6 Days Umbwe Route, via the Western Breach
No of Days
6 Days | 5 Nights
Price From
$ 2570 Per Person
Departure dates
Any day of your choice
Climbing Overview
6 DAYS / 5 NIGHTS on the mountain
Full Itinerary
Umbwe Gate ~ Umbwe Forest Camp (9,500 Ft./ 2,900 Mt.)
The climb commences at the small gate above Umbwe Village, then for an hour winds along a gentle 4 x 4 track until a signboard announces a small steeply rising trail called “Umbwe”. Six hours ascending through the dense forest of rubber trees and giant fig trees, scrambling up steep sections of roots and rock will bring you to a forested campsite, with some caves nearby. Arrive to a hot dinner in your mess tent.
Umbwe Forest Camp ~ Barranco Camp (12,950 Ft./ 3,950 Mt.)
You will be woken with a steaming cup of tea or coffee at around 6am, and then continue steeply through the forest. Soon the taller trees will give way to Giant Erica and Giant Heather, and the air will become drier. The ridge line forms steeply on this day, and on either side of the trail, the ground drops away steeply.
At some point the forest and the clouds will part to give you a fabulous view of Uhuru Peak, seemingly “overhead”. After lunch, you will encounter giant groundsels, seemingly guardians of untouched treasures. After 6 to 8 hours of trekking and scrambling, you reach camp.
There are numerous tiny waterfalls around camp, fed by streams coming down the Great Barranco Valley. Hanging glaciers glint in the sunshine above, amidst an eerie landscape of groundsels (Senecio Kilimanjaro), and the uniquely endemic Giant Lobelia.
Acclimatization / Rest Day at Barranco Camp (12,950 Ft./ 3,950 Mt.)
The campsite here is a perfect place from which to rest and take in the stunning beauty all around the camp, or take short walks from camp in the nearby forest of giant groundsels.
There is an option to scramble up the ‘Barranco Wall’, which leads up the eastern valley wall to a panoramic viewpoint of the southern facing glaciers; Heim, Kersten, and Decken, which fall from Uhuru Peak. This is about 2.5 to 3 hours, with a maximum elevation of 14,200 ft. (4,325 mt.)
Barranco Camp ~ Arrow Glacier Camp (16,100 Ft./ 4,905 Mt.)
Proceed up the steep walls of the Barranco Valley, through a forest of giant groundsels upward into the barren alpine desert towards Lava Tower. There is a direct path which bypasses Lava Tower and proceeds directly to Arrow Glacier Camp, at the foot of the great Western Breach.
From this campsite rises the steep trail up to the crater. The massive headwall of the breach glows a warm red in the afternoon sun, while you rest in camp in preparation for the most challenging day ahead. The trek is about 4-5 hours.
Arrow Glacier Camp ~ Uhuru Peak (19,340 Ft./5,895 Mt.) ~ Mweka Camp(10,200 Ft./3,110 Mt.)
An 11:30pm wake-up call begins the trekking day, and after a hot breakfast we begin to ascend the Western Breach just after midnight, which will take approximately 5 to 8 hours. Upon reaching the crater rim at dawn, we’ll be treated to a stunning view of the Northern Icefields, the Furtwangler Glacier, and Uhuru Peak itself.
We’ll walk about 30 minutes across the flat, soft sands near the retreating vertical ice walls of the Furtwangler glacier. From here we’ll continue to the summit, which will take another hour. After a short time at the summit, descend the steep scree trail to Barafu Camp (15,100 ft. / 4,600 mt.) for lunch, then continue the descent into the Heather Zone to Mweka Camp for the night.
The trekking time from Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp will be from 5 to 8 hours, and the total trekking time on this day is 11 to 17 hours.
Mweka Camp ~ Mweka Gate (6,000 Ft. /1,830 Mt.)
Descend straight to the gate (2-3 hours), where you’ll have lunch and will be awarded climbing certificates.
Price Per Person
| No.of Pax | Price Per Person |
|---|---|
|
2 |
USD 5000 |
|
3 |
USD 5000 |
|
4 |
USD 5000 |
|
5 |
USD 5000 |
|
6 |
USD 5000 |
Book this Tour
Inclusions
- Ground Transport in Tanzania
- Park and camping fees
- Rescue and Ranger fees
- Camping equipments including dome tents, matrasses and sleepingbags
- Two nights accommodations at our guest house, i.e. before and after the climb
- Experienced English-speaking Mountain guide
- Porters for caring your equipments except day pack
- Cook
- Full board during the climb
- Government taxes
Exclusions
- International flight
- Tipping.
- Personal equipments such as sleeping bags, warm and rain gears.
