Umbwe Route

Mountain tents — four-season, double occupancy.

These are examples. We change the days to fit your pace.

1. Day 01

   Umbwe Gate to Umbwe Camp

   Distance

   8 km

   Time

   5–7 hrs

   Altitude

   +1,000 m

   

   Transfer to Umbwe Gate. A slow day through rainforest — muddy, steep in places — with a packed lunch. Camp in a steep valley between the Lonzo and Umbwe rivers, under rock overhangs.

   TonightUmbwe Camp

2. Day 02

   Umbwe Camp to Barranco Camp

   Distance

   7 km

   Time

   4–6 hrs

   Altitude

   +1,150 m

   

   Steep ground. Trees thin to moorland. Kibo and the snow on Uhuru become a regular sight. Barranco sits above the clouds, with Moshi sometimes visible far below.

   TonightBarranco Camp

3. Day 03

   Barranco Wall to Karanga Camp

   Distance

   5.8 km

   Time

   4–5 hrs

   Altitude

   +90 m

   

   Over the Great Barranco Wall — about 4,420 metres — then down to the Karanga River. The Breach Wall, the largest ice and rock face in Africa, is above you. Days can reach 26°C; nights often freeze.

   TonightKaranga Camp

4. Day 04

   Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp

   Distance

   3.5 km

   Time

   4–5 hrs

   Altitude

   +510 m

   

   Rocky, little vegetation. You join the Mweka trail and finish the South Circuit — Kibo and Mawenzi from new angles. Early dinner. Midnight start.

   TonightBarafu Camp

5. Day 05

   Summit — Stella Point to Uhuru Peak

   Distance

   7 km up, 23 km down

   Time

   10–16 hrs

   Altitude

   +1,345 m

   

   The same dark scree to Stella Point and the sunrise, then 40–45 minutes to Uhuru. Down the Mweka scree — sliding if you like it — rest at Barafu, then Millennium or Mweka Camp.

   TonightMweka Camp

6. Day 06

   Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate

   Distance

   15 km

   Time

   3–4 hrs

   Altitude

   −1,120 m

   Rainforest to the gate. Colobus and blue monkeys if you are lucky. Transfer back to Janibichi.