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Mount Meru

Just west of Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Meru is a stratovolcano located in Arusha National Park with an elevation of 4,566 meters (14,980 ft).

The second-highest mountain in Tanzania is known for its vast cliffs, beautiful green surroundings, and rich wildlife diversity. This makes Mount Meru excellent for game viewing and trekking.

Why visit Mount Meru?

Mount Meru is one of Africa’s best trekking routes due to its superb views from its crater.

Even on day one of the climb, abundant wildlife sightings exist.

It offers excellent acclimatization before climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.

Ascent and descent only take three days via the Momella route.

It offers comfortable, dormitory-style hut accommodation.

It’s regarded as a sacred place by the local Waarusha people who live around Mount Meru. Each year, they sacrifice a sheep or a bull to the mountain for rain.

Mount Meru Articles

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Mount Meru Tours and Activities: The Best Ways to See and Do Everything

The Best Things to Do in Mount Meru

Getting to Mount Meru

By Road

Mount Meru can be reached by road from Arusha. The journey from Arusha takes around 55km/1 hour drive.

By Air

By air, the estimated flight time to reach Mount Meru from Dar es Salaam to Arusha (Arusha Airport or Kilimanjaro International Airport) is around 1 hour and 35 minutes.

Best Time to visit Mount Meru

First, it’s best to know whether Mount Meru is visitable or climbable year-round.

However, if you want an excellent time climbing Mount Meru and have a superb game viewing in Arusha National Park, visiting during the dry season (June to October) is ideal. During this time, the skies are clear, giving you an excellent view of the wildlife and landscape.

Moreover, you can also visit from December through February, which is the short rainy season in Tanzania. The little rain won’t affect your climb or safari experience since it usually only rains in the afternoon.

Let's plan your trip around Mount Meru.

Enquire now, and our safari specialist will get back to you shortly.

Weather in Mount Meru

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Things to do in Mount Meru

Whether you’re an experienced adventurer or just looking to get outside and explore, Mount Meru has something for everyone.

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Wildlife in Mount Meru

With lush forests, rocky crags, and winding rivers, this mountain is the perfect home for many remarkable creatures.

These graceful creatures are known for their intelligence and playful spirit, making them the perfect subject for an exciting and engaging introduction.

Giraffes

Elephants are one of the most iconic and beloved animals in the world, known for their impressive size, gentle nature, and intelligence.

Elephants

The majestic buffalo is one of the most awe-inspiring animals; with its powerful horns and thick fur, this incredible creature is known for its strength, agility, and grace.

Buffaloes

These striking animals are often found on the mountaintop of Meru, where they roam freely in large herds and graze on the lush grasses.

Zebras

With thousands of quills on its back, porcupines are among the animals one should not mess with. They are fascinating to look at but keep your distance.

Porcupines

During your Mount Meru climb, you may encounter passive or violent interactions between monkey troops. In particular, red colobus monkeys usually overlap ranges with other troops.

Colobus Monkeys

Noted for their beauty, grace, and speed, antelopes are among the anticipated wildlife to see in Mount Meru.

Antelopes

Brains before beauty—warthogs may not be the most graceful, beautiful creatures you can see in Mount Meru. However, they are known for their intelligence.

Warthogs

With their massive barrel-shaped bodies, short tails, and legs, hippos are undoubtedly very interesting to see, and you'll laugh at their chuckles.

Hippos

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Birds in Mount Meru

The forests, grasslands, and rocky cliffs on this majestic mountain are teeming with life and offer the perfect habitat for these beautiful creatures.

The Great Blue Heron is a majestic bird known for its regal appearance, graceful movements, and long neck.

Great Blue Heron

These are medium-sized birds with golden coloration, streaky breasts and throat, reddish crown and mustache for males, and faint mustache for females.

Golden-tailed Woodpecker

Unmistakable with their bright legs, chunky plumage, bluebills, and green lines, the Malagasy Pond-Heron are among the most anticipated bird species in Meru.

Madagascar (Malagasy) Pond-Heron

The red-necked falcons are attractive medium-sized birds with long wings, bright rufous crowns, and napes with bluish greys wings and upper parts.

Red-necked Falcon

Large and flightless ostriches are among the birds in Mount Meru. They have long legs and necks protruding from their round bodies.

Ostrich

The brown-backed woodpeckers are small, short-tailed birds with brown backs and white facial streaks framing a dark cheek.

Brown-backed Woodpecker

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Landscape in Mount Meru

With its verdant forests, rolling hills, and majestic mountains, this breathtaking region is the perfect destination for those who love adventure and nature.

A Savanna is a type of vegetation that grows well under seasonally dry climatic conditions. An open tree canopy often distinguishes this landscape type.

Savanna

Evergreen trees generally dominate the montane forest zone of Mt. Meru up to 30 meters high. It houses various plants and animals and furnishes essential natural resources.

Montane Forests

Grasslands are among the important landscapes in Mount Meru. This is where many animals graze freely and fill themselves.

Grasslands

One of the five stunning volcanic calderas within the northern Tanzania region of Arusha, along with Empakaai, Maasai, Ngorongoro, and Olmoti.

Ngurdoto Crater

An ideal location to swim or sit and enjoy a picnic. Jekukumia River is a great spot, and you can enjoy the stunning birdlife Tanzania has to offer.

Jekukumia River

Momella lakes are known for its canoe safaris and endless encounters with Giraffes. A stunning location that comes highly recommended.

Momella Lakes

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Where to stay in Mount Meru

Whether you’re looking for adventure or want some time to relax and recharge, Mount Meru is blessed with several prime accommodation options.

Mount Meru Tours: Our Top Tours in Mount Meru

(Start) JRO Airport1 Day

Arusha National Park Day Tour

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Mount Meru Trek 4 Days

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Mount Meru Trek 3 Days

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Budget Tanzania Tour

Reviews of Mount Meru

Top questions answered for Mount Meru

Mount Meru is unlike anywhere you’ve been before. So, you have questions. We’ve been visiting for decades. So, we have answers.

How to get to Mount Meru?

The best way to get to Mount Meru of Arusha National Park is to fly to Kilimanjaro International Airport, the main entry port for visitors entering northern Tanzania. From there, the airport is a quick 1-hour ride straight to the park.

When to climb Mount Meru?

Mount Meru is climbable year-round. However, if you want excellent trekking conditions and a game-viewing experience, visiting Meru during the dry season is best—from June to October.

The short rainy season (December to February) is also a better time to visit Kili’s little sister.

How many days will I finish climbing Mount Meru?

With a towering height of 4,566 meters (14,980 ft), Mount Meru is a dormant stratovolcano in Arusha National Park, 70 kilometers west of Mount Kilimanjaro. It typically takes four days to complete a trek, but it can be done within three days to finish the climb to the summit.

View: Mount Meru 4 Days itinerary

How hard is it to climb Meru?

If talking about the Nepalese Himalayas, Meru is the world’s most challenging mountain to climb. No one has successfully ascended to the Shark’s Fin, a sheer wall of rock mounting approximately 20,000 feet.

Can I climb Mount Meru without a guide?

Whether you are an experienced climber or a novice, a guide is mandatory when climbing Mount Meru. Easy Travel ensures your whole trip is taken care of so you can focus on getting to the summit.

Our mountain guides are there to help ensure that you climb at a safe pace while making sure you are eating and drinking well throughout the climb.

An armed ranger from the national park will join us on our adventure to ensure protection against wildlife during the climb.

What type of mountain is Mount Meru?

Mount Meru is a volcanic cone with an elevation of 14,978 feet in northern Tanzania. It is 42 miles west-southwest of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Is Meru harder than Everest?

While Mount Everest is the world’s tallest mountain at 29,029 feet, Meru, also in the Himalayas, is the most tricky mountain to climb. No one has successfully made the ascent to its Shark’s Fin—a sheer rock wall that ascends to 20,000 feet.

Why is Meru so hard to climb?

Meru is tough to climb if you aim to reach the Shark’s Fin. It’s ultra-steep that there are ledges that you can’t even put a tent on and have to live in portaledges, hanging there.

The altitude is high, and it is a big wall climbing.

Why is Meru called the anti-Everest?

The Peak of Mount Meru has been called the ‘anti-Everest’ because most climbers revere its technical difficulties, but it remains unknown to the general public.

Where is the exact location of Mount Meru?

Mount Meru is located in northern Tanzania, nestled 42 miles west-southwest of Mount Kilimanjaro.

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Other parks, lakes, and mountains

Mount Meru is a natural gem worth exploring during your visit to Tanzania. See some of your other options below.

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