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The Umbwe route

The steepest and most direct way up Kilimanjaro: raw, unkempt and quiet, climbing from the southern forest to Barranco in just two days. We run it as TK Umbwe, our own variation: rare, the most challenging way up the mountain, and almost free of crowds.

From Barranco, TK Umbwe climbs to the Lava Tower to acclimatise, drops to sleep at Moir Hut and follows the quiet northern circuit to summit from School Hut. It is only for strong climbers. Reaching Barranco so quickly means altitude sickness is common on any version of Umbwe, so unless you are already acclimatised, from Mount Meru or another 4,000 m peak, think carefully before choosing it. The standard route over the Barranco Wall to Barafu, and the Western Breach, are below for comparison.

  • 67.0 kmTK Umbwe, gate to gate
  • 7 daysOn the mountain
  • 1,660 mUmbwe Gate
  • MwekaDescent route
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The Umbwe route on Kilimanjaro’s southern side
1 nightIn a busy camp, at Barranco; quiet the rest of the way

Three ways to climb Umbwe

All three climb the same steep ridge to Barranco in two days. There they part: TK Umbwe heads up to the Lava Tower and north to Moir Hut, the standard route crosses the Barranco Wall to Barafu, and the Western Breach climbs straight to the crater.

TK Umbwe, our own variation

After one night at Barranco, TK Umbwe climbs back to the Lava Tower for acclimatisation and drops 485 m to sleep at Moir Hut, then crosses the northern circuit to Third Cave in one long day and climbs steadily to School Hut. There is no height lost and climbed again before high camp, and from Moir Hut you will hardly meet another group until the summit. It is demanding: only for strong climbers.

Umbwe by Barafu

From Barranco the route joins Machame, crossing the Barranco Wall and the Karanga Valley to the high camp at Barafu, and summits by Stella Point. We add a rest day at Barafu, and on seven days an extra day at Barranco to climb high and sleep lower, which Umbwe’s fast start badly needs.

Umbwe by the Western Breach

From Barranco the route climbs to camp at the Lava Tower, then Arrow Glacier Camp, and summits by the Western Breach into the crater: dramatic, direct and quiet, and the most dangerous way to the summit. The park has closed it because of rockfall; we have special permission and guide it only with your informed, signed consent.

RouteGate to gateDaysPace of the climbClimb high, sleep lowHeight lost and climbed againLast campSummit approachCrowdingDescent
TK UmbweTK route67.0 km7 or 8Barranco on day 2A day sooner than Machame485 m, Lava Tower to Moir HutNoneSchool Hut4,715 mFrom School Hut, on the quiet north-east sideQuiet, except one night at BarrancoMweka
Umbwe46.3 km6 or 7Barranco on day 2A day sooner than MachameOnly with an extra dayAbout 340 mThe day before summit nightBarafu4,673 mStella Point, from BarafuQuiet to Barranco, then Machame’s campsMweka
Umbwe via the Western Breach42.1 km6Barranco on day 2A day sooner than MachameSteady gains, sleeping highNoneArrow Glacier Camp4,860 mWestern BreachRockfall risk; closed by the parkQuiet after BarrancoMweka

Swipe sideways to see every column. Tap i for more detail.

The shape of the route

Drawn from our own GPS tracks. Choose a route to see its profile.

2,0003,0004,0005,0006,0000 km10 km20 km30 km40 km50 km60 kmUmbwe Gate1,660 mUmbwe Camp2,965 mBarranco3,975 mLava Tower4,645 mMoir Hut4,160 mPofu3,990 mThird Cave3,940 mSchool Hut4,715 mUhuru Peak5,895 mMillennium3,800 mMweka Gate1,645 m2,0003,0004,0005,0006,0000 km20 km40 km60 kmUhuru 5,895 m
  • Umbwe Gate1,660 m
  • Umbwe Camp2,965 m
  • Barranco3,975 m
  • Lava Tower4,645 m
  • Moir Hut4,160 m
  • Pofu3,990 m
  • Third Cave3,940 m
  • School Hut4,715 m
  • Uhuru Peak5,895 m
  • Millennium3,800 m
  • Mweka Gate1,645 m
The dashed green line marks day 3, up to the Lava Tower, 4,645 m, and down to sleep at Moir Hut, 4,160 m. Vertical scale is exaggerated about four times, as on any route profile, so slopes look steeper than they feel.
2,0003,0004,0005,0006,0000 km10 km20 km30 km40 kmUmbwe Gate1,660 mUmbwe Camp2,965 mBarranco3,975 mKaranga4,035 mBarafu4,673 mUhuru Peak5,895 mMillennium3,800 mMweka Gate1,645 m2,0003,0004,0005,0006,0000 km20 km40 kmUhuru 5,895 m
  • Umbwe Gate1,660 m
  • Umbwe Camp2,965 m
  • Barranco3,975 m
  • Karanga4,035 m
  • Barafu4,673 m
  • Uhuru Peak5,895 m
  • Millennium3,800 m
  • Mweka Gate1,645 m
The dashed green line marks the first two days, from Umbwe Gate to Barranco, 2,315 m of climbing. Vertical scale is exaggerated about four times, as on any route profile, so slopes look steeper than they feel.
2,0003,0004,0005,0006,0000 km10 km20 km30 km40 kmUmbwe Gate1,660 mUmbwe Camp2,965 mBarranco3,975 mLava Tower Camp4,645 mArrow Glacier Camp4,860 mCrater5,725 mUhuru Peak5,895 mMillennium3,800 mMweka Gate1,645 m2,0003,0004,0005,0006,0000 km20 km40 kmUhuru 5,895 m
  • Umbwe Gate1,660 m
  • Umbwe Camp2,965 m
  • Barranco3,975 m
  • Lava Tower Camp4,645 m
  • Arrow Glacier Camp4,860 m
  • Crater5,725 m
  • Uhuru Peak5,895 m
  • Millennium3,800 m
  • Mweka Gate1,645 m
The dashed green line marks summit day, up the Western Breach from Arrow Glacier Camp, 4,860 m, into the crater and on to Uhuru Peak. Vertical scale is exaggerated about four times, as on any route profile, so slopes look steeper than they feel.

Umbwe route map

All three on our relief map of the mountain. They share the first two days to Barranco, then part. Tap a route’s name to hide or show it, and tap a line for its distance and downloads.

TK UmbweTK route

67.0 km gate to gate

GPXKML
Umbwe

46.3 km gate to gate

GPXKML
Umbwe via the Western Breach

42.1 km gate to gate

GPXKML

Day by day

Distances come from our GPS tracks. Your guide may vary the plan for crowding, water, your group’s pace and the weather.

  1. Day1

    Umbwe Gate to Umbwe Camp

    9.4 km1,660 m → 2,965 m

    Steep from the start, up a narrow ridge through the rainforest on a raw, unkempt path. You gain more than 1,300 m on the first day.

  2. Day2

    Umbwe Camp to Barranco

    4.7 km2,965 m → 3,975 m

    Up the ridge, out of the forest and onto open heath, steep almost all the way to Barranco, where Umbwe meets the Machame route. You arrive in two days at a height Machame climbers take three days to reach, so headaches and mild nausea are common, even below 4,000 m.

  3. Day3

    Barranco to Moir Hut, via the Lava Tower

    3.5 km up4.8 km down3,975 m → 4,645 m → 4,160 m

    Back up to the Lava Tower, 670 m above Barranco, for lunch and acclimatisation, then north round the western side of Kibo and down to sleep at Moir Hut, 485 m lower and far quieter than the southern camps. From here you are on the TK Lemosho route.

  4. Day4

    Moir Hut to Pofu Camp

    9.8 km4,160 m → 4,395 m → 3,990 m

    Onto the quiet northern side of Kibo, climbing to around 4,400 m before descending to sleep at Pofu, some 400 m lower: climb high, sleep low.

  5. Day5

    Pofu Camp to Third Cave

    5.8 km3,990 m → 3,940 m

    An easy traverse at almost level height, with Mawenzi’s jagged peaks ahead. A gentle day that lets your body catch up.

  6. Day6

    Third Cave to School Hut

    3.9 km3,940 m → 4,715 m

    A short, steady climb to the high camp. Rest, an early meal and an early night before the summit.

  7. Day7

    School Hut to Uhuru Peak, down to Millennium Camp

    13.5 km4,715 m → 5,895 m → 3,800 m

    Summit night from the quiet north-east side, usually starting around midnight, to the crater rim and Uhuru Peak around sunrise, then down the southern side to Millennium Camp.

  8. Day8

    Millennium Camp to Mweka Gate

    11.6 km3,800 m → 1,645 m

    Down through heath and rainforest to the gate, where you sign the summit register, then a short walk to meet our vehicle and the drive back to Arusha.

  1. Day1

    Umbwe Gate to Umbwe Camp

    9.4 km1,660 m → 2,965 m

    Steep from the start, up a narrow ridge through the rainforest on a raw, unkempt path. You gain more than 1,300 m on the first day.

  2. Day2

    Umbwe Camp to Barranco

    4.7 km2,965 m → 3,975 m

    Up the ridge, out of the forest and onto open heath, steep almost all the way to Barranco, where Umbwe meets the Machame route. You arrive in two days at a height Machame climbers take three days to reach, so headaches and mild nausea are common, even below 4,000 m.

  3. Day3

    Barranco to Moir Hut, via the Lava Tower

    3.5 km up4.8 km down3,975 m → 4,645 m → 4,160 m

    Back up to the Lava Tower, 670 m above Barranco, for lunch and acclimatisation, then north round the western side of Kibo and down to sleep at Moir Hut, 485 m lower and far quieter than the southern camps. From here you are on the TK Lemosho route.

  4. Day4

    Moir Hut over the northern circuit to Third Cave

    15.6 km4,160 m → 4,395 m → 3,940 m

    The longest day, and the reason TK Umbwe is only for strong climbers: onto the quiet northern side of Kibo, climbing to around 4,400 m, past Pofu and on to sleep at Third Cave, with Mawenzi’s jagged peaks ahead.

  5. Day5

    Third Cave to School Hut

    3.9 km3,940 m → 4,715 m

    A short, steady climb to the high camp. Rest, an early meal and an early night before the summit.

  6. Day6

    School Hut to Uhuru Peak, down to Millennium Camp

    13.5 km4,715 m → 5,895 m → 3,800 m

    Summit night from the quiet north-east side, usually starting around midnight, to the crater rim and Uhuru Peak around sunrise, then down the southern side to Millennium Camp.

  7. Day7

    Millennium Camp to Mweka Gate

    11.6 km3,800 m → 1,645 m

    Down through heath and rainforest to the gate, where you sign the summit register, then a short walk to meet our vehicle and the drive back to Arusha.

Only for strong climbers. TK Umbwe reaches Barranco in two days. On seven days it then crosses the northern circuit from Moir Hut to Third Cave in one long day of 15.6 km; on eight days a night at Pofu splits that day in two, as on TK Lemosho. Either way it is the most challenging and least crowded way up the mountain: after one night at Barranco you hardly meet another group until the summit.
Arrow Glacier Camp, only in two cases. From the Lava Tower a path climbs another 1.2 km and 215 m to Arrow Glacier Camp (4,860 m), at the foot of the Western Breach. Sleeping at Moir Hut that night puts it 700 m above your bed, more than we accept for climbing high and sleeping low, so we go there only with very strong climbers who already have proven experience of acclimatising at high altitude and want to see the Western Breach face, or when a group with permission to climb the Western Breach goes up to look at the conditions and decide whether to press on or to go round the north of Kibo on this route.
  1. Day1

    Umbwe Gate to Umbwe Camp

    9.4 km1,660 m → 2,965 m

    Steep from the start, up a narrow ridge through the rainforest on a raw, unkempt path. You gain more than 1,300 m on the first day.

  2. Day2

    Umbwe Camp to Barranco

    4.7 km2,965 m → 3,975 m

    Up the ridge, out of the forest and onto open heath, steep almost all the way to Barranco, where Umbwe meets the Machame route. You arrive in two days at a height Machame climbers take three days to reach, so headaches and mild nausea are common, even below 4,000 m.

  3. Day3

    Acclimatisation day at Barranco

    At Barranco, 3,975 m

    A day to let your body catch up, with a walk higher towards the Lava Tower and back down to sleep at Barranco: climb high, sleep low, before the push to high camp.

  4. Day4

    Barranco to Barafu, via Karanga

    7.8 km3,975 m → 4,035 m → 4,673 m

    A long, tiring day. First the Barranco Wall, 245 m of scrambling, easier than it looks, with one stride around an outcrop of rock; if you are nervous of it, a member of our crew stands on the ledge below to guide your feet. Then three rises and falls to lunch at Karanga (4,035 m), and 640 m up to the high camp at Barafu.

  5. Day5

    Rest and acclimatisation at Barafu

    At Barafu, 4,673 m

    A day to sleep, eat, drink and recover your reserves, with a short excursion, at your guide’s discretion, no higher than 5,000 m: enough to fine-tune your acclimatisation and see the ridge you will climb that night.

  6. Day6

    Barafu to Uhuru Peak, then Millennium Camp

    4.4 km up8.4 km down4,673 m → 5,895 m → 3,800 m

    Summit night starts around midnight, at the time your guide judges best for your pace: up the ridge to Stella Point (5,756 m) on the crater rim, ideally around sunrise, then about an hour more to Uhuru Peak. Back to Barafu for a rest and refreshments, then down to Millennium Camp.

  7. Day7

    Millennium Camp to Mweka Gate

    11.6 km3,800 m → 1,645 m

    Down through heath and rainforest to the gate, where you sign the summit register, then a short walk to meet our vehicle and the drive back to Arusha.

  1. Day1

    Umbwe Gate to Umbwe Camp

    9.4 km1,660 m → 2,965 m

    Steep from the start, up a narrow ridge through the rainforest on a raw, unkempt path. You gain more than 1,300 m on the first day.

  2. Day2

    Umbwe Camp to Barranco

    4.7 km2,965 m → 3,975 m

    Up the ridge, out of the forest and onto open heath, steep almost all the way to Barranco, where Umbwe meets the Machame route. You arrive in two days at a height Machame climbers take three days to reach, so headaches and mild nausea are common, even below 4,000 m.

  3. Day3

    Barranco to Barafu, via Karanga

    7.8 km3,975 m → 4,035 m → 4,673 m

    A long, tiring day. First the Barranco Wall, 245 m of scrambling, easier than it looks, with one stride around an outcrop of rock; if you are nervous of it, a member of our crew stands on the ledge below to guide your feet. Then three rises and falls to lunch at Karanga (4,035 m), and 640 m up to the high camp at Barafu.

  4. Day4

    Rest and acclimatisation at Barafu

    At Barafu, 4,673 m

    A day to sleep, eat, drink and recover your reserves, with a short excursion, at your guide’s discretion, no higher than 5,000 m: enough to fine-tune your acclimatisation and see the ridge you will climb that night.

  5. Day5

    Barafu to Uhuru Peak, then Millennium Camp

    4.4 km up8.4 km down4,673 m → 5,895 m → 3,800 m

    Summit night starts around midnight, at the time your guide judges best for your pace: up the ridge to Stella Point (5,756 m) on the crater rim, ideally around sunrise, then about an hour more to Uhuru Peak. Back to Barafu for a rest and refreshments, then down to Millennium Camp.

  6. Day6

    Millennium Camp to Mweka Gate

    11.6 km3,800 m → 1,645 m

    Down through heath and rainforest to the gate, where you sign the summit register, then a short walk to meet our vehicle and the drive back to Arusha.

Why a rest day at Barafu. Most plans stop at Karanga, which still leaves 640 m to climb on the morning before summit night. In our experience climbers who don’t reach the summit usually fall short through exhaustion and lack of sleep rather than poor acclimatisation, so we press on to Barafu and use the extra day to rest, sleep a full night and fine-tune your acclimatisation. If your guide judges that the full day from Barranco to Barafu would over-stretch your group, he will stop at Karanga instead.
  1. Day1

    Umbwe Gate to Umbwe Camp

    9.4 km1,660 m → 2,965 m

    Steep from the start, up a narrow ridge through the rainforest on a raw, unkempt path. You gain more than 1,300 m on the first day.

  2. Day2

    Umbwe Camp to Barranco

    4.7 km2,965 m → 3,975 m

    Up the ridge, out of the forest and onto open heath, steep almost all the way to Barranco, where Umbwe meets the Machame route. You arrive in two days at a height Machame climbers take three days to reach, so headaches and mild nausea are common, even below 4,000 m.

  3. Day3

    Barranco to Lava Tower Camp

    3.5 km3,975 m → 4,645 m

    Back up the path towards the Lava Tower to camp at its foot, 670 m higher than Barranco. A short day by distance, with the afternoon to rest and acclimatise.

  4. Day4

    Lava Tower Camp to Arrow Glacier Camp

    1.2 km4,645 m → 4,860 m

    A short climb to Arrow Glacier Camp at the foot of the Western Breach, arriving early to rest, eat and sleep, ready to be moving by 05:30 the next morning at the latest.

  5. Day5

    Western Breach to Uhuru Peak, then Millennium Camp

    3.2 km up8.4 km down4,860 m → 5,725 m → 5,895 m → 3,800 m

    Up the Western Breach, with steep scrambling over rock steps, through the zones exposed to rockfall as quickly as your guide judges safe. Into the crater, then up to Uhuru Peak. Down by Stella Point and Barafu to Millennium Camp. We never sleep in the crater before reaching the summit: it breaks the rule of climbing high and sleeping lower.

  6. Day6

    Millennium Camp to Mweka Gate

    11.6 km3,800 m → 1,645 m

    Down through heath and rainforest to the gate, where you sign the summit register, then a short walk to meet our vehicle and the drive back to Arusha.

The Western Breach is the most dangerous way to the summit. Rockfall killed three climbers there in January 2006, and our founder, John Rees-Evans, led the investigation for the park authority. The park closed the route in May 2025 because of rockfall. We have special permission to use it, and we guide it only with full disclosure of the risks, your signed consent and careful preparation. Ask us for its current status, and read the Western Breach and its risks before you decide.

Add a night in the crater

Every route we run, Umbwe included, can be lengthened by one day to sleep inside the summit crater at Crater Camp, 5,725 m. This is our Excel Series, and it turns the summit into the start of a day and a half on the roof of Africa rather than a few minutes before the descent.

Our GPS track of the whole crater excursion, every option included: 9.8 km from Uhuru Peak to Stella Point.

  1. Summitday

    Uhuru Peak, Furtwängler Point and down into the crater

    0.7 km from Uhuru to camp5,895 m → 5,725 m

    From the summit we carry on about 200 m along the rim to Furtwängler Point, then drop into the crater to rest at Crater Camp. Climbers in good form walk to the top of the Western Breach, about 1.0 km there and back, to watch the sun set over Mount Meru, and explore the south face of the Furtwängler Glacier, which is shrinking fast and will not be there much longer.

  2. Craterday

    The Reusch Ash Pit and the Northern Icefields

    Ash Pit rim about 5,835 mUp to 7.6 km to Stella PointDown to Barafu

    In the morning we climb to the rim of the Reusch Ash Pit and, if there is time, walk all the way round it. The strongest climbers also explore the Northern Icefields before finishing the circuit. Then back to Stella Point and down to Barafu.

Not everyone stays the night. Crater Camp is the highest camp on the mountain, and around one climber in five comes down instead of sleeping there, because they feel unwell or because we judge that they are not acclimatised well enough. What happens in the crater always depends on how each climber is, their reserves and their acclimatisation. We sleep in the crater only after reaching the summit, never before it. Excel climbs include the park’s crater camping fee: see Excel prices.

Umbwe prices

The same price for TK Umbwe and the standard route. Advantage series, our most popular level of support; per person in US dollars, depending on the size of your booking group. The Western Breach costs the same; ask us about its special permission.

TK Umbwe, 8 days

From

USD 2,869per person, group of 8

  • 2 climbersUSD 3,135
  • Solo, joining a groupUSD 3,135
  • Solo, private climbUSD 3,582
Compare the cost of every series

TK Umbwe or Umbwe, 7 days

From

USD 2,531per person, group of 8

  • 2 climbersUSD 2,772
  • Solo, joining a groupUSD 2,772
  • Solo, private climbUSD 3,191
Compare the cost of every series

Umbwe, 6 days

From

USD 2,205per person, group of 8

  • 2 climbersUSD 2,429
  • Solo, joining a groupUSD 2,429
  • Solo, private climbUSD 2,832
Compare the cost of every series
Climbing Meru first? Umbwe makes far more sense once you are acclimatised. Ask us to plan both climbs together, with a rest day between them.

Questions about the Umbwe route

Is Umbwe the hardest route on Kilimanjaro?

It is the steepest and most direct, and the hardest on your acclimatisation.

The trail itself is a steep walk with some scrambling, not a technical climb. What makes Umbwe hard is the pace: it reaches Barranco in two days, a height Machame climbers take three days to reach, so headaches and mild nausea are common even below 4,000 m. Unless you are already acclimatised, your summit chances are considerably lower than on TK Lemosho, TK Rongai or Machame.

Who should climb Umbwe?

Fit climbers who are already acclimatised, for example after Mount Meru.

Umbwe suits climbers who have recently been to around 4,000 m, such as on Mount Meru (4,566 m), and want a quiet, steep, direct way up. If you are coming straight from home, choose a route with more days below 4,000 m, or add the extra acclimatisation day at Barranco.

What is TK Umbwe?

Our own Umbwe: the hardest and quietest way up Kilimanjaro, for strong climbers.

It follows Umbwe to Barranco, climbs to the Lava Tower to acclimatise, drops to sleep at Moir Hut, then follows the quiet northern circuit to Third Cave and School Hut and summits from the north-east. Seven or eight days, 67.0 km: on seven days with one long day of 15.6 km from Moir Hut to Third Cave, on eight days with a night at Pofu between them, as on TK Lemosho. After Barranco you will hardly meet another group until the summit.

How long is the Umbwe route?

67.0 km on TK Umbwe, 46.3 km by Barafu, or 42.1 km by the Western Breach.

Measured from our GPS tracks, from Umbwe Gate to Mweka Gate. TK Umbwe takes seven days; the standard route six or seven; the Western Breach six.

Can I climb Umbwe by the Western Breach?

Possibly: the park has closed it, but we have special permission.

The park closed the Western Breach in May 2025 because of rockfall. We have special permission to use it, and we guide it only with full disclosure of the risks, your signed consent and careful preparation. Ask us for its current status.

How dangerous is the Western Breach?

It is the most dangerous summit approach on Kilimanjaro.

Rockfall killed three climbers there in January 2006, and our founder, John Rees-Evans, led the investigation for the park authority. The risk is greatest between about 5,000 m and 5,300 m, and there is no safe way down in the middle of the climb. The Western Breach and its risks

Can I camp in the crater?

Yes, but only after reaching the summit.

Sleeping in the crater before you have reached the summit breaks the rule of climbing high and sleeping lower, and raises the risk of serious altitude illness. You can camp in the crater after summiting on our Excel series, without using the Western Breach.

Can I download the Umbwe routes as GPX or KML?

Yes, all three, in both formats.

Use the downloads below the map, or tap a route on the map.

Why climbers trust us with the mountain

2004Guiding on Kilimanjaro since 30 June 2004
97.6%Summit success on our climbs
8The most trekkers we take in one group
2006Led the Western Breach rockfall investigation for the park authority
2007Bernard Goosen’s record wheelchair ascent, in six days, supported by Team Kilimanjaro
2005First women’s speed ascent: Rebecca Nchereri, a TK founder
5 yrsYoungest person ever to summit: Bran Rees-Evans, aged 5 years 136 days
2026First complete ascent from the base, 777 m to 5,895 m, by John Rees-Evans
7Support series, from Superlite to VIP
4Routes of our own design: TK Lemosho, TK Machame, TK Rongai and TK Umbwe

Climb Umbwe with us

Tell us your dates, your group and whether you are climbing Meru first, and we will plan the climb with you, including whether TK Umbwe suits you.

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