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MOUNT MERU CLIMB (4days/3nights)
At 4566m (14,979 ft), Mt Meru is the 2nd highest mountain in Tanzania, although it is overshadowed by Kilimanjaro, its famous neighbor, and frequently overlooked by trekkers. But Meru is a spectacular classic volcanic cone, and well worth a visit. It is a great way to acclimatize for Kilimanjaro and a great trek if you don't have enough time for Kilimanjaro. Mt. Meru, may be second to Kilimanjaro in height, but certainly more spectacular in terms of scenery, fauna and flora. Giraffe and buffalo are plentiful on the lower slopes and the upper slopes offer spectacular views of Arusha National Park and Kilimanjaro to the west. The mountain's rim is horseshoe shaped creating a natural amphitheater called Meru crater and contains a large ash cone. The walls of this amphitheatre are nearly sheer from the summit down to its floor. The mountain only sees a fraction of the climbers that Kilimanjaro sees and it is not unusual to have the slopes and scenery to ourselves!
Day 1: ARRIVE AT
KILIMANJARO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (JRO) Overnight: Ilboru Safari Lodge or similar (Bed & Breakfast)
Day 2: MIRIAKAMBA HUT (8,250’) (day 1 on the mountain) We will leave early in the morning and drive to Arusha National Park entrance gate where we will meet the rest of the crew, guides and porters. We will pick an armed park ranger who will climb with us because the presence of wild animals such as buffalo and elephant pose a potential danger to climbers. There will be two routes to our overnight camp; we will take a slightly longer and more scenic Fig Tree Route for about 4-6 hours hike to Miriakamba Hut. The hike will start out in the grasslands of the lower slopes where we will encounter animals like Giraffes, Cape Buffaloes, Warthogs etc and continue through a lush forest inhabited by bushbucks, red duiker, Sykes monkeys, black and white colabus monkeys etc. We will stop for lunch and after lunch we will continue through less dense forest with an abundance of birds until we reach our camp for the night at Miriakamba hut. Late afternoon, there will be an optional excursions to the scenic Njeku viewpoint which overlooks a water fall, the Ash Cone and the entire crater itself.
Day 3: SADDLE HUT (11,700’) (day 2 on the mountain) Today we will leave after leisurely breakfast and hike through giant heather and other fascinating moorland vegetation. We will stop at Topela Mbogo (Buffalo Swamp) and Mgongo wa Tembo (Elephant Ridge) view point which is a half way marker. Our hike today from Miriakamba hut to the saddle below little Meru is short but steep and will take us about 3-5 hours. We will arrive at camp for lunch where we will have lunch and a short break. We will have an optional hike earl evening to the summit of the little Meru at 12,400’ which has spectacular views of Mt. Meru’s summit and the sheer cliffs of the crater’s inner wall. It will take us about an hour up and about 45 minutes down. At sunset we will have a very beautiful view of the glaciers on Kilimanjaro turning different hues of orange and red from the sunset.
Day 4: SUMMIT (UJAMAA PEAK) (14,980’) (day 3 on the mountain) Today we will leave very early in the morning at 5am in time to watch the sunrise from Rhino Point at 12700 feet. It will be a steep hour long hike to Rhino Point, as the sun rises behind Kilimanjaro; we will depart Rhino Point on a slightly downhill path before reaching a narrow ridge of the crater to the summit itself at (Ujamaa Peak) Socialist Peak (14,980’) which we will reach by 10am. With a clear weather, we can see Oldoinyo Lengai Mountain to the west and below us, the town of Arusha and the Masai Steppe plains. We will hike down to Saddle Hut for lunch and after lunch we will proceed with our hike down for about 2 hours to Miriakamba Hut for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: HIKE OUT & DRIVE BACK TO ARUSHA (day 4 on the mountain) We will leave after leisurely breakfast and hike down to the park gate through open grassland and mixed forest with good chances to see wildlife. The trail has excellent views back towards the crater and over the plains of the park. We will get to the park gate by late morning, where will receive our certificate and drive back to Arusha for a nice hot shower or swimming at the lodge and relax, looking forward to go on safari or Kilimanjaro climb next day. Overnight: Ilboru Safari Lodge or similar (Bed & Breakfast) |