11-Day Mount Meru & Kilimanjaro Climb
A private 11-day climbing trip: three days on Mount Meru, Tanzania's second-highest mountain, then six days on Kilimanjaro's Machame route, with hotel nights in Arusha and Moshi.
Meru to Prepare, Kilimanjaro to Finish
The higher you have already been, the easier Kilimanjaro becomes. Mount Meru, 4,566 m, rises above Arusha and is the best warm-up there is: two nights in huts, a walk past buffalo and giraffes with an armed park ranger, and a sunrise summit on a narrow crater ridge with Kilimanjaro on the horizon.
You come down with your body already used to thin air, and after a night in a hotel in Moshi you start the 6-day Machame route on Kilimanjaro: rainforest, the Shira Plateau, Lava Tower, the Barranco Wall and Uhuru Peak. Thanks to Meru, the shorter 6-day Machame plan is enough for most fit climbers.
Only Kilimanjaro? See the 7-Day Machame Route →
Why Climbers Choose It
- Two summits: Socialist Peak on Meru and Uhuru Peak on Kilimanjaro
- Meru first, so your body is used to altitude before Kilimanjaro
- Buffalo, giraffes and colobus monkeys on Meru's lower slopes
- The Machame route's Lava Tower and Barranco Wall
- Our own crews, armed ranger on Meru, and hotel nights in Arusha and Moshi
We meet you at Kilimanjaro International Airport and drive you to your hotel in Arusha. Your lead guide briefs you on both climbs and checks your gear.
Overnight: Hotel in Arusha (mid-range, or similar)
Meals: Dinner is not included on arrival day
↑ about 1,000 m · about 10 km · 4–6 hours
About an hour and a half by road to Momella Gate in Arusha National Park. With an armed ranger in front, you walk through grassland where buffalo and giraffes graze, then into forest, to Miriakamba Hut.
Overnight: Miriakamba Hut
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
↑ about 1,050 m, plus about 250 m to Little Meru and back · 5–7 hours
A steep path with many steps leads through forest and heath to Saddle Hut. In the afternoon you walk up Little Meru for views of the crater and, on a clear evening, Kilimanjaro.
Overnight: Saddle Hut
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
↑ about 1,000 m, ↓ about 3,070 m · about 12–14 hours
You start around 1 am and follow the crater ridge to Socialist Peak, ideally at sunrise. After the summit you walk all the way down to Momella Gate, and our driver takes you to your hotel in Moshi. A very long day.
Overnight: Hotel in Moshi (mid-range, or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
↑ about 1,000 m · about 11 km · 5–7 hours
A short drive to Machame Gate, where you register while the crew packs the loads. The trail climbs through tall rainforest to the first camp at the edge of the trees.
Overnight: Machame Camp (tents)
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
↑ about 900 m · about 5 km · 4–6 hours
A rocky path takes you out of the forest into heather and moorland, onto the Shira Plateau.
Overnight: Shira Cave Camp (tents)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
↑ about 890 m, ↓ about 680 m · about 10 km · 6–8 hours
You climb through alpine desert to Lava Tower for lunch, then walk down into the Barranco Valley past giant groundsels: high by day, lower at night.
Overnight: Barranco Camp (tents)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
↑ about 680 m · about 9 km · 7–9 hours
A scramble up the Barranco Wall, then up and down to Karanga for lunch and on up a rocky ridge to Barafu Camp. Early dinner and rest before the summit.
Overnight: Barafu Camp (tents)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
↑ about 1,255 m, ↓ about 2,815 m · about 12–16 hours
You leave around midnight and climb by headlamp to Stella Point on the crater rim, then along the rim to Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa. After a rest at Barafu you walk down to Mweka Camp in the forest.
Overnight: Mweka Camp (tents)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
↓ about 1,450 m · about 10 km · 3–4 hours
Downhill through the rainforest to Mweka Gate, where you sign out and receive your summit certificate. Our driver takes you back to Moshi.
Overnight: Hotel in Moshi (mid-range, or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast we drive you to Kilimanjaro International Airport, or on to a safari or a beach stay with us.
Meals: Breakfast
Price Per Person — Private Climbs
| Group Size | Price Per Person |
|---|---|
| 1 Person | $3,475 |
| 2 People | $3,010 |
| 3 People | $2,855 |
| 4 People | $2,780 |
| 5 People | $2,735 |
| 6 People | $2,700 |
Price per person in US dollars, by the number of people climbing together. Groups of more than 6: price on request.
A rest day between the two climbs can be added on request, at extra cost.
Trip Notes
- Start: Arusha · End: Moshi (airport transfers included)
- 11 days: 3 days on Meru, 6 days on Kilimanjaro, 3 hotel nights
- Private climbs: your group only, on the dates you choose
- Day 4 (Meru summit) and day 9 (Kilimanjaro summit) are very long
- Meru huts are shared with other climbers
- Prices may change if park fees change
Includes
- Arusha National Park entry, hut and rescue fees
- Armed park ranger and park guide fees on Meru
- Kilimanjaro National Park conservation, camping and rescue fees
- Licensed mountain guides, cook and porters from our own crew
- A personal porter to carry your main bag on Kilimanjaro
- Mountain tents, a sleeping bag and all meals on the mountains
- Emergency oxygen and a first aid kit on Kilimanjaro
- Private portable toilet tent on Kilimanjaro
- 1 night's hotel in Arusha and 2 nights in Moshi with breakfast
- All transfers: airport, hotels and park gates
- Summit certificates
Excludes
- International flights
- Tanzania visa fees
- Travel insurance covering trekking to 6,000 m and evacuation
- Tips for the mountain crew
- Personal climbing clothes and boots
- Drinks other than drinking water
- Tanzania's compulsory inbound travel insurance for foreign visitors (44 US dollars per person, from 1 October 2026)
- Any government increase in park fees or taxes after booking
- Lunch and dinner in Arusha and Moshi
Questions Climbers Ask
Why climb Mount Meru before Kilimanjaro?
Meru takes you to 4,566 m, and your body starts adjusting to the thin air. When you start Kilimanjaro a day later, you are better prepared, so the shorter 6-day Machame plan is enough for most fit climbers.
Is there a rest day between the climbs?
Not in this plan: you finish Meru on day 4 and start Kilimanjaro on day 5. If you prefer a rest day in Moshi, we add it at extra cost.
Why is there an armed ranger on Meru?
Meru's lower slopes are in Arusha National Park, where buffalo and other large animals live. A park ranger walks with every group; it is a park rule.
How fit do I need to be?
Fit enough to walk 6 to 8 hours on steep ground several days in a row. Both summit days are long and cold. No ropes or climbing skills are needed.
What insurance do I need?
Travel insurance that covers trekking up to 6,000 metres and emergency evacuation. Please check the altitude limit in your policy before you book.
