7-Day Comfort Kilimanjaro Climb 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.

Machame Gate to Machame Camp

Your adventure begins with a transfer from your hotel to Machame Gate, passing through coffee farms and lush banana plantations of Machame Village. After registration and meeting your mountain crew, you’ll start trekking through thick rainforest alive with exotic bird calls and occasional colobus monkey sightings.
The path is humid and sometimes muddy, climbing steadily until you emerge into a clearing where Machame Camp sits just above the forest line.

• Elevation: 1,800 m → 3,000 m
• Distance: ~11 km
• Hiking Time: 5–7 hours
• Habitat: Rainforest.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Machame Camp to Shira Camp

Leaving the rainforest, you enter the open moorland zone with sweeping views of Kilimanjaro’s peaks. The trail ascends along ridges, passing giant heather and volcanic rock formations.
By midday, you’ll reach the Shira Plateau, an expansive high-altitude desert with panoramic views over the plains below. Shira Camp sits in a stunning location with Kibo Peak dominating the skyline.

• Elevation: 3,000 m → 3,840 m
• Distance: ~5 km
• Hiking Time: 4–6 hours
• Habitat: Moorland.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Shira Camp to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp

Today focuses on acclimatization as you ascend gradually toward Lava Tower (4,630 m), a dramatic volcanic plug and your first extended stay at high altitude. After lunch with sweeping views of glaciers and rugged terrain, the trail descends into the Barranco Valley, where unique high-altitude plants like giant senecio and lobelia create a surreal alpine setting. You reach Barranco Camp (3,960 m), nestled beneath the towering Barranco Wall, and enjoy stunning sunset views of the glowing wall and distant glaciers. Distance ~10 km, 6–8 hours, semi-desert to alpine habitat.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp

Today’s journey starts with the exhilarating climb up the Barranco Wall, one of the most memorable sections of the Machame Route. Though it looks imposing, the ascent is non-technical, offering rewarding views of Mount Meru, the Shira Plateau, and the Heim Glacier once at the top. The trail then meanders through ridges and valleys, crossing small streams and showcasing the mountain’s diverse alpine scenery.
After a steep descent into Karanga Valley, you’ll make a final climb to Karanga Camp, situated at 3,995 meters with stunning views of Kilimanjaro’s upper slopes. This shorter day provides valuable acclimatization time, allowing you to rest and prepare for the higher elevations ahead

• Elevation: 3,960 m → 4,035 m
• Distance: ~6 km
• Hiking Time: 4–5 hours
• Habitat: Alpine desert.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp

After breakfast at Karanga Camp, you begin a steady climb across the alpine desert, where vegetation fades into a stark, rocky landscape with sweeping views of Mawenzi Peak and Kibo’s icy summit. The manageable incline allows you to save energy for the night’s summit push. By midday, you reach Barafu Camp (4,673 m), perched on a windswept ridge overlooking glaciers and valleys. “Barafu,” meaning “ice” in Swahili, is your final base before the summit. The afternoon is for rest, hydration, and preparation. As the sun sets over the plains below, you’ll have an early dinner before heading to bed for a few hours of sleep, ready for the midnight ascent to Uhuru Peak.

• Elevation: 4,035 m → 4,640 m
• Distance: ~4 km
• Hiking Time: 3–4 hours
• Habitat: Alpine desert.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp

Begin your summit attempt between midnight and 2:00 am. The climb to Stella Point (5,756 m) is steep and demanding, illuminated only by headlamps. Witness the sunrise over Mawenzi Peak—a breathtaking moment—before continuing along the crater rim to Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa.
After photos and celebrations, descend back to Barafu Camp for a brief rest, then continue to Mweka Camp for your final night on the mountain.

• Elevation: 4,640 m → 5,895 m → 3,100 m
• Distance: ~17 km
• Hiking Time: 11–14 hours
• Habitat: Arctic → Rainforest.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate

Descend through the rainforest to Mweka Gate, where you’ll receive your summit certificate. Enjoy the warmer air, vibrant vegetation, and sense of accomplishment.
From the gate, transfer to your hotel for a hot shower, celebratory meal, and well-deserved rest.

• Elevation: 3,100 m → 1,640 m
• Distance: ~10 km
• Hiking Time: 3–4 hours
• Habitat: Rainforest.

Main Destination:

Mount Kilimanjaro

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

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