6-Day Machame Route Experience

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

Machame gate

Your Kilimanjaro climb begins with a drive to the Machame Gate where registration and park formalities are completed. After meeting your mountain crew and checking the gear, you start hiking through a beautiful rainforest filled with giant trees, ferns, and colorful birds.
The trail is often steep and can be muddy, especially after rain. Along the way, you may spot monkeys swinging through the trees and enjoy your packed lunch surrounded by nature. As you gain altitude, the forest thins out and the scenery opens up with the first views of the summit. By late afternoon, you reach Machame Camp, set in a clearing above the forest. Here, you’ll rest, enjoy a warm dinner prepared by your chef, and get a briefing for the next day’s trek under the starry African sky.

Main Destination:

Machame Gate (Mt Kilimanjaro)

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Machame camp to shira cave

After a good night at Machame Camp, you begin Day 2 with breakfast before hiking from the rainforest into heath and moorland. The trail passes bamboo groves and tropical forest, opening to heather, wildflowers, and stunning views. As the air becomes thinner and cooler, your guide helps you acclimatize. Midway, enjoy a rest stop with snacks and photos before continuing onto the Shira Plateau, a dramatic area of volcanic rock and high-altitude flora, offering some of the best photo opportunities on the Machame Route.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Shira cave to baranco camp

Shira Cave – Baranco via Lava Tower

Today you trek from Shira Cave (3,500m) through alpine desert to Lava Tower (4,630m), one of the most scenic points on the Machame Route. The climb is an important acclimatization stop, helping your body adjust to higher altitude while you enjoy breathtaking views of Kilimanjaro’s glaciers, ridges, and the plains below. After a rest and snacks at Lava Tower, you begin a gradual descent to Baranco Camp (3,950m), situated at the base of the famous Baranco Wall.

The camp is surrounded by dramatic rock formations and offers a sheltered spot to relax, take photos, and prepare for the next day’s climb. Today combines challenging hiking, stunning volcanic landscapes, and essential altitude training, making it a memorable highlight of your journey.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Baranco camp to barafu base camp

Baranco Camp – Barafu Base Camp (3,950m – 4,600m)
you begin by climbing the famous Baranco Wall, a steep but rewarding scramble that offers spectacular panoramic views of valleys, ridges, and volcanic formations. This section is one of the highlights of the Machame Route and provides a real sense of adventure.
After descending into Karanga Valley, a beautiful high-altitude area with unique alpine vegetation, you continue the steady ascent to Barafu Base Camp (4,600m). The terrain here is rocky and stark, typical of the alpine desert zone, with minimal vegetation but incredible views of Kilimanjaro’s glaciers and surrounding peaks.
Barafu Base Camp is the staging point for the summit climb, so arrival here is crucial for rest, hydration, and preparing your gear. Your porters will have tents ready, and your cook will serve a warm meal. Spending the night at Barafu is essential for acclimatization, helping your body adjust to extreme altitude before the midnight summit push to Uhuru Peak.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Uhuru peak to mweka camp

Summit Night – Barafu Base Camp (4,600m) to Uhuru Peak (5,895m) and Descent to Mweka Camp (3,100m)
The ultimate day begins with a midnight start from Barafu Base Camp. Hiking by headlamp through the cold, dark alpine desert, you follow your guide at a slow, steady pace to Uhuru Peak (5,895m). This climb is challenging due to extreme altitude, steep slopes, and low oxygen, but the reward is reaching the roof of Africa at sunrise. From the summit, enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of Kilimanjaro’s glaciers, valleys, and distant landscapes—an unforgettable moment.

After a short rest and photos, you descend to Barafu for a snack and then continue down through alpine desert, moorland, and rainforest to Mweka Camp (3,100m). Along the way, you pass through changing ecosystems, witness unique flora, and reflect on the accomplishment of summiting Africa’s highest peak. At Mweka, enjoy a warm meal and a well-earned rest.

Main Destination:

Uhuru Peak (Mt Kilimanjaro)

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Mweka camp to moshi town

On your final day, you descend from Mweka Camp through the lush rainforest back toward the Mweka Gate. The hike is downhill, often muddy and steep in places, so trekking poles and good hiking boots are essential. Along the way, enjoy the tranquil rainforest, vibrant birdlife, and occasional monkey sightings, offering a peaceful contrast to the challenging summit climb.

Upon reaching Mweka Gate, you’ll complete your descent registration and receive your Kilimanjaro summit certificate, a lasting memento of your incredible achievement. From the gate, you’ll be transferred by vehicle back to Moshi Town or your lodge, where a warm shower, celebratory meal, and rest await.

This final day allows you to reflect on your climb, enjoy the changing scenery from high-altitude forest to tropical lowlands, and celebrate the successful summit with your guides and fellow climbers. It’s a rewarding conclusion to your Kilimanjaro adventure.

Highlights:.

Main Destination:

Moshi (Town)

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.
• You'll be dropped off at the airport.