Experience of Mount Trekking
About Umbwe Route
The Umbwe route is a short, steep and direct route. It is considered to be very difficult and is the most challenging way up Mount Kilimanjaro.
Due to the quick ascent, Umbwe does not provide the necessary stages for altitude acclimatization. Although the traffic on this route is very low, the chances of success are also low. The route is offered at a minimum of six days, though seven days is recommended when attempting this route. The Umbwe route should only be attempted by those who are very strong hikers and are confident in their ability to acclimatize. However, overall, the Umbwe route is not recommended and we discourage its usage for our clients. The Umbwe route has a reputation for being the most challenging route on Kilimanjaro. And rightly so. It’s the shortest and steepest of the Kilimanjaro routes, and accordingly has a poor acclimatisation profile. For this reason its summit success rate is low and its one of the least used trails on the mountain.
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
Height : 5,895 metre
Distance : 53Km
Per Year Trekking : 743
Timing : 5-7 days
Success Rate : 70%
Highlights : Alpine Desert
Uniqueness :
This Umbwe is the most spectacular and direct way to reach Uhuru Peak.
Umbwe is considered to be difficult, taxing route - one that should only be attempted by strong hikers and experienced adventurers who are confident in their ability to acclimatize quickly to altitude.
The rewards this route offers is not only the physical challenge but you also get the luxury of trekking in privacy at slightest till you meet up with the other explorers at Barranco Camp.
Weather & Climate :
Because Mount Kilimanjaro is such a large geographic structure it essentially creates its own weather. In this article we have provided an overview on the types of weather you can expect on Kilimanjaro, as well outlined historical weather patterns for each of Kilimanjaro’s climatic zones.
Success Rate :
The Umbwe route is one of the shortest, most direct Kilimanjaro routes, which lowers the quality of its acclimatisation profile. Summit success is low. Whilst there are no official statistics, the average success rate across all Kilimanjaro operators for the five-day Umbwe route is just 50%.
