4 Days Mount Meru Climbing
/ Trekking Itinerary – Day 1
Momella Gate (1500m) to
Miriakamba (2500m)
Visitors spend a fist night at Miriakamba Accommodation Centre (2500m).
From Momella Gate to Miriakamba There are two routes; Southern and
Northern routes.
Southern route (road): takes 5 hours
walk from Momella Gate to Mariakamba Accommodation Centre. Though
this route, visitors have chances to see almost all mammals found
in the forest including hornbill, Hartlaub’s turaco and birds
of pray. It is possible to see several species of butterflies such
as Mocker Swallow tailed, Soldier commodores, Blue Swallow tailed,
Golden winged forester, Emperor, Mother of pearl, etc.
Visitors will pass through the montane
forest where different features such as the Fig Tree Arch, Maio
Waterfall, and different kind of vegetation such as Wild mango,
Africa olive, Strangler Fig and Wild elder could be seen. At about
2300m the higher montane forest begins. Common trees are Juniper
and Podo. The common beautiful wild flowers are Empetient species,
Red hot pocker, Orchids, Fire ball lily and Gladiolus.
Northern route: Takes between 3-4
hours from Momella Gate to Mariakamba Accommodation Centre. This
is the shorter and steeper route. Along this route the views of
Mt. Kilimanjaro and Momella Lakes are spectacular. Common mammals
along this route are Cape Buffalo, Maasai giraffe, Warthogs, Bushbuck,
etc. Present birds are Hartlaub’s turaco, White Fronted Bee
Eaters, Fiscal Shrike, Tropical Boubou, Stone chat, variable sun
birds and Olive pigeon. Common beautiful wild flowers are Red hot
pocker, Blue violet, Cynium, Tubalosum and Gladiolus.
4 Days Mount Meru Climbing
/ Trekking Itinerary – Day 2
Miriakamba to Saddle Accommodation
Centre (3,750m)
It takes 3-4 hours. Along this portion of the route visitors do
enjoy the spectacular view of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Momella Lakes, Meru
crater, Ash cone, Mt. Meru diff and the little Meru. Though the
forest, common animals include Buffalo, Bushbuck, Elephant, Block
and Black & White Colobus.
Attractive wild flowers such as
Empetient species, Red hot pocker, Orchids, Fire ball lily, Gladiolus,
Giant Lobelia, Everlasting flowers (Helcrysum, Senecio and Alchemilla).
Common Shrubs are Erica arboreas, Stoebe Kilimandscharica, Leonits
nepatifolia, mosses and Lichens. The trail takes the visitors through
striking tree species such as Hygenium abyssinica, Nuxia congesta,
Podocarpus, and Hypericum tevolutum.
The ascend of Little Meru is possible
even during the afternoon.
4 Days Mount Meru Climbing
/ Trekking Itinerary – Day 3
Saddle Accommodation Centre
to Summit
Takes 5-6 hours. This is the place where visitors enjoy the most
views of Mt. Kilimanjaro, little Meru, Meru Crater Ash cone, Momella
Lakes, Cliff face, Meru summit, Ngorongoro crater highlands, Arusha
town, sunrise and sunset.
Klipspringers and mountain Redbucks are seen over rocks. Birds like
White naked raven, Beareded vultures, Lammerger, Stone chat, Cliff
chat, Alpine swift, can be seen in this higher elevations. While
walking along the trail to saddle it is possible to step on wild
flowers like Alchemilla, Helicysum, and Iris flowers. The start
for the summit is made early in the morning. After reaching the
summit at 4566m visitors do walk all the way back to Miriakamba
Accommodation Centre.
4 Days Mount Meru Climbing
/ Trekking Itinerary – Day 4
Miriakamba to Momella Gate
Visitors who went Through the shorter route while ascending, can
descend via the longer route or vice versa. Hurrying-up while going
down is not advisable. Please take your time to enjoy scenic beauty
as well as occasional sightings of game.
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