6 Day Umbwe Route
Day 1 All the entry fees have to be paid at Machame or Marangu gate in the morning before we leave. We'll also get the permit to climb from one of these gates. After that, we'll drive to the Umbwe starting point and hopefully we'll be able to start walking by about 11.30. We have lunch at a small stream on the way. We'll arrive at the first camp for dinner and
overnight. 2900 metres.
Day 2 We continue to move steeply up through the last of the forest, to join the main ridge after about 30 min. and a couple of hours later, the start of the moorland proper. It's from this ridge that we usually get our first views of the summit cone - Kibo.
Day 3 A real easy day's walk (sometimes with fit groups we will combine it with day 5) Walk eastwards across a wide glacial outwash plain, and moraines to the "Breach wall". Steeply up for about 300m to the top of the wall, and the spectacular views of the whole of that side of the mountain and the expanse of the Southern Glaciers above. Descend a short ridge, then after about an hour (from the ridge), drop down into the Karanga Valley. Total time required for this day's walk is less than 3 hours.
Day 4 Another easy day's walk. After climbing out of the Karanga Valley we continue contouring around the mountain. An hour and half later at the top of the ridge bordering the Karanga Valley to the east, we turn left and start to head on up towards the main
cone of the mountain itself. Barafu Hut (4,600m), is reached after some 5 hours walking. At the hut, subject to available space, we will set a tent up inside one of the huts. It keeps the wind off us and we all sleep a little warmer. Retire to the sleeping bags early.
Day 5 Well, rather it's still day 4 when we get up for breakfast, Ugh, and a hot drink before a midnight departure for the walk up to the crater rim at Stella Notch (5,780m), where, with luck, we should arrive in time to view the usually magnificent sunrise with the crater rim as a foredrop and the jagged peaks of Mawenzi in the background. Another hour to Uhuru Pt. then it's time to return back round the crater rim to Stella Pt. and the start of the big scree slopes leading back to Barafu Hut. From this hut it's another 3 hours on down to the Mweka Camp (3,050m), where we will have the last night on the mountain.
Day 6 Leisurely departure for the 3 hour walk back to the Park Gate at Mweka roadhead. Transport awaits us here, and after obtaining "Achievement" certificates (assuming we got you to Uhuru or Gillmans), we head on down to Moshi.