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Mount Meru is located 50 miles west of Mount Kilimanjaro in the Arusha National Park of Tanzania and is 4,562 meters (14,968 feet) tall. Mt Meru treks serve as an ideal warm-up for Mount Kilimanjaro due to its altitude acclimatization and hiking distances. This trek is also geared towards hikers that prefer fewer crowds and a challenging ascent.
Climbing Mount Meru is a shorter hike than Kilimanjaro (at 4 days) and you are accompanied by an armed game ranger due to the presence of wildlife on the lower mountain slopes where hikers are more likely to see elephants, giraffes, and buffalo!
This isn’t a technical climb but there are far more exposed ridges than on Kilimanjaro. The Momella route is the only route up Mt Meru and the hiking trail follows the Northern Route, passing through game lands, rainforests, and open bush, as well as covering some challenging rocky terrain near the top.
There are huts for the overnight accommodation on the hike. For the first scenic leg of the hike, an armed park ranger accompanies you through the game territory, helping to spot any roaming giraffes and buffalos in the area. The hike from Momella Gate (1500m) takes about 4 to 6 hours to get to Miriakamba Hut (2500 meters).
On the next stretch of the hike, you reach the Saddle Hut (3500 meters) after 3 to 5 hours of hiking. While here you can take an optional one and a half-hour walk to Little Meru at 3820 meters. The Little Meru peak offers fantastic views of Mount Kilimanjaro some 80 kilometers away, as well as over Arusha National Park.
Finally, the summit walk starts in the early hours of the morning so that you can walk upon the volcanic ash whilst it is still frozen. Hikers reach Mount Meru Summit (4562m) as the sun is rising and have spectacular views of Mt. Kilimanjaro and of the Mt. Meru Crater.
You begin to descent along the same path stopping at the Saddle Hut to regain energy and have some refreshing hot soup and tea then continue with the descent reach the Miriakamba Hut 2500 meters.
The final stretch of the descent takes 2 to 3 hours to reach Momella Gate (1500m) and say goodbye to the team of local porters before departing Arusha National Park to Arusha town where you celebrate summiting Mount Meru.
Climb Mount Meru
1 Day Tanzania Mount Meru Climbing/ Trekking (Momela Route) – Arusha National Park
A short and rewarding 1-day Hiking Trek up Mount Meru in Tanzania. The tour begins and ends in Arusha and you trek up the direct route up to Miriakamba Hut. The mountain is about an hour’s drive from Arusha town, to Momela Gate (1514 meters/ 4967 feet), the main entrance, then drive 15 km inside the park to the starting point, for Mt. Meru climb. Day hikers can easily trek up the direct route up to Miriakamba Hut. It takes 4 – 5 hours depending on your stamina and pace. During our 1 day hike up Mount Meru, trekkers get to see distant views of Mt. Kilimanjaro at a distance and animals such as buffalo, giraffe, warthog, dikdik, and monkeys, etc. At Miriakamba Hut you have a picnic lunch and some rest, then begin descending through the outer route which is an easier hike down to the Momella Gate taking approximately 3 hours, passing through game viewing land. Reaching the gate, we say goodbye to the guide and depart from Arusha National Park and transfer to Arusha where our Mount Meru 1 day Hiking Tour ends.
2 Days 1 Night Mount Meru Climbing, Short Trek/ Hike (Momela Route) – Arusha National Park, Tanzania
This is a short and rewarding 2-day Hiking Trek up Mount Meru in Tanzania second highest mountain, without reaching the summit. Mt. Meru is located in the heart of Arusha National Park and it is 50 miles west of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Begining from Arusha, head to Arusha National Park in the morning, to trek up Mount Meru. The hike starts from Momella Gate (1500 meters/ 4200 Feet) where you meet your armed ranger. The climb starts at around 1000 hours and along the way you are likely to see buffalo, bushbucks, giraffes, warthogs, and zebras. Porters are not mandatory and one can carry as much of your own gear as you want. The hike takes about 3.5 hours to the Miriakamba Hut where you spend a night. On the second day we continue our hike up Meru, hiking a little further with your guide, where you have a clear view of Meru crater and the cliffs below the summit. We then start the descent taking two to three hours to arrive at the gate where you say farewell to your hiking crew and transfer back to Arusha where the tour ends.
3 Days 2 Nights Mount Meru Climb/ Trek – Arusha National Park (Momela Route) From Arusha, Tanzania
This is a short 3-day Hiking Trek up Mount Meru in Tanzania. The tour begins with a transfer from Arusha town to Arusha National Park. After a short registration at the Gate, continue to the nearby Momella Gate where the walk begins with an escort of a fully armed ranger. Along the way you may see wild animals including elephants, zebras, giraffes, baboons & antelopes. We spend our first the night at Miriakamba Hut (2500 meters). Day 2 of our Mt Meru trek, we hike to the saddle below Little Meru, a short day but a steep climb. After lunch at Saddle Hut, make a short climb to the summit of Little Meru (3,820 meters) for superb views just before sunset. Day 3 begins early at around 1:30 a.m. to climb steeply to Rhino Point (3,800 meters.) and on to Cobra Point (4350 meters). We reach the summit (4,566 meters) at sunrise may see Kilimanjaro Peak above the clouds. Descend down back to Saddle Hut and take a short rest before continuing the descent to Momella gate. An Africa Spice driver guide will meet you at the conclusion of your adventure to take you to your Arusha accommodation where the tour ends.
4 Days 3 Nights Mount Meru Climb/ Trek – Arusha National Park (Momela Route) From Arusha, Tanzania
This short and rewarding 4-day hiking trek up Mount Meru in Tanzania offers you the opportunity to climb the fifth highest mountain on the African continent and the second highest in Tanzania at 4568 meters. This 4-day hiking trek up Mount Meru begins with a pick-up and transfer from Arusha to the entrance gate of Arusha National Park. The trek begins from Momella Gate taking about 4 hours or so until we get to the Miriakamba Hut where you sleep. On day 2, you hike for 4 hours to reach the Saddle Hut early afternoon getting great views of Kilimanjaro, You also have time to visit ‘Little Meru’ at 3,820m. Day 3 begins with a summit ascent in the middle of the night at 2 am. You get to the summit just before sunrise. The 360-degree views are spectacular, especially the sun rising over Kilimanjaro! Before your descent, you explore Meru’s ash cone within the crater. Then you begin the descent reaching the Miriakamba Hut, in the early hours of the afternoon. On day four you descent to the park gate and transfer to Arusha where the tour ends.
Climb Mount Meru FAQ's
Where is Arusha National Park/ Mount Meru and How big is it?
Location: Northern Tanzania, northeast of Arusha town
Size: 552 sq km 212 sq miles).
How to get to Mt Meru in Arusha National Park
An easy 40-minute drive from Arusha. Approximately 60 km (35 miles) from Kilimanjaro International Airport. The lakes, forest and Ngurdoto Crater can all be visited in the course of a half-day outing at the beginning or end of an extended northern safari.
NOTE: Mountain climbing permits duration time is 12 hours.
What to do in Mount Meru
Forest walks, numerous picnic sites; 3 or 4 days Mount Meru climb offers a good acclimatization for trekking Kilimanjaro.
When to Climb Mt Meru
The best time to climb Mount Meru is from the months of June through to February although it may rain in November.
Best views of Kilimanjaro December to February.