5-Day Mount Meru Hike

Upon your arrival at either Kilimanjaro or Arusha airport, you will receive a warm welcome and be transported to Karibu Heritage House. Depending on your schedule, there’s an exciting opportunity for an Arusha city tour, which includes visits to the renowned art gallery (Cultural Heritage), the local market, and the vibrant Maasai Market. Overnight at Karibu Heritage House • Budget hotel located in or near Arusha.

Your safari begins the moment you walk out of Kilimanjaro International Airport. A Serengeti Wakanda guide is waiting with your name on a board and the words every traveller wants to hear: karibu Tanzania, welcome to Tanzania.

We transfer you to your lodge in the Arusha foothills, where you can shower, change into safari clothes and settle in. Your driver-guide joins you for a relaxed welcome dinner, walks through tomorrow's plan in detail and answers every last question. An early night sets you up for the days ahead.

Where you sleep tonight

Karibu Heritage House

Guesthouse in Arusha

Warm, owner-run guesthouse in Arusha — the trusted first/last-night base for our camping and trekking guests.

We will embark on a drive from Arusha to Arusha National Park Gate, where a brief registration will take place. Our walk will commence with a dedicated armed ranger escorting us. Along the way, we’ll have the incredible opportunity to observe various wild animals, such as elephants, zebras, giraffes, monkeys, and antelopes. We might even spot elephants during the hike. We will conclude the day at Miriakamba Hut for dinner and overnight stay. Elevation: 1,387m to 1,500m (4,921ft to 8,250ft.) Distance: 10 km Hiking Time: 4-6 hours Habitat: Montane Forest. Overnight at Miriakamba Hut • Budget mountain hut located in or near Mt Meru.

Arusha sits at 1,400 m at the foot of Mount Meru, a green coffee town and the gateway to the Northern Circuit. Today is for resting, sorting kit and meeting your guide properly.

If you arrive early there is time to walk the coffee plantations, browse the Maasai market or visit a local Tinga Tinga art studio. Otherwise simply enjoy the gardens, the pool and a quiet first dinner under the African sky.

Where you sleep tonight

Karibu Heritage House

Guesthouse in Arusha

Warm, owner-run guesthouse in Arusha — the trusted first/last-night base for our camping and trekking guests.

The trek from Miriakamba Hut to the saddle beneath Little Meru may be short, but it involves a steep ascent. We’ll take our time, following the ridge, which offers breathtaking views of the Meru Crater and the impressive Ash Cone. Once at Saddle Hut, a hot lunch awaits, and for those interested, a quick climb to the summit of Little Meru (3,820m) is possible, granting superb views just before sunset. We’ll have dinner and spend the night at Saddle Hut. Elevation: 2,514m to 3,570m (8,250ft to 11,712ft) Distance: 8 km Hiking Time: 3-5 hours Habitat: Moorland. Overnight at Saddle Hut • Budget mountain hut located in or near Mt Meru.

Summit night is the hardest and the most beautiful: a midnight start, headlamps strung up the scree, the lights of Moshi twinkling 5 km below. You aim to reach Stella Point at dawn and Uhuru Peak (5,895 m) shortly after.

After photos at the roof of Africa you descend, fast, through the ash desert and back into the heather zone to your final mountain camp. A long, hard, unforgettable day.

Where you sleep tonight

Miriakamba Hut

Mountain hut, Mount Meru (2,514 m)

Permanent A-frame huts on the lower flanks of Mount Meru with sweeping views back to the Momela lakes.

We set out early, around 1:30 a.m., embarking on a steep climb to Rhino Point (3,800m) and further to Cobra Point (4,350m). As we reach the summit (4,566m), we are greeted by the breathtaking sunrise, with a chance to glimpse Kilimanjaro Peak above the clouds. The final stretch of the climb takes us along a thrilling narrow ridgeline between the sheer inner cliffs and the sloping outer wall of the crater. After a brief rest and brunch at Saddle Hut, we begin our descent to Miriakamba Hut. Saddle Hut to Summit Elevation: 3,570m(11,712ft) to 4,566m(14,977ft) Distance: 5 km. Hiking Time: 4-6 hours. Habitat: Alpine Desert. Summit to Miriakamba Hut Elevation: 4,566m(14,977ft) to 2,514m(8,250 ft) Distance: 13 km. Hiking Time: 4-6 hours. Habitat: Montane Forest. Overnight at Miriakamba Hut • Budget mountain hut located in or near Mt Meru.

Summit night is the hardest and the most beautiful: a midnight start, headlamps strung up the scree, the lights of Moshi twinkling 5 km below. You aim to reach Stella Point at dawn and Uhuru Peak (5,895 m) shortly after.

After photos at the roof of Africa you descend, fast, through the ash desert and back into the heather zone to your final mountain camp. A long, hard, unforgettable day.

Where you sleep tonight

Miriakamba Hut

Mountain hut, Mount Meru (2,514 m)

Permanent A-frame huts on the lower flanks of Mount Meru with sweeping views back to the Momela lakes.

During the descent, we will enjoy a swift and easy journey, passing through open grassland and mixed forest, offering opportunities to spot wildlife. By late morning, we’ll reach Momella Gate, where you’ll be rewarded with a summit certificate. Your return transfer will be waiting to take you back to your hotel in Arusha or Moshi. Elevation: 2,514m(8,250ft) to 1,387m(4,552ft) Distance: 10 km Hiking time: 2-4 hours Habitat: Montane Forest.

Arusha sits at 1,400 m at the foot of Mount Meru, a green coffee town and the gateway to the Northern Circuit. Today is for resting, sorting kit and meeting your guide properly.

If you arrive early there is time to walk the coffee plantations, browse the Maasai market or visit a local Tinga Tinga art studio. Otherwise simply enjoy the gardens, the pool and a quiet first dinner under the African sky.