4 Days Mount Meru Trekking Tour

brief overview

An ascent of Mount Meru is a great experience and very rewarding. Today’s crater of Mt Meru was formed about 250,000 years ago when the volcano erupted sideways. During this process the eastern side of the volcanic cone was blasted away, leaving the northern, southern and western slopes of the cone intact. Therefore, the crater of Mt. Meru looks like a horseshoe from above, with its highest point on the western crater rim. The huge cliffs below the summit drop a breathtaking 1500 meters to the crater floor, making it one of the highest crater walls in all of Africa.

Mount Meru is the fifth highest mountain on the African continent and the second highest in Tanzania. On the relatively demanding four-day hike you will probably see giraffes, buffalos, antelopes and monkeys. A tour up to Socialist Peak at 4,566 meters on the only legal Momela route therefore is not only a mountain tour but also a walking safari. An armed park ranger will accompany you for safety.

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Details

Day 1: Arrival in Arusha

Transfer from Kilimanjaro airport or Arusha bus terminal (e.g. from Nairobi) to your accommodation in Moshi or Arusha.

Day 2: Arusha – Momella Gate (1,500 m) – Miriakamba Hut (2,500 m)

altitude Δ: 1000 m, distance: approx. 7 km, time required: approx. 6 hours

After your breakfast you will be picked up from your accommodation in Arusha / Moshi and transferred to Momella Gate inside the Arusha National Park. Upon arrival, porters will organize and pack your belongings while you complete the registration process with TANAPA (Tanzania National Park Authority) and sign into the mountaineering book. Your first Mount Meru Trekking day is very similar to a walking safari for the most part. Expect to see giraffes, antelopes, buffalo, zebras and elephants near the trail. After about 2 hours the Maio waterfall comes into sight – the perfect place to rest and have a picnic. Afterwards you walk through the famous fig tree arch and finally reach the Miriakamba Hut at 2500 meters. Due to the presence of wildlife you will always be accompanied by an armed ranger. Dinner followed by an overnight stay at Miriakamba Hut.

Day 3: Miriakamba Hut (2,500 m) – Saddle Hut (3,000 m)

altitude Δ: 1000 m, distance: approx. 6 km, time required: approx. 4 hours

After breakfast you follow a steep path. Due to the gain in altitude it gets noticeably cooler than the day before. The clouds often hang low in the rainforest and create an impressive atmosphere in the lush vegetation. After about 2 hours of ascent you will reach the viewpoint “Mgongo wa Tembo” (Elephant Ridge) at 3.200 m where you can take a well-deserved break. You reach the tree line and the landscape changes into heath and moorland. When you arrive at the Saddle Hut and still have enough energy left, you can make a detour to Litte Meru at 3820 meters. If the weather is good, you will have a magnificent view of Arusha and Kilimanjaro National Park. Dinner and early evening rest in the Saddle Hut.

Day 4: Saddle Hut (3,550 m) – Socialist Peak (4,562 m) – Miriakamba Hut (2,500 m)

altitude Δ: 1050 m, distance: approx. 16 km, time required: approx. 11 hours

After a short night, you will have a quick breakfast and start your summit hike very early at around 2 am. The trail leads you through a steep ascent to Rhino Point at 3800 meters and finally to Cobra Point at 4350 meters. Towards the end of the hike, you will climb a ridge between the inner cliffs of Meru and its crater. At sunrise you will reach Socialist Peak at 4562 meters. Hongera (Congratulations)! You will enjoy a truly spectacular view of the desert-like Mount Meru Caldera and Kilimanjaro on the horizon. After you have celebrated your success and appreciate the unique scenery once again, you descend to the Saddle Hut and take a lunch break. Afterwards you descend to Miriakamba Hut (2500 m) where you have dinner and stay overnight.

Day 5: Miriakamba Hut (2,500 m) – Momella Gate (1,500 m) – Arusha

altitude Δ: 1000 m, distance: approx. 4 km, time required: approx. 3 hours

After breakfast you follow an alternative route back to the Momella Gate. This route is a little shorter, but there is still a chance to see elephants, buffalo, giraffe and colobus monkeys. At the gate you say goodbye to your team and ranger. After you have been issued a summit certificate, your driver will take you back to your accommodation in Arusha or Moshi.

Day 6: Arusha / Moshi

After breakfast transfer to the central bus station, to the airline office in the city for your shuttle bus to the airport or extension e.g. Northern Circuit Safari, Mount Kilimanjaro Trekking or onward flight to Zanzibar.

Good to know

Good to know:

Although the Arusha National Parks Authority sets the minimum age for mountain climbing at 10 years, we recommend at least 13 years. Please let us know in advance if one of the participants is younger than 16 years.

For the ascent of Mt Meru it is best to plan four days. During this mountain hike you will pass through magical cloud forests and finally reach an enchanted tree heath landscape, from where you can enjoy fabulous views over the plains below you, the East African Rift Valley and Kilimanjaro. As you climb to the summit, your path takes you around the volcanic cone and up to the rugged crater rim. If there is still time, you can hike to the so-called Ashcone, which was created in the 1880s. At that time Mt Meru erupted for the last time and this small crater was formed inside the large crater (3.5 km in diameter). The last of Meru’s four eruptions was recorded in 1910. By the way, Mt. Meru is considered to be an optimal acclimatization precursor for Kilimanjaro.

Before each Mt. Meru ascent you will check your equipment with our staff, in case of doubt you can rent trekking equipment. Each expedition is led by an experienced and certified chief mountain guide. Each of these certified guides knows the mountain inside out and has reached the summit dozens of times. If your group exceeds 2 persons, they will be additionally supported by assistance guides. You should always follow the instructions of your mountain guide. Our guides put your health before a summit success.

During your ascent you will carry a backpack with your personal belongings. Your porters carry all equipment, food, tents, gas bottles etc. The expedition cooks deserve a special mention. Here in Tanzania people are used to cooking outdoors and with simple methods. But what your crew will conjure up on the mountain with simple gas stoves will amaze you; hearty meals with appetizers and desserts and even freshly baked bread! Because a part of your team always starts in front of you, hot drinks are available and the tents are set up when you reach your daily destination. As there is always fresh spring water available until the highest stages of the day, you will be constantly supplied with boiled mountain water.

Service

Included in the travel price:

Mountain Rescue fees
Qualified mountain guide and assistant(s)
Mountain Cook(s)
3 overnight stays in huts (full board)
Boiled spring water on the mountain
Accompaniment of at least two porters per participant, depending on the load
Entrance and overnight fees for the National Park
Transfers as described

Not included in the travel price:

Visa fees
Insurance
Personal or special equipment for mountain climbing (e.g. hiking boots, walking sticks, headlamp, towels, binoculars etc.)
Tips and gratuities
Alcoholic beverages, soft drinks
Personal expenses
Scheduled flight
Overnight stays before and after the ascent

Prices

4 Days Mount Meru Tour / Walking Safari

The following prices are per person for a group of 2 or more persons. Prices for large groups on request.

Year	Mountain Huts / CAmping
2022	from $1.044
2023	from $1.044

Due to many factors our safari prices can change:

Exchange rate fluctuations
Number of travellers
In case of families, age of children (e.g. do small children sleep in their parents’ hotel room?)
short-term price changes of entrance fees and accommodation from institutions or the government

Our consultants will calculate the price for your tailor-made dream trip individually. Here at Tanzania Experts, our motivation is to offer as many people as possible the chance to travel to the incredibly beautiful and diverse paradise of Tanzania. Our prices are therefore very competitive.

Due to the uniqueness of the country, with UNESCO protected world natural heritage sites such as the Kilimanjaro, the Serengeti with the world famous Great Animal Migration, the Ngorongoro Caldera, the gemstone Tanzanite – only found in a very small mining area near the Mererani Hills or the largest contiguous protected area in Africa (Selous Game Reserve), you will enjoy a truly once in a life time experience.

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