Kilimanjaro Expedition Via Scenic Machame Route

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

Day 1
Machame Gate to Machame Camp
1 stop
1
Mount Kilimanjaro
One hour’s drive from Moshi to Machame gate, where we complete park formalities, meet the crew of porters, and start to climb. The first section of the route climbs steadily and passes through magnificent, dense rainforest. This path is less well-trodden, so it can get somewhat overgrown in places, and it is often wet and muddy underfoot. Elevation: 1790m to 3010m Hiking Time: 5-7 hours Distance: 11 km (6.8 miles) Difficulty: Moderate Habitat: Rainforest
7 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 2
Machame Camp to Shira Camp
1 stop
2
Mount Kilimanjaro
Your route continues on up through the forest until we reach the steep ascent onto the Shira Plateau, where there are rewarding views of the mountain. Looking back, you will be able to see Mt Meru rising high above Arusha town in the distance. Elevation: 3010m to 3845m Hiking Time: 4-6 hours Distance: 5 km (3.1 miles) Difficulty: Moderate Habitat: Moorland
6 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 3
Shira Camp to Barranco Camp
1 stop
3
Mount Kilimanjaro
Walking now on high moorland, the landscape 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. Elevation: 3845m to 3960m Hiking Time: 6-8 hours Distance: 10 km (6.2 miles) Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult Habitat: High Moorland
8 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 4
Barranco Camp to Barafu Camp
1 stop
4
Mount Kilimanjaro
Your day starts 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, which is your last stop for fresh water before the summit. Scree now forms the terrain as we walk through arid and desolate land towards Barafu Camp. Elevation: 3960m to 4640m Hiking Time: 7-9 hours Distance: 9 km (5.6 miles) Difficulty: Difficult Habitat: Alpine Desert
9 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 5
Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak & down to Millennium Camp
1 stop
5
Mount Kilimanjaro
We start off at around midnight and walk steeply upwards to the summit glaciers. We will be climbing scree for 4 to 5 hours but gain incredible height over a short distance. The views are spectacular. We should be on the crater rim at Stella Point (5739m) as the first rays of the sun hit us. Spectacular ice cliffs within the crater surround us and the views to jagged Mawenzi peak and beyond are breathtaking. Another hour’s walking takes us to the summit, Uhuru Peak (5895m). We begin the descent by returning to Stella Point and then descending on the scree slope and track back to Barafu Camp for breakfast, before finally heading down to Millennium Camp for a long well-earned rest. Elevation: 4640m to 5895m (then down to 3790m) Hiking Time: 11-14 hours Distance: 17 km (10.5 miles) Difficulty: Very Difficult Habitat: Arctic Summit and Alpine Desert
14 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 6
Millennium Camp to Mweka Gate
1 stop
6
Mount Kilimanjaro
A gentle trek takes us down through the rainforest to Mweka Gate, where we complete park formalities and receive certificates, which you can hang up with pride! We are then met by the vehicles and return to the hotel in Moshi, where you can treat yourself to a welcome hot shower. Elevation: 3790m to 1630m Hiking Time: 4-5 hours Distance: 12 km (7.5 miles) Difficulty: Moderate Habitat: Rainforest
5 hours • Admission ticket included

Additional info

• Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

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