Mount Meru - Arusha
National Park
 Mount
Meru is a prominent active volcano with an elevation of 4566m , making it the
second highest peak in Tanzania, just 700m lower than
Mount Kilimanjaro and the fifth highest peak
in Africa. It is located within
Arusha National Park boundaries but you can
get a great view of the mountain from Arusha Town center.
Meru is the
only great isolated stratovolcano in East Africa that is still active. A
massive eruption 7,800 years ago shattered Meru’s upper slopes and formed
an oblong 8 km/5 mi wide caldera that is open to the east. The main summit is
on the caldera’s western edge, perched above a dramatic and still active
Ash Cone inside the caldera. Meru is just below the permanent snowline, so
there are no glaciers or snowfields on its slopes.
The vegetation
changes dramatically as you ascend, starting out in grasslands which turn into
montane (mountain) forest. As you go higher the landscape changes to shrubland
and and moorland. As you climb Meru you will get stunning views of
Kilimanjaro.
Whilst there is no
tehnical climbing involved, it is steep and tough going in places and you will
need to take it slowly to allow time for your body to acclimatize to the
altitude.
The best time to climb Meru is between October and February.
But also June to September, while it is colder then. It is best to allow 4 days
for climbing Meru, since it involves a large elevation gain, but you can do the
trek in 3 or 5 days. There are huts available to climbers on the mountain and
firewood is supplied. You need advance permission from the park warden at
Momella Gate before you start your ascent. Aside from being a rewarding and
picturesque trek in its own right, Meru is also great acclimatization for a
Kilimanjaro climb.
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CLIMBING MOUNT MERU - SUGGESTED
ITINERARIES |
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4 Days 3 Nights Mount Meru Climb
Starts in
Arusha, with a minimum of 2 persons - trek up Mount Meru, foog, guides and
porters provided.
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Mount Meru Climb
3, 4 or 5 days: Visit
Arusha National Park and Ngurdoto Crater and challenge yourself to trek to the
summit of Mt. Meru the Tanzania’s second highest mountain and
Africa’s fifth highest.
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