Mount Meru

Size: at 4,5685m, the fifth highest in Africa.
Location: Northern Tanzania, near Arusha Town.

Mount Meru is one of Africa's most beautiful volcanoes, and it is the second highest mountain in Tanzania. The mountain is located within Arusha National Park, Tanzania’s safari centre. This prime location gives climbers the opportunity to spot some of the birds and wildlife that inhabit the area. The ascend is quite steep, the route to the summit passes over streams, through parkland, forest, a giant heather zone and moorland. When climbing Mount Meru, the summit is reached by a narrow, barren ridge, which provides stunning views of the Ash Cone lying several thousand feet below in the crater. Weather permitting, Mount Kilimanjaro can be seen in the West. Mount Meru most recently had a minor eruption about a century ago. The several small cones and craters seen in the vicinity probably reflect numerous episodes of volcanic activity.

Mount Meru is the topographic centerpiece of Arusha National Park. Its fertile slopes rise above the surrounding savannah and support a forest that hosts diverse wildlife, including nearly 400 species of birds, and also monkeys and leopards.

Clearest and warmest conditions from December to February, but also dry (and colder) from July-September. The best time to climb Meru is between October and February. But also June to September, while it is colder then.