What are the popular routes and costs for Kilimanjaro hiking tour?
Kilimanjaro hiking tour is an enthralling adventure experience holding a special value in a traveler’s heart. It is one of those rare activities which are not made for everyone. It is made for extraordinary adventure lovers who want to continuously challenge or test themselves to the maximum limit.
Routes:
There are six routes for hiking. Each of these routes has different difficulty level and different lengths. The route you select depends on your budget and the tour company you’ve booked for the expedition.
· Marangu: It is a low success route. It takes around 5 days to reach the top using this route. However, one advantage of using this route involves the huts on the way where you can buy things or take a rest during your journey.
· Machame: It is the most popular route for world travelers. It has a success rate of about 70% when completed over a week’s time.
· Rongai: It is a less crowded route with low scenic beauty and more expenses. However, while traveling from the North it is mandatory to trek through this route.
· Shira: This route catches up with the high altitude much before the machame or the manrangu routes. It is more difficult and expensive as you will find less tour operators using this route.
· Lemosho: It is an expensive route but it is also the most beautiful one. It offers grand scenic views of the mountain and plenty of climbing challenges.
· Umbwe: This route is the most difficult one built for only seasoned and experienced climbers. It possesses extreme challenges which involve a lot of scrambling as compared with normal hiking.
Thus, whatever route you may take it is important not to rush things. Ideally, it should take about seven days to complete the trip without any hassles to your body.
Costs:
As with every travel, there are various price points applicable to Kilimanjaro hiking tour as well. There are a lot of companies that ensure big beds being set up across the route for comfortable night shelter. While, there are other cheap ones, with whom you have to carry your own snacks and water while trekking. However, the idea is to choose a mid-tier travel company that provides maximum amenities at a cost-competitive rate. Usually, prices range from 1500–3000USD for a 6–7 day trek to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Important details on Mount Meru Climb:
Brief Overview: The Mountain is 4566m tall and is the second-highest peak of Tanzania. The beautiful diverse Arusha national park is a part of the climb. The Meru Summit consists of the Ash Cone, which is an extra peak that was formed later after a recent volcanic activity.
Time for Ascend: The peak can climb within 3 to 4 days using the only accessible Momela route. You do not need a lot of preparation for Mount Meru Climb but you need to be properly acclimatized for altitude gain.
The Mount Meru Trek is a Once in a Lifetime Rewarding Experience: While at the foothill, you would be able to spot the grasslands where you can find a herd of buffaloes and giraffes grazing. You may also find many exotic species of flora at the grass-root level like red hot pokers or Spanish moss. However, at the summit, you will only see coniferous trees of the alpine forest. The summit also offers exquisite views of the Ash Cone crater. While for the most part, you will just be trekking, but you can also choose to enjoy different activities such as walking in the national park, kayaking in the Momella Lake, or bird watching and sunset viewing.
