Umbwe Route And Success Rates: A Beginner’s Guide & Cost

6 Days Umbwe Route Itinerary Cost

6 Days Umbwe Route Price per person ($ USD)
1 pax	2 -4 pax	5-9 pax	10-16 pax	16+ pax
1,935	1,885	1,835	1,785	1,735

Detailed Itinerary Umbwe Route

Day 1: Arrival

When you get to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), you’ll be met by an agent from Kabira Safaris, who will take you to your hotel as part of the package deal. There will be nice rooms, hot water, friendly staff, a swimming pool, and Internet access at the hotel, so you can have a peaceful stay. There will be a meeting with our bosses in the evening, and they will also make sure you are ready to start the climb.

As part of private tour packages, your group will share a ride to and from the airport. For more than one person transfer, there will be extra fees. To avoid extra fees, make sure that the times your group arrives and leaves are the same.

Day 2: Trekking From Umbwe Gate to Umbwe Camp

Your guide and the people who help climbers will get to your hotel in the morning. Before you drive to the Umbwe Gate of Kilimanjaro National Park, you will meet new people and have one last quick check of your gear. Your walk starts at this gate, which is 1,800 m/5,904 f above sea level. The top guide will make sure that the search and rescue services have all the necessary permits and are registered.

You should get to Umbwe Camp on your first day of hiking and spend the night there. It takes a long time and a lot of climbing to get to 2,850 m (9,348 f), so set a pace that works for everyone in the group and stick to it. Since this part of the Umbwe route goes through the jungle, it’s likely to rain, so don’t forget your raincoat! When you get to the camp, your support crew will have already set up the camp and made dinner.

PLEASE NOTE:
You should really pay attention to these rules from now on because today is your first day at this height:

• Hold off on drinking booze and caffeine;
• Over 4 litres of drinking water every day (little by little, often);
• If you want to avoid getting altitude sickness in the first place, you might want to take a high-altitude rescue medicine. Many mountain hikers take these kinds of pills in the morning, before they start their climb, to ease the pain of altitude sickness. Along with your travel plans, our managers will give you more detailed information. Before the trip, you should talk to your doctor about any allergies or health worries you might have.

As you get used to the high altitude, you may feel uncomfortable at night because your body gets less oxygen than during the day because you breathe less deeply at night. Taking into account the altitude, you may start to feel sick and get a headache. Watch your body and let your guide know if you start to feel any signs of altitude sickness.

Days 3: Trekking From Umbwe to Barranco Camp

Today starts early with a hearty breakfast before your group starts the walk to Barranco Camp. It won’t be long before you can see Meru Volcano for the first time if it’s not too cloudy. The jungle will quickly turn into moorland. The walk for today is pretty short, and you should get to Barranco Camp (3,900 m /12,792 f) around lunchtime. The camp is inside a big volcanic fault. You will be given lunch here, and then you can relax for the rest of the day, which will make the process of getting used to the altitude much easier.

Day 4: Trekking From Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp

Today you have to get up early again and eat a big breakfast before your group starts to climb Barranco Wall. You should leave the camp as early as possible so that you don’t have to deal with other groups and people that might slow you down. It is not hard to walk up the gorge wall, and it only takes an hour. Before or after the climb, you can rest and take pictures in front of Kibo.

Following that, you will begin a tougher walk to Karanga Camp. The trail has many ascents and descents, but don’t worry—our guides are trained to find the best pace for the group. When you get to the camp, you’ll be given a warm meal. When you feel ready, you will have to take a 200-meter (656-foot) walk towards Barafu Camp to help your body get used to the altitude. After that, you will have to go back down to the camp.

PLEASE NOTE:
To speed up the process of getting used to the altitude, the acclimatisation hike is a short, easy hike with a small elevation gain. The acclimatisation hikes are very important that you do them. They make it more likely that you will be able to reach the top of Kilimanjaro and protect you from getting altitude sickness.

Day 5: Trekking From Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp

You will start your walk to Barafu top Camp (4,673 m /15,327 f) in the morning after breakfast. This is where the night top of Uhuru Peak (5,895 m /19,336 f) begins. Our staff will set up a camp with tents and sleeping bags for you ahead of time, so you can unwind as soon as you get there. Once you’re feeling better, you’ll need to take an acclimatisation walk to the intermediate Kosovo Summit Camp (4,870 m /15,974 f) and then back to Barafu Camp for a hot dinner. Before the night peak, it is better to rest and sleep for the rest of the day.

Day 6: Ascwnt to Uhuru Peak And Descent to Millennium Camp

Around midnight, the group leaves Barafu Camp. You will climb to Uhuru Peak (5,895 m/19,336 f) on Kilimanjaro tonight. The walk isn’t hard in and of itself, but the high elevation makes even normal physical exercise feel hard. For the last peak, we pair every second climber with a personal guide whose job it is to keep a closer eye on their mental and physical health. You can choose to walk to one of Kilimanjaro’s glaciers once you get to Uhuru Peak. After that, the group will rest for two hours at Barafu Camp before going down to Millenium Camp, which is 3,950 m (12,956 f).

Keep in mind that while going down is easier after being up high, it’s also where most crashes and injuries happen (up to 90% of the time). If you just watch your step, you can keep from falling and hurting your toes or something else.

Day 7: Descent From Millennium Camp to Mweka Gate

Millennium Camp is in the middle of a jungle. Your mind will be at ease because you’ve reached your goal and the lower elevation will help you sleep. After breakfast, the group will start the last part of their trip to Mweka Gate, which is an exit from the national park and is 1,640 m (5,379 f) above sea level. This is the last chance you’ll have to talk about the climb with your guides and support team. Your accomplishment awards will be given to you at our office before you are driven back to your hotel.

Day 8: Departure

Rest in the hotel and transfer to the airport.

PLEASE NOTE:
The hotel’s check-out time is 11 AM. If you need to check out late because of a flight in the evening, you can pay extra to stay longer at the hotel.

Umbwe Route FAQ

Umbwe route vs Machame route

The first two days of the walk are the only thing that makes Umbwe 6 different from Machame 6. The first two days of the Umbwe road are pretty steep, but there aren’t many other hikers around. On the other hand, Machame is always full of people. On the third day, they meet up and go up the mountain together, taking the southern circle, the Barranco wall, and the summit. There is a lot of time for your body to get used to the higher elevation on the 7-day plans, so we strongly suggest that you choose those.

Umbwe 6 vs Western Breach

Some people think that the Western Breach and the Umbwe route are the shortest and hardest Kilimanjaro routes. But there are some problems with the second assumption. There are steep hikes on the first two days of the 6-day Umbwe route, and there isn’t enough time to fully get used to the altitude. However, what makes the Western Breach unique is not its difficulty per se, but the risk of rockfalls and the difficulty of finding a safe way up.

If you’re an experienced trekker looking for a tough trip, the Umbwe 6 route is very good. Even though our guides know how to get through the Western Breach, it’s important to be aware of the risks that come with this Kilimanjaro route. It’s only suggested for people who are fully aware of the problems and are determined to go ahead with their plans.

What is the success rate of the Umbwe route

Kabira Safaris says that more than 97% of walkers who take the Umbwe route make it to the top. Keep in mind, though, that most of those stats come from trekkers with more experience than average who picked Umbwe because they knew it would be hard.

For people who are just starting out, we’ve made a new 7-day plan that is a little easier but still has a high success rate.

How long is the Umbwe route

The Umbwe route is about 53 km (32 miles) long, and the night walk to the top is the longest part. It’s one of the quickest ways to get to the top of Kilimanjaro. The hardest part of the trail is the last day, when you have to hike all the way to Uhuru Peak in the mountain desert. However, you won’t need any expert knowledge or special gear other than trekking poles. The way down is through Mweka.

How long does the Umbwe route take

You can take the Umbwe route in two different ways: for 6 or 7 days in the woods. The longer schedule is suggested for everyone who hasn’t had time to get used to the altitude or experience the shorter one. For a “budget” price, some companies offer 5-day climbs, but they are much harder and have very low success rates at the top.