7-Day Machame Excellence Ultimate Trek to Uhuru Peak

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

Machame Gate to Machame Camp

The journey begins with a drive from Moshi to the Machame Gate, where you complete park registration before entering the spectacular montane rainforest. The trek involves a steady ascent of about 11 kilometers, taking 5 to 7 hours through a lush canopy draped with moss and home to exotic birds and Colobus monkeys. You will reach Machame Camp, situated at the edge of the forest zone at 2,835 meters, in time to enjoy your first evening meal on the mountain as the air begins to cool.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• on Mt Kilimanjaro

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Machame Camp to Shira 2 Camp

After an early breakfast, you leave the forest behind and ascend a steep, rocky ridge onto the Shira Plateau, entering the moorland climate zone. This 5-kilometer trek takes approximately 4 to 6 hours and offers your first clear, unobstructed views of the Kibo peak and the Western Breach. You will cross several streams and navigate through a landscape of volcanic rock and giant heather before reaching Shira 2 Camp at 3,850 meters, where the vastness of the plateau provides a stunning backdrop for the sunset.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• on Mt Kilimanjaro

+2 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Shira 2 Camp to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp

This is a critical day for acclimatization as you follow the "climb high, sleep low" principle by ascending to the base of the Lava Tower at 4,600 meters. The 10-kilometer trek takes about 6 to 8 hours across an alpine desert landscape, challenging your body with higher altitudes before descending into the beautiful Barranco Valley. Although you end the day at nearly the same elevation you started, the ascent to the tower triggers vital physiological changes that will prepare you for the final summit push.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• on Mt Kilimanjaro

+3 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp

The day starts with a thrilling scramble up the Great Barranco Wall, a massive rock face that requires using your hands for balance but rewards you with breathtaking views from the top. After conquering the wall, the trail leads through a series of hills and valleys for about 5 kilometers, taking 4 to 5 hours to reach Karanga Camp at 3,995 meters. This shorter trekking day is the "bonus" day in the 7-day itinerary, providing essential rest and further acclimatization before the final approach to the base camp.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• on Mt Kilimanjaro

+2 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp

Leaving Karanga Camp, the trail joins the Mweka Route and ascends through the cold, desolate alpine desert toward the Barafu Ridge. This 4-kilometer trek takes roughly 4 to 5 hours, leading you to Barafu Camp at 4,673 meters, which serves as the "base camp" for the summit attempt. You will arrive in the early afternoon, allowing time to rest, prepare your summit gear, and have an early dinner before attempting to get a few hours of sleep before the midnight departure.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• on Mt Kilimanjaro

+5 Photos

+4 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Summit Night and Descent to Mweka Camp

The summit bid begins around midnight with a mentally and physically demanding ascent over heavy scree toward Stella Point on the crater rim. After reaching the rim at dawn, you continue for another hour to Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa at 5,895 meters, where you can witness a spectacular sunrise over the glaciers. After celebrating your achievement, you begin a long descent back to Barafu Camp for a short rest and then continue down to Mweka Camp at 3,100 meters, concluding a monumental 12 to 15 hours of trekking.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• on Mt Kilimanjaro

+2 Photos

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate

On the final day, you complete your descent through the tropical rainforest, enjoying the increased oxygen and warmer temperatures as you head toward the Mweka Gate. This 10-kilometer walk takes about 3 to 4 hours and is a time for celebration with your mountain crew and fellow trekkers. At the gate, you will sign out of the national park, receive your official gold summit certificate, and be transferred back to your hotel for a long-awaited shower and a celebratory dinner.

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