Mt. Meru

Over the Easter holiday, I hiked Mt. Meru with Jon, Brian, Gideon, Frenk, and Mtui Tanzania Expeditions.We hiked with Mtui company   Mt. Meru is the fifth highest mountain in Africa, reaching 4,562m (14,980ft) in height and is located 70km west of Mt. Kilimanjaro (which is visible on a sunny day). Meru is an active volcano with many visible craters, cones, and lava remnants on its slopes. While Arusha National Park is located at the base of the mountain, Mt. Meru's lush forests provide shelter to over 400 wildlife species, including buffalo and leopards! Due to the dangerous wildlife, hikers are required to hire an armed mountain ranger to lead them on Momella Route of Mt. Meru.

The month of April is considered the start of the rain season in Tanzania. Needless to say, our hiking experience was a WET ONE. The majority of our trekking was completed in the POURING rain; we used large umbrellas, rain gear, and lodges for sleeping to keep us dry and warm. I enjoyed listening to the raindrops hit my umbrella. Hiking in the rain allowed me to escape into my own world and reflect about my time in Tanzania and all those in my life who I would have loved to have by my side on the journey.

The first day of hiking started in Arusha National Park (1,500m). Gideon, the assigned mountain ranger, took us on a walking safari! Jon, Brian, and I crept slowly in the meadows, while witnessing herds of buffalo, giraffes, and zebras live in harmony in their natural habitat. We then hiked to the Mt. Meru waterfall that was used by WaMeru pregnant mothers to cleanse and give birth. The hiking then continued into the overcast Meru forest. The afternoon rain shower produced an eerie atmosphere--there was mist, little sun, and silence. We reached the first camp, Miriakamba, (2,500m) late afternoon. The group rested in lodges that were solar powered!

Day two of hiking was in the moorland of Meru. Due to the significant amount of buffalo, we had to be careful not to step in the buffalo dung that was found on Momella every five meters. Luckily, Meru rangers built wooden steps on steeper terrain so avoiding buffalo dung was not an issue. Saddle camp (3,500m) also provided lodges to its hikers. At the campsite, I felt the effects of high altitude--stomach cramps, headache, dizziness, etc. We rested all day to prepare for our summit hike.

Like Mt. Kilimanjaro, hikers tend to summit Mt. Meru at sunrise. We left at 1:30AM with our headlamps, warm weather gear, and water. Although there were heavy rains for the past two days of hiking, on summit night only the bright moon and stars were present in the sky! Miraculously, there was NO rain for the ENTIRE summit hike. The terrain leading to the summit, unlike the Mt. Kilimanjaro summit hike, was steep and rocky. Using the moonlight and our headlamps, we slowly climbed up, down, and across giant pieces of dried lava. We reached Rino Point (3,800m) earlier than expected so we took a break for pictures and snacks. The hike continued and seemed everlasting due to the intense climbing. When we arrived close to the summit, it was only 5:30AM so we were forced to huddle under a rock to stay warm until sunrise (one hour later). While everyone slept, I took the time to remove wet layers and enjoy being above the clouds. We reached Mt. Meru summit (4,562m) in time to witness the sky slowly change from dark to light. On Socialist Peak (the summit), there is little wind, snow, and freezing conditions. Our group was able to remain on the summit drinking tea and taking photos.