2 days · Trek 2-Day Mount Meru Trek
Mount Meru, Arusha, Tanzania · challenging
A 2 day Mount Meru trek through Arusha National Park with an armed ranger, hut stay, all meals and park fees.
From, per person
$450
Mount Meru
Mount Meru: the 4,562 m climb in Arusha National Park
Tanzania's second-highest mountain: forest, wildlife on the trail and a narrow ridge to the top.
- Summit
- 4,562 m
- Where
- Arusha National Park
- Route
- Momella, huts the whole way
- Time
- 3 to 4 days
The mountain
A volcano above Arusha
Mount Meru is an old volcano rising above Arusha. It is the second-highest mountain in Tanzania, after Kilimanjaro, and it stands inside Arusha National Park, so the first day can feel like a walking safari. Buffalo, giraffe and colobus monkeys may be seen near the trail.
There is one route to the summit, the Momella route. You sleep in huts, climb through forest and heath to Saddle Hut, then start in the middle of the night for the narrow crater rim and the summit. Many people climb Meru as a warm-up before Kilimanjaro; others come for the mountain itself.
An armed park ranger must walk with every group on Mount Meru. It is a park rule because of the wildlife on the lower slopes, and it is part of every trip.
The Momella route at a glance
Difficulty3/5
Crowds2/5
Scenery5/5
Acclimatisation2/5
Walkers who want a shorter climb, or a warm-up for Kilimanjaro.
The route
Four days, day by day
The standard four-day Meru climb: huts the whole way and a midnight start for the summit. Times and heights are approximate and change with pace and weather.
Day 14 to 5 h
Momella Gate to Miriakamba Hut
2,514 m · farmland and forest edge to montane rainforest
Day 23 to 4 h
Miriakamba Hut to Saddle Hut
3,570 m · montane rainforest to heath and moorland
Day 39 to 11 h
Summit night, back to Miriakamba Hut
2,514 m · heath and moorland to alpine desert to montane rainforest
Day 43 to 4 h
Miriakamba Hut to Momella Gate
1,500 m · montane rainforest to farmland and forest edge
Good about it
- Wildlife on the trail
- Spectacular crater ridge
- Huts for sleeping
- Great Kilimanjaro training climb
Worth knowing
- An armed ranger must accompany every group
- Exposed, narrow ridge near the top
- Summit night is cold and steep
Meru or Kilimanjaro
How they compare
| Mount Meru | Kilimanjaro | |
|---|---|---|
| Summit height | 4,562 m | 5,895 m |
| Days | 3 to 4 | 5 to 9 |
| Routes to the summit | One (Momella) | Seven |
| Sleeping | Huts | Tents or huts, by route |
| Wildlife on the trail | Likely on day one | Rare, at lower levels |
| Hardest part | Steep summit night and an exposed ridge | Altitude and a long summit night |
When to go
Best months
Meru follows the same dry spells as Kilimanjaro: roughly January to March and June to October. The rainy months make the trail slippery and the views poorer.
Janbest
Febbest
Marbest
Aprquieter or wetter
Mayquieter or wetter
Jungood
Julbest
Augbest
Sepbest
Octbest
Novquieter or wetter
Decgood
BestGoodQuieter or wetter
Mount Meru climbs we run
All Meru trips 2 days · Trek 
3 days · Trek 3-Day Mount Meru Climb
Mount Meru, Arusha, Tanzania · extreme
A 3 day Mount Meru climb to Socialist Peak (4,562m) in Arusha National Park. Armed ranger, hut stay, all meals.
From, per person
$700
4 days · Trek 4-Day Mount Meru Climb: Perfect Kilimanjaro Preparation from Arusha
Mount Meru, Arusha National Park, Tanzania · challenging
Mount Meru Kilimanjaro preparation: a 4-day guided climb from Arusha with an armed ranger, caldera scenery and few crowds.
From, per person
$1,295
4 days · Trek Featured 4-Day Mount Meru Climb
Mount Meru, Arusha, Tanzania · extreme
A 4 day Mount Meru climb to Socialist Peak (4,562m) in Arusha National Park. Armed ranger, hut stay, extra acclimatisation.
From, per person
$900
3 days · Trek 3-Day Mount Meru Climb: Arusha's Summit Challenge
Mount Meru, Arusha National Park, Tanzania · challenging
3 day Mount Meru climb Arusha: Africa's 5th-highest peak, wildlife on the lower slopes and an armed ranger included. Midnight summit push.
From, per person
$1,095
- It is lower and shorter, but it is steep, and the ridge near the top is narrow and exposed. Many people find the summit night demanding. Kilimanjaro is higher and longer, and altitude plays a bigger part.
- Three or four. The four-day schedule is the standard one, with a night at each hut and an early start for the summit. The three-day version is shorter and asks more of your legs.
- No, but many people do. A few nights in the hills help your body get used to height and tell you how you feel on a long walk. It is a help, not a guarantee.
- The lower slopes are inside a national park with buffalo and other large animals. Every group walks with an armed ranger, and the rule is the same for everyone.
- Yes. A common plan is Meru first, a rest day or two, then Kilimanjaro. See the Meru and Kilimanjaro combination.
- Warm at the gate, cold at the top. Nights above Saddle Hut are very cold, and the summit start is in the dark. Pack for rain, wind and frost.
Plan your Meru climb
Tell us your dates and group size. A planner in Moshi replies.
