7-Day Kilimanjaro Climb by 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.

Moshi town to Machame Gate (1490m) - Machame camp (2980m)

Hiking time: 7 hours.
Distance: About 18 kms.
Habitat: Montane forest.
Elevation change: + 1490 m

Depart 9am from the hotel where you are staying, and drive 1 hour to Machame gate. Registration. Start ascent with day pack and enter rainforest. Be prepared for rain and mud, take umbrella and gaiters. Lunch stop enroute. Reach campsite mid afternoon for rest, meals and socialising.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

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

Machame camp (2980m) - Shira campsite (3840m)

Hiking time: 6 hours
Distance: About 9 kms.
Habitat: Moorland.
Elevation change: + 860 m
Bed tea and breakfast at about 7am, and depart campsite around 8.30am. The thick forest gives way to lighter forest and eventually the huge volcanic Shira plateau where the new camp is set up. Expect a mixture of weather and a steeper gradient initially.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

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

Shira camp (3840m) - Barranco camp (3950 m)

Hiking time: 6 hours
Distance: About 15 kms
Habitat: High desert.
Elevation change: + 790 m, - 680 m
Final Elevation: 3950 m

A long hard day going up to the high point of 4500m at Lava Tower for lunch and then a descent down to Barranco. Expect a wide range of weather and be prepared for hot sunshine and heavy rain showers and wind.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

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

Barranco Hut (3950 m) to Karanga Valley Camp (4200 m)

Hiking time: 3 hours
Distance: About 7 km's
Habitat: Alpine desert
Elevation change: + 250 m

The morning starts with a scramble up the Barranco Wall to an altitude of about 4200m which is an exciting part of the climb, and then further contouring round the mountain to Karanga Valley. This will be your third night at a similar altitude so expect to feel a lot better by now.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

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

Karanga Valley (4200 m) to Barafu camp (4600 m)

Hiking time: 3 hours
Distance: About 6 km's
Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped.
Elevation change: + 400 m

A shorter walk but an ascent of just over 500m to the last camp of the mountain. Barafu means ice in Swahili but there is none there now, however it is windy and exposed and rocky. Move slowly, drink a lot and prepare for the summit night start.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

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

Barafu camp (4550m) - Uhuru Peak (5895m) - Mweka (3100m)

Hiking time: 6 hours to reach Uhuru Peak.
5 - 7 hours to descend to Mweka.
Distance: About 7 km's ascent - 23 km's descent.
Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit.
Elevation change: + 1345 m, - 2795 m
Final Elevation: 3100 m

Wake up around 2330 and after some tea and biscuits start the 8 hour climb to Uhuru peak. Expect many hours of rocky paths which can be icy and snow covered depending on the season and weather. A headtorch and hot drink with snacks is essential. The last section to the crater rim is especially hard because of the soft volcanic ash but after this point called Stella, it's about one more hour to the summit.

The descent is much quicker of course but be careful of slipping on loose rocks. Back at camp stop for a lunch and then head down to Mweka Camp which is at the rainforest level again.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

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

Mweka camp (3100m) - Mweka Gate (1980m)

Hiking time: 5 hours.
Distance: About 15 km's
Habitat: Forest
Elevation change: - 1120 m

After breakfast follow the easy path all the way back through the forest to the park gate. There you will need to sign out of the park and receive your certificate if you have summitted, and then have a snack lunch and take our transport back to Moshi.

Main Destination:

Moshi (Town)

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

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