3 :

Umbwe Cave Camp to Barranco Camp

After breakfast, we leave the glades of the forest and follow an ascending path on the open moorland to Barranco Camp.

Elevation: 2850m/9350ft to 4000m/13,000ft
Distance: 6km/4mi
Walking Time: 4-5 hours
Habitat: Semi-desert
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 4 :

Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp

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.

Elevation: 4000m/13,000ft to 4050m/13,250ft
Distance: 5km/3mi
Hiking Time: 34 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 5 :

Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp

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.

Elevation: 4050m/13,250ft to 4700m/15,350ft
Distance: 4km/2mi
Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 6 :

Barafu Camp to Summit to Mweka Camp

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 all the way 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.

Elevation: 4700m/15,350ft to 5895m/19,340ft
Down to 3090m/10,150ft
Distance: 5km/3mi up / 13km/8mi down
Hiking Time: 5-7 hours up / 5-6 hours down
Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 7 :

Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate to Moshi hotel

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).

Elevation: 3090m/10,150ft to 1680m/5500ft
Distance: 10km/6mi
Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Forest
Meals: Breakfast

Day 8 :

Depart Kilimanjaro

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.

*We also welcome you spare an hour of your day to plant a tree, as part of our environmental conservation efforts in the Kilimanjaro region.

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

Meals
Breakfast Included.

Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro via Umbwe route FAQs

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Can you climb Umbwe Route in 5 days?

It takes between six to nine days on the longer routes to hike to Mount Kilimanjaro Summit Uhuru peak and descend to the Finish point. The more days you spend on the mountain acclimatizing, the better your chances of reaching the top and you will be less fatigue.

What is the success rate of the Umbwe route?

between 60% and 70%

What is the success rate of the Umbwe route? Considered to be the most difficult route on Kilimanjaro, the Umbwe route should be attempted only by experienced climbers. The success rate of the route is between 60% and 70%, with higher chances of reaching the summit if you give yourself extra time for acclimatization.

How much elevation gain in the Umbwe route?

The Umbwe route is the least travelled, shortest and steepest trail. Not all outfitters offer this trek. In the first two days, you will gain over 4,000′ of elevation up to 13,000 at Barranco.

How many km a day Kilimanjaro?

The full day is 12 – 14 hours of trekking and covers 11.2 miles/ 18.1km.

What is the shortest route to Kilimanjaro?

The Umbwe route is the shortest and steepest route up Kilimanjaro. It’s the least used trail, which isn’t suprising given its poor acclimatisation profile. Only 589 people climb it each year. And the summit success rate of this route is very low

What is the failure rate of Umbwe route when to start Climb Kilimanjaro?

Overall summit rates on Kilimanjaro (across all routes & climbers) are estimated to fall between 45% and 65%. Summit success rates by climbing duration – don’t try to do Kilimanjaro on an itinerary that is shorter than a week or you’ll set yourself up for failure.

Can you get married on Kilimanjaro via to Umbwe route?

Some couples might get married in a venue overlooking a mountain; other couples get married on top of one.

The pair climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and exchanged vows on Uhuru Peak in an intimate ceremony officiated by their head guide and other Let’s view Tanzania Team to help Us.

What is the coldest month in Kilimanjaro?

As you can see, January and February are the warmest months, April and May are the wettest months, June and July are the coolest months, and August and September are the driest. You’ll notice the same pattern along all Kilimanjaro Mountain Temperatures.

What temperature should a sleeping bag be for Kilimanjaro?

0F/-16C

We recommend getting a sleeping bag with a temperature rating of 0F/-16C or warmer (-18F/-25C). Some people tend to sleep “warm” or “cold” – meaning that some get hot at night while others feel cold in the same conditions (most females tend to sleep cold).

How much weight do you carry on Kilimanjaro via to Umbwe route?

The maximum weight that a porter should carry is 15 / 20kg. This is the official Kilimanjaro park limit. Packs should be weighed at park entrance gates to ensure that porters are not carrying too much. Some of the weight will decrease over time as food supplies get used up