The Machame route can be done in minimum 6 days but a 7 days trek is recommended to allow climbers been well rested and acclimatized before making the final ascent to the summit.
On this Day, you will be picked up at the Kilimanjaro International Airport and transferred to your arranged Hotel in Moshi or Arusha, you will meet your guide for trek briefing and equipment check. Any missing mountain gear can be rented on this day.
Day 2: Machame Gate (1790m) to Machame Camp (3010m) Less than two hours’ drive from Moshi or Arusha to Machame gate, at the gate, we will finish all park procedures, you will meet our crew of porters and ready to start climb. The first section of the route climbs steadily and passes through magnificent, dense rainforest. Machame route is less used so it can get somewhat dense in places and it is often wet and muddy underfoot.
You will continue hiking up through the forest until we reach the steep ascent onto the Shira Plateau, where there are pleasing sights of the mountain. You will be able to see Mt. Meru rising high above Arusha town in the distance.
You will be walking now on high upland; the scenery changes the entire character of the trek. We traverse the southwest side of Kilimanjaro, passing underneath the Lava Tower and the final section of the Western Breach and finally reach camp. The day has been spent at altitude (up to 4600m), but we have followed the mountaineering code of ‘walk high, sleep low’ to aid your body’s acclimatization to altitude. Distance covered: 10.8km / 6.7mi
On Day 5 will start by descending into the Great Barranco, a huge ravine. We then exit steeply, up the Great Barranco Wall, which divides us from the southeastern slopes of Kibo. It’s a climb over rock, not technical, but long and tiring. Passing underneath the Heim and Kersten glaciers, we head towards the Karanga valley, where you will stop for fresh water before the summit. You will walk through arid and desolate land towards Barafu camp.
We start walking in a high standing route uphill around midnight to the summit glaciers. We will be climbing scree for 4 to 5 hours but gain unbelievable height over a short distance. The views are amazing here and we should be on the crater rim at Stella Point (5739m) as the first rays of the sun hit us. Remarkable ice cliffs within the crater surround us and the views to jagged Mawenzi peak and beyond are magnificent. About an hour walking takes us to the summit, Uhuru Peak (5895m). We begin our descent by returning to Stella Point and then descending on scree slope and track back to Barafu Camp for breakfast, before finally heading down to Mweka Camp for a long well-earned rest.
A gentle trek takes us down through the rainforest to Mweka Gate, where we complete park procedures and obtain your certificate. We are then back to our car ready to return to the hotel in Arusha or Moshi, where you can treat yourself to a welcome shower and celebrate your achievements.
The day is left free to relax and finalize your preparation after the trek before flying back home. Subjected to your flight time, you could go and explore Arusha or Moshi town, grab some souvenirs before heading to the airport. Your driver will be ready to take you to the airport.
If you cancel at least 6 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.
If you cancel between 2 and 6 day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a 50% refund.
If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.
Your guide to the flawless travel experience