Itinerary

1. Day 1: Arusha/Moshi - Momella Gate - Miriakampa Hut

   • Meet the local tour guide at 8 am and drive from Arusha to Momella Gate.
   • Arrive, start hiking and pass through open grassland with cape buffaloes and warthogs. You may also see giraffes and elephants.
   • Continue a steady climb through the montane forest. Stop for lunch at the famous “Fig Tree”.
   • After lunch, the trek continues through a less dense forest, where many birds and monkeys, including the black and white colobus, can be seen. By mid-afternoon, get close views of the towering cliffs and the Ash Cone.
   • Reach the Miriakampa Hut by late afternoon and enjoy beautiful sunset views over the surrounding Kilimanjaro plains.

   Meals: Lunch and dinner

   Budget lodging: Miriakampa Hut

2. Day 2: Miriakamba Hut - Saddle Hut - Little Meru

   • Have an early breakfast and walk from Miriakampa Hut to the saddle below.  
   • Walk on steep trails through beautiful and lush montane forests. The path continues beyond Elephant Back Ridge's halfway point and continues uphill through the giant heather and other moorland vegetation.  
   • Keep walking and finally reach Saddle Hut for lunch. In the afternoon, go for a short climb to the nearby Little Meru Summit (3,820 m / 12,533 ft) for superb views. It takes an hour to walk up and 30 minutes to walk down. 

   The ascent is 1,056 m / 3,465 ft.    

   Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner  

   Budget lodging: Saddle Hut

3. Day 3: Hike to Summit - Moshi/Arusha

   • Wake up early and start the trek at around 12:00 am. There is a 1-hour steep climb to Rhino Point (3,800m / 12,467ft), and then the path continues along a ridge of ash and rock to reach Cobra Point (4,350m / 14,272ft).
   • Keep walking for another hour and reach the summit of the Socialist Peak (4,566 m). Enjoy sunrise at the summit. See these stunning views: the cliffs of the Crater rim, the Ash Cone rising from the crater floor, Mount Kilimanjaro floating amidst the morning clouds and the Rift Valley.
   • Take the route back to Rhino Point, which is along a narrow ridge between the sloping outer wall of the crater and the cliffs of the inner wall. 
   • Stop for brunch at Saddle Hut before continuing the descent to Miriakamba Hut.
   • Reach Momella Gate by mid-day or afternoon.

   (Note: For an easier climb, start the trek at 05:00 A.M., hike for about 1 hour, and enjoy sunrise at Rhino Point before going back to Saddle Hut for breakfast and then hiking down. In icy conditions or in strong winds, it may be impossible for anyone to progress beyond Rhino Point. There are two ways down from here. You can descend the route you came up or walk down the jeep road, which descends to the lower crater floor. You pass through the well-known Fig Tree Arch and visit an impressive waterfall hidden in a ravine not far from the road.)

   Meals: Breakfast, lunch