Mount Meru
Mount Meru (4566m) is one of Africa’s most beautiful volcanoes, it is the second-highest mountain in Tanzania after Kilimanjaro it is also the fifth-highest in Africa.
Is one of the volcanic mountains in which much of its bulk was lost about 7,800 years ago due to a summit collapse.
Mount Meru most recently had a minor eruption in 1910. The several small cones and craters seen in the vicinity probably reflect numerous episodes of volcanic activity. Mount Meru’s caldera is 2.2 miles (3.5 km) wide.
Mount Meru is located in Arusha National Park, In order to climb Mount Meru, you must get inside Arusha National Park where you meet rangers who will escort you to the last camp and way down back to the park gate.
The trekkers of this mountain will get the opportunity to see different wildlife as well as enjoy nature and the sense of remoteness and solitude is much stronger than on the more famous peak nearby.
The mountain is the centerpiece of Arusha National Park and its fertile slopes rise above the surrounding savanna and support a forest that hosts diverse wildlife, including nearly 400 species of birds, and also monkeys, and leopards.
Trekkers have the opportunity to see a lot of wildlife as they approach and climb the mountain.
The Momella route which starts at Momella gate, on the eastern side of the mountain is used to climb Mount Meru. Some people say that Meru is actually more challenging, and for sure it is much quieter.
The ascent is quite steep in places and the route to the summit passes over a number of streams, moving through grasslands, tropical rainforest, alpine meadows, moorlands, and desert uplands to snow and ice.
The summit is reached by a narrow, barren ridge, which provides stunning views of the Ash Cone lying several hundred feet below in the crater.
Mount Meru can be combined with the Mount Kilimanjaro climb. Most people prefer Mount Meru for acclimatization before accepting the challenge to climb Mount Kilimanjaro (5895 meters).
But also visiting other destinations around the county is quite the best option to add to your vacation list while exploring Tanzania.