9 Days Meru Trekking & Mt.Kilimanjaro

Join 4days Mount Meru Climb with 5 days kilimanjaro Marangu route.This tour is aimed to combine Meru & Kilimanjaro In this tour you can climb Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa and free standing mountain in the world at its best Route of and of course on top of it you will have chance to join four days of Mount Meru

Itinerary

Day 0: Moshi 815m/670ft
Booked into your hotel in Moshi or Arusha for overnight and briefing from your guide.

Day 1: To Mandara Hut
-1700m to 2740m/5500ft to 9000ft
-7 km, 4-5 hours
-Montane Forest
After breakfast and briefing, drive to the Kilimanjaro National Park Gate (45 minutes), register and commence the climb. Walk through the rainforest to the Mandara encampment located at 9000 ft / 2740 m. A side trip to Maundi Crater is a good way to see the surroundings including Northern Tanzania and Kenya. In the rainforest, look for towering Eucalyptus trees, bird life, and Colubus monkeys.

Day 2: To Horombo Camp.
OPTIONAL DAY
(Acclimatization Day)
-2720m to 3720m/9000ft to 12, IOOft
-11 km, 6-8 hours
-Heath land
After about I hour, you will leave the glades of the rainforest and follow an ascending path on the open moorlands to the Horombo encampment. Views Of Mawenzi and the summit of Kibo are amazing. Look for giant lobelias and grounsels. You will start to feel the affects of the altitude.
If you wish to extend you trek, here you can spend an extra day resting at Horombo or climbing the small peak of Mawenzi.

Day 3: To Kibo Camp
-3720m to 4720m/12,100ft to 15,400ft
-10 km, 6-8 hours
-Alpine Desert
Ascending, we now pass the last watering point, walking onto the saddle of Kilimanjaro between the peaks of Kibo and Mawenzi. Vegetation begins with upper heath land but then disappears into "moonscape". Dinner, rest, and prepare for summit climb.

Day 4: To Summit and Horombo
-4720m to 5895m/(and down to 3700m)
-15,400ftt0 19,300ft (and down to 12, 100ft)
-4 km up / 14 km down
-10-15 hours
-Alpine Desert
Very early in the morning (midnight to 2am), commence the climb to the summit on steep and heavy scree or snow up to Gilman's point located on the crater rim at 18640 ft/ 5861 m (4-7 hours). Continuing, we now ascend to Uhuru Peak, which is the highest point in Africa: 19340 ft/ 5895 m (1-2 hours). Unbelievable views at every turn. Get your picture taken at the summit to show your friends. From here, we now descend, stopping for lunch and a rest at Kibo before continuing on to the Horombo encampment for dinner and a tired but happy overnight (1-2 hours).
This beginning of this climb is done in the dark and requires headlamps or flashlights. It will be very cold until you start descending, so you will need all of your warm layers. This is, by far, the most difficult part of the trek with many switchbacks. "Pole pole" and an optimistic attitude will get you there!

Day 5: To Moshi
-3720m to 1879m/12, IOOft to 5500ft
-18km, 5-7 hours
After breakfast, A steady descent takes us down through moorland to Mandara Hut (2700m / 8858 ft), the first stopping place at the Marangu route. Continue descending through lovely lush forest on a good path to the National Park gate at Marangu (1830 m / 6004 ft). 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).
A vehicle will meet you at Marangu village to drive you back to your hotel in Moshi or Arusha

Day 6: Momella gate (1500m) to Miriakamba (2500m)
Visitors spend the first night at Miriakamba at (2500m) from the Momella gate Miriakamba they are two routes southern and Northern routes. Southern road takes about 5 hours walk to from Momella gate to Miriakamba hut. Through this route visitors can have chance to see almost all mammals found in the forest. Therefore you can see a lot of birds including birds of prey. It’s possible to see several species of butterflies such of Mocker Swallow tailed, Soldier commodores, blue Swallow tailed, Golden winged forester, Mother of pearl, etc.
Northern route: Takes between 3-4 hours from Momella gate to Miriakamba. This is a shorter and steeper route. Along the way you can have the great views of Mt Kilimanjaro and Momella lakes are spectacular. Common mammals along this route are Cape buffalo. Maasai giraffe, Warthogs, Bushbuck etc. Present birds are Hartlaubs turaco, white fronted Bee Eaters, fiscal shrike, tropical Boubou, stone chat, variable sun birds olive pigeon. Dinner and overnight at Miriakamba hut.

Day 7: Miriakamba to Saddle (2500mt) to (3500mt)
It takes 3-4 hours. Along this portion of the route the visitors do enjoy the spectacular views of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Momella lakes. Meru crater, Ashcone, Mt Meru cliff and the little Meru. Through the forest. Common animals include Buffalo, Bushbuck and black and white Colobus.
Attractive wild flower such as Empetient species,Red hot pocker, Orchids, fire ball, lily. Shrubs are Erica arboreas, Stoebe Kilimandscharica and etc. The trail takes the visitors through striking tree species such as Hygenium abyssinica, and podacarpus. You will arrive at noon time here you will have lunch and start the ascend the little Meru is possible even during the afternoon. After a little Meru you will be back to Saddle for dinner and overnight.

Day 8:Saddle to Summit
Takes about 5-6 hours. The start for the Summit is done early in the morning.this is the place where visitors enjoy the most views of Mt Kilimanjaro little Meru ,Meru crater ,Achcone. Momella lakes, Cliff face Meru Summit Ngorongoro crater highlands, Arusha city sunrise and sunset Klipspringers and mountain Reedbucks are seen over rocks. Birds like white necked raven, Bearded vultures, stone chat, cliff chat, Alpine swift can be seen in this higher elevations. While walking along the trail to Saddle it is possible to step on wild flowers like Alchemilla Helocysum, and iris flowers. After reaching the Summit at 4566MT you will walk all the way down back to Saddle for the lunch and a bit sleep then you will processed to the Miriakamba for dinner and overnight.

Day 9:Miriakamba to Momella gate
For those who walked up through the shorter route will take the longer route while going down is not advisable. Please take your time to enjoy scenic beauty as well as occasional sightings of the game. At the gate you will find your porters and the transfer car waiting for you: drive back to your hotel for the shower and relaxing prepare for the next climb to mountain Kilimanjaro or safari to Serengeti or Ngorongoro crater.