7-Day Machame Route Trekking

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

Machame Gate-Machame Camp

After your morning meal, your guide will brief you. At 9 am, our team will transport you from your Moshi hotel to Machame Village. There, your guides and porters will organize your gear and provisions. You'll also receive a packed lunch and have the chance to buy bottled water for the day ahead. If the road permits, we'll drive you to Machame Gate. If it's too muddy, it's about a one-hour walk of 3 km to the gate. Following registration at the Kilimanjaro Park Office, your journey into the rainforest begins. Make sure you have sturdy footwear, trekking poles, and gaiters; they'll be invaluable on damp trails. You'll break for lunch halfway up and reach Machame Camp by late afternoon.

Main Destination:

Machame Gate (Mt Kilimanjaro)

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

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

Machame Camp-Shira1

You'll rise early to enjoy breakfast and prepare for the day's trek. Starting with a pleasant hour-long hike through rainforest clearings, your journey will then take you upward into the expansive moorlands, where vegetation thins to small shrubs. After two hours of trekking across the moorland, you'll pause for lunch and a brief rest before ascending further onto the Shira Plateau. Here, you'll catch your initial glimpse of the Western Breach and its breathtaking glaciers. Continuing westward, you'll reach the Shira Campsite. Once again, the porters will provide boiled water for drinking and washing before serving dinner. Shira Camp, being exposed, tends to be significantly colder, with temperatures dropping below freezing.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Shira 1-Lawa Tower

Following breakfast and packing, your journey commences with an eastward trek along a steep path, ascending above Kilimanjaro's remaining vegetation. After 5-6 hours of trekking, you'll arrive at the iconic Lava Tower (15,190 ft/ 3,950 m). Here, you'll pause for lunch and take advantage of additional acclimatization time before descending for 2 hours below the Western Breach to reach Barranco Camp. Day 3's hike presents numerous breathtaking photo opportunities, especially if the cliffs are adorned with ice. While awaiting dinner, seize the chance to witness one of the most unforgettable sunsets as the sun sinks into the valley. Remain attentive to your body's signals and promptly communicate any symptoms of altitude sickness to your guide.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Barranco Camp-Karanga Camp

After sleeping below the Great Barranco Wall, you'll get your chance to tackle this hurdle. Don’t worry. It’s much easier than it looks. You'll continue up until you reach just below the Heim Glacier. Then, you'll head down through the Karanga Valley. This is the last place for your porters to gather water. They will collect all the water for the remainder of the ascent here. You will settle in here at the Karanga Camp. After lunch, you can spend the afternoon doing light exploring or resting while taking in the views of Mawenzi’s towering spires.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Karanga Camp-Barafu Camp

After breakfast, you’ll head east, crossing over multiple ridges and valleys until you join up with the Mweka Route and turn left to continue up the ridge for an hour to reach the Barafu Hut. You will arrive at camp to find your tent pitched on a rocky ridge with high winds. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the camp before dark to be safe. Also, have your headlamp/flashlight handy if you need to leave the tent after dark. You will prepare your equipment (replace batteries for headlamp and camera) before you go to bed by 7 pm and try to catch a few hours of shuteye before your summit attempt!

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Barafu Camp-Uhuru Peak

Ascending toward the peak, Barafu Camp marks a pivotal stage in your journey. Enduring a 6-hour climb across rugged scree, navigating numerous switchbacks amidst the Ratzel and Rebmann glaciers, you'll eventually reach Stella Point (18,650 ft/5,685 m). This leg of the trek is widely regarded as the most demanding by seasoned climbers. Depending on your pace, you might be fortunate enough to witness the breathtaking sunrise during a brief respite here. Despite the fatigue, continuous movement is imperative due to the harsh cold. At Stella Point, you merge with the final stretch of the Marangu Route. Trekking along the rim for an additional 1-2 hours leads you to your ultimate triumph: Uhuru Peak. Congratulations, you now stand atop the Roof of Africa! Take the time to immortalize the moment with photographs beside the renowned Uhuru Peak sign, but prioritize the initiation of your descent to ensure ample rest at Barafu Camp.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Mweka Camp-Mweka Gate

You'll wake up for breakfast, as usual, pack, and descend through a short, scenic, 3-hour hike to Mweka Gate. Wait until you and all of your gear have reached the gate before you tip your staff. After registering at the gate, you will wait to receive your summit certificates (green for those who reached Stella Point and gold for those who reached Uhuru Peak). From the gate, if the road is too muddy for vehicles, you will continue your hike for 1 hour to the Mweka Village, 3 km away. There you will enjoy a hot lunch before being driven back to Moshi where you can have your first hot shower in days!

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.