Mountain Trekking 
Climb Mount Meru: Route, Days & Best Time
4,566 m 14,980 ft
Tanzania's second-highest peak, climbed through a national park full of wildlife.
Summit
Socialist Peak, 4,566 m
Routes
1, 3–4 days
Best months
June to October, and December to February
Type
Dormant stratovolcano
Nearest airport
Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) or Arusha Airport
About the mountain
Climb Mount Meru: what to know
Climb Mount Meru, Tanzania's second-highest peak: the Momella route day by day, wildlife on the lower slopes, the best time to go and acclimatisation.
Mount Meru rises to 4,566 m at Socialist Peak, the second-highest mountain in Tanzania and the fifth-highest in Africa. It stands inside Arusha National Park, about 70 km west of Kilimanjaro, and on a clear morning the summit gives one of the finest views of Kilimanjaro there is.
A walk among wildlife Meru is the only big Tanzanian climb where you walk through a national park with its animals: buffalo, giraffe, warthog and colobus monkeys are common on the lower slopes, which is why every group climbs with an armed park ranger.
The crater rim Thousands of years ago the eastern wall of Meru's crater collapsed, leaving a horseshoe of cliffs around an ash cone. The summit day follows the narrow rim of that horseshoe from Rhino Point to Socialist Peak, the most exciting section of any trekking route in Tanzania.
A perfect warm-up for Kilimanjaro Climbing Meru first gives you three or four days of acclimatisation above 2,500 m, and climbers who do it before Kilimanjaro usually find the bigger mountain noticeably easier.
There is one route, from Momella Gate on the eastern side, with comfortable huts at Miriakamba and Saddle. The climb takes three or four days.
Choose your route
1 route up Mount Meru
Each route has its own guide with a map of the trail, the camps and their altitudes, and a day-by-day plan.
Map
Map of the Mount Meru routes
Press a camp on the map or in the list below to see its altitude.
Loading map…
Trail lines and camps: © OpenStreetMap contributors. Altitudes from park signposts where available.
Our climbs
Climb Mount Meru with us
Guided climbs on fixed itineraries, each one tailored to your dates and pace.
Mountain Trekking FAQs
Questions about Mount Meru
Is Mount Meru harder than Kilimanjaro?
Meru is lower, but its summit day is steeper and more exposed, along a narrow crater rim. Most climbers find it a tough but very rewarding trek, and an excellent preparation for Kilimanjaro.
Why is an armed ranger needed?
The route passes through Arusha National Park, where buffalo and elephants roam the forest. A park ranger accompanies every group for safety; encounters are almost always just good sightings.
Where do you sleep on Mount Meru?
In shared mountain huts with bunk beds: Miriakamba Hut (2,514 m) and Saddle Hut (3,570 m).
Can I climb Meru and Kilimanjaro on one trip?
Yes. Climbing Meru first is the best acclimatisation you can do for Kilimanjaro. Allow a rest day in Arusha or Moshi between the two climbs.
Plan with us
Ready to climb Mount Meru?
Tell us your dates, your fitness and what you want to see. We will recommend the mountain and route that give you the best chance of a great climb.
