Mt.Meru in Arusha National Park is an extinct volcano whose lower slopes are covered in highland forest which harbours a variety of wildlife.
Climbing Mt. Meru is a good acclimatisation and fitness exercise before climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and an enjoyable climb in its own right for those with less time or energy need to climb Kili.
The first stage climbing takes you through the acacia woodlands, past resident herds of buffalo and giraffe and up to the base camp hut. The summit can be reached in 3 days but many people take 4 days to really explore the mountain.

Ngurdoto Horizon

Itinerary

Lodge & Mountain Program:

Day 1:
- Arrival by KLM at Kilimanjaro airport and transfer by road through the Arusha National Park to Hatari Lodge. (This transfer takes 1 hour)
Upon arrival at Hatari Lodge, light dinner before retiring for the1st night in Africa between Tanzania’s two tallest mountains: Meru and Kilimanjaro.

- If arriving from Dar es Salaam, Arusha airport or Nairobi, you will be met and transferred to the lodge for refreshments and snacks at Hatari Lodge in the afternoon. Depending on the arrival time, we can arrange a canoeing safari on the Momella lakes, where you can see hippopotamus, giraffe, flamingoes and other wetland water birds. Back at the lodge, enjoy sundowners on the lodge’s wooden platform, with views across the Momella meadow to Kilimanjaro‘s glaciers, glowing pink the late afternoon light.
Dinner and overnight at Hatari Lodge.

Day 2:
Full day game drive in Arusha National Park including a visit to Ngurdoto Crater, reaching Buffalo Viewpoint before midday. From here we have an excellent view over and into Ngurdoto Crater and behind us the sunlit volcanic walls of Mt. Meru. We search for Colobus and Sykes monkeys waking up on their favorite night resting branches.
The Ngurdoto crater floor, home to herds of buffalo, giraffe, warthog as well as elephant is a reserve within a reserve. To nature’s advantage, humans are not allowed on the floor however due to the walls not being as steep as Ngorongoro you can easily look into the crater and watch all the animal movements with your naked eye. Binoculars of course are recommended.
We’ll walk along the crater rim to the northern side, with great views on Kilimanjaro. Here a picnic lunch is served. We return via Little Serengeti with zebras and bushbuck ever common to Hatari Lodge, our destination for convalescence, with afternoon tea/coffee and cake.

For all KLM arrivals – Morning game drive and walk at Ngurdoto Crater rim, with lunch. Afternoon drive to Momela Lake, for canoeing, with sundowners at the Momella Lakes
Dinner and overnight at Hatari Lodge.

Day 3:
Momella Gate (1,500m) to Miriakamba Hut (2,514m)
Elevation Gain: 1,014 meters
Trekking Time: Three to seven hours
Early morning breakfast and together with your mountain chef and mountain guide, you shall leave Hatari Lodge on foot for the slopes of Mount Meru. An Arusha National Park Ranger and some porters will meet us on the other side of the river. We are required to use an armed ranger on this hike, as the presence of wild animals poses a potential danger to hikers. The park ranger is armed with a rifle, as cape buffalo are aggressive and territorial animals. Elephants and warthogs also pose a potential threat.
From the meeting point it is a relatively gentle three-hour ascent to Miriakamba Hut (2.600 m). Soon we pass from open meadows into well-developed woodland – keep your eyes on the treetops as there is a good chance to spot a troupe of black and white colobus monkeys. At an altitude of about 2000m we enter a forest zone. We cross a small mountain stream where afterward we can relax, bird watch and eat some snacks. We continue from here upward through intermittent thick canopy forest of fig and camphor trees, and alpine meadows with many wildflowers such as the red hot poker, gladiola, and St. John’s Wort, We continue climbing through the woodland until we reach an exposed rock on which we take a break and eat lunch. After lunch, continue hiking in montane woodland until we arrive at Miriakamba Hut. In the afternoon we have ample time to walk down to explore Meru Crater. It will take us about 45 minutes to 1 hour to reach the crater floor. From here soon walk the Njeku viewpoint, a platform overlooking a waterfall, with breathtaking views of the ash cone and the summit rocks nearly 2,000 meters overhead. Allow 2-3 hours for this diversion. The 3667m high ash cone in the crater can be climbed from here in another 1.5 hours, but can only be climbed with special permission, as the route is for expert climbers only.
Miriakamba Hut consists of two solid and well-maintained dormitory style houses which can accommodate up to forty guests. The Mountain Team shall prepare then serve your meals in the separate dining area with benches and tables, in the entrances to each dormitory. There are toilet facilities, running water from faucets, and solar panels provide electricity in the evening, inside the dormitories. Lights out at 9pm, so a torch or headlamp is necessary...

Day 4:
Miriakamba (2,514m) to Saddle Hut (3,570m)
Elevation Gain: 1,056 meters
Trekking Time: Three to five hours
The hike from Miriakamba to Saddle is a relatively short but very steep climb, through montane forest and scrubland. After breakfast, we leave Miriakamba and briefly walk along flat land before entering the montane forest. Here we start the steep ascent through a forest of moss-covered trees, with wildflowers dotting the trailside. Watch your step during this climb as there are many fresh piles of buffalo dung and columns of biting army ants.
We continue hiking the steep trail until we reach a brief opening in the woods called “Mgongo wa Tembo” (Elephant Ridge). On a clear day, you'll see excellent views across the forested crater floor to the southern rim, and the cone and cliffs which drop from the summit. We break for a short time, and take in the view, enjoys some water and a snack, before continuing the climb through scrub bushes and heather trees. The soil becomes more sandy and dry, and there are new species of wildflowers. We climb into the saddle between little Meru Peak and the summit. Reach Saddle Hut in time for lunch and spend a few hours relaxing in the sun.
The more energetic can hike to the summit of Little Meru (3,820m) for breathtaking panoramic views. On a cloudy day you will see cloud formations rise from the Meru Crater floor upward toward the summit. You can often look across the flat tops of clouds to clearly see Mount Kilimanjaro. On a clear day you can look out over the forests of Arusha National Park, and beyond toward the Momella Lakes and Ngurdoto Crater, and eventually over the Masai Steppe, and south to the distant Blue Mountains, which define the horizon. The hike from Saddle to Little Meru Peak takes one to two hours round-trip. We suggest a 4:00pm hike which puts you at the top in time to relax for a while and watch the sun set above the clouds (6:45 pm). It does get cold on top of Little Meru so bring a jacket, gloves and a hat to wear while you wait for the sunset.
We might be hiking through mist and fog on day two but usually come out of the clouds at Saddle Hut. The normal cloud cover of Arusha National Park burns off at about 3,200 meters. Saddle Hut lies at 3,570 meters. Saddle Hut is similar to Miriakamba Hut in that it is extremely well-maintained, with separate facilities for mountain staff and tourists. The only difference is that sleeping quarters at Saddle are divided into rooms with from 4 to 12 beds each. The rooms have locking doors and conserve heat better than the large rooms at Miriakamba. There is running water only part of the year, but your Mountain Team will carry enough water for food preparation and water for beverages, as well as water for hot water bottles (bottles not provided), and water for face & hand washing upon reaching camp (approximately 2 liters of warm water provided to each person in a wash pail). Also water is provided for hand-washing before each meal.

Day 5:
Saddle Hut (3,570m) to Socialist Peak (4,566m) to Miriakamba Hut (2,514m)
Elevation Gain: 996 meters (Saddle Hut).
Elevation loss: 2052 meters (Summit to Miriakamba Hut)
Trekking Time: Eight - Ten Hours total
after an early wake up at 4am, and breakfast at 4:30, we begin the hike at 5am to Mount Meru's summit, Socialist Peak. We start off the morning with a steep climb up to Rhino Point (3,800m), reaching the top of Rhino around sunrise. While we cross a small rock bridge, and then continue going up and down over the mix of rocky and loose-scree-covered trail. The trail does include some rock scrambling. We continue along the ridge trail, climbing alternately through sandy scree. This section of the trail can be frustrating for those who wish to hike quickly, as often you take one step forward and slide a half-step backward. Also the trail skirts a knife-edge ridge, with cliffs on one side and a steep slope on the other, exacerbating the condition for those who suffer from vertigo. There are steep drops to both sides of the trail and in some places and you must watch your step and follow the trail markers, the national park ranger, and your Mountain Guide. The temperatures will range from +10 – 10 degrees Celsius at the time of departure and will remain in this range until about 7am, when the sun warms the air. A warm pair of gloves and hat is required, as well as windproof-waterproof jacket and trousers. Gaiters are necessary to keep the fine volcanic scree from entering your boots and creating blisters,
We reach the rocky top of the crater rim, and the terrain becomes steeper and slow-going. The views are spectacular from here to the summit, offering close looks at the crater's sheer walls, the ash cone, Mount Kilimanjaro, and the verdant crater so far below. The hike to the summit is slow-going due to the sandy trail conditions, potential high winds, and altitude. You will get energy snacks and hot beverages to give you more energy along the way, and be prepared to take a few breaks en route. We reach the summit by 10am, and stand in marvel at the views. There is some time to have a snack, take photos and relax before making our way back down back to Saddle Hut. The descent to Saddle Hut takes about 2-3 hours, and the temperatures can get quite hot, especially in the direct sun. You will need sun block and sunglasses, and arrange your clothing so that you can easily strip off layers to match the conditions. Once we reach Saddle Hit, we eat a big lunch, and recover before retracing our steps back to Miriakamba. This descent takes 1 – 1.5 hours. The remainder of the afternoon is for rest.

Day 6:
Miriakamba Hut (2,514m) to Momella Gate (1,500m)
Elevation Loss: 1,014 meters
Trekking Time: Two to three hours
We descend to Momella Gate from Miriakamba Hut. The descent is fast unless it has rained on the trail. We first pass through scrubland, then descend into the montane forest and finally into the open grassland. There is a good chance we will see wildlife on our way down. If the trail is wet, you will probably slip a few times. Be sure to have at least a walking stick, but preferably two trekking poles for the entire descent... We could also choose to descend from Miriakamba via the mountain trail. If you have bad knees, you may want to choose this option for day three and descend using the road on day four.
Once we arrive at Momella Gate, we will receive certificates for reaching the summit of Mount Meru. After thanking your national park ranger and mountain porters, we bid them farewell, and continue with the Mountain Guide another 30 minutes walk to Hatari Lodge. Upon arrival you will be greeted with a warm welcome, and some special treats to soothe weary bodies.
Diner and overnight at Hatari Lodge.

Day 7:
Departure from Hatari
After a leisurely breakfast you will meet your safari guide who shall take you to your next destination in Tanzania.

Cost: Available on request

Full pack list available on request