MWEKA ROUTE
A very direct and fast way down the mountain providing limited
views across the Southern Glaciers. The track in the forest is
often impassable even to 4WD vehicles. Beyond the roadhead the
path is steep and slippery in parts. Above the Mweka Huts water
must be carried. Sometimes a long walk is required at the Barafu
Hut to find snow or ice for water.
Kilimanjaro Climb / Machame / Mweka Route (8 Days )
Day 1:
Depart Nairobi by shuttle bus for Moshi via Namanga border post.
After going through the Immigration office, you proceed on to
Arusha where you get a brief stop over for lunch. Later proceed
on to Moshi arriving by 4 p.m. Overnight at the spring land
hotel on B/B basis.
Day 2:
Breakfast and transfer to the Machame park gates where you enter
the rain forest. The hike keeps you amongst the giant trees for
about 4 hours. Picnic lunch en route, after which you are almost
at Machame camp 3000m for dinner and overnight.
Day 3:
After breakfast, you climb out of the rain forest and into a
moorland zone. After 5 hours hike, take picnic lunch and arrive
at the Shira plateau – Shira hut at 3840m for dinner and
overnight.
Day 4:
After spending the night at near zero degrees Celsius, rise
early and head straight towards Kibo. After about 2 hours, gain
altitude sharply toward Lava Tower 4570meters. Descend to
Barranco camp at 3900m.
Day 5:
After spending a night at the Great Barranco wall, you will
appreciate how beautiful Kilimanjaro really is. A long hike
through the Karanga Valley joins with Mweka route. This is
preferred route down the summit. Turn left up the ridge and
after another hour or so, you reach Barafu hut, 4750m and you
will now be at same altitude as the day before at Lava Tower.
Day 6:
A steep and difficult hike of about 6 hours brings you to the
crater rim at Stella Point. Proceed on to reach Uhuru peak
before turning back to Barafu and then Mweka camp 3100m for
overnight.
Day 7:
After an early breakfast, it is a short and scenic hike back to
the park gate where you get your certificate of achievement for
having reached the summit. Transfer to spring land hotel Moshi
for overnight.
Day 8:
After breakfast, you are transferred to connect your transport
vehicle back to Nairobi
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