6-Day Mount Kilimanjaro Trekking Machame/Whiskey Route

• You'll be collected from the airport.
• Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.

Arusha to Machame Gate - Machame Camp

In the morning, depart from your base hotel and drive to Machame Village, the starting point of your Kilimanjaro adventure. The trail starts gently, leading you through a dense rainforest filled with fig and rubber trees, begonias, and other tropical plants. After about two to three hours of walking, you’ll stop for a picnic lunch halfway to camp. As you continue ascending, the tropical forest gradually gives way to tall grasses and giant heather. You’ll follow a ridge between two streams — Semira to the left and Weru Weru to the right.
Depending on your pace, you will reach Machame Camp between 5:00 PM and 6:00 PM, where your camp will already be set up near old metal huts once used as shelters.
This initial stage is tranquil and relatively easy, and your guide will encourage a slow pace for proper acclimatization. Don’t try to keep up with the porters — instead, take time to enjoy the sights and sounds of the rainforest.
Hiking time: 5–7 hours | Distance: 11 km | Habitat: Rainforest.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Machame Camp to Shira Camp

After breakfast, begin a steep climb through moorland vegetation, leaving the forest behind. The trail opens to wide vistas with stunning views of Shira Plateau and Mount Meru in the distance.
You will take your time ascending, passing through rocky ridges and open heather fields. The air grows cooler and thinner, signaling the change in altitude. Lunch is served en route before reaching Shira Camp, located on a high plateau.
By late afternoon, the clouds often part to reveal Kibo Peak, offering your first full view of Kilimanjaro’s summit dome. Enjoy a warm dinner and an early night’s rest.
Overnight: Shira Camp (12,300 ft / 3,750m)
Hiking time: 4–6 hours | Distance: 5 km | Habitat: Moorland.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Shira Camp to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp

This is an important acclimatization day. The route gradually climbs toward the Lava Tower, a striking volcanic rock formation standing 100 meters high. You’ll reach an altitude of 4,600m, where you stop for lunch and rest, allowing your body to adjust to the thin air. Afterward, descend slowly to Barranco Camp, located in a sheltered valley below the imposing Barranco Wall. The descent helps your body adapt, a key to increasing your summit success rate.
Enjoy the magnificent scenery of glaciers, strange-looking senecio trees, and the dramatic southern ice fields of Kibo.
Overnight: Barranco Camp (13,000 ft / 3,960m)
Hiking time: 6–8 hours | Distance: 10 km | Habitat: Semi-desert.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Barranco camp to Karanga Valley to Barafu camp

After breakfast, begin your ascent of the Barranco Wall, an exhilarating but non-technical climb that offers breathtaking views of the valley below. Once at the top, the trail undulates across a series of ridges before descending into the Karanga Valley, where you’ll stop for lunch. From Karanga, continue ascending steadily toward Barafu Camp, set on a barren ridge overlooking the southeastern valleys. The camp’s name means “ice” in Swahili — a fitting description for this cold, windswept landscape. At Barafu, rest, hydrate, and prepare your gear for the summit attempt. Your guides will brief you on the night’s climb to Uhuru Peak.
Overnight: Barafu Camp (15,350 ft / 4,670m)
Hiking time: 7–9 hours | Distance: 13 km | Habitat: Alpine desert.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp

You will wake up around midnight for a light snack before beginning the final push to the summit under the starlit sky.
The trail ascends through volcanic scree toward Stella Point (5,739m), reached after 5–7 hours of determined climbing. A short rest and a hot drink at Stella Point will refresh you before the final hour’s walk along the crater rim to Uhuru Peak (5,895m) — the Roof of Africa!
Take in the incredible sunrise and panoramic views of glaciers and the African plains below. After photos and celebrations, begin your descent back to Barafu Camp for a short rest and brunch, then continue down to Mweka Camp for your final night on the mountain.
Overnight: Mweka Camp (10,200 ft / 3,100m)
Hiking time: 10–14 hours total | Distance: 17 km | Habitat: Arctic to rainforest transition.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate Out

After breakfast, continue your descent through lush rainforest filled with ferns, lichens, and colorful birdlife. Upon arrival at Mweka Gate, you’ll receive your well-earned summit certificates.
Your vehicle will be waiting to take you back to your hotel in Moshi or Arusha, where a hot shower and a well-deserved rest await.
Hiking time: 3–4 hours | Distance: 10 km | Habitat: Rainforest.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

• Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.
• You'll be dropped off at the airport.