Mt Meru

Mt Meru (4,566m) is the second highest peak in Tanzania. It  lies in the shadow of Kilimanjaro at 5,895m, the highest mountain in Africa, and is in itself a very demanding ascent.

This is a one week round trip from the UK, and is an extraordinarily beautiful trip in itself. If however you are going on to do a Kili trip, Mt Meru provides invaluable acclimatisation and therefore vastly increased summit success chances for Kilimanjaro. Our dates are designed to be run together with our Kili trips, so as to make a fantastic expedition taking in both mountains.

The trip includes a rest day, during which you can rest your legs, take a dip in the hotel pool or even take a short safari...

 

• 4 days guiding by experienced mountain guides.
  
• We'll pick you up and drop you off at Kilimanjaro Airport.
  
• Porter assistance for the entire route.
  
• Set open dates or bespoke courses for individuals to larger groups - just ask if the date you want is not listed.
  
• Many years experience in providing these courses.
  
• You need to be pretty fit and have a head for heights.

Stunning scenery and new cultures - who can resist...

You will meet your guide who will be a qualified mountain leader when you arrive at Kilimanjaro Airport. At this time they will go through the planned route and carry out an equipment check to ensure you have everything you need to enable you to enjoy the trip.

A typical day on the trek starts with a wake up call at about 7am depending upon what your activity will be for the day. Breakfast at 7:30 or 8:00 followed by trekking start at 8:30am. You can stop for tea during the morning and probably break for lunch at about 12:00. If you need to walk in the afternoon, then you will generally be at your day's destination by about 3 or 4pm. Evening meal will be served at about 6:00 before an early bed time. Of course these times are flexible but the rhythm is dictated by daylight and you will need a lot of sleep.

Day	Activity
Saturday	Depart the UK or whichever is your departure country.
Sunday	Arrive at Kilimanjaro international airport to be met by a Maximum Adventure representative. The landing approach gives you your first opportunity to see Mt Kilimanjaro. Once you have successfully collected your luggage you will be transported to your local hotel at the foothills of ‘Kili’ and home to the Chagga people. Meet the rest of your group (if you haven’t already on the plane), make preparations for your first day and in the evening you will be given a briefing session on your up-coming venture.
Monday	Start your ascent of Mt Meru. Departure from the hotel after breakfast. Transfer to the gate of Arusha national park. After completing park formalities at the gate (this will take a couple of hours) you will set off with an armed ranger to head for Miriakamba huts (2700m). The armed ranger makes this part of the trip exciting. You are passing through a national park with some game in; you will almost definitely see buffalo, warthog, elephant and maybe even giraffe. Seeing these huge animals on foot is more exciting than by vehicle. The walk to Miriakamba hut takes about 4 hrs.
Tuesday	Miriakamba hut to Saddle hut (3500m). Walk slowly on this section (as with all sections). The path sustains a fair degree of steepness throughout the day. You will pass through some fantastic rainforest on the way and have lunch overlooking the crater down below you. You may be able to spot big game moving about in the park beneath you. You should arrive at Saddle by about 1 or 2pm. If you are feeling particularly energetic you can do an afternoon trip to Little Meru (3800m) for further acclimatisation or otherwise just relax in camp.
Wednesday	Summit day on Meru (4566m). The path out of Saddle rises steeply to Rhino point at 3800m then you descend briefly before following the crater rim all the way around to the summit. There are a few, short narrow and exposed sections before you reach the top of what is known in Tanzania as Socialist Peak. You should be there by 7am as you will leave camp at about 2am. A brief spell on the top and the return leg takes about 3hrs. You will be back at Saddle by late morning in time for some food and a short sleep before completing the descent to Miriakamba for some lower altitude and relaxation. This is a long day and will require some fitness. Overnight at Saddle or Miriakamba.
Thursday	A relatively easy descent day into Moshi. About 2 hrs of walking takes you down to the gate from where we transport you back to your hotel for a shower and an evening meal.
Friday	For those returning to the UK: Transfer to the airport and say goodbye to Africa. For those going on to Kili: Rest day. Day at leisure in the hotel or visit the local town. Alternatively you can use these two days to take part in a safari. We will arrange these on a bespoke basis.

Please note: This itinerary is a guide only. It can be subject to change dependent upon viability, course members' fitness, weather conditions or for any other reason the guide may deem necessary. This trip involves travel to high altitudes and to areas where a short notice change of itinerary may be necessary.

Optional Extras: Safari/beach – we will arrange these on a bespoke basis at any stage of your holiday. Contact us to discuss the options.

This trek visits high altitudes! It is imperative you are properly acclimatised not only to have a safe trek, but also an enjoyable one as altitude sickness has the capacity to make you feel very miserable! All along the way you will find warnings about ascending too quickly. If you show signs of altitude sickness, appropriate measures (i.e. descent) must be taken. Inform yourself as much as possible about this issue before you go so that you have an understanding of how it can affect you. Keep your guide informed regarding how you are feeling during the trek.

Our scheduled departures are staffed by UK qualified mountain leaders, who have extensive experience of mountain leading both in the UK and abroad. They are supported by local Tanzanian registered guides, porters and a cook. It is possible for us to organise a trip to Kilimanjaro for you outside of the scheduled dates we offer. These would be guided solely by the English speaking Tanzanian guides. The guides we use have many years' experience guiding Mt Kilimanjaro with some having made over 100 ascents!!

We adhere to the guidelines laid down by the International Porter Protection Group. This organisation works to improve the working conditions of mountain porters in the tourism industry worldwide. Therefore we do not ask our porters to carry more than 30kg per load (this is advised by the IPPG). We provide adequate clothing per porter for the intended trek and full insurance during their time of employment. Because of these guidelines, we ask you to limit the equipment you ask your porter to carry to a maximum of 15kg. Many 'Westerners' feel uncomfortable seeing a local 'carrying their bags'. There are many reasons why this should not be so. Guiding and portering are recognised professions in Tanzania and often form a vital part of a family's income. Remember - for them this is a job, just as in the UK many individuals work for someone else.

The hotel accommodation is in twin rooms (if you want a single let us know – there is a surcharge) with ensuite bathrooms. The hotel has a pool for you to relax in when not on the mountains or after a long flight and have a refreshing drink! The accommodation on the trek is in huts which sleep four to a hut. There is a communal dining area where you will be served your evening meals and afternoon tea on the trek except at the high hut Kibo where you will be served your meal in the hut.

Toilets are of a reasonable standard in all the huts, even flushable. Electricity is available through solar panels in the huts. Overall we think that the huts on this trek are comparable in standard to an average European mountain hut which is quite good really.

All British nationals require a visa for entry into Tanzania. You need to arrange these prior to departure with the relevant embassy. If you are not a British national then you will also need to contact the embassy to enquire about visa requirements. It is more than likely you will need one. It has until now (2009) been possible to purchase the visa at the airport upon arrival (fee US$50), but it's best to be prepared and get one beforehand. You never know when this rule may change.

For medical and inoculations advice contact your GP before you travel. Do this in good time (3 months) as many injections/ treatments must be given a certain time apart.

Climbing the highest peak in Africa requires considerable fitness. The approach days are relatively manageable, but the tough one will be the summit day. The ascent from Kibo to Gillman's point is hard work by anyone's standard and so you will have to be prepared for this. Therefore it is best to arrive in Africa suitably conditioned, and if you have not done so already then start to get fit. Visit your local gym or go for a bike ride. If you arrive there suitably conditioned then you will enjoy the trip so much more. You will need to be fit enough for a summit day of 12 – 14hrs.

We recommend that you follow a fitness plan in preparation for your challenge, an example of one will be sent to you when you have confirmed your booking.

Although the fitness plan we will send to you has been devised by a fitness professional, this is only provided as a guide and you should seek professional advice before starting your own fitness regime.

Weather conditions permit us to run this course anytime during July, August and September as well as mid December through until the end of February.

Our scheduled departures are staffed by our UK mountain leaders and supported by local guides and porters. In our opinion this provides you with greater safety when higher up in remote areas. We can also run bespoke trips for you on dates of your choosing guided just by our local guides.

This trip is available for individuals and groups, however we can be very flexible and arrange dates around you.

2012 scheduled dates are:

28 Jan - 3 Feb 2012	Spaces available	Book now
4-10 February 2012	Spaces available	Book now
7-13 July 2012	Spaces available	Book now
14-20 July 2012	Spaces available	Book now

If the date you want is fully booked or not listed please contact us by clicking on the link below - we may still be able to help!

All requested dates are unconfirmed until minimum numbers have been booked.

If you have a group of 10 or more people we will be happy to run an exclusive trip for yourselves.

Create Your Own Trip Dates

Weather conditions permit us to run this course anytime during July, August and September as well as mid December through until the end of February.

Our scheduled departures are staffed by our UK mountain leaders and supported by local guides and porters. In our opinion this provides you with greater safety when higher up in remote areas. We can also run bespoke trips for you on dates of your choosing guided just by our local guides.

This trip is available for individuals and groups, however we can be very flexible and arrange dates around you.

2013 scheduled dates are:

26 Jan - 1 Feb	Spaces available	Book now
9-15 February	Spaces available	Book now
29 Jun - 5 July	Spaces available	Book now
13-19 July	Spaces available	Book now
10-16 August	Spaces availabile	Book now
14-20 September	Spaces available	Book now

If the date you want is fully booked or not listed please contact us by clicking on the link below - we may still be able to help!

All requested dates are unconfirmed until minimum numbers have been booked.

If you have a group of 10 or more people we will be happy to run an exclusive trip for yourselves.

• Professional event organisation.
• Qualified mountain guides.
• Arrival and departure transport from Kilimanjaro Airport.
• Twin rooms in comfortable hotel accommodation with breakfast. Single rooms are available at a supplement.
• Half board accommodation in mountain huts.
• Porter assistance for the duration of the trek.
• Group first aid kit with qualified first aiders.

Inclusive price - £

Please be advised that you are travelling to a completely different part of the world!! This sounds obvious, but it surprising how many people are taken aback by the differences that exist. Local standards are different than in the UK and the Western World and you should be prepared for this and be happy to accept it. The standard of vehicles on the road are lower, the standard of driving is lower, the hotels have different set ups, etc. etc. This also extends on to the mountain. Local guides are trained to a different standard than UK leaders. Food and water hygiene is different. Again, our leaders will advise you of what to do and what not to do to help you adjust as easily and painlessly as possible. You should, as much as possible, try and enjoy the differences in cultures that exist because this is one of the things that make travel so interesting!!

The Tanzanian Shilling is the local currency. You can exchange pounds, dollars and traveller's cheques at the airport and at the hotel.

For better or for worse a tipping culture has established itself during the treks on Meru and Kilimanjaro. This seems to be a result of the vast wealth differences between the local people who work on the mountains and the clients, and the resultant gratitude of the clients for being looked after in inhospitable and sometimes dangerous situations. We will advise you during the trek of an appropriate amount to give to the local guides and porters. This will be coordinated by the UK leader.

Moshi is a considerably safer town than neighbouring Arusha. Nonetheless it is sensible to use common sense precautions and not wander around the town at night, not to make overt displays of wealth (i.e. hide your watch, wallet, camera, etc.).

The climate during your trip will vary between hot in Moshi (25-35C), to relatively warm on the lower trekking trails (15-25C daytime) to cold at the higher elevations (0-5C daytime). Temperatures at Meru and Kilimanjaro summit can be as low as -25C with snow. You must be prepared to encounter low temperatures. This is particularly relevant when deciding upon which equipment to take. This should be of good quality. Please take advice from a suitable outdoor shop.