Tour Overview

The Machame route is very scenic with beautiful landscapes. It is the most popular and successful route leading to the summit of Kilimanjaro. The key to the success of the Machame route is topography, allowing hikers to climb high and sleep low, helping towards better acclimatisation. Hikers sleep in tents which are carried up to the mountain by porters.
If you climb seven days, on the fourth day spend over night at the Karanga camp, whereas at the six days Machame route you will continue your hike on the fourth day from Karanga camp to Barafu camp. Mountain climbing in Tanzania is a once in lifetime experience!

Full Itinerary

Day 1 Machame Gate to Machame Camp

Walking distance: approximately 11 km
Duration: around 6 hours
Altitudes: Machame Gate 1,640 m – Machame Camp 2,850 m
Vegetation zone: Rain forest

After breakfast at your hotel, you will be collected by your head guide and driven to the Machame Park gate. You will sign in at the gate and then begin to hike on the south-western slopes of the mountain. The first day of trekking is through the rain forest where plants such as busy lizzies, begonias and ferns can be seen depending on the time of year you’re visiting. A lunch box will be provided and you can take a break to sit and enjoy the scenery. The first camp is located amongst the giant heather. Dinner is provided and an overnight stay at Machame camp

Walking distance: approximately 5 km
Duration: around 5 hours
Altitudes: Machame Camp 2,850 m – Shira Camp 3,810 m
Vegetation zone: Moorland

After breakfast, your second day of trekking starts. Emerging from the forest into the giant heather zone and up onto fine open moorland to camp by the Shira Cave at 3,840m. Today’s hike is around 4-5 hours with an optional walk in the afternoon to view fascinating geological features in the old volcanic caldera.

Walking distance: approximately 7 km ascent and 3 km descent
Duration: 4-5 hours to Lava Tower, 2-3 hours to Barranco camp
Altitudes: Shira Camp 3,810 m – Lava Tower 4,630 m – Barranco Camp 3,970 m
Vegetation zone: Alpine Desert

Today you trek to Lava Tower before descending down into the sheltered Barranco Valley to camp. It should help with acclimatisation to climb high and then sleep lower.

Walking distance: approximately 5 km
Duration: 4-5 hours
Altitudes: Barranco Camp 3,970 m – Karanga Camp 3,995 m
Vegetation zone: Alpine Desert

The day begins with a scramble up Barranco wall before continuing to hike to Karanga Valley at 3,995m. This is a short walking day, 4-5 hours, with an optional acclimatization hike in afternoon up onto the scree below the glaciers.

Walking distance: approximately 4 km
Duration: 4-5 hours
Altitudes: Karanga Camp 3,995 m – Barafu Camp 4,673 .
Vegetation zone: Alpine Desert

Hike up to a new camp perched on a rocky bluff. The camp offers fantastic views across to Mawenzi peak and being 150m higer than Barafu campsite there is a little distance to climb to the summit. This is another short walking day of about 4-5 hours. You will have dinner early and rest for as long as possible in preparation for the summit day.

Walking distance: approximately 5 km ascent and 12 km descent
Duration: 8 hours to Ufuru Peak and 6 hours to Mweka Camp
Altitudes: Barafu Camp 4,673 m – Uhuru Peak 5,895 m – Mweka Camp 3,068 m .
Vegetation zone: Rock, ice-capped summit, alpine desert

You will be woken at around midnight for a hot drink and snack before you begin the hike to the summit. The aim is to reach Uhuru Peak at sunrise to enjoy magnificent views across the mountain. The ascent to the summit, at 5,895m, takes around 7 hours before you descend to the new Rau campsite at 3,400m, taking about 5 hours. This is a long day with a lot of trekking but you will feel ecstatic when you’ve done it!

Walking distance: approximately 10 km
Duration: 3-4 hours
Altitudes: Mweka Camp 3,068 m – Mweka Gate 1,640 .
Vegetation zone: Low alpine zone, rain forest

Hike down to Mweka Park gate, where you will sign out. You will be collected at the gate and driven to your hotel.

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