Mount Meru: 4-day trek
Tanzania's second mountain and the best possible warm-up for Kilimanjaro: a walking safari, a knife-edge crater rim and a sunrise summit with Kibo on the horizon.
- Duration4 days
- DifficultyModerate
- RouteMomella
- Max altitude4,566 m
- Best timeJun to Feb
- GroupPrivate, 1 to 12 trekkers
- Starts / endsArusha
Mount Meru rises straight out of Arusha National Park, and the first day is as much a walking safari as a trek: an armed ranger walks with you past giraffe, buffalo and warthog. The summit day follows the narrow crater rim to Socialist Peak, with the Ash Cone below you and Kilimanjaro glowing pink across the plains at dawn.
Many climbers do Meru a few days before Kilimanjaro for acclimatisation. It works, and it is a beautiful climb in its own right. Accommodation is in comfortable mountain huts.
Highlights
- Walk through Arusha National Park with an armed ranger
- Hut accommodation at Miriakamba and Saddle Hut
- Optional afternoon climb of Little Meru
- Sunrise on Socialist Peak with Kilimanjaro on the horizon
- Perfect acclimatisation before Kilimanjaro
Day by day
Drive from Arusha to Momella Gate in Arusha National Park. Walk through open grassland and forest past the Fig Tree Arch, with buffalo, giraffe and warthog around you.
A steep climb through lush forest to the saddle between Meru and Little Meru. In the afternoon, an optional climb of Little Meru for sunset views.
Start around 1 am, past Rhino Point and along the crater rim to Socialist Peak for sunrise. Descend to Saddle Hut for breakfast, then on to Miriakamba.
Descend the shorter route to the gate, with a good chance of more wildlife, and drive back to Arusha.
What's included
Included
- Transfers between Arusha and Momella Gate
- All Arusha National Park fees, hut fees and rescue fees
- Armed park ranger, professional guide, cook and porters
- Hut accommodation
- All meals on the mountain and drinking water
Not included
- Accommodation in Arusha before and after
- Personal trekking gear and sleeping bag
- Tips for the crew
- Drinks and personal items