6-Day Hiking Adventure Machame Route

• A transfer from the airport can be arranged for an extra cost.
• Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.

Machame Gate 1800m - Machame Camp 3000m

We will pick you up at your hotel after breakfast where your Guide give you a detailed briefing. At around 09:00, you’ll depart for Machame Gate. Upon arrival, climbers will complete registration formalities at the park office while porters organize supplies and equipment. With your packed picnic lunch in hand, the trek begins — leading you into the lush rainforest that cloaks the mountain’s lower slopes.

Expect occasional rain showers that can make the trail muddy and slippery, adding an authentic adventure feel to the hike. Enjoy a lunch break about halfway up the trail before continuing through giant ferns and moss-covered trees alive with bird calls and monkeys.

By late afternoon, you’ll arrive at Machame Camp, where porters and cooks will have tents set up and dinner prepared. As evening falls, temperatures may drop close to freezing, offering a chilly yet magical night under the stars.

Distance: 11 km | Hiking Time: 5–7 hours | Elevation Gain: +1,200m.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• On Mt Kilimanjaro

Meals & Drinks:

• Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included)
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Machame Camp 3000m - Shira Camp 3840m

After breakfast, begin your ascent with a packed picnic lunch, leaving behind the dense rainforest for the moorland zone. The day starts with a steep climb, taking about 1 hr to reach the top of the forest, where the vegetation gradually thins and giant heathers and volcanic rock dominate the landscape.

The trail then continues at a gentler gradient for about 2 hrs through open moorland, offering stunning views of Shira Ridge ahead. You’ll stop for lunch and a short rest before tackling the final stretch — a rocky ridge that leads up onto the expansive Shira Plateau. Along the way, you’ll enjoy breathtaking views of the Western Breach and its striking glaciers, as well as sweeping vistas across the plains far below.

By mid-afternoon, you’ll arrive at Shira Camp (3,840m), located on a high plateau west of Kibo Peak. As the sun sets, temperatures here can drop well below freezing, so prepare for a cold but serene night.

Distance: 5 km | Hiking Time: 4–6 hours | Elevation Gain: +840m.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• On Mt Kilimanjaro

+2 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Shira Camp 3840m - Lava Tower 4630m - Barranco Camp 3960m

This day is one of the most important for acclimatization — and one of the most rewarding in scenery. After breakfast, the trail gradually turns eastward into a semi-desert, rocky landscape as you approach the Lava Tower. The hike to this point takes about 4hrs, reaching an altitude of 4,630m.

Lunch is served at a designated rest area near Lava Tower. This stretch is often considered the toughest day so far, as the altitude may bring on the first signs of mild altitude sickness. Take it slow, hydrate well.

After lunch, you’ll descend nearly 680 meters down to the Barranco Valley, an essential “climb high, sleep low” acclimatization process. The 2hrs descent offers fantastic photographic opportunities of the Western Breach and the dramatic Breach Wall.

Late afternoon, you’ll arrive at Barranco Camp, as the sun sets, a perfect backdrop as you relax and enjoy dinner.

Distance: 10 km | Hiking Time: 6–8 hours | Elevation: Up to 4,630m, then down to 3,960m.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• On Mt Kilimanjaro

+3 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Barranco Camp 3960m - Karanga Camp 4035m - Barafu Camp 4640m

After an early breakfast, this morning starts with an exhilarating scramble up the Great Barranco Wall, a steep but rewarding ascent that offers incredible panoramic views once you reach the top. Though it looks intimidating, the climb is non-technical and often easier than expected — a true highlight of the Machame Route.

From the summit of the wall, the trail meanders through a series of ridges and valleys, descending into the Karanga Valley before climbing back out to reach Karanga Camp, where you’ll enjoy a well-earned rest and lunch. The journey continues as the path merges with the Mweka Route, used later for descent, before turning steadily uphill toward Barafu Camp (4,640m).

You will arrive at Barafu Camp by mid to late afternoon. This is your final camp before the summit push. Spend the evening resting, preparing your gear, and eating an early dinner before the midnight ascent to Uhuru Peak begins.

Distance: 9 km | Hiking Time: 7–9 hours | Elevation Gain: +680m.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• On Mt Kilimanjaro

+5 Photos

+4 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Barafu Camp 4640m - Uhuru Peak 5895m - Mweka Camp 3100m

Today is the summit day. After a light breakfast, you’ll begin your ascent around midnight, heading in a north-westerly direction over steep, rocky scree toward Stella Point (5,685m) on the crater rim. This 6 hr climb is both mentally and physically challenging, testing endurance and determination as you push through the cold, thin air.

At Stella Point, you'll take a short rest and witness one of the most breathtaking sights on Earth — the sunrise over Africa. From here, it’s a gradual 2 hr trek along the snowy crater rim to Uhuru Peak (5,895m), the highest point in Africa.

Celebrate your incredible achievement at the summit, take memorable photos, and soak in the view. You’ll then begin your descent back to Barafu Camp, taking about 3 hours. After a short, well-deserved rest and a meal, continue descending through the changing landscapes to Mweka Camp (3,100m) for your final night on the mountain.

Distance: 17 km | Hiking Time: 10–14 hours | Elevation Gain: +1,255m, then -2,795m.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• On Mt Kilimanjaro

+2 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Mweka Camp 3100m - Mweka Gate 1640m - Arusha

After an early breakfast, begin your final descent through the lush montane forest. The trail is short and scenic, taking about 3 hrs down to Mweka Gate (1,640m). Enjoy the change in scenery as you descend from the alpine landscape into dense greenery alive with bird songs and the rustle of colobus monkeys.

At the gate, you’ll sign the climbers’ register before receiving your summit certificates from Kilimanjaro National Park officials — a proud memento of your incredible journey. Climbers who reached Stella Point (5,685m) receive a green certificate, while those who stood on Uhuru Peak (5,895m) are awarded the gold certificate for conquering Africa’s highest summit.

From Mweka Gate, continue on foot for about 3 km (1 hr) to Mweka Village, where your driver will be waiting to transfer you back to Arusha to tour hotel.

Distance: 10 km | Hiking Time: 3–4 hours | Elevation Loss: -1,460m.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included)
• Non-alcoholic drinks

• Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.
• A transfer back to the airport can be arranged for an extra cost.