About This Tour
The Machame Route offers a challenging yet rewarding trek to Africa's highest peak. Over 7 days, you'll ascend through diverse ecosystems, from lush rainforest to barren arctic landscapes. Key highlights include crossing the scenic Shira Plateau, scaling the Barranco Wall, and a thrilling midnight ascent to Uhuru Peak (5,895m) for a spectacular sunrise. This route provides excellent acclimatization, enhancing summit success rates. You'll experience breathtaking views, unique flora and fauna, and the camaraderie of fellow climbers and local guides. The Machame Route combines natural beauty, physical challenge, and cultural insights for an unforgettable Kilimanjaro adventure.
Route Overview:
- Scenic route with diverse landscapes, from rainforests to alpine deserts.
- Better acclimatization and higher success rates due to the longer duration.
- Opportunity to experience the unique flora and fauna of Kilimanjaro.
Good to Know:
- The route is moderately challenging and requires a good fitness level.
- Includes professional guides, porters, meals, and accommodations during the climb.
This route provides an excellent balance between a challenging climb and a rewarding experience with breathtaking views.
Highlights
- Scenic diversity: The Machame Route, also known as the "Whiskey Route," is renowned for its stunning and varied scenery. You'll experience multiple ecological zones, from lush rainforest to alpine desert.
- Challenging but rewarding: This route is considered more difficult than some others, but it offers excellent acclimatization, increasing your chances of reaching the summit.
- Kilimanjaro's highest point: The climax of the tour is reaching Uhuru Peak at 5,895 meters (19,341 feet), the highest point in Africa.
- Barranco Wall: Scaling this imposing rock face on Day 4 is a thrilling experience that adds an element of adventure to your climb.
- Lava Tower: The trek to this 4,630-meter landmark offers crucial acclimatization and spectacular views.
- Shira Plateau: One of the highest plateaus in the world, offering breathtaking vistas and a chance to see unique high-altitude vegetation.
- Stella sunrise: The final ascent typically begins at midnight, allowing you to reach the summit around dawn for an unforgettable sunrise view over Africa.
- Diverse ecosystems: You'll pass through five distinct climate zones: rainforest, heath, moorland, alpine desert, and arctic.
- Cultural experience: Interact with local guides and porters, gaining insight into Tanzanian culture and the Chagga people who have long lived in the shadow of Kilimanjaro.
What’s Included
- All accommodations per itinerary
- All meals per itinerary
- All transportation and transfers per itinerary
- Professional English-speaking mountain guide
- Salaries for all crew members
- Rescue fees (as required by national park)
- Tents, foam sleeping pads, cooking equipment, and eating utensils
- Oximeters Emergency
- Oxygen (2L canister)
- Tips for guides, drivers, hotel staff
- Personal expenses (visas, airport taxes, Internet, etc.)
- Beverages and alcohol
- Any other extras not detailed in the above itinerary
- Tips for guides, porters, and cooks (budget $400-550/person)
Tour Plan
Expand allCollapse allDay 1: Drive to Kilimanjaro National Park Machame Gate, Hike to Machame Camp
Drive from Moshi to the Mount Kilimanjaro National Park Gate (30-45 minutes). 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 rain forest 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.
-- Elevation: 1830m/6000ft to 3050m/9950ft
-- Distance: 11km/7mi
-- Hiking Time: 5-6 hours
-- Habitat: Montane Forest
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Budget Accommodations: Machame Camp
Day 2: Hike Machame Camp to Shira Camp
After breakfast we leave the glades of the rain forest and continue on an ascending path, crossing the valley along a steep rocky ridge. The route now turns west onto a river gorge until we arrive at the Shira campsite.
-- Elevation: 3050m/9950ft to 3850m/12,600ft
-- Distance: 5km/3mi
-- Walking Time: 4-5 hours
-- Habitat: Moorland
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Budget Accommodations: Shira Camp
Day 3: Hike Shira Camp to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp
From the Shira Plateau we continue to the east up a ridge, passing the junction towards the peak of Kibo. As we continue, our direction changes to the South East towards the Lava Tower, called the "Shark's Tooth" (elev 4650m/15,250ft). Shortly after the tower we come to the second junction which goes to the Arrow Glacier. We now continue down to the Barranco Camp. Although you end the day around the same elevation as when you began, this day is very important for acclimatization and will help your body prepare for summit day.
-- Elevation: 3850m/12,600ft to 4000m/13,000ft
-- Distance: 10km/6mi
-- Walking Time: 5-6 hours
-- Habitat: Semi-desert
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Budget Accommodations: Barranco Camp
Day 4: Hike Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp
After breakfast, we leave Barranco and continue on a steep ridge up the Barranco Wall to the Karanga Valley and the junction which connects with the Mweka Trail.
-- Elevation: 4000m/13,000ft to 4050m/13,250ft
-- Distance: 5km/3mi
-- Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
-- Habitat: Alpine Desert
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Budget Accommodations: Karanga Camp
Day 5: Hike Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp
We continue up to the Barafu Camp. You have completed the South Circuit, which offers views of the summit from many different angles. Here we make camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and prepare for the summit day.
-- Elevation: 4050m/13,250ft to 4700m/15,350ft
-- Distance: 4km/2mi
-- Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
-- Habitat: Alpine Desert
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Budget Accommodations: Barafu Camp
Day 6: Hike Barafu Camp to Summit, down to Mweka Camp
Very early in the morning (midnight to 2 am), we continue our way to the summit between the Rebmann and Ratzel glaciers. You head in a northwesterly direction and ascend through heavy scree towards Stella Point on the crater rim. This is the most mentally and physically challenging portion of the trek.
At Stella Point you will stop for a short rest and will be rewarded with the most magnificent sunrise you are ever likely to see. Faster hikers may view the sunrise from the summit. From Stella Point, you may encounter snow all the way on your 1-hour ascent to the summit. Once at Uhuru Peak you have reached the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro and the continent of Africa!
From the summit we begin our descent by continuing straight down to the Mweka Camp, stopping at Barafu for lunch. You may want gaiters and trekking poles for the loose gravel going down. We arrive at Mweka Camp and enjoy our last evening on the mountain.
-- Elevation: 4700m/15,350ft to 5895m/19,340ft
-- Down to 3090m/10,150ft
-- Distance: 5km/3mi up / 13km/8mi down
-- Hiking Time: 5-7 hours up / 5-6 hours down
-- Habitat: Stone scree and ice-capped summit
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Budget Accommodations: Mweka Camp
Day 7: Hike Mweka Camp to Mweka Gate, drive to Moshi town or Arusha city
After breakfast we continue the descent down to the Mweka Park Gate to receive your summit certificates. At lower elevations, it can be wet and muddy. Gaiters and trekking poles will help. Shorts and t-shirts will probably be plenty to wear (keep rain gear and warmer clothing handy). From the gate, continue another hour to Mweka Village. A vehicle will meet you at Mweka village to drive you back to your hotel in Moshi (about 30 minutes) or Arusha city. Don't forget to tip your guides and porters.
-- Elevation: 3090m/10,150ft to 1680m/5500ft
-- Distance: 10km/6mi
-- Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
-- Habitat: Forest
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Mid-Range Accommodations: hotel or Lodge at your choice
What’s Included
- All accommodations per itinerary
- All meals per itinerary
- All transportation and transfers per itinerary
- Professional English-speaking mountain guide
- Salaries for all crew members
- Rescue fees (as required by national park)
- Tents, foam sleeping pads, cooking equipment, and eating utensils
- Oximeters Emergency
- Oxygen (2L canister)
- Tips for guides, drivers, hotel staff
- Personal expenses (visas, airport taxes, Internet, etc.)
- Beverages and alcohol
- Any other extras not detailed in the above itinerary
- Tips for guides, porters, and cooks (budget $400-550/person)
