7 Days Machame Route

Day 1: Arrival At The Airport

After arrival at the airport (Kilimanjaro / Arusha), your private driver guide will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to your accommodation for dinner and overnight awaiting for your departure on the following day. Your safari guide will meet you at your accommodation for the briefing and equipment checkup.

Day 2: Arusha To Machame Gate (1800m) - Machame Camp (2850m)

• Hiking time: 5 hours

• Distance: About 7 km’s

• Habitat: Montane forest

Early in the morning we drive to Machame gate which takes about 90 minutes. You will have lunch at the gate. You start your ascent and enter the rain forest almost immediately. There is a strong possibility of rain in the forest, which will transform the trail into a very soggy, muddy and slippery experience. Most of the time porters and cook happens to reach to the camping site before you for preparation of meals as well as setting of tents. Sometime weather condition in the night temperatures can drop at Machame campsite.

Day 3: Machame Camp (2850m) - Shira Cave (3750m)

• Hiking time: 5 hours

• Distance: About 7 km’s

• Habitat: Moorland

Early in the morning after breakfast, the day is spent to reach Shira cave (3750 m) where you will have hot lunch. The night at this bare camp will even be colder than the previous night, with temperatures dropping. The trail takes us for an hour or so to the top of the forest and then for about two hours at a gentler gradient through the moorland zone. Hiking to this point you will be able to see in an easterly direction, the Western Breach with its spectacular glaciers. You are now due west of Kibo and after a short hike you will reach the Shira cave in the evening walk.

Day 4: Shira (3750m) - Lava Tower (4600m) - Barranco Camp (3900m)

• Hiking time: 7 hours

• Distance: About 11 km’s

• Habitat: Semi desert

The route now turns east into a semi desert and rocky landscape surrounding Lava Tower, where you reach an altitude of 4600m after about five hours walk. Lunch is served in a designated area before ascending the rocky scree path to Lava Tower (4600m). Definitely, the toughest day so far. It is normally around this point, where for the first time, some climbers will start to feel symptoms of breathlessness, irritability and headaches. After lunch you descent again by almost 700m to the Barranco camping area and after reaching the high altitude of 4600m at Lava Tower, the true acclimatization benefit of this day becomes clear. This descent to Barranco camp takes about two hours and offers great opportunities to take some beautiful photographs of the Western Breach and Breach Wall. The camp is situated in a valley below the Breach and Great Barranco Wall, which should provide you with a memorable sunset while you wait for the preparation of your dinner.

Day 5: Barranco Camp (3900m) – Karanga Camp (3995m)

• Hiking time: 4 hours

• Distance: About 7 km’s

• Habitat: Semi desert

The famous Barranco Wall, which is probably the steepest part of the entire route, awaits you after breakfast. Although no technical climbing is necessary, some spots do require you to use your hands for a better grip and to pull yourself up. Your guide will be close by to help you if necessary. After you have pulled yourself around the Kissing Rock, you will make your way along the mountain ridge and through the Karanga Valley. You will also pass the last water spot as you finally reach Karanga Camp. After a well-deserved meal, it is off to bed.

Day 6: Karanga Camp (3995m) – Barafu Camp (4667m)

• Hiking time: 3 hours

• Distance: About 2 km’s

• Habitat: Alphine Desert

Today you will make your way to Barafu Camp. The landscape is very dry and the ground cracks like glass under your boots. As you make your way through the afro-alpine dessert to the rocky Barafu Camp, a sense of excitement sweeps over you as your final stretch is only a few hours away. The Barafu Camp with its rocky scenery allows for a stunning view of Mawenzi Peak and the summit path ahead. After an early dinner and last-minute preparation for tomorrow, you will go to bed.

Day 7: Summit Attempt, Barafu Camp (4667m) - Uhuru Peak (5895m) - Mweka (3100m)

• Hiking time: 7 hours to reach Uhuru Peak / 7 hours to descend to Mweka

• Distance: About 14 km

• Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit

You will wake up around 2300hrs, and after some tea and biscuits you start climbing to Uhuru peak into the night. You will head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This 6-hour walks to Stella point is for many climbers, mentally and physically the most challenging on the route. At Stella Point (5757m) you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see (weather permitting). From Stella Point you will normally encounter snow all the way on your 1-hour ascent to Uhuru Peak. The time you will spend on the summit will depend on the weather conditions. Do not stop here for too long, as it will be extremely difficult to start again due to cold and fatigue. Enjoy your accomplishment and a day to remember for the rest of your life. The walk back to Barafu from the summit, takes about 3 hours. Here you will have a well-earned but short rest and collect the rest of your gear, before heading down to Mweka hut (3100m). The route is not difficult and will take you down the rock and scree path into the moorland and eventually into the forest. The camp is situated in the upper forest and mist or rain can be expected in the late afternoon. Dinner and washing water will be prepared.

Day 8: Mweka Camp (3100m) - Mweka Gate (1980m)

• Hiking time: 3 hours

• Distance: About 2 km

• Habitat: Forest

After an early and well-deserved breakfast, it is a short 3-hour and scenic hike back to the park gate. At Mweka gate you sign your name and details in a register. This is also where successful climbers receive their summit certificates. Those climbers who reached Stella Point (5757m) are issued with green certificates and those who reached Uhuru Peak (5895m) receive gold certificates. From the Mweka Gate you will continue down into the Mweka village, normally a muddy 3 km (1 hour) hike. At the Mweka Gate, you will have lunch and celebration with your mountain crew.

After that, you will be transferred to a hotel in Moshi or Arusha for hot shower probably dinner and overnight or otherwise in the evening you will be transferred to Kilimanjaro International Airport to connect with your flight back home.