Mount Meru (4,566 m) is an active stratovolcano and forms the centerpiece of Arusha National Park in Tanzania. The mountain is often referred to as Mt Kilimanjaro’s ‘little brother’. Although the mountain is not as high as Kilimanjaro, it is just as challenging.
Known for its huge cliffs, beautiful green surroundings and abundant wildlife, Mount Meru is the fourth highest mountain in Africa and the second highest in Tanzania!
Key Points
Climbing Mount Meru requires more technical climbing skills than the routes on Kilimanjaro. What Mount Meru ‘lacks’ in height, it makes up for in difficulty. Therefore, it is important to have some climbing experience.
Mount Meru is sometimes used as warm-up for climbing Kilimanjaro, especially to acclimate the body to greater heights. If you have the time and budget to climb Meru, it is definitely worth it.
The mountain isn’t climbed as often and it provides a truly unique experience, there’s a great chance of seeing various animals while trekking Since Meru lies in Arusha National Park, you’re likely to encounter giraffes, buffalos, antelopes and baboons.
There’s only 1 route to climb Mount Meru. The one route is the way to go! it’s not as high as the Kili, it’s a difficult climb and surely not to be taken lightly, when you do decide to climb Mt. Meru, you can choose to do it in 3 days or 4 days, meaning 2 or 3 nights. In opposition to the Kilimanjaro Routes, this isn’t a matter of acclimatization as the ascend will be the same on both routes. On the 4-day climb, the descend on the last day will be a lot slower and will give you time to enjoy the surrounding areas. If you choose for the latter, you will hike down all the way from the peak to Momella Gate (starting point). This can be very challenging as it’s a very long and exhausting hike.
