Duration
4-Day
Accra, Tanzania
Mount Meru, Tanzania's second-highest mountain at 4,566 meters, is located within Arusha National Park. It features a single route to the summit and can be completed in 3 days. Many climbers use Meru as a preparation for Kilimanjaro. Unlike Kilimanjaro, climbing Mount Meru requires an escort by armed rangers. During your trek, you'll enjoy a walking safari, passing African buffaloes, zebras, and black-and-white Colobus monkeys.
Plan snapshot
Duration
4-Day
Route
Arusha to Arusha
Via Mt Meru
Country & park
Tanzania
Style
Shared safari
Group size
1-12 travelers
Starts
Any day if available
Minimum age
18 years
Activities
Getting around: hiking/walking
Accommodation
Mariakamba Hut Budget mountain hut on Mt Meru – Lunch & Dinner Included - Budget mountain hut on Mt Meru – Lunch & Dinner Included
Meals
Lunch & Dinner Included; All Meals Included
Pickup
Airport transfer included
Booking
Request quote
Currency
USD
Solo travelers
Can join this group tour
Rates
USD
Before booking
Quote flow
This budget tour uses mountain huts.
On this shared tour, you will join a group of other travelers. Max 7 people per group.
If availability permits, this tour can start on any day.
The contents of this tour cannot be changed.
Single travelers cannot join this group tour and it requires a minimum of 6 people to run.
The minimum age for this tour is 18 years.
Day 1
Budget mountain hut on Mt Meru – Lunch & Dinner Included
Lunch & Dinner Included
Day 2
Budget mountain hut on Mt Meru – All Meals Included
All Meals Included
Day 3
Budget mountain hut on Mt Meru – All Meals Included
All Meals Included
Day 4
(No accommodation)
Breakfast & Lunch Included
Tour step
A transfer from the airport can be arranged for an extra cost. Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.
Day 1
In the morning, you'll be picked up from your hotel or the airport and head towards Arusha National Park, arriving at the trailhead after a 2.5 to 3-hour drive. Along the way, you'll likely encounter giraffes, buffaloes, and antelopes. At Momella Gate, your guides will handle the entry permits before starting the trek to Miriakamba Huts. An armed park ranger will accompany you as you walk through open grasslands, with more chances to spot wildlife. After about two hours, you'll reach Maio Falls, a perfect picnic stop. Continuing your hike, you'll pass through the famous "fig tree arch" before reaching Miriakamba Huts, where afternoon tea and snacks await. Distance: 10 km from Momella Gate to Miriakamba Huts Elevation: From 1,387m to 2,514m Hiking time: Approximately 6 hours Habitat: Grassland and rainforest. Budget mountain hut located on Mt Meru Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 2
After breakfast, you'll ascend wooden steps along a steep trail. As you gain altitude, the air becomes cooler, making the hike feel more manageable. Low-hanging clouds often create a misty, moody atmosphere in the rainforest. After about two hours of hiking uphill, you’ll reach “Mgongo wa Tembo” (Elephant Back) at 3,200m, a great spot for a well-deserved break. The landscape shifts from lush rainforest to open heather and moorland as you continue, arriving at Saddle Huts around midday. At Saddle Huts, you’ll enjoy a warm meal before an early night, as your climb to the summit begins just after midnight. Distance: 8 km from Miriakamba Huts to Saddle Huts Elevation: From 2,514m to 3,570m Hiking time: Approximately 5 hours Habitat: Moorland and heath. Budget mountain hut located on Mt Meru All meals included Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 3
At midnight, you’ll begin your ascent to Socialist Peak, ready for a challenging trek. Guided by headlamps, you’ll make your way through bushland toward Rhino Point (3,821m). The trail becomes steeper as you approach Rhino and Cobra Points, so take caution. After 4 to 5 hours, you’ll reach Socialist Peak just as the sun rises over Mount Kilimanjaro, offering breathtaking views. From the summit, you can admire the dramatic Mount Meru crater and its striking ash cone. You’ll then descend back to Saddle Huts, where you can rest and recharge with hot soup and tea. Afterward, you’ll continue descending to Miriakamba Hut for the night. Distance: 6 km from Saddle Huts to Socialist Peak, 19 km to Miriakamba Hut Elevation: From 3,570m (Saddle Huts) to 4,565m (Socialist Peak), descending to 2,514m (Miriakamba Hut) Hiking time: 10 to 12 hours Habitat: Heath, alpine, and rainforest. Budget mountain hut located on Mt Meru All meals included Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 4
After breakfast, you’ll begin your descent to Momella Gate. An early start offers great wildlife viewing opportunities, as animals are more active in the morning. Upon arrival at the gate, the African Wanderlust Adventures team will be waiting to drive you back to your hotel in Arusha, a journey of about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Elevation: Miriakamba Huts (2,514m) to Momella Gate (1,387m) Hiking time: 6 hours Habitat: Grassland and rainforest. Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Tour step
Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost. A transfer back to the airport can be arranged for an extra cost.
Rescue fee
Park fees (For non-residents)
All activities (Unless labeled as optional)
All accommodation (Unless listed as upgrade)
A professional driver/guide
All transportation (Unless labeled as optional)
All Taxes/VAT
Meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)
Drinking water (On all days)
Porterage
Climbing gear
International flights (From/to home)
Roundtrip airport transfer
Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
Tips (Tipping guideline US$10.00 pp per day)
Personal items (Souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
Offered by
We are true experts when it comes to Tanzania. We live, work and travel here. Makini Tanzania Safaris arranges Lodge, private and camping safaris, trekking and hiking tours and beach holidays. We carefully select our well trained guides, drivers, cooks and porters and have a fleet of well-maintained 4×4 vehicles as well as supply gear and equipment for camping safaris and climbing adventures
Office In
Tanzania
Size
1-5 employees (Founded in 2019)
Tour Types
Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
Destinations
Tanzania
Traveler feedback
Overall
5.0/5Communication
5.0/5Accuracy
5.0/5Value
5.0/5Safety clarity
5.0/5Cultural value
5.0/5Fantastic! A wonderful safari with Makini Tanzania Safari. I spoke with Naomi, a local who takes care of planning the safari just the way you want. She was helpful and very kind from the start. Excellent people, they made everything easy for us and pampered us. If I had to recommend them, I definitely would! Well done guys, Simon was our ranger, we miss you and can't wait to come back. ❤️ (automatic translation from Italian)
Aurora · Italy
This was my first safari experience and it exceeded my expectations in every way. Makini put together a superb initerary for us, making tweaks and adjustments according to our preferences and budget. The accommodation in Arusha was perfect (Summit Lodge) with swimming pool for relaxing and a top floor bar and restaurant. Day 2 was a trip to the Materuni village, driven expertly by Rama. We walked to the waterfall and ate a hot lunch prepared and served by the villagers who were all extremely welcoming. Day 3 was the beginning of our safari at Lake Manyara where we saw elephants, giraffes and a honeymooning lion couple, all before a delicious hot lunch of chicken, rice, vegetables and salad, looking over the magnificent views of Lake Manyara. We stayed overnight at Ngere Lodges and enjoyed an hour beside the pool before supper, again cooked by our chef Pascal. Our driver and guide was Gift and I cannot imagine a better guide. He is an exceptional driver over very challenging terrain and always stayed calm. Our comfort and safety was his primary concern. His English is impeccable as is his knowledge of the parks and wildlife. In addition, he seems to have an instinct for seeking out the animals. We spent 3 days in the Serengeti and another day in the Ngorongoro Crater, where we saw the Big 5 in abundance - 5 black rhino, 4 leopards, and dozens of lions, elephants and giraffes. Our accommodation was in tents for 3 nights which was comfortable and allowed us to listen to the wildlife from our beds at night. Our chef, Pascal, kept us well fed with the best food we had in Tanzania. A great variety over the 5 days, a 3 course meal and always with tablecloth, napkins and proper crockery. Each meal comprised 4 or 5 main dishes of meat, vegetables, rice/pasta/fried potatoes, salad and homemade bread (at the campsite the bread rolls were baked in front of us on the fire). We enjoyed a sunrise tour, and many happy hours in the jeep with Gift who was unfailingly generous in his knowledge and patience. The Serengeti is truly amazing. After 5 days safari, we flew to Zanzibar for a few days on the stunning beaches. We took a boat tour which included swimming with dolphins and snorkeling over the coral. Truly a holiday of a lifetime.
Joanna Kiely · United Kingdom
We booked a 5-day safari with Makini and had a wonderful experience! The night before departure, Naomi gave us a clear and friendly briefing and we even received a Makini Safari t-shirt. During the safari, our guide David did an exceptional job. He was always enthusiastic, extremely knowledgeable about the parks and wildlife, and could answer all our questions with ease. He spoke fluent English, which made communication effortless and enjoyable throughout the trip. Thanks to his dedication and expertise, we were lucky enough to see the Big Five! At one point, the door lock of our safari vehicle stopped working (something quite normal given the rough and bumpy roads in the parks), but David handled it perfectly, quickly fixing the issue on the spot so we could continue our adventure without any interruptions. David even went above his usual duties as he made sure we had a smooth transfer to the airport after our trip. Our group of four shared the vehicle with three other travelers who had almost the same itinerary as ours, except for one night. Everything was very well organized, and the trip ran smoothly from start to finish. Our chef, Richard, prepared every meal and the food was absolutely delicious! Overall, we highly recommend Makini Safari to anyone looking for a well-organized, memorable, and truly authentic safari experience in Tanzania!
Stan · Belgium
The communication was perfect from the time of booking to the end of the tour. We had a fantastic guide, Fadhili, he was professional, kind and made sure we see everything. We had a lodge within Serengeti, where you could hear the lions roaring at night and see them from the terrace of the restaurant. It was a truly authentic experience.
Julia · Hungary
Practical answers
Rates are per person and exclude the international flight from/to your home country.
This tour is offered in US dollars (USD).
This tour is unavailable for children.
If availability permits, this tour can start on any day.
The contents of this tour cannot be changed.
Mariakamba Hut Budget mountain hut on Mt Meru – Lunch & Dinner Included - Budget mountain hut on Mt Meru – Lunch & Dinner Included. Meals: Lunch & Dinner Included
This tour starts and ends in Arusha
A transfer from and back to the airport can be arranged for an extra cost
Operator policy
This tour is offered by Go Makini Tanzania Expedition, not SafariBookings.
This operator reserves the right to change rates advertised on SafariBookings.
This group tour requires a minimum of 6 people to run.
The exact order, contents and rates of this tour are subject to availability.
If an accommodation is fully booked, the operator will suggest a comparable alternative.
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