6-Day Tanzania Machame Route, Trekking Mount Kilimanjaro

• A transfer from the airport can be arranged for an extra cost.
• Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.

Hotel to Machame Gate 1830m to Machame Camp 3050m

Hotel to Machame Gate 1830m/6000ft to Machame Camp 3050m/9950ft
Distance: 11km/7 mi
Hiking Time: 5-6 hours
Habitat: Montane Forest
Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Drive from the hotel to Machame Gate. The journey passes through the village of Machame, which is located on the lower slopes of the mountain.
We depart the park gate and walk through the rainforest on a winding trail up a ridge. At lower elevations, the trail can be muddy and slippery. Gaiters and trekking poles are a good idea here. We continue a short distance until we reach the Machame Camp.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

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

Machame Camp 3050m9950ft to Shira Camp 3850m12600ft

Machame Camp 3050m/9950ft to Shira Camp 3850m/12,600ft
Distance: 5km/3mi
Walking Time: 4-5 hours
Habitat: Moorland

After breakfast, you will start trekking up to the second high-altitude camp, Shira Camp. On this day, you will emerge from the rainforest and, for the first time, be able to see stunning views of the Shira Plateau laid out in front of you. Technically speaking, trekking is not very difficult, but you may feel the changes in altitude, so pay attention to your body and remember that choosing the proper pace is extremely important for good trekking. When you reach the camp, you will have lunch and some rest, after which the group will go on an acclimatization hike towards Lava Tower Camp with a 400 m /1,312 ft gain in altitude. Back down at Shira Camp, you will be served a hot dinner.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

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

Shira Camp to Lava Tower 3850m to Barranco Camp 4000m

Distance: 10km/6 mi
Walking Time: 5-6 hours
Habitat: Semi-desert

After breakfast, you will leave Shira Camp and start your way to the key point of the route: Lava Tower. This section of the route has a lot of ascents and descents that end in a camp at Over Portions of the trek may be difficult, and it is common to experience some discomfort, but in order to successfully acclimate to the altitude, you have to spend at least 1–2 hours here. For this reason, our groups enjoy lunch at the top of Lava Tower.
After lunch, you will descend to Barranco Camp. Here, you can see the famous Barranco Wall, impressive in both its massive size and steepness! The next day, you will be climbing it, but don't worry: it features a very simple hiking trail that is not intimidating at all.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

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

Barranco Camp 4000m to Barafu Camp 4700m

Distance: 9km/6 mi
Hiking Time: 6-8 hours
Habitat: Alpine Desert

Your group will have an early start this morning. After enjoying a filling breakfast, you will begin climbing Barranco Wall. We recommend you leave the camp as early as possible to avoid crowds of the other groups, which can slow you down. Hiking up the gorge wall is not difficult and only takes around an hour. After the climb, you can rest and take photos in front of the Kibo volcano.
Then you start a more difficult hike to Karanga Camp, which features numerous ascents and descents during the route, but don't worry: our guides are experts at choosing an optimal pace for the group. After reaching the camp you will be offered an arm lunch. After a couple of hours, you will have to ascend to Barafu Camp, where you will be served a hot dinner. It is better to spend the remainder of the day resting and sleeping before the night summit.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

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

Barafu Camp 4700m to Summit to Mweka Camp 5895m

Very early in the morning (midnight to 2 am), we continue towards the summit, heading between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. Ascending through heavy scree, we aim for Stella Point on the crater rim, which is the most mentally and physically demanding part of the trek. At Stella Point, we take a short break and are rewarded with an unforgettable sunrise. Faster hikers may reach the summit in time for the sunrise.

From Stella Point, we face snow on the final 1-hour ascent to Uhuru Peak, the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the entire continent of Africa. After celebrating at the summit, we begin our descent, heading directly down to Mweka Camp, stopping for lunch at Barafu. Due to the loose gravel, you may find gaiters and trekking poles helpful. Arriving at Mweka Camp, we’ll enjoy a well-deserved rest on our last evening on the mountain.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

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

Mweka Camp 3090m to Mweka Gate 1680m to Hotel

Distance: 10km/6 mi
Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
Habitat: Forest
We make the final descent through the rainforest to Mweka Gate. Here, we will have lunch and say goodbye to our mountain crew before leaving Mount Kilimanjaro National Park. Drive back to the hotel for a hot shower and a celebratory dinner and overnight. If you’ve chosen to continue on a safari – well, that’s another adventure, and we’ll manage that for you as well!

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

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.